Genesis 49:1-12: Blessings for the 12 sons of Yisra’el: Reuben through Yehudah

The blessings Yisra’el (Israel), f.k.a. Ya’akob (Jacob), game his sons in Genesis 49 seem cryptic, because events are described that didn’t happen in the sons’ lives. Then we notice that these are prophecies for the end of history and about the Messiah. In this part of the study, covering Gen. 49:1–12, we encounter the messianic name שִׁילֹה Shiloh.

Ya’akob gathered his sons to listen to “Yisra’el your father.” The Bible deliberately uses both names separately. This was not a mistake. The names are not interchangeable.

“Then Ya’akob summoned his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come.” (Gen. 49:1)

The “days to come” are the last days of Earth’s history, not the lives of the sons themselves. These prophesies point to a specific event, the last or latter days of the world.

This chapter addressees a time period, not just any period, but the end of time or the end of the sons of Ya’akob. The Hebrew phrase for in days to come or in latter days is בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים b’akharit ha-yomim (Strong’s lexicon Nos. H319 & H3117).

Reuben

Some say that Reuben represents a particular country because that country carries the characteristics of Reuben. But this chapter is not about the sons themselves, but about the nation of Yisra’el as a whole. We will look in vain for nations who share the exact characteristics expressed in these prophesies.

Reuben was Ya’akob’s firstborn and had might, dignity and power but he was unstable like water, always moving, never in one place.

“Coastlands, listen to Me in silence, And let the peoples gain new strength; Let them come forward, then let them speak; Let us come together for judgment.” (Isa. 41:1)

God goes on to ask, “Who raised the righteous from the East?” This ruler from the east has a sword and pursues his enemies in safety. How did this happen and when did he do it? He did it in the beginning and He will do it at the end, too.

“Who has performed and accomplished it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He.'” (Isa. 41:4)

God is with the first and with the last.

In Genesis, it says these things will happen to the sons of Ya’akob at the end of them. It is Yisra’el who reveals these things, not Ya’akob. We are hearing God’s words through Yisra’el.

Everyone says that we are in the last days but let’s look more closely at how God describes the last days. Let’s listen to our Father Yisra’el. This is about the end of Ya’akob’s sons.

“Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it.” (Isa. 2:2)

Yisra’el that in the last days that Reuben will not excel or succeed, but will be like water. These are supposed to be blessings but it doesn’t sound like a blessing for Reuben.

Shimon and Levi

The next prophesies are about Shimon (Simeon) and Levi combined. Yisra’el says that in the last days, “Let my soul not enter into their council; let not my glory be united with their assembly; because in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will they lamed oxen.” In the last days, in the end of days, God will not want to have anything to do with them.

Yehudah

The next son is Yehudah (Judah). There are three topics in this prophesy. The first is the issue of praise. They brothers will lift their hands towards Yehudah in respect. The second part tells us that his brothers will “bow down” or pay respect and homage to him.

We also read that Yehudah will posses the scepter and “ruler’s staff” “until Shiloh comes.” The scepter is a rod. Yehudah is not the one who gave the law, God gave it to Moses much later. Romans 3 tells us that it was Moses who gave the Law to Yisra’el, and they still have them. The law was not given to the Germans, the Dutch, or the Irish but to the Jews, the heirs of Yehudah. The law came through Moses, and grace and truth came through the Messiah (John 1:15–18).

When it says that Yehudah will have the law “until Shiloh comes” this is not a reference to the town of Shiloh, but it means “to him who it belongs” a reference to the Messiah. He is going to cleanse and purify the people and teach them obedience to the law.

He ties the foal to the vine and the donkey’s colt to the “choice vine.” Yisra’el is the vine and Jerusalem is the choice vine, as we see in the parable of the vineyard in Isaiah 5.

In John 15:1–11, Yeshua said, in effect, He is the “choice vine.” Every branch or nation that does not bear fruit will be trimmed away by God. He will purge us and make us more obedient to God.

When the Messiah came, He told us the greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbor. He also revealed another commandment.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

This is not the same thing as loving your neighbor. Yeshua then says, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” We consider the needs of our friends more than our neighbors, our co-workers. We are to not just “love” our friends but be willing to lay down our lives for them.

If you are Yeshua’s friend, you should be willing to lay down your life for Him and for those who also love Him. This is the commandment of Yeshua, not Paul, Peter or Moses.