Jacob Blesses His Sons (Genesis 49)

Many of us have been called to the deathbed of our loved ones to say goodbye or to hear their last words.  After Joseph and his sons came to Jacob’s dying bed and Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh, Jacob called all of his sons to him (verses 1-2).  He has some things he wants to say (Psalm 34:10-11).

Let’s review, first, verse 1 and verse 28.  These verses show us some important things about Jacob’s last words:

1. They are prophetic.  God will give Jacob some words about the future of the 12 tribes of Israel.
2. They are intended to be blessings.  Some of these may not seem like blessings at first glance (Reuben, Simeon, and Levi), but many times, the things that God prevents us from achieving, or roles he prevents us from fulfilling, can be blessings in disguise.  If we manage to get jobs we are unqualified for, we can easily get ourselves into trouble, and sometimes God prevents us from getting into situations where we don’t belong.  These three sons of Jacob have already shown their unsuitability for leadership.
3. They are appropriate to each son.  Each of these blessings is personal and tailored.
4. They look to the future… in the distance.  They are not for the sons themselves, but rather for the tribes which are made up of the sons’ descendants.

Reuben (vs 3-4) – You will not excel because you defiled my father’s bed (Gen 35:22; Deut 27:20).  God looks for good character in those He chooses as leaders and we know that no prophet, judge, or king ever came from the tribe of Reuben. Reuben is an example of the first becoming the last (Matt 19:30).

Simeon and Levi (vs 5-7) – I will divide and scatter them.  These two brothers receive the same blessing as they were guilty of the same cruel deed in Shechem (34:25-29).  The Bible speaks of godly anger (Be angry and do not sin, Eph 4:26) and ungodly anger (Let all bitterness, wrath, anger…be put away from you, Eph 4:31). In their anger, Simeon and Levi massacred a town.  During the wilderness wanderings, the tribe of Simeon went from being the largest tribe (Num 1:23) to being the smallest (Num 26:14).  The tribe of Levi was designated as priests and therefore received no tribal lands, but rather lived among the other tribes to minister to them in their worship.

Judah (vs 8-12) – We see references in this blessing to a lion, Shiloh, a scepter.  This is the line from which King David and the Lord Jesus, our Messiah, will come.  What other symbols of Jesus can you see in this section?  Compare this to Balaam’s prophecy of the Messiah in Num 24:15-19.  Judah, as next in line after the three older brothers have disqualified themselves in disgrace, becomes the head of the kingly lineage per the law of primogeniture.

Zebulun (vs 13) – We are skipping now to 9^th and 10^th born sons, in keeping with the sons of Leah.  This blessing talks of becoming a haven for ships and settling in a land looking to the sea.  Zebulun’s land, however, has never been on the coast, but simply looks ‘to’ the sea.  The tribe of Zebulun is noted for supplying the largest number of soldiers to David’s army (I Chron 12:33).

Issachar (vs 14-15) – Issachar is described here as a strong donkey.  They were a large tribe and, according to the census in Numbers 26, they were the third largest.  This meant that they were often targeted by conquering nations to be slaves.  Issachar’s allocated land lies on the main trade route between Babylon and Egypt and so it makes sense that any conquering armies would seek to take control of this particular real estate.

Dan (vs 16-18) – Dan will judge his people and is represented as a 'serpent by the way'.  We know that Samson and other judges came from the tribe of Dan.  But some believe that the mention of the ‘serpent by the way’ may be a reference to the antichrist being from the tribe of Dan.  This would explain Jacob calling out to the Lord in verse 18.  In any case, we do know that the tribe of Dan was responsible for much of the idolatry in Israel (Jud 18:30, I Kings 12:26-30, Amos 8:14).

Gad (vs 19) – He shall triumph at last.  In the days of Jeremiah, foreign armies oppressed Gad (Jer 49:1).  But victory was finally his.

Asher (vs 20) – He shall be rich and yield royal dainties.  The land eventually allocated to the tribe of Asher was full of not only needed goods, but also luxuries.

Naphtali (vs 21) – He uses beautiful words.  Much of Jesus’ ministry took place in Galilee, which is in the land allocated to Naphtali.

Joseph (vs 22-26) – Joseph is described as a beautiful bough (KJV), or vine (NIV), which is well-cared for and healthy, representing his excellent and constant relationship with God.  He had hard times, but God helped him and blessed him.  We will see Joseph’s two tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh) be some of the most populous.  And Jacob calls him the prince among his brothers.  Any ruling or royal implications this may infer are for the present in Egypt only, not the future.  The kingly line clearly lies with Judah.

Benjamin (vs 27) – Benjamin is described as a ravenous wolf that will devour its prey.  This tribe will be fierce. 

Read verses 29-33.  After giving his blessings to his sons, Joseph gives his last instructions to his sons.  He wants to be buried in Canaan with his ancestors.  There is a bond within him to the covenant promises.  When he is finished speaking of his burial arrangements, he dies (I Cor 15:53-57).

Responding to God:  Praise God for His omniscience and His wisdom.  Thank Him that He is just.  Worship Him that He is always in control and has all power.  Seek His will and guidance in all things.  Pray for the grace and willingness to accept God’s will in your life. 

Further Research: Search out Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.