Genesis 49 – Jacob's Blessing and Death

Timeline: 1705 BC

Worksheet Resources Allen Nolan Chuck Missler Skip Heitzig Dr. Baruch Korman Israelites in Egypt Commentary

Jacob, under God's inspiration, describes the state of his descendants in the future. Genesis 49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing. Deuteronomy 33:1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. 1 And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days: The phrase "in the last days" refer to the period of time at the end of the age leading into the establishment of God's Kingdom on Earth. So the prophetic blessings tell the future of the 12 tribes of Israel. 3 "Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father's bed; Then you defiled it— He went up to my couch. Deuteronomy 6 "Let Reuben live, and not die, Nor let his men be few." Jacob indicated that Reuben "shall not excel" but Moses encouraged him that his descendants will not die but live and increase in numbers. Reuben was the first born of Jacob by Leah. To his credit, he advised his brothers not to kill Joseph and intended to release him from the pit. Part of the firstborn inheritance was his father's concubines. He had so much potential but, his incestuous act with Bilhah, his father's concubine, as an attempt to excel as the head of the family prematurely, caused him to forfeit all his privileges. Therefore, his kingly power, his right to be the head of the family, went to Judah. In addition, the double portion which was normally given to the oldest went to Joseph's sons who were adopted by Jacob. Finally, his privileges as the priest of the family went to Levi. He lost all his entitlements as firstborn and they were distributed among the other tribes. 6 "Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob And scatter them in Israel. Simeon and Levi were both sons of Leah who also had a daughter named Dinah. When Shechem defiled their sister, Simeon and Levi slew Hamor and his son Shechem as well as all the males in the city. They also crippled the oxen so that they couldn't be used to plow and then set them loose. Unlike their father, they were revengeful and fierce. Their treacherous defiance caused Jacob to curse their anger. As a result, the descendants of Simeon were dispersed and given only a few cities in Israel. Deuteronomy 33:8-11 Levi: "Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, Whom You tested at Massah, And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah, Who says of his father and mother, ‘I have not seen them'; Nor did he acknowledge his brothers, Or know his own children; For they have observed Your word And kept Your covenant. They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, And Israel Your law. They shall put incense before You, And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar. Bless his substance, Lord, And accept the work of his hands; Strike the loins of those who rise against him, And of those who hate him, that they rise not again." Thummim meaning light and Urim is perfection or "perfect light". The priests wore a breast piece which contained twelve unique stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. When God struck down all the firstborn in Egypt during the plagues, He set apart every firstborn in Israel. Later God accepted the Levites in place of the firstborn because when the tribes built a golden calf, the men of the tribe of Levi stood up and offered to take care of the situation. Because of their faithfulness, God chose them as His own. They never received land but were rewarded with the priesthood and became teachers and judges. They were exempt from military duty. 8 "Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk. Deuteronomy 33:7 "Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, And bring him to his people; Let his hands be sufficient for him, And may You be a help against his enemies." Judah was the one who, rather than killing Joseph, suggested that they sell him to the Midianites for 20 pieces of silver. He exhibited true Christ-like character when he offered himself as a sacrifice in the place of Benjamin for the sake of his father. Just as the Messiah came from the Tribe of Judah, so did the kings. The lion is referred to as the king of the beast which symbolized royalty and therefore Jesus is called "The Lion of the Tribe of Judah". Judah would become a leader of the other tribes. His tribe would later produce a line of kings, beginning with King David and, much later, Jesus Christ. The "scepter" refers to the tribal identity and right to apply the Mosaic Law that included the right to administer capital punishment. Judah was supposed to keep the scepter until the Shiloh comes. Shiloh means peace which refers to the Messiah. Somewhere around 9 A.D., when Rome took over the world, they took away the scepter and the Tribe of Judah's right to execute capital punishment. On the day that happened, Jews lost all hope for the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. They assumed that God had broken His promise. What they didn't know was that Jesus turned 12 years old that year. "And to Him shall be the obedience of the people." Many Bible versions properly capitalize the word "Him" which refers to the Messiah. 13 "Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon. Deuteronomy 33:18-19 "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, And Issachar in your tents! They shall call the peoples to the mountain; There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness; For they shall partake of the abundance of the seas And of treasures hidden in the sand." Matthew 4:12-13 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali When reading the Bible, it helps to use scripture to explain scripture. These scriptures together tell the prophesy Jacob told to Zebulun. This son would later be given the land between the Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Galilee. Nazareth was located in The Tribe of Zebulun where much of the Lord's ministry was done. 14 "Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between two burdens; He saw that rest was good, And that the land was pleasant; He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, And became a band of slaves. Issachar's prophecy was combined with Zebulun. Comparing Issachar to a donkey was not a derogatory term. It was referring to a powerful beast that was submissive to his master. Issachar's land would be agricultural. True to the prophecy, his tribe later inherited the rich farmland of the Valley of Jezreel in Galilee. Issachar is bordered by two hills or burdens of hills, Mount Gilboa and Mount Tabor. Issachar is the third largest tribe and received the richest portion of all the tribes. They would become submissive, not warriors. They had to work hard to pay taxes imposed on them. 16 "Dan shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper by the path, That bites the horse's heels So that its rider shall fall backward. I have waited for your salvation, O Lord! Deuteronomy 33:22 "Dan is a lion's whelp; He shall leap from Bashan." Throughout the Bible, the serpent is a symbol of Satan. Jacob was prophesying that the Tribe of Dan would have a satanic influence on the other tribes. Just after they were allotted their land, which was occupied by the Philistines, they migrated north and massacred the citizens of Laish and renamed the city. They were the first tribe to practice idolatry. They will entice the rest of the people to worship their idols.They set up golden calf and began worshipping it. Because of their idolatry, God omitted them from the Tribes of Israel. In 1 Chronicles, the list of all the tribes does not include the Tribe of Dan. In Revelation, they will not be among the 144,000 Jews that are going to be sealed in the time of tribulation. After the millennium, Dan will once again be listed as one of the Tribes and will receive their inheritance. Bashan is the ancient, biblical name used for the northernmost region of the Transjordan during the Iron Age. 19 "Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, But he shall triumph at last. Deuteronomy 33:20-21 "Blessed is he who enlarges Gad; He dwells as a lion, And tears the arm and the crown of his head. He provided the first part for himself, Because a lawgiver's portion was reserved there. He came with the heads of the people; He administered the justice of the Lord, And His judgments with Israel." There were no natural borders in Gad's land and therefore was isolated from the rest of Israel. They were vulnerable to attacks from the people who lived around them. Their going through their land was the easiest way into Israel so that whenever Israel was attacked, the marauders would go through them. They became mighty warriors by necessity. 1 Chronicles describes them as experts with both shield and spear as fierce as lions and swift as deer on the mountains. Elijah was from the Tribe of Gad. 20 "Bread from Asher shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties. Deuteronomy 33:24-25 "Asher is most blessed of sons; Let him be favored by his brothers, And let him dip his foot in oil. Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; As your days, so shall your strength be. " Asher's land will be fertile and productive providing rich food that is located among the rich northern coast of Canaan. It is known today for the vast olive groves which produce most of the olive oil today. Royal Dainties could have referred to workmen and materials provided to David and Solomon for the building of the temple. In 2009, Oil and natural gas was discovered just off the coast of Asher. Asher demonstrated faithfulness; they kept the Passover and were faithful to the Mosaic priesthood. 21 "Naphtali is a deer let loose; He uses beautiful words. Deuteronomy 33:23 "O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, And full of the blessing of the Lord, Possess the west and the south." Naphtali is referred to as a captured deer that is struggling to be let loose. When it is free, it takes off like a rocket. Naphtali is north of Galilee. All of Jesus' disciples came from the territories of Zebulun and Naphtali except Judas. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies – He was descended from the Tribe of Judah, raised in Nazareth, moved to Capernaum (both in the territory of Zebulun) to begin his Ministry. Jesus was like a deer let loose going all over Israel to preach and then His disciples were let loose going through the entire world preaching the gospel. 22 "Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall. The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him. But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers. Deuteronomy 33:13-17 "Blessed of the Lord is his land, With the precious things of heaven, with the dew, And the deep lying beneath, With the precious fruits of the sun, With the precious produce of the months, With the best things of the ancient mountains, With the precious things of the everlasting hills, With the precious things of the earth and its fullness, And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let the blessing come ‘on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.' His glory is like a firstborn bull, And his horns like the horns of the wild ox; Together with them He shall push the peoples To the ends of the earth; They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And they are the thousands of Manasseh." Joseph's double portion went to his sons but the firstborn blessing went to him. The first part of this blessing was more of an account of Joseph's life. Joseph was fruitful and productive just as a vine that grows and climbs a wall. When his brothers became jealous, they tried to get rid of him. The archers shot at him. Then Potipher's wife falsely accused him but Joseph overcame all the obstacles that were put in front of him. God kept him because of his faithfulness. Manasseh and Ephraim had more power and prestige than any other tribe. And of course Joseph is a typology for the Messiah. Joseph is going to be the key in the book of Genesis for understanding the work and the outcome for the work of Messiah. 27 "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil." Deuteronomy 33:12 "The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders." Benjamin was located between the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom Ephraim (Israel). Jerusalem was part of the inheritance of Benjamin. When the two rivals, Judah and Ephraim went to war with each other, it was in the territory of Benjamin. The temple was located in Jerusalem between the northern and southern kingdoms ("between His shoulders"). 29 Then he charged them and said to them: “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a burial place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.” And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people. The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Jacob's soul will be with his people, the ones who believed and had faith. His body is to be buried along with his relatives in the cave that was paid for by Abraham. Then he peacefully passed away. Bible Study Questions 1. Why did Jacob gather his sons? a. To see them one more time before he died. b. To tell them their future. c. To tell them who will receive the birthright. 2. Why didn't Reuben receive the honor and position of the firstborn? a. He committed an act of immorality with one of his father’s concubines. b. He wanted to kill his brother Joseph. c. He wanted Jacob to kill his sons if he didn't bring Benjamin back to him. 3. What is the consequence Simeon and Levi must suffer? a. They will be divided and scattered in Israel. b. They will not see the promised land. c. They will became servants subjected to hard labor. 4. What animal represents Judah? a. A Lion. b. A Bear. c. A Donkey 5. What will Zubulun and Issachar be called? a. The Issacharites. b. The zubulunites. c. The peoples to the mountain. 6. Issachaar is referred to as what? a. A kindred spirit b. A fruitful vine by a spring c. A strong donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds. 7. What is the fate of Dan? a. He shall not recieve an inheritance. b. He shall Judge his people. c. He shall migrate south to Egypt. 8. The name Gad means: a. Troop, good fortune b. Mighty c. Fortress 9. What shall come of Asher? a. He will be covered in oil. b. He will have many descendants. c. He will yield royal dainties. 10. How is Naphtali described? a. A deer let loose. b. A roaring lion. c. A sheep among men. 11. What is Joseph blessed with? a. Blessings of Heaven above. b. Blessings of the deep that lies beneath c. Blessings of his ancestors. 12. What shall Benjamin do in the morning? a. Slay his enemies. b. Devour the prey. c. Divide the spoil.

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