Genesis Chapter 49: Final Blessings

Genesis 49:1 & 2

Then Ya'akov called for his sons and said, "Gather yourselves together, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the acharit-hayamim. Assemble yourselves and listen, sons of Ya'akov; pay attention to Isra'el your father."

Ya'akov was about to die and he got together his sons to proclaim to them what was going to happen in the end of days. He calls for them to not only listen to the words but to respond to them with action in their lives.

Genesis 49:3 & 4

"Re'uven, you are my firstborn, my strength, the firstfruits of my manhood. Though superior in vigor and power you are unstable as water, so your superiority will end, because you climbed into your father's bed and defiled it - he climbed onto my concubine's couch!"

This passage tells of how Re'uven lost his special blessing and position as the firstborn by sleeping with Bilhah, see chapter 35. Being "unstable as water" speaks of this impulsive sexual act and that he did not think of the consequences.

Genesis 49:5–7

"Shim'on and Levi are brothers, related by weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let my honor not be connected with their people; for in their anger they killed men, and at their whim they maimed cattle. Cursed be their anger, for it has been fierce; their fury, for it has been cruel. I will divide them in Ya'akov and scatter them in Isra'el."

This passage refers to the events of chapter 34 where they wiped out a city and rescued Dinah. Here, we see that they did it with anger and deceit; the action of saving Dinah was proper but they went about it in the wrong way. The word translated here as "council" actually speaks of a conspiracy and the fact that they used deceit instead of honesty and trusting in God.

The word that is translated here as "whim" speaks of delight and the fact that they enjoyed killing these people which is the opposite of the blessing that Israel is called to be for the nations. Finally, we see that, because of this attitude, they will lose their identity and sorta be lost in the crowd of the family of Israel.

Genesis 49:8–12

"Y'hudah, your brothers will acknowledge you, your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father's sons will bow down before you. Y'hudah is a lion's cub; my son, you stand over the prey. He crouches down and stretches like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to provoke him? The scepter will not pass from Y'hudah, nor the ruler's staff from between his legs, until he comes to whom belongs; and it is he whom the peoples will obey. Tying his donkey to the vine, or: until Shiloh comes his donkey's colt to the choice grapevine, he washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk."

This passage speaks of the coming of Yeshua as Messiah and how Israel and the world are going to be transformed under the rule of Yeshua. The mention of Shiloh speaks of a time when Israel was united in worship and the washing of clothes in wine speaks of a changing of garments with joy and redemption. It speaks of the abundance of the land and worship transforming the people in the Millennial Reign.

Genesis 49:13–15

"Z'vulun will live at the seashore, with ships anchoring along his coast and his border at Tzidon. Yissakhar is a strong donkey lying down in the sheep sheds. On seeing how good is settled life and how pleasant the country, he will bend his back to the burden, and submit to forced labor."

Here, we see a change in order as Z'vulun and Yissakhar are spoken of before their place in the birth order and we see that they are lifted up because of their faithfulness. We see that Z'vulun will become a port or place of refuge on the Mediterranean coast while Yissakhar will be in a safe place. Then, it speaks of the thoughts of Yissakhar turning to finances and the fact that he will work hard to pay taxes and become a slave.

Genesis 49:16–18

"Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Isra'el. Dan will be a viper on the road, a horned snake in the path that bites the horse's heels so its rider falls off backward. I wait for your deliverance, ADONAI."

Now, Dan is described as a judge of the people that does not do so properly. This passage speaks of how the people will move backwards because of this improper judgement but it speaks of the hope of the coming of Yeshua Messiah who will bring salvation for the people.

Genesis 49:19

"Gad - a troop will troop on him, but he will troop on their heel."

Gad is a military term meaning attack and here we see that he will be attacked but the word for heel speaks of victory and the fact that he will go after the victory.

Genesis 49:20

"Asher's food is rich - he will provide food fit for a king."

Asher speaks of happiness and blessing with this verse talking about the great happiness in the millennial kingdom.

Genesis 49:21

"Naftali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns."

The word that is translated here as "doe" actually speaks of a female mountain goat and we see that Naftali will bear words of repair and improvement.

Genesis 49:22–26

"Yosef is a fruitful plant, a fruitful plant by a spring, with branches climbing over the wall. The archers attacked him fiercely, shooting at him and pressing him hard; but his bow remained taut; and his arms were made nimble by the hands of the Mighty One of Ya'akov, from there, from the Shepherd, the Stone of Isra'el, by the God of your father, who will help you, by El Shaddai, who will bless you with blessings from heaven above, or: that says beautiful words. blessings from the deep, lying below, blessings from the breasts and the womb. The blessings of your father are more powerful than the blessings of my parents, extending to the farthest of the everlasting hills; they will be on the head of Yosef, on the brow of the prince among his brothers."

This passage speaks of the fact that Yosef will be a fruitful son bringing the blessing of salvation and it speaks of overcoming the powerful that will hate him. It emphasizes the spiritual blessings as the foundation for the physical blessings that are to come in the kingdom.

Genesis 49:27

"Binyamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey, in the evening still dividing the spoil."

This verse speaks of the success in the fight as Binyamin will fight in the morning and divide the spoils in the evening.

Genesis 49:28

All these are the twelve tribes of Isra'el, and this is how their father spoke to them and blessed them, giving each his own individual blessing.

Here we see that the blessings that were mentioned are not only for the sons but also for Israel as a whole in the last days.

Genesis 49:29–33

Then he charged them as follows: "I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my ancestors in the cave that is in the field of 'Efron the Hitti, the cave in the field of Makhpelah, by Mamre, in the land of Kena'an, which Avraham bought together with the field from 'Efron the Hitti as a burial-place belonging to him - there they buried Avraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Yitz'chak and his wife Rivkah, and there I buried Le'ah - the field and the cave in it, which was purchased from the sons of Het." When Ya'akov had finished charging his sons, he drew his legs up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Ya'akov gave the final instructions for his burial which were to take his body back to Canaan and bury him with the patriarchs and then he died.