Free Bible Commentary
“Genesis 49:1-7”
Categories: Genesis“Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, ‘Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come. Gather together and hear, O sons of Jacob; And listen to Israel your father. Reuben, you are my firstborn; my might and the beginning of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch. Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are implements of violence. Let my soul not enter into their council; let not my glory be united with their assembly; because in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will they lamed oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”
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“Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, ‘Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come.” (verse 1) The story of Jacob’s journey began with God’s promise to make his “descendants” as numerous as “the dust of the earth” (Genesis 28:14). It appropriately ended with the large family through which God would fulfill this prophecy gathered around him at his bedside before he departed for fairer lands beyond the bright blue. Jacob loved all of his sons dearly and gave attention to each of them in his farewell address, but, being the honest man that he had grown to be, he pulled no punches and included unfavorable words to the sons who deserved them. It is not surprising that nearly half of Jacob’s final recorded words were dedicated to Joseph and Judah, the two most prominent characters in the Joseph narrative and critical components of God’s unfolding plan to bring His Messiah Savior into the world of fallen man. Included in Israel’s departing declaration are some of the most amazing and accurate prophecies in all the Bible.
“Before his death Jacob summons all his sons to his bedside to hear his farewell words, addressing each individually through a series of aphorisms in poetic form. This document (vv. 1-27) is the first sustained piece of Hebrew poetry in the Torah. It is a combination of three literary genres: the deathbed blessing…, the farewell address…, and the tribal poem… Genesis 49 is widely known as ‘The blessing of Jacob.” However… Blessings and curses, censure and praise, geographical and historical observations—all are included. For this reason, a title such as ‘The Last Words of Jacob’…better suits the context… The aphorisms spoken by Jacob are presented as prophetic pronouncements that will ultimately determine the character and destiny of the future tribes. Also, the actions and behavior of the ancestors leave an indelible imprint on their descendants, affecting the course of history.” (Nahum Sarna)
“Reuben, you are my firstborn; my might and the beginning of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.” (verse 3) Jacob affectionately recalled the love, hope and promise that the appearing of his firstborn had ushered into his swelling heart at his birth. “The natural love of Jacob for his firstborn appears in this. God had promised Jacob to make of him a great nation, and Reuben was the beginning of the fulfillment. But, alas, the firstborn, in this instance, was not destined to live up to all the high hopes that his father had in him. Nevertheless, those hopes are affectionately mentioned here.” (James Burton Coffman)
“Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it…” (verse 4) “This…is probably better rendered…’turbulent as a flood.’ Recklessness, and wantonness, lust, frivolity and insolent pride are all said to be included in the meaning. The reference, of course, is to the incest which Reuben committed with Bilhah, one of his father's wives… It should be noted that Jacob's pronouncement here was fulfilled exactly in all the subsequent life of Reuben. He never furnished a leader of any kind to the nation. His was the first tribe to ask for a place to settle, and that before they ever entered Canaan (Numbers 32). They erected an unauthorized place of worship (Joshua 22:10-34). In the days of Deborah and Barak, his tribe violated their pledge and refused to answer the call to arms (Judges 5:15,16).” (James Burton Coffman)
“Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are implements of violence.” (verse 5) The events recorded in Genesis 34 of the violent overthrow (murder) of the men of Shechem angered, shamed, hurt and haunted Jacob all the subsequent days of his life. Lustful revenge for the defilement of their beloved sister Dinah drove these two partners in crime past the brink of blood-thirsty madness. “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel.” (verse 7) Simeon and Levi may have thought they had gotten away with murder, but they were “cursed” for their sinful crimes. “The curse is applied to the anger but actually refers to those who display it. The content of the curse is the loss of the independence and territorial integrity of these two tribes.” (Nahum Sarna) We must learn to control our anger before it pushes us past the point which we can control ourselves. God’s word does not reveal whether these two men ever felt the pangs of regret and remorse, but know for certain that their deeds did not go unpunished. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…” (Romans 1:18)
“I will disperse them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.” (verse 7) “Since the cooperation of these brothers had produced some very shameful results, God would divide them. Jacob's prophecy was fulfilled in the most remarkable manner. At the time of the conquest of Canaan, Simeon had become the smallest of the tribes of Israel (Numbers 26:14). The tribe was passed over in the blessing of Moses (Deuteronomy 33). It received no separate assignment of territory, but merely a few cities within the limits of Judah (Joshua 19:1-9). Those were absorbed into Judah, and those who remained emigrated in two detachments, and sought out settlements for themselves outside the limits of Canaan (1 Chronicles 4:27-43).” (James Burton Coffman) Of course, the priesthood would arise from the tribe of Levi and they received no apportionment of land, but were scattered throughout the nation of Israel (Numbers 18:14; Deuteronomy 10:9).
Please read Genesis 49:8-12 for tomorrow.
Have a wonderful day!
-Louie Taylor
