4 Unstable H6349 as water, H4325 thou shalt not excel; H3498 because thou wentest up H5927 to thy father's H1 bed; H4904 then defiledst thou H2490 it: he went up H5927 to my couch. H3326
Now the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad H1410 had a very H3966 great H6099 multitude H7227 of cattle: H4735 and when they saw H7200 the land H776 of Jazer, H3270 and the land H776 of Gilead, H1568 that, behold, the place H4725 was a place H4725 for cattle; H4735 The children H1121 of Gad H1410 and the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 came H935 and spake H559 unto Moses, H4872 and to Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 and unto the princes H5387 of the congregation, H5712 saying, H559 Ataroth, H5852 and Dibon, H1769 and Jazer, H3270 and Nimrah, H5247 and Heshbon, H2809 and Elealeh, H500 and Shebam, H7643 and Nebo, H5015 and Beon, H1194 Even the country H776 which the LORD H3068 smote H5221 before H6440 the congregation H5712 of Israel, H3478 is a land H776 for cattle, H4735 and thy servants H5650 have cattle: H4735 Wherefore, said H559 they, if we have found H4672 grace H2580 in thy sight, H5869 let this land H776 be given H5414 unto thy servants H5650 for a possession, H272 and bring us not over H5674 Jordan. H3383 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the children H1121 of Gad H1410 and to the children H1121 of Reuben, H7205 Shall your brethren H251 go H935 to war, H4421 and shall ye sit H3427 here? And wherefore discourage ye H5106 H5106 the heart H3820 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 from going over H5674 into the land H776 which the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 them? Thus did H6213 your fathers, H1 when I sent H7971 them from Kadeshbarnea H6947 to see H7200 the land. H776 For when they went up H5927 unto the valley H5158 of Eshcol, H812 and saw H7200 the land, H776 they discouraged H5106 the heart H3820 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they should not go H935 into the land H776 which the LORD H3068 had given H5414 them. And the LORD'S H3068 anger H639 was kindled H2734 the same time, H3117 and he sware, H7650 saying, H559 Surely H518 none of the men H582 that came up H5927 out of Egypt, H4714 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 shall see H7200 the land H127 which I sware H7650 unto Abraham, H85 unto Isaac, H3327 and unto Jacob; H3290 because they have not wholly H4390 followed H310 me: Save Caleb H3612 the son H1121 of Jephunneh H3312 the Kenezite, H7074 and Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun: H5126 for they have wholly H4390 followed H310 the LORD. H3068 And the LORD'S H3068 anger H639 was kindled H2734 against Israel, H3478 and he made them wander H5128 in the wilderness H4057 forty H705 years, H8141 until all the generation, H1755 that had done H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 was consumed. H8552 And, behold, ye are risen up H6965 in your fathers' H1 stead, an increase H8635 of sinful H2400 men, H582 to augment H5595 yet the fierce H2740 anger H639 of the LORD H3068 toward Israel. H3478 For if ye turn away H7725 from after H310 him, he will yet again H3254 leave H3240 them in the wilderness; H4057 and ye shall destroy H7843 all this people. H5971 And they came near H5066 unto him, and said, H559 We will build H1129 sheepfolds H1448 H6629 here for our cattle, H4735 and cities H5892 for our little ones: H2945 But we ourselves H587 will go ready H2363 armed H2502 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 until we have brought H935 them unto their place: H4725 and our little ones H2945 shall dwell H3427 in the fenced H4013 cities H5892 because H6440 of the inhabitants H3427 of the land. H776 We will not return H7725 unto our houses, H1004 until the children H1121 of Israel H3478 have inherited H5157 every man H376 his inheritance. H5159 For we will not inherit H5157 with them on yonder side H5676 Jordan, H3383 or forward; H1973 because our inheritance H5159 is fallen H935 to us on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 eastward. H4217 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto them, If ye will do H6213 this thing, H1697 if ye will go armed H2502 before H6440 the LORD H3068 to war, H4421 And will go H5674 all of you armed H2502 over H5674 Jordan H3383 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 until he hath driven out H3423 his enemies H341 from before H6440 him, And the land H776 be subdued H3533 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 then afterward H310 ye shall return, H7725 and be guiltless H5355 before the LORD, H3068 and before Israel; H3478 and this land H776 shall be your possession