V1-2    Jacob, now dying, calls for his son, to give them blessings and prophecies.

V3-4            Reuben was the first born. These words are doubtless spoken with great sorrow, for he should have inherited great blessing. Might and strength, and honour and power were the inheritance of the first born. But Reuben lost that, through his sin, through defiling his father’s bed, ie: he dishonoured his father (35.22).  The consequences of his sin are now declared to all his brothers.

V5-7            Simeon and Levi were instruments of cruelty, having killed the Shechemites (ch34). Jacob wanted nothing to do with such actions (34.30). Their inheritance within Canaan is prophesied here; Simeon takes his inheritance within that of Judah (Josh 19.9), and Levi is scattered throughout the land (Josh 21).

V8-12 Judah is apparently rewarded for his self-sacrifice (see 43.8-10, and 44.18-34). His sin (ch 38) is set aside. His brothers will praise and honour him, as the kings of Israel come from his line. The specific prophecy in v10 relates to the coming of Jesus Christ, the King of Israel, who will reign in peace (Shiloh; NIV margin),.

V13            Zebulun takes an inheritance bordering the sea, in North West Israel.

V14-15            Issachar is the burden bearer, but the implication here is of falling under the dominion of  another.

V16-17            “Dan” means judge.

V18            Jacob’s prayer for deliverance.

V19     Gad also fulfils his own name. He gets involved in warfare.

V20     Asher (or “happy”) will enjoy food fit for the king.

V21            Naphtali is the doe set free.

V22-26            The second long prophecy (with Judah) is for Joseph.

V22     He is the fruitful vine, bearing fruit in Egypt (over the wall). His life declares the glorious character of God. We see especially the picture of Christ.

V23     He had been attacked by his brothers, and was the target of mistreatment by the wife of Potiphar.

V24            Through the suffering and temptation, Joseph remained strong. (Christ is victorious through suffering – Acts 2.24) The Lord God remained faithful to Joseph even though men hated him and let him down.

V25     The Lord God provided not just protection from evil, but brought Joseph into great blessings.

V26     He is separate from his brothers (see Heb 7.26); he is set apart and set above his brothers (Phil 2.5-11).

V27            Benjamin was Jacobs’s youngest son, but inherited an aggressive and fruitful streak.

V28            Scripture says that the blessing on each son was appropriate to each.

V29-32            After 170 years since the death of Sarah, the family owned only one field, to bury their dead. Yet God’s promises to His people would not fail.

1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17    18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29    30    31    32    33    34    35    36    37    38    39    40    41    42    43    44    45    46    47    48    49    50