Genesis 49, Twelve Blessings

Jacob is dying.  So he gathers his children for some final words. 

This chapter has the form of an ancient poem (says Alter) and some of the Hebrew words were probably antiquated even in the time of Moses. Both commentators, Alter and Walton, explain that some Hebrew words are unclear or unknown to modern translators.

Genesis 49: 1-2, Jacob calls his sons
Then Jacob called for his sons and said: "Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.

Jacob has some final words for each of his twelve sons. These will be blessings; these are the wishes and expectations of Jacob, some of which were apparently unfulfilled. (Just because Jacob claims to explain "what will happen ... in the days to come", we have no obligation to believe Jacob was correct.)

Genesis 49: 3-4, Jacob speaks to Reuben

"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed, onto my couch and defiled it.

Reuben slept with one of his father's concubines, with a member of Jacob's harem.  This is not forgotten. This violation is viewed as evidence of Reuben's chaotic, undisciplined power.

Genesis 49: 5-7, Jacob speaks to Simeon and Levi
"Simeon and Levi are brothers-- their swords are weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.

In verse five, the meaning of the Hebrew translated "swords" is uncertain. As are the words translated here "hamstrung oxen". Alter suggests that this last phrase may allude to Simeon and Levi massacring the men of Shechem, after forcing them to be circumcised.

The words aimed at the three oldest sons are accusatory; they are curses, not blessings.

Genesis 49: 8-12, Jacob speaks to Judah
"Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you. You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness--who dares to rouse him?

    

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.

After the criticisms of the oldest three sons, Jacob has praise for Judah. Judah will be a strong leader, a lion. Is a birthright passed on to Judah, after the criticisms of his older three brothers? 

(From the NIV footnotes: In verse 8 "Judah" sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew "for praise".)

In verse 10 the phrase translated "he comes to whom it belongs" is another questionable collection of words.  The NIV suggests it might be phrased as "until Shiloh comes" or "until he comes to whom tribute belongs."  Alter and Walton have similar suggestions on the translation. Alter says that the Masoretic text "seems to read 'until he comes to Shiloh,' a dark phrase that has inspired much messianic interpretations."  As Shiloh was occasionally viewed as a Messianic title, Christians might wonder if this is an allusion to the Messiah rising from the line of Judah. 

Genesis 49: 13, Jacob speaks to Zebulun
"Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon.

The tribe of Zebulun will be along the sea? When Canaan is divided late in the book of Joshua, the region of Zebulun is not coastal.

Genesis 49: 14-15, Jacob speaks to Issachar
"Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down between two saddlebags. When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor.

NIV footnotes: "rawboned" might mean "strong", "saddlebags" might be "campfires".  Some suggest that the first sentence describes a valley between two hills.  (The only thing clear here is how little we know about these blessings of Jacob!)

Genesis 49: 16-18, Jacob speaks to Daniel
"Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider tumbles backward.

    

"I look for your deliverance, O LORD.

(NIV footnote: Dan here means "he provides justice".  The tribe of Daniel is to emphasize justice. The image of a serpent need not be negative; a serpent is quick and aggressive.)

Genesis 49: 19-21, Jacob speaks to Gad, Asher, Naphtali
"Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.

     

"Asher's food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.

     

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

(From the NIV footnotes: In verse 19 Gad can mean "attack" and "band of raiders". In verse 21 the phrase "bears beautiful fawns" could be "utters beautiful words". Either translation describe some type of beauty.)

Genesis 49: 22-26, Jacob speaks to Joseph
"Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb.

    

"Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

The blessing for Joseph continues to have strange archaic Hebrew words, say commentators.  The tribe of Joseph will be fruitful and steady, protected by YHWH, consistent with the integrity Joseph has demonstrated so far.  Success is identified with fruitful growth and many children. In this growth, the blessing "of the breast and womb" is certainly critical, offering a counter-balance to the patriarchal emphasis on fathers and sons!

Genesis 49: 27, Jacob speaks to Benjamin
"Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder."

The final child is a wolf!?

Genesis 49: 28-33, Jacob dies
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him. 

    

Then he gave them these instructions: "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah.  The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites."

    

When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Jacob wants his body buried in the same region as his ancestors and Leah. He is only a sojourner, a pilgrim, in Egypt.  His body belongs in the Promised Land of Abraham and Isaac.

Jacob's words form an ancient piece of Hebrew poetry, criticizing the three oldest sons, blessing the rest, then finally seeking the return of his body to the Covenant Land.