Genesis 49:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you.

NIV: Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you.

NASB: 'As for you, Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s sons shall bow down to you.

CSB: Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the necks of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you.

NLT: 'Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will grasp your enemies by the neck. All your relatives will bow before you.

KJV: Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.

NKJV: “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you.

Jacob, on his deathbed, is delivering a final "blessing" to each of his 12 sons, in turn (Genesis 49:1–2). This prophetic oracle, however, has not always been positive. In fact, all three of the sons Jacob has mentioned have been punished due to their earlier sins (Genesis 49:3–7). Reuben lost his status as the firstborn, while Simeon and Levi were fated to see their tribes scattered within Israel.

Now, the oracle turns to Judah (Genesis 29:35), and this prediction is overwhelmingly positive. Jacob points to a time when Judah's brothers will praise him and bow down before him. This resembles Joseph's dreams of his brothers and father bowing before him (Genesis 37:5–11). That prediction has already been fulfilled (Genesis 43:26). Jacob's oracle points to the future of the tribes which will come from his sons. Judah's tribe will produce many leaders and kings.

The statement that Judah's brothers would praise him is a play on Judah's name, given to him when his mother declared at his birth, "This time I will praise the Lord" (Genesis 29:35). Jacob also points to a time when Judah's hand will be on the neck of his enemies, a sign of dominance over them. Again, this indicates that the tribe of Judah will lead Israel to victory in battle. Unlike his brothers, Judah's people are destined for greatness. They will become the most dominant of the twelve 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 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.