GENESIS CHAPTER 49
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Verses 1-2, Not them directly, but their posterity by way of
  prophecy.
  Gill says that the "last days" spoken of here are the days of
  the coming of the Messiah.
  Gill had some very strange ideas about the book of Revelation,
  and I do not believe his interpretation of Revelation or Daniel
  can be trusted at all. