Genesis 49:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.

NIV: Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.

NASB: 'Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.

CSB: Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and the firstfruits of my virility, excelling in prominence, excelling in power.

NLT: 'Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the child of my vigorous youth. You are first in rank and first in power.

KJV: Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

NKJV: “Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.

Genesis 49 is a formal oracle: the last words of Jacob regarding his twelve immediate sons (Genesis 35:23–26). It serves primarily as prophecy, describing his children's offspring far into the future of the nation of Israel (Genesis 35:10–11).

Jacob begins with his oldest son Reuben (Genesis 29:32), describing the privilege that comes with being the firstborn. The eldest male child was often seen as the primary example of a man's virility and strength. As is still the case in many cultures today, the firstborn son is often treated as the crown jewel of the family, the leader of his siblings, and the hope for the future. Firstborn sons often received a double portion of the inheritance and the final word in family decisions after the parents were gone.

Under normal circumstances, Reuben would be the most honored and powerful of his brothers. However, this privilege will be negated (Genesis 49:4). A moment of rebellious immorality cost him this position (Genesis 35:22).

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 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 5/3/2024 9:17:02 PM