H272 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 But if ye will not do so, H6213 behold, ye have sinned H2398 against the LORD: H3068 and be sure H3045 your sin H2403 will find you out. H4672 Build H1129 you cities H5892 for your little ones, H2945 and folds H1448 for your sheep; H6792 and do H6213 that which hath proceeded H3318 out of your mouth. H6310 And the children H1121 of Gad H1410 and the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 spake H559 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Thy servants H5650 will do H6213 as my lord H113 commandeth. H6680 Our little ones, H2945 our wives, H802 our flocks, H4735 and all our cattle, H929 shall be there in the cities H5892 of Gilead: H1568 But thy servants H5650 will pass over, H5674 every man armed H2502 for war, H6635 before H6440 the LORD H3068 to battle, H4421 as my lord H113 saith. H1696 So concerning them Moses H4872 commanded H6680 Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 and Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun, H5126 and the chief H7218 fathers H1 of the tribes H4294 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto them, If the children H1121 of Gad H1410 and the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 will pass with you over H5674 Jordan, H3383 every man armed H2502 to battle, H4421 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and the land H776 shall be subdued H3533 before H6440 you; then ye shall give H5414 them the land H776 of Gilead H1568 for a possession: H272 But if they will not pass over H5674 with you armed, H2502 they shall have possessions H270 among H8432 you in the land H776 of Canaan. H3667 And the children H1121 of Gad H1410 and the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 answered, H6030 saying, H559 As the LORD H3068 hath said H1696 unto thy servants, H5650 so will we do. H6213 We will H5168 pass over H5674 armed H2502 before H6440 the LORD H3068 into the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 that the possession H272 of our inheritance H5159 on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 may be ours. And Moses H4872 gave H5414 unto them, even to the children H1121 of Gad, H1410 and to the children H1121 of Reuben, H7205 and unto half H2677 the tribe H7626 of Manasseh H4519 the son H1121 of Joseph, H3130 the kingdom H4467 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 and the kingdom H4467 of Og H5747 king H4428 of Bashan, H1316 the land, H776 with the cities H5892 thereof in the coasts, H1367 even the cities H5892 of the country H776 round about. H5439 And the children H1121 of Gad H1410 built H1129 Dibon, H1769 and Ataroth, H5852 and Aroer, H6177 And Atroth, Shophan, H5855 and Jaazer, H3270 and Jogbehah, H3011 And Bethnimrah, H1039 and Bethharan, H1028 fenced H4013 cities: H5892 and folds H1448 for sheep. H6629 And the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 built H1129 Heshbon, H2809 and Elealeh, H500 and Kirjathaim, H7156 And Nebo, H5015 and Baalmeon, H1186 (their names H8034 being changed,) H4142 and Shibmah: H7643 and gave H7121 other names H8034 H8034 unto the cities H5892 which they builded. H1129 And the children H1121 of Machir H4353 the son H1121 of Manasseh H4519 went H3212 to Gilead, H1568 and took H3920 it, and dispossessed H3423 the Amorite H567 which was in it. And Moses H4872 gave H5414 Gilead H1568 unto Machir H4353 the son H1121 of Manasseh; H4519 and he dwelt H3427 therein. And Jair H2971 the son H1121 of Manasseh H4519 went H1980 and took H3920 the small towns H2333 thereof, and called H7121 them Havothjair. H2334 And Nobah H5025 went H1980 and took H3920 Kenath, H7079 and the villages H1323 thereof, and called H7121 it Nobah, H5025 after his own name. H8034
But G1161 let him ask G154 in G1722 faith, G4102 nothing G3367 wavering. G1252 For G1063 he that wavereth G1252 is like G1503 a wave G2830 of the sea G2281 driven with the wind G416 and G2532 tossed. G4494 For G1063 let G3633 not G3361 that G1565 man G444 think G3633 that G3754 he shall receive G2983 any thing G5100 of G3844 the Lord. G2962 A double minded G1374 man G435 is unstable G182 in G1722 all G3956 his G846 ways. G3598
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 49
Commentary on Genesis 49 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 49
Ge 49:1-33. Patriarchal Blessing.
1. Jacob called unto his sons—It is not to the sayings of the dying saint, so much as of the inspired prophet, that attention is called in this chapter. Under the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit he pronounced his prophetic benediction and described the condition of their respective descendants in the last days, or future times.
