1Jacob calleth his sons to bless them. 3The blessing of Reuben; 5Simeon and Levi; 8Judah; 13Zebulun; 14Issachar; 16Dan; 19Gad; 20Asher; 21Naphtali; 22Joseph; 27and Benjamin. 29He chargeth them about his burial, and dieth.
1AND Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you 1in the last days.
1 Hebr. in the aftermost, last, or, sequel of days, that is, in the times to come, namely, from about 200 years beginning after this time, and further unto the coming of the Kingdom of the Messiah.
2Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
3¶Reuben, thou art mya firstborn, 2my might, and 3the beginning of my strength, 4the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
a Gen. 29:31.
2 That is, a child begotten in the principal vigor of my age.
3 Namely, in begetting of children. Thus the firstborn are called, Deut. 21:17; Psalm 78:51.
4 Hebr. the excellence.
45Unstable 6as water, thou shalt not excel; becauseb7thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: 8he went up to my couch.
5 Hebr. swiftness.
6 Namely, in the defiling of thy father’s bed; even as the water suddenly gushes down from some eminent place, into the lower, so shalt thou, through thy base lust, accompanied with great levity and presumption, plunged thyself into a most abominable villainy and vileness.
b Gen. 35:22; 1 Chron. 5:1.
7 That is, thou hast defiled thy father’s bed with incest.
8 This Jacob spoke turning himself away to his other sons.
5¶Simeon and Levi are 9brethren; 10instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
9 To wit, not only by nature, but likewise in manners and conditions, and wicked practices, which they showed sufficiently by their cruel exploit against the Shechemites, Genesis 34.
10 Some: swords.
6O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine 11honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slewc a 12man, and in their selfwill they 13digged down a wall.
11Honour is here as much as soul previous, it being the worthiest and most honorable part of man. Thus the word honour may likewise be taken, Psalm 16:9; 30:12; 57:8. Other, tongue, wherewith a man is bound to honor God, and to spread forth His praise. Also by the word honour, there may be understood a man’s good name.
c Gen. 34:25.
12 Hebr. the man; understand the Shechemites. See Gen. 34:25, 26.
13 Or, they houghed oxen. Hebr. the ox. Understand hereby likewise all manner of other beasts and cattle, which in plundering of the city of Shechem, they despoiled the inhabitants of. The Hebrews do frequently use the singular instead of the plural number, Gen. 32:5, and 1 Chron. 10:1, compare with 1 Sam. 31:1.
714Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: 15I will divided them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
14 To be accursed is to be subject and liable to all manner of bodily and spiritual, temporal and eternal punishment, or to be subject to any of these, as Gen. 3:14; 4:11; 5:29; Deut. 28:16, 17; Mat. 25:41. Understand here the temporal punishment.
15 Jacob speaks here in the Name of God, as a prophet, and his prophecy was fulfilled accordingly in the posterity, for the tribe of Simeon was intermixed in the land of Canaan with the tribe of Judah, Joshua 19:1, and the tribe of Levi dispersed among all the tribes of Israel.
d Joshua 19:1; 21:3, 4, etc.
8¶Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: 16thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before 17thee.
16 That is, thou shalt make them flee and suppress them. Compare Psalm 18:40.
17 Hereby he intimates that his posterity shall be exalted to the lordship, the second part of the right and prerogative of the firstborn.
918Judah ise a lion’s whelp:f from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; 19who shall rouse him up?
18 All this is spoken by way of similitude to express the temporal dominion and power of the posterity of Judah, Judges 1:2; 1 Sam. 17:51; 2 Sam. 8:12, 13, and 1 Kings 9:20, etc., and the everlasting of the Messiah, Who was to issue from Judah, Mat. 28:18; Luke 1:32, 33; Eph. 1:20, 21.
e Num. 24:9; Micah 5:7.
f cub*
19 As if he had said: his enemies shall stand in that fear of him, that they shall not easily dare to provoke him without their apparent ruin and destruction.
10The 20sceptre shall not depart fromg Judah, nor 21a lawgiver 22from between his feet, until 23Shiloh 24come; and unto him 25shall the gathering of the people be.
20 That is, the power to govern, Isa. 14:5; Ezek. 19:11, 14; Zech. 10:11, it being the manner of governors and rulers to bear staves or scepters in their hands as a sign of their dominion, Esther 8:4. Other, the tribe; that is, the tribe of Judah shall not be confounded with others, nor removed out of its place, before, etc.
g Mat. 2:6.
21 Understand, him who has power to make, and prescribe laws for the government. See Prov. 8:15.
22 That is, who shall be a descendant from the tribe of Judah. Other, who shall be instructed as a disciple at the feet of the master in the laws; also Deut. 33:3.
23 Hereby doubtless the Messiah is to be understood. It is by some rendered with his Son, or, Fruit; to wit, the Son of Judah; for the Hebrew word does signify the skin or membrane, wherein the children are born; and thence also the very child therein contained, and which was to come forth out of the tribe of Judah, of which the virgin Mary, the mother of Christ, Luke 1:32, was to descend. Other, the Savior, Preserver, Prosperity-giver, etc.
