[And He Walks With Me] Genesis 49
1-28 Jacob’s blessing over his sons is perplexing. There are some tremendous gems of prophecy here, but there is also a great deal of ambiguity and confusion. Often, God’s blessing is unclear in the moment and will become apparent only well after the fact. Nevertheless, we should be looking for it!
3-4 Reuben is commended for his strength, prominence, and power. The word rendered strength represented vigor, wealth, and physical strength.[127] The word translated prominence (dignity (KJV)) means elevation, exaltation, or uprising.[128] The word behind power carries the ideas of strength, might, and ferocity. However, Strong’s also notes that it carries an undertone of greed.[129] This is an appropriate description for Reuben who was strong but aimed to usurp his father’s place by sleeping with his concubine Bilhah (35:22).
Despite the commendation, Jacob also points out Reuben’s turbulence. The Hebrew word appears only here in the Old Testament and evokes the image of boiling water. The term carries the ideas of “recklessness,” “unbridled license,” and “lasciviousness.”[130]
5-7 Simeon and Levi are lumped together. Recalling their unbridled rage following the rape of their sister (see Genesis 34), Jacob’s words for these brothers are harsh. Rather than helpful tools, their knives are vicious weapons. Their council is to be avoided, and their assembly will lead only to trouble. Rather than blessing them, Jacob noted that their volatile tempers were cursed. The Hebrew word here means “to abhor, to detest, and still more.” Jacob predicted that these tribes would not become great nations like their siblings. Rather, Simeon would be granted territory nested inside that of Judah, causing them to be absorbed into the larger tribe, and Levi would become the priests who received no tribal inheritance but lived in specific cities reserved for them scattered throughout the nation.
8-12 Judah is the first to receive a truly positive blessing. He and his descendants will be victorious in battle and respected by the other tribes and enemies alike. It will be a descendant of Judah who assumes the scepter and staff of leadership until the coming of the penultimate King of kings, Jesus. The blessing of the future messiah is described graphically. Tying a donkey to a choice vine suggests enough wealth that the fruit of a choice vine can be risked. The ability to consume wine symbolized prosperity; the ability to [wash] his clothes in wine suggested money was no object. Additionally, the messiah is described as profoundly handsome, having eyes… darker than wine and teeth… whiter than milk.
13 Zebulun receives a concise blessing. Jacob predicted his descendants will live by the seashore and… be a harbor for ships that is next to Sidon. The most suitable harbors in Israel’s territory would be to the north. Zebulun’s territory would be in the northern parts of the nation, but it would be in western Galilee, miles from any body of water and 65 miles from Sidon. Therefore, some scholars suggest this blessing will be fulfilled in the Millennium. Others suggest it may be more metaphorical in nature, referring only to the tribe’s prosperity as traders and merchants and their territory as a place of security and shelter for travellers.
14-15 Issachar is compared to a strong donkey lying down between the saddlebags. The interpretation is challenging. Some suggest the tribe would be strong but lazy. Others point out that the tribe’s inheritance included most of the Jezreel Valley, which runs east-west from the Jordan River Valley to the Mediterranean Sea. To both the north and south, there are mountainous ranges that could be aptly compared to saddlebags. Moreover, some would argue that the fertility of the valley would compel the lazy tribe to get up and work hard while others point to the presence of prominent trade routes and suggest the tribe would be subjected to forced labor because those who aimed to control the trade inevitably sought control of the region.
16-18 Interpreting Dan’s blessing presents several challenges. First, the identity of Dan is ambiguous. If the name refers to the patriarch himself, then his people would most likely refer to his descendants. However, if the name refers to the tribe descended from Dan, then his people must refer to another group outside the tribe. Interestingly, the structure of the verse could also be reversed so that Dan is the object of the verb rather than the subject, in which case his people would be judging Dan. Second, it is unclear why Dan is compared to a viper beside the path. I would suggest it is because the tribe would abandon their own territory because it was difficult to conquer and instead move to the northern end of the nation in what should have been Naphtali’s allotment. Finally, it is unclear whether the prayer injected in vs 18 is intended as something Dan will say or as something Jacob is saying.[131]
17-19 One possible hint for interpreting verse 18 may be found in the fact that both Dan and Gad are portrayed as attacking the heels of people who attacked them.[132] Perhaps Jacob saw these tribes as the birthing places of resistance when Israel would be oppressed. Indeed, the judge Samson was of the tribe of Dan, and he fought against the Philistines who were oppressing Israel during his lifetime. So also, the people of Gad became known as fierce warriors who, as a result of their location on the east of the Jordan River, were often the first line of defense against raiders and invaders.
22-26 There are some unique images here. Joseph is described in the first line of vs 22 as the “son” of a fruit, and later in the verse, the word rendered by most translations as branches is literally rendered as “daughters.” Nowhere else is anyone or anything described in this way. Plants do not have sons or daughters. Therefore, some translations change the metaphor to an animal. E.g., “A young bullcalf is Joseph. A young bullcalf next to a well. In the meadow he will stride towards the Bull And he will make him strong so they will become numerous.” (De Hoop). Such a change does require “significant use of variants and minor revisions,” but it helps to clarify that Joseph is to play a kingly role. Certainly, this is true of the patriarch Joseph, whose position in Pharaoh’s court afforded him a place of responsibility and honor over his brothers, but his descendants would not assume such a role in the kingdom of Israel.[133]
27 Although Jacob’s blessing over Benjamin would seem clear enough, it is difficult to see its connection to Benjamin the person or the tribe.[134]
[127] “H202 – ‘ôn – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv)”, n.d.
[128] “H7613 – śᵊ’ēṯ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv)”, n.d.
[129] “H5794 – ʿaz – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv)”, n.d.
[130] “H6349 – paḥaz – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv)”, n.d.
[131] Walton 2001, Genesis 49:1-28
[132] Walton 2001, Genesis 49:1-28
[133] Walton 2001, Genesis 49:1-28
[134] Walton 2001, Genesis 49:1-28