49:1–2 The prophetic style is strongly evident in Jacob’s opening words, as he gathers his sons to tell them what will happen “in days to come” (Hb. beʾakharit hayyamim; v. 1). This phrase often refers to climactic events in history (cf. Isa. 2:2; Ezek. 38:16; etc.) but can also be used for more indeterminate periods in the future, especially in the Pentateuch (Num. 24:14; Deut. 31:29). The summons to Israel’s sons to “assemble and listen” also appears in the prophets, gathering the people to hear the Lord’s word (Isa. 45:20; 48:14). This introduction gives a solemn tone to what follows, marking it out not merely as Jacob’s words but as the Lord’s words through him. It is also fitting given the specificity of many of the blessings assigned to the forefathers of the tribes, whose later experiences will demonstrate the accuracy of Jacob’s words.

49:3–4 The blessings are arranged in order of birth mother rather than in strict sequence of age,681 beginning with Leah’s six children (Reuben–Issachar), followed by the four children of the maidservants, Bilhah and Zilpah (Dan–Naphthali),682 and concluding with Rachel’s two children (Joseph and Benjamin).

As firstborn, Reuben was born into a position of privilege and primacy; he is described as Jacob’s might and the firstfruits of his strength, preeminent in dignity and power (49:3). Normally in the ancient Near East the firstborn might have expected to receive a double share of the inheritance to match his position of dignity and honor. In this case, however, Reuben’s father has no words of blessing for him. Reuben’s volatility—evidenced by his sleeping with his father’s concubine, Bilhah (35:22)—leads to his losing his position of leadership among the sons. He is as reliable to lean on as a pillar of water (49:4). This instability was already noticeable in the earlier account. When the brothers plotted against Joseph, Reuben planned to help his brother escape, but he was absent at the crucial moment when the other brothers sold Joseph into slavery and so was unable to effect a rescue (37:29–30). Later Reuben pledged the life of his two sons as surety that Benjamin would return safely from the proposed trip to Egypt, but his offer was rejected by his father (42:37–38). Circumstances and his own character (or lack thereof) constantly conspire against Reuben’s attempts to provide leadership for the family.

Moreover, this trait of unreliability is passed on to the tribe that comes from him. In the days of the Judges, when Ephraim, Benjamin, Zebulun, Issachar, and Naphtali come and fight alongside Deborah, the tribe of Reuben apparently remains at home: “Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart” (Judg. 5:15–16). While the other tribes are out fighting for their lives, the Reubenites are at home thinking about it. They are as unreliable as their forefather.

49:5–7 Simeon and Levi, next in line, receive a similarly negative assessment. In their case they face the consequences of the violence and ruthlessness with which, after the rape of Dinah, they tricked the men of Shechem into being circumcised in order to massacre them (Gen. 49:5–6; cf. ch. 34). At the time Jacob took no action beyond a mild word of reproof that focused more on the impact of their actions on Jacob’s reputation than on the outrage of their behavior (34:30). Now, however, Jacob declares that, as a lasting result of their sin, their descendants will be scattered throughout Israel. As Simeon and Levi were joined together in their iniquity, so the tribes that come from them will together be scattered in their judgment. The nature of this pronouncement as a divine oracle is clear from the first-person-singular language (“I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel”; 49:7), where it is clear that the “I” cannot refer to Jacob but must be the Lord’s own personal commitment.

These words work their way out in the future of Israel. Simeon is one of the smaller tribes from the outset, becoming largely absorbed into Judah. Meanwhile, the ferocious anger of Levi is harnessed in the Lord’s service after the incident of the golden calf (Ex. 32:26–29). As a result, their curse is transformed into a blessing. They are still scattered among the tribes of Israel, but that status enables them to serve the whole nation as the priestly tribe, teaching Torah throughout Israel and serving at the sanctuary.

49:8–12 Judah’s blessing is not the longest—that privilege is unsurprisingly reserved for Joseph—but is the most remarkable. Jacob begins by affirming (twice) Joseph’s childhood dream that his brothers would praise him (Gen. 49:8; cf. 37:5–8). There is a play on words here, as Judah’s own name means “praise” (cf. 29:35). Jacob describes Judah in distinctly royal terms. Triumphing over all his enemies,683 he is majestic and lionlike; none will dare rouse him to anger (49:9). It is therefore no surprise to hear that, in addition to preeminence over his brothers, Judah will possess the scepter and the ruler’s staff (v. 10). This blessing is also prophetic, foreshadowing the future history of Israel, in which the family of Judah will become the royal tribe through the line of David. This blessing also affirms by faith God’s earlier promise that kings would come from Abraham’s line (17:6).

