Genesis 49:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Issachar is a strong donkey, crouching between the sheepfolds.

NIV: Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down among the sheep pens.

NASB: 'Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between the sheepfolds.

CSB: Issachar is a strong donkey lying down between the saddlebags.

NLT: 'Issachar is a sturdy donkey, resting between two saddlepacks.

KJV: Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

NKJV: “Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between two burdens;

Each of Jacob's twelve sons is hearing about the fate of their descendants (Genesis 49:1–2). Now he comes to Issachar Genesis 30:17–18).

Issachar, as a tribe, is depicted to resemble the sturdy, thick-boned structure of a donkey. It is unclear if Jacob intends the metaphor to describe Issachar's descendants as strong, hard workers. Alternatively, he may mean the tribe is stubborn and resistant, since they are depicted as lying down, which is the ultimate act of defiance from a working animal like a donkey.

Depending on the translation, Issachar is said to be lying down or crouching between sheepfolds or packs. The following verse indicates Issachar's descendants will find a good spot for themselves in the land of Canaan and settle there, refusing to move on. This will result in their frequent conquest by outside kingdoms, forcing them into heavy labor (Genesis 49:15).

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 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.

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.

Accessed 5/8/2024 7:34:01 PM