JACOB’S DEATHBED BLESSING AND PROPHECY
This is another remarkable chapter, as it is the deathbed scene of old Jacob. In fact, in the previous chapter we saw him on that deathbed as he strengthened himself, sat upon the bed, and blessed the sons of Joseph.
After that interview, the rest of Jacob’s sons came in, so that around him now are all twelve of his sons. He has a farewell message for each of them. He begins with the eldest and goes right down the list.
Anything that a man says on his deathbed is important because generally, if he ever tells the truth, he tells it on his deathbed. This deathbed message is dramatic because it is prophetic.
It tells what will happen to the twelve sons of Jacob when they become tribes. What was prophetic then has now become largely historical.
This is our final opportunity to see another evidence of faith in the life of Jacob. He spoke to his boys who were to become the twelve tribes in the nation of Israel and would be dwelling in the land of Canaan.
What faith!
Remember that the Canaanite was then in the land and that Jacob’s family was favorably situated in Egypt.
Genesis 49:1-28 KJV
[1] And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
[2] Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
[3] Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
[4] Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
[5] Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
[6] O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
[7] Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
[8] Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
[9] Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
[10] The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
[11] Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
[12] His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
[13] Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.
[14] Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
[15] And 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 judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
[17] Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
[18] I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.
[19] Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
[20] Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.
[21] Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.
[22] Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
[23] The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
[24] But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
[25] Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
[26] The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
[27] Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
[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.
Genesis 49:1 KJV
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
Genesis 49:2 KJV
Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
Genesis 49:3 KJV
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
Genesis 49:4 KJV
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
Genesis 49:5 KJV
Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
Genesis 49:6 KJV
O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
Genesis 49:7 KJV
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
Genesis 49:8 KJV
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Genesis 49:9 KJV
Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
Genesis 49:10 KJV
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Genesis 49:11 KJV
Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
Genesis 49:12 KJV
His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
Genesis 49:13 KJV
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.
Genesis 49:14 KJV
Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
Genesis 49:15 KJV
And 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.
Genesis 49:16 KJV
Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
Genesis 49:17 KJV
Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
Genesis 49:18 KJV
I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.
Genesis 49:19 KJV
Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
Genesis 49:20 KJV
Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.
Genesis 49:21 KJV
Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.
Genesis 49:22 KJV
Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
Genesis 49:23 KJV
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
Genesis 49:24 KJV
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Genesis 49:25 KJV
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
Genesis 49:26 KJV
The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
Genesis 49:27 KJV
Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
Genesis 49:28 KJV
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.
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