Genesis 49:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?

NIV: You are a lion's cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness--who dares to rouse him?

NASB: Judah is a lion’s cub; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares to stir him up?

CSB: Judah is a young lion -- my son, you return from the kill. He crouches; he lies down like a lion or a lioness--who dares to rouse him?

NLT: Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness — who dares to rouse him?

KJV: Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

NKJV: Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?

As he lays on his deathbed, Jacob is delivering a prophetic oracle about the future of his sons. This explains the fate of the people who will come from each of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 35:10–11, 23–26). Jacob's eldest sons—Reuben, Levi, and Simeon—were punished for their crimes and lost their dominant positions within the family. The previous verse began the blessing of Jacob's fourth son, Judah (Genesis 49:8).

Lions are often mentioned symbolically in the Old Testament. Jacob refers to Judah as a lion: first as a cub, then a lion, and finally a lioness. The picture is of a lion who has taken down his prey and now crouches over it, defying anyone to take it from him. In other words, Judah will be mighty and victorious and dangerous to his enemies. To even dare to challenge his dominance would be an act of bravery. This blessing points to the time when King David, of the tribe of Judah (1 Samuel 17:12), would conquer all the enemies of Israel and become the strongest power in the region. The lion would become the symbol of Judah's people.

Finally, Jesus the Messiah, who will also descend from this tribe (Micah 5:2), will carry the title of the Lion of Judah. Revelation 5:5 says this about Him: "The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." The next verse makes an explicit prophecy about the permanence of Jesus' throne (Genesis 49:10).

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.