Ge 49:3, 4. Reuben forfeited by his crime the rights and honors of primogeniture. His posterity never made any figure; no judge, prophet, nor ruler, sprang from this tribe.
Ge 49:5-7. Simeon and Levi were associate in wickedness, and the same prediction would be equally applicable to both their tribes. Levi had cities allotted to them (Jos 21:1-45) in every tribe. On account of their zeal against idolatry, they were honorably "divided in Jacob"; whereas the tribe of Simeon, which was guilty of the grossest idolatry and the vices inseparable from it, were ignominiously "scattered."
Ge 49:8-12. Judah—A high pre-eminence is destined to this tribe (Nu 10:14; Jud 1:2). Besides the honor of giving name to the Promised Land, David, and a greater than David—the Messiah—sprang from it. Chief among the tribes, "it grew up from a lion's whelp"—that is, a little power—till it became "an old lion"—that is, calm and quiet, yet still formidable.
10. until Shiloh come—Shiloh—this obscure word is variously interpreted to mean "the sent" (Joh 17:3), "the seed" (Isa 11:1), the "peaceable or prosperous one" (Eph 2:14)—that is, the Messiah (Isa 11:10; Ro 15:12); and when He should come, "the tribe of Judah should no longer boast either an independent king or a judge of their own" [Calvin]. The Jews have been for eighteen centuries without a ruler and without a judge since Shiloh came, and "to Him the gathering of the people has been."
Ge 49:13. Zebulun was to have its lot on the seacoast, close to Zidon, and to engage, like that state, in maritime pursuits and commerce.
Ge 49:14, 15. Issachar—
14. a strong ass couching down between two burdens—that is, it was to be active, patient, given to agricultural labors. It was established in lower Galilee—a "good land," settling down in the midst of the Canaanites, where, for the sake of quiet, they "bowed their shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute."
Ge 49:16-18. Dan—though the son of a secondary wife, was to be "as one of the tribes of Israel."
17. Dan—"a judge."
a serpent … an adder—A serpent, an adder, implies subtlety and stratagem; such was pre-eminently the character of Samson, the most illustrious of its judges.
Ge 49:19. Gad—This tribe should be often attacked and wasted by hostile powers on their borders (Jud 10:8; Jer 49:1). But they were generally victorious in the close of their wars.
Ge 49:20. Asher—"Blessed." Its allotment was the seacoast between Tyre and Carmel, a district fertile in the production of the finest corn and oil in all Palestine.
Ge 49:21. Naphtali—The best rendering we know is this, "Naphtali is a deer roaming at liberty; he shooteth forth goodly branches," or majestic antlers [Taylor, Scripture Illustrations], and the meaning of the prophecy seems to be that the tribe of Naphtali would be located in a territory so fertile and peaceable, that, feeding on the richest pasture, he would spread out, like a deer, branching antlers.
Ge 49:22-26. Joseph—
22. a fruitful bough, &c.—denotes the extraordinary increase of that tribe (compare Nu 1:33-35; Jos 17:17; De 33:17). The patriarch describes him as attacked by envy, revenge, temptation, ingratitude; yet still, by the grace of God, he triumphed over all opposition, so that he became the sustainer of Israel; and then he proceeds to shower blessings of every kind upon the head of this favorite son. The history of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh shows how fully these blessings were realized.
Ge 49:27-33. Benjamin
27. shall ravin like a wolf—This tribe in its early history spent its energies in petty or inglorious warfare and especially in the violent and unjust contest (Jud 19:1-20:48), in which it engaged with the other tribes, when, notwithstanding two victories, it was almost exterminated.
28. all these are the twelve tribes of Israel—or ancestors. Jacob's prophetic words obviously refer not so much to the sons as to the tribes of Israel.
29. he charged them—The charge had already been given and solemnly undertaken (Ge 47:31). But in mentioning his wishes now and rehearsing all the circumstances connected with the purchase of Machpelah, he wished to declare, with his latest breath, before all his family, that he died in the same faith as Abraham.
33. when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons—It is probable that he was supernaturally strengthened for this last momentous office of the patriarch, and that when the divine afflatus ceased, his exhausted powers giving way, he yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.