Yet Jacob’s prophecy anticipates something even greater than the substantial blessings experienced by Judah in the time of David and Solomon, who rule over all Israel at the time of its greatest prosperity. After the scepter first arrives in Judah in the time of David, the scepter will remain with Judah until the arrival of a still greater future figure. The Hebrew text of verse 10 is complex, with the MT reading “until Shiloh comes” (cf. ESV mg.; KJV).684 The ESV, like some other versions, has chosen to revocalize the text slightly to render it “Until tribute comes to him,” which fits well with the following line, “And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”685 However, most ancient and modern translations have understood this verse to be a messianic prophecy, rendering it “Until he comes to whom it [the scepter] belongs” (cf. ESV mg.).686 This messianic interpretation is already clear in later biblical passages that allude to this verse. Ezekiel 19 and 21:27 pick up on the imagery of lions and scepters to denigrate the Davidic kings of the immediate preexilic period. Zechariah 9:9–10 anticipates a messianic figure who will come riding on “a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Hb. ʿal ʿayir ben ʿatonot; both terms come from Gen. 49:11); meanwhile, in Revelation 5:5 “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” is Jesus.

This enigmatic “one to come,” to whom rulership properly belongs, will not reign only over the nation of Israel (i.e., over Judah’s brothers). His reign will extend more widely, receiving the obedience of the peoples (Gen. 49:10; cf. Psalm 72). He will be unmatched in his beauty, with “eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk” (Gen. 49:12), and his arrival will usher in an age of unparalleled prosperity. This abundant prosperity is the significance of his tethering his young donkey to a choice vine (v. 11): since the donkey would immediately begin to eat the vine and any grapes it has borne—as especially a young and vigorous donkey would do—the image might be compared to someone in our culture using one-hundred-dollar bills to light a fire. Such a person’s wealth is so vast that normal cautions may be cast to the wind.687 In the same way, washing garments in wine is another emblem of extraordinary abundance. Yet the image of this figure’s washing his robes in wine also has a negative aspect: the picture of a person whose clothing is stained red with the blood (!) of grapes is evocative of outright warfare (cf. Pss. 58:10; 68:23). These images (harvest and judgment, winepress and blood) are merged in Revelation 14:20 (“The winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia”), while the figure riding to war on a white horse in Revelation 19:13 is described as wearing a garment “dipped in blood.”

It is not difficult to see this figure reflected in the person of Jesus. In Jesus’ first miracle he replaces water with wine at Cana on a vast scale, filling jars meant for washing with abundant wine (John 2:6, 9). In Matthew’s account of the triumphal entry Jesus is also depicted as the humble king, riding into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Matt. 21:1–8). Jesus is the one of unmatched beauty, to whom the obedience of the nations properly belongs. His saints now wash their garments and make them clean, not in blood-red wine nor in the blood of God’s enemies but in what the wine of the Lord’s Supper symbolizes: the “blood of the Lamb” himself (Rev. 7:14).

49:13–15 Compared to the glorious heights of the blessing pronounced upon Judah, the blessings assigned to Zebulun and Issachar are decidedly mixed.688 On the one hand they speak of prosperity and comfort (“a haven for ships”; “a resting place was good”; “the land was pleasant”; Gen. 49:13–15). On the other hand, however, Zebulun will be dangerously dependent upon the Phoenicians for its prosperity (cf. below), and Issachar will end up in subjugation and forced labor. The statement that Zebulun will dwell beside the seashore does not reflect his tribe’s subsequent location during the conquest of the land (cf. Josh. 19:10–16); its maritime trade is always carried out through its Phoenician neighbors, for whom Sidon stands as a representative.689 Though Zebulun is not itself a coastal people, it benefits significantly from the fact that some of the main roads for coastal trade pass through its territory.

