Genesis 49 - Printer Friendly

What does Genesis 49 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Before he dies, Jacob urgently seeks to complete two important pieces of business with his twelve sons. First, he wishes to give a prophetic message appropriate to each. While these are titled "blessings," not all are positive. These are presented more as predictions than bestowing favors. Second, he wants to command them to bury his body in Canaan and not in Egypt.

The predictions given here are in a style often termed a "prophetic oracle." Using poetic language and metaphors, Jacob will reveal a small part of the future of each son's descendants. Each son's family will become one of the tribes of Israel. This oracle will serve many purposes for the people of Israel. During the centuries of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 1:7–14), Jacob's deathbed oracle will point to a future when they take possession of the Promised Land of Canaan. Afterwards, it will serve as a reminder. God's plan has been in place since the beginning, and He is faithful to bless His people (Genesis 49:1–2).

Jacob fathered twelve sons with four women: his wives Leah and Rachel, and their servants Bilhah and Zilpah (Genesis 35:23–26). In this passage, only the first four and last two sons are addressed in exact accordance with birth order. However, there is still an arrangement to Jacob's speech. The first six sons addressed—Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, and Issachar—are the naturally-born sons of Leah. The next four—Dan, Gad, Asher, and Naphtali—are sons carried through surrogacy by Rachel and Leah's servants. The last two—Joseph and Benjamin—are the naturally-born sons of Jacob's dearest wife, Rachel.

The first three predictions from Jacob are harsh. He holds Reuben, Simeon, and Levi accountable for sins committed decades earlier. The tribes descended from them will be less esteemed, as a result. Reuben is vilified for sleeping with his father's concubine (Genesis 35:22). This causes him to lose his esteemed position as the firstborn. His tribe will be noted for indecisiveness. Simeon and Levi are closely linked in their violent, vengeful personalities, for which both are condemned. The most notable evidence of this was their deceptive and sadistic response to the rape of their sister, Dinah (Genesis 34:1–2, 13–15, 25–29). Neither tribe will come to possess much of the Promised Land; the tribe of Levi will become priests with no established territory of their own (Genesis 49:3–7).

In contrast, Judah's tribe will become great. This fourth son of Jacob will be the ancestor of most of Israel's kings and rulers. In fact, the kingship will remain with Judah forever. Much later in history, Jesus, the Messiah, descended from Judah and King David, will also be known as the Lion of Judah. Part of Jacob's prediction is a prophecy about Messiah and the everlasting nature of His rule (Genesis 49:8–12).

Brief mentions are made of the futures of the tribes of Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, and Naphtali. Zebulun will be associated, in some way, with sea trading. Issachar will be known for hard work and possibly enslavement. Dan is cryptically described as a lurking serpent, possibly a reference to military skill. The oracle about Gad uses rhyming Hebrew words to imply conflict. Asher's prediction involves food. Naphtali is associated with independence and beauty. In the middle of these prophecies, Jacob exclaims his desire to see God's salvation (Genesis 49:13–21).

Jacob saves his greatest blessing for Joseph and the people to come from him. Having already given the family blessing to Joseph's two sons (Genesis 48:5–6), Jacob now includes Joseph specifically. His people will be fruitful and fight off their attackers in the strength of the Mighty One of Jacob. Notable Old Testament warriors such as Joshua, Gideon, and Deborah will be from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Further, all the material blessings of the earth will come to them (Genesis 49:22–26).

The final prediction is for Jacob's youngest son, Benjamin. His people are compared to a voracious, vicious predator. The Benjaminites would be known for their military accomplishments. They would also be associated with a horrific incident (Judges 19:25–27) which sparked a civil war (Judges 20). The first king of Israel, Saul, would be from this tribe, and his rule would be marked by a predatory, violent streak. After the extensive praise given to Joseph, this brief remark seems anticlimactic (Genesis 49:27).

In the moments before he dies, Jacob urgently commands his sons not to bury him in Egypt. Rather, they are to take his remains to the family burial cave. This location near Mamre was purchased by Abraham, one of the few spots in Canaan owned outright by God's people. Buried there are Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob's first wife Leah. His sons must bury him there alongside them (Genesis 49:28–32).

With his business finished, Jacob dies (Genesis 49:33).

Genesis 49:1–7 begins Jacob's prophetic remarks about his sons, beginning with Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. These are in the context of a family "blessing," though not all the predictions are positive. The main blessing has already been bestowed on the two oldest sons of Joseph (Genesis 48:5–6). Here, the three oldest sons of Jacob are punished for their prior sins. Reuben loses his firstborn rights. Jacob predicts that Levi and Simeon will be largely absorbed into the other tribes.

Genesis 49:8–12 contains Jacob's blessings and predictions about his fourth son, Judah. In part, this is a Messianic prophecy. The nation of Israel (Genesis 35:10–11) will eventually be ruled by descendants of the tribe of Judah. Ultimately, this will include the earthly reign of the Promised One, Jesus Christ.

Genesis 49:13–21 records Jacob's deathbed predictions, this time regarding six of his sons: Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, and Naphtali. These are relatively brief, and not entirely positive. While Jacob addresses the first four (Genesis 49:3–12) and last two (Genesis 49:22–27) of his sons in birth order, there is no obvious ranking in his comments here. As compared to other tribes, these would play lesser roles in Israel's future.

Genesis 49:22–27 includes Jacob's final prophetic remarks about his sons. The last two mentioned are his youngest, the only naturally born children of his favorite wife, Rachel. Joseph's sons were already inserted into the family blessing (Genesis 48:5–6). This is the most overtly positive of Jacob's predictions. Benjamin, however, is predicted to become a notably violent tribe.

Genesis 49:28–33 contains Jacob's last words before his death. He commands his sons to see that his body is buried in Canaan in the family tomb. It is one of the few pieces of property the family owns outright in the Promised Land. Abraham bought it from the Hittites. He and Sarah are buried there, as are Jacob's parents Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob's first wife Leah. His sons must take his body there to lay it to rest with the others. After saying this, the man God renamed "Israel" (Genesis 35:10–1) dies in the presence of his extended family.

Chapter Summary:

Genesis 49 contains Jacob's dying prophetic remarks. In the form of poetry, Jacob pronounces positive and negative "blessings" about each of his 12 sons and the people who will come from them. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are each held to account for their past sins. Judah is described as a lion; the kingly line will come from his people. Joseph and his descendants are lavished with blessings. Once the oracle is completed, Jacob commands his sons to bury him with his fathers in Canaan. Then, the man God named "Israel" (Genesis 35:10–11) dies.

Chapter Context:

After a life of struggle and controversy, Jacob's family has securely settled in Egypt. Genesis 48 told of Jacob's blessing on Joseph's two oldest sons: Ephraim and Manasseh. In Genesis 49, Jacob gives both positive and negative predictions to each of his sons, in turn. Jacob then commands his sons to bury him in Canaan, then dies. The final chapter of Genesis describes the family's mourning and Joseph's death. The opening verses of Exodus race forward some 400 years, as the nation of Israel falls into harsh slavery under new Egyptian rulers (Exodus 1:8–14).

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

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