24 Other, shall have come. Both are true in regard of the twofold form of government, the one having power in matters criminal, over life and death; the other only determining civil and ecclesiastical differences, for some years, before the coming of Christ, the Jews were deprived of the first form of government by Pompey, but the other was yet remaining in their hands, when Christ was come in the flesh, John 18:31.
25 Hebr. and to, or, unto Him shall the obedience of the nations be; that is, the true believers, among all nations, shall yield obedience unto Him, acknowledging Him for their Lord and Savior, etc. Other, and unto Him shall be the gathering of the nations.
1126Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his 27garments 28in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
26 Hereby is intimated the abundance and excellence of the wine, that would be in the inheritance of Judah.
27 Other, his upper garment.
28 That is, in the juice of grapes, or of wine. Also Deut. 32:14.
1229His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
29 By this phrase he implies the great abundance and strength of the wine and the milk, which would be in the land of Judah. Other, redder of eyes than wine, and whiter of teeth than milk.
13 ¶ 30Zebulun shall dwell ath the haven of the 31sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto 32Zidon.
30 That is, he shall have his habitation on the seacoast. See the fulfillment hereof, Joshua 19:10, 11, etc.
h Joshua 19:10, 11.
31 Other, lakes.
32 See of this city, Gen. 10:19.
14 ¶ 33Issachar is 34a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
33 By this comparison of a strong, yet lazy and easy loving ass, he foretells that the posterity of Issachar would be strong indeed, and of great abilities, by reason of the goodness of their soil, but so given up to their ease and peace, that they would achieve nothing special, but rather suffer themselves to be ridden and burdened by others. See Judges 5:13, and compare Deut. 33:18.
34 Hebr. an ass of the bone, that is, an ass of huge and strong bones.
15And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.
16¶Dan shall 35judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
35 That is, govern them, by giving and executing of laws; so 1 Sam. 2:10; Psalm 96:13; Zech. 3:7. This same Jacob also understands of the other tribes, coming forth from the other handmaids, that they shall have the full dominion in their inheritance and allotment, as well as any of the rest.
1736Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an 37adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
36 The sense and meaning of this prophecy is: Dan shall, after the nature and condition of serpents, slyly and subtly assault his enemies, as is to be gathered likewise from Deut. 33:22. See the examples of the fulfillment hereof, Judges 14; 15; 16; 18.
37 Other, an arrow-serpent, which, hiding themselves in the trees, do with great force and swiftness shoot forth thence from between the boughs upon the travelers, as also they do on the plain ground by the wayside. The Hebrew word occurs only in this place.
1838I have waited for thy 39salvation, O LORD.
38 Jacob addresses himself to God, to commend unto Him the welfare of his posterity, foreseeing through the Spirit of God the troubles and difficulties which were likely to befall them both in general, and the tribe of Dan in particular; in regard as well of their inheritance, Joshua 19:47; Judges 1:34, as of the true religion and pure worship of God, which they did soon forsake in turning to idolatry, Judges 18:17.
39 The Hebrew word signifies either temporal deliverance, and preservation. Judges 15:18; 2 Sam. 10:11; or, everlasting, Isa. 45:17; Luke 19:9, or both of them together, as Psalm 37:39, and here. Other, to, (or, for) thy salvation, (or, preservation) do I wait on the Lord.
19¶Gad, 40a troop shall 41overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
40 Jacob implies here that Gad shall be somewhat troubled in the beginning with his enemies, but would conquer them himself at length. See Deut. 33:20, 21.
41 The Hebrew word signifies to do this with marauding and robbing troops or offensive outbursts.
20 ¶ 42Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and 43he shall yield royal dainties.
42 Meaning, that the posterity of Asher would enjoy very good wheat, oil, and other sustenance in abundance, in the land to be allotted unto them.
43 That is, the land of Asher shall be exceeding fruitful, yielding not only necessary food, but likewise all manner of precious, delicious, rare, and dainty fruits, such as may grace any king’s table. See Deut. 33:24, and Joshua 19:24, 25, etc.
21¶Naphtali is a hind 44let loose: he giveth goodly words.
44 That is, alert and expeditious in warlike achievements, Judges 4:6, 10; 5:18, and pleasant and acceptable in civil association.
22¶Josephiis a 45fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
i 1 Chron. 5:1.
45 Hebr. son of the fruitful vine; also daughters in the following. In this verse Joseph is compared to a fruitful stock or stem of a vine, shooting forth her branches which would multiply and spread themselves exceedingly.
2346Thej archers have sorely 47grieved him, and 48shot at him, and hated him:
46 Hebr. lords or masters of arrows, that is, such as use them in shooting. See Gen. 14 on verse 13. Understand by these all those who wronged and troubled Joseph, such as his brethren selling him, the wife of Potiphar accusing him falsely, her husband causing him to be put in prison, etc. which all of them have done to destroy him as marksmen shooting at a target.
j Gen. 50:20.