Issachar is blessed with strength, like a donkey (Gen. 49:14), though the compliment is double-edged, since donkeys are not exactly known for initiative or leadership. He would rather lie down among the saddlebags than use his strength for productive work (v. 14).690 The tribe of Issachar is not even mentioned in Judges 1, which lists the successes and setbacks of the Israelite tribes in the conquest, suggesting that it has little role to play in such events. It seems that comfort and ease are more important to the tribe than freedom, and so it gradually settles into a role of servitude rather than leadership. A “resting place” (Hb. menukhah) in a pleasant land ought to be a great blessing (v. 15), but for Issachar that blessing will become a curse because of the price at which it purchases its peace, submitting itself to the imposition of forced labor.

49:16–18 As with Judah’s name, Dan’s name speaks of his high calling; it means “he judges,” and Jacob’s blessing upon him declares that he will indeed “judge his people” (v. 16). This sounds positive by itself, but the following verse throws doubt on that positive perspective. The “serpent” here is likely a horned viper that conceals itself in the sand along caravan routes in pursuit of its prey—small rodents that might be attracted by food particles left behind. If threatened by a passing horse or camel, it would strike, causing the animal to shy away and potentially dismount its rider (v. 17).691 The question is whether Dan will really provide justice for the whole of Israel, or will he prove instead to be a snake in the grass? This aspect of Dan’s legacy finds apt expression in the person of Samson, called by God from before his birth to be set apart for holy service (Judges 13) but in practice committed mostly to serving his own interests rather than judging the Lord’s people (Judges 14–16).

Of Jacob’s first seven children, six have had little to commend them. Apart from the high point of Judah and the prospect of the future messiah, the remainder of his blessings have been something of an anticlimax. Perhaps this is why Jacob cries out at this point: “I wait for your salvation, O Lord” (Gen. 49:18). Jacob’s hopes rest not in the prospect of vindication by an earthly judge, expressed in the name Dan, nor in the fleeting wealth and comfort of this world, pursued by Issachar and Zebulun. As he is about to die, at the end of a short and painful life, surrounded by offspring who seem largely unable to fulfill their potential, Jacob looks up to the Lord and expresses his attitude of patient waiting until the Lord provides salvation. It is clear that his request is not for an extended earthly existence; he knows he is about to die (v. 29), but his hope extends beyond the grave. Jacob’s faith is in a heavenly inheritance, a salvation from the Lord that no one and nothing can take from him.

49:19–21 Gad, Asher, and Naphtali are dealt with quickly. Gad’s location in the Transjordan after the conquest of the land gives him property ideal for cattle (Num. 32:1) but also leaves him exposed to constant raids, especially from the Ammonites and the Moabites (cf. Judges 11). Gad’s blessing too contains a play on his name: Gad will be raided by raiders (Hb. gad gedud yegudenu; Gen. 49:19), but he will raid (yagud) at their heels. In other words, though he will suffer at the hands of marauders, from them he will learn how to fight (cf. 1 Chron. 12:8–14).

Asher’s blessing alludes to the provision of rich food, both for itself and for the royal court (Gen. 49:20). Certainly its tribal portion in western Galilee is well watered and fertile (cf. Deut. 33:24), but again its location in Galilee leaves it dangerously exposed to invasions at various points in history. Moreover, Judges 1:31 notes how the Asherites failed to drive out the Canaanites living in the land, settling among them instead. They may have fed royal courts, but many of those kings were not Israelites.

The blessing on Naphtali is the most enigmatic of all Jacob’s blessings. It is not immediately apparent why this tribe should be compared to a doe that bears beautiful fawns (Gen. 49:21).692 A female deer is sometimes used as a metaphor of feminine beauty (Prov. 5:19) or of speed and surefootedness on the mountains (2 Sam. 22:34; Hab. 3:19). Perhaps this is as simple as an image of unrestrained joy and freedom, suitable to the mountainous nature of Naphtali’s subsequent home.

49:22–26 God’s ability to bring good out of evil and to redeem painful circumstances is prominent in the longest of Jacob’s blessings, unsurprisingly bestowed on his favorite son, Joseph. Joseph is compared to a fruitful plant,693 located beside the abundant water of a spring, whose branches (Hb. “daughters”) transcend even the protection of its walled vineyard (Gen. 49:22). The metaphor of a well-watered plant as an image of flourishing is common throughout the OT (Ps. 1:3; Ezek. 17:5). Yet that abundant prosperity comes in the context of bitter affliction and assault: Joseph is attacked by the archers (Gen. 49:23), a reference to all the slanders and injustices he has had to endure throughout his lifetime. Arrows are often used figuratively in the OT for verbal assaults (Ps. 57:4; Prov. 25:18; Jer. 9:3). Despite their ferocity these assaults have been ineffective; Joseph’s own bow remains unmoved, ready to destroy his enemies (Gen. 49:24).

