Genesis 49

01 Mar 2026 - Theology

Israel Blesses His Sons

If I am being honest, this is the first chapter in Genesis that I don’t really understand. I will have to come back to this and fill in more information as I continue learning more! As for what I was able to understand…

In this chapter Jacob blesses each of his sons. This blessing turns out to be more of a prophecy regarding their future lineage as the tribes of Israel than just a personal blessing.

Genesis 49:1 - “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.”

Rashi says that the “last days” refer to the days of the Messiah, that Jacob wished to tell his children when the Messiah would come.

Here is the table of the birth order to help us keep track:

Dinah is included in the table but she did not receive a blessing.

Reuben:

Reuben should have received the birthright and the blessing (as the firstborn), but now he shall not excel because he defiled his father’s bed. He did this when he lay with Bilhah (his father’s surrogate wife) in Genesis 35:22

Genesis 35:22 - “And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it…”

1 Chronicles 5:1 - “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.”

Simeon and Levi:

Simeon and Levi are brothers, both sons of Leah. They were together of one mind in their anger against Shechem, killing by the sword all the males of the city in retaliation for the rape of their sister Dinah. This is the event that Jacob is referring to, “for in their anger they slew a man” (6).

Genesis 34:25 - “And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.”

Notice that the sons themselves are not cursed by Jacob, rather he curses their sin of anger (7).

Judah:

1 Chronicles 5:2 - “For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s:)”

Who is Shiloh, an epithet of the Messiah?

There can be no doubt that this passage is saying that in the future, when the Messiah (Shiloh) will come, Israel’s kings, descended from Judah, will cease to reign.

Zebulun:

Having blessed Judah and established in his lineage the right to rule, he now assigns blessing to his other sons.

Why does Jacob bless Zebulun (born 10th) before Issachar (born 9th), when Issachar is the older of the two and was born first? Jacob abandons the birth order and blesses his sons in a way to ensure the future provision of Israel, with the tribe of Zebulun being as a sea faring merchant tribe.

Issachar:

The text seems to infer that Issachar will willingly serve as an indentured laborer for Israel.

Dan:

Jacob has now finished blessing the six sons of Leah, and he now goes on to bless the eldest son of Bilhah, the surrogate wife given to Jacob by Rachel.

Dan is prophecied to be a judge of Israel.

INTERMISSION

Genesis 49:18 - “I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.”

Gad:

Jacob then skips over the second son of Bilhah (Naphtali), and blesses the sons of Zilphah, the surrogate wife given to Jacob by Leah. These sons of Zilpah are Gad and Asher.

Gad will be overcome, but he will overcome in the end.

Asher:

Asher will provide for Israel with bread and other delicacies that are desired by royalty.

Naphtali:

Now Jacob goes back to bless the younger son of Bilhah, which is Naphtali. He is the last of the sons of the maidservants/surrogate wives.

Naphtali is said to give “goodly words” (21). The Rabbis believe these “goodly words” are to be given in praise to God.

Joseph:

Genesis 49:22-26 - “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: 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:) 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: 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.”

Here Joseph is said to be a “fruitful bough” that is blessed and strengthened by God. He is also said to be hated and “shot at” by “archers” (likely an allegory).

Benjamin:

Genesis 49:27 - “Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.”

This is likely another allegory, of which I am not sure of the intended meaning.

References

1. The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
2. The BEMA Podcast, Episode 16: Out of the Pit
3. The Torah Portion-by-Portion by Rabbi Seymour Rossel (2007)
4. Genesis 49 - Beth Melekh