47 Hebr. have embittered, or, exasperated him.
48 See of the Hebrew word here used, Job 16:13; Psalm 18:14. Also Jer. 50:29.
24But 49his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the 50hands of the 51mighty God of Jacob; (52from thence is the 53shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
49 That is, his strength and prosperity remained entire, that he could not be hit nor hurt by his enemies. Some do understand by the bow the faith of Joseph, by his arms, his virtuous practice.
50 The hands of God signify His almighty power and strength, Exod. 13:3; Psalm 10:12; Ezek. 39:21, etc.
51 That is, of God, Who through His might defended and protected Jacob and his family.
52 Namely, from God, the only Fountain and Giver of all good things.
53 Understand this of Joseph, whom God appointed as a shepherd, to provide food for the Egyptians and other nations about them; but especially for the house of Jacob; by reason whereof he is likewise called, a stone, or, rock of refuge.
25Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall 54bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the 55deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
54 This verse has respect to Joseph’s posterity, to whom Jacob prophetically bequeathed here a fourfold blessing from God: I. By means of the heaven, as there are seasonable summer and winter, sunshine, rain and dew; Deut. 33:13; Ezek. 34:26; II. Out of the abyss, as fountains, rivers, and all manner of flowing or standing waters, compare Deut. 8:7; 33:13; III. By means of mankind, the fruitfulness and multiplication of their posterity, Deut. 33:17; IV. By the beasts, as food, clothing, helpful service, and manifold abundance of the same, compare Deut. 28:4.
55 Understand by this the profound depth under the earth, from where the seas, fountains, rivers, lakes, brooks, etc. take their sources; compare Gen. 1:2.
26The blessings of thy father 56have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the 57everlasting hills: they shall be on the 58head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him 59that was separate from his brethren.
56 Not only as being anew confirmed unto me, more clearly revealed and later fulfilled, but likewise extending over all my children, who likewise are more in number than those of my father and grandfather were, belonging to God’s covenant.
57 That is, those who were from the beginning. Compare Deut. 33:15; Ezek. 36:2; Hab. 3:6 and further Psalm 72:5, 7, 17, and 89:36, 37.
58 That is, they shall be abundantly poured forth over Joseph, that from him they may in like measure descend and flow down upon all his posterity.
59 Namely, unto extraordinary power and dominion, to be a preserver of his generation.
27 ¶ 60Benjamin shall ravinkas a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at 61night he shall divide the spoil.
60 That is, of the Benjamites it is foretold here, that the disposition, condition, and practice, they shall in some sort be like unto the ravening wolves, which are always abroad and about to prey upon what they can, to tear what they seize, and to devour and swallow all they have torn, and to share to their young ones. For, they shall be disposed to war, and strong in the use of weapons. See the fulfillment hereof, Judges 3:15, likewise Judges 19; 20, and 1 Samuel 12; 14; 15.
k tear in pieces, seize prey
61 That is, many days they shall be active with waging wars.
28¶All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.
29And he charged them, and said unto them, 62 I am to be gathered unto my people: 63bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of 64Ephron the Hittite,
62 See Gen. 15 on verse 15, and Gen. 25:8.
63 Of the practice of burials, see Gen. 23 on verse 4.
64 See Gen. 23 on verse 10.
30In the cave thatl65is in the field 66of Machpelah, which is before 67Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.
l Gen. 23:9, 16.
65 He describes this cave so carefully, not only to show his great desire of being buried there, but likewise he feared that they might not remember the place exactly, for, Joseph had been absent out of the land of Canaan, by this time, about thirty-nine years, and his brethren about seventeen.
66 See Gen. 23 on verse 9.
67 Otherwise called Hebron, in the tribe of Judah, Gen. 23:19, and 35:27.
3168There they buried Abrahamm and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
68 This Jacob relates here at length thus: partly, to draw his children’s affection away from Egypt, and to invigorate the desire of the promised land; and partly, also to testify thereby openly and solemnly that he steadfastly remained in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham and Isaac.
m Gen. 25:9; 35:29; Acts 7:16.
32The purchase of 69the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
69 Hebr. the buying of the field, and of the cave, that is therein, is of, etc. Other, in the possession, or, the inheritance of the field, and the cave, that therein is, bought of, etc.
33And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, 70hen gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was 71gathered unto his people.
70 It seems that Jacob made all the foregoing speech sitting up in his bed, in honor of the Word of God, which he was then and there to declare unto his children, and the better to utter the same; afterwards having done, and through the increase of his weakness upon him, being disabled to continue longer in that posture, he laid himself down again, and stretching forth his feet together, disposed himself gently and quietly to wait for death, and to commend his spirit to God.
n Acts 7:15.
71 See on verse 29.