Yet the central word in Jacob’s blessing upon Joseph is not Joseph’s native fruitfulness, nor his bitter affliction, nor even his ability to withstand the assault; rather it is the affirmation of God’s purposes in Joseph’s life. Joseph’s blessing flows from the Mighty One of Jacob, whose own arms strengthen Joseph’s (v. 24). The title “Mighty One of Jacob” (Hb. ʾabir yaʾaqob) occurs elsewhere only in Psalm 132 and in Isaiah and echoes the similar epithet applied to the God of Jacob’s father, “the Fear of Isaac” (Gen. 31:42, 53).

The clause “From there694 is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel” (49:24) is less clear. Jacob earlier called the Lord his shepherd in 48:15; this is a natural image of protection and provision (cf. Psalm 23). However, the “Stone of Israel” (ʾeben yisraʾel) is nowhere else used as a title for God. Elsewhere he is called the “Rock of Israel” (tsur yisraʾel), but that is a quite different Hebrew word. “Rock” (tsur) generally refers to a natural outcrop, whereas stones (ʾeben) are much smaller. The memorials raised by God’s people to remind them of his faithfulness, such as the one near Mizpah called Ebenezer (“stone of help”; 1 Sam. 7:12) or the stone pillar Jacob raised at Bethel to symbolize God’s promise to bless him, are often called “stones” (Gen. 28:18). The latter incident may be in view, with Bethel being the “from there” mentioned in the verse. The Lord has been Jacob’s shepherd and protector, the Mighty One of Jacob ever since Bethel, and he will similarly support and defend Joseph in all his struggles and difficulties, enabling him to bear fruit in abundance. God has set Joseph apart from his brothers and has maintained his faith in the face of every bitter assault.

This is why, even though Joseph has already achieved heights of greatness in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh and possessing wealth, status, and power in abundance, Jacob still blesses him. The blessings that Joseph needs do not consist in things that Egypt can give him. Rather they are the same blessings promised to Joseph’s grandfather Isaac and his great-grandfather Abraham by ʾEl Shaddai (49:25; cf. 17:1). Jacob blesses Joseph with the blessing of the heights and depths (“heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath”), a merism that includes everything between these ultimate boundaries (cf. Genesis 1).695 Since the Lord rules over all creation, all its bounty is his to grant. More specifically, Jacob asks for Joseph the blessings of “breasts”696 and womb, representing fruitfulness in offspring, which is not only a key ingredient for prosperity generally in the ancient world but also a central part of the Abrahamic blessing (cf. 12:2–3). Another part of that Abrahamic blessing is found in the “bounties of the everlasting hills” (49:26), namely, the blessing of land. Jacob’s blessing on Joseph reiterates his blessing on Ephraim and Manasseh, that they would become great in the Land of Promise, receiving the fullness of what God promised to Abraham (48:16).

In light of everything that has gone before, Jacob’s declaration that Joseph is “set apart from his brothers” (49:26) can only mean that Jacob still regards Joseph’s line as the one through whom the promised seed will be born. In this Jacob is mistaken—but, after all he has gone through, his faith that there will be a promised seed is nonetheless commendable. His belief in God’s promise is firm, even though his expectation of how that future will unfold is misguided.

49:27 The last blessing is reserved for Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest child, a blessing that is once again brief and largely negative. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, an image that is never a positive picture in Scripture (v. 27; cf. John 10:12). At morning and evening he carves up the spoil collected from those weaker than himself. This is hardly the picture one would imagine from Benjamin’s own story, but it proves fitting enough for the tribe that descends from Joseph’s younger brother. Benjamin is the home of one of the early judges who saves Israel, Ehud (Judg. 3:15), and of the first king, Saul, who also delivers his people through military victory (1 Samuel 11). Less positively, the Benjaminites fight against the remainder of Israel in a civil war at the end of Judges (Judges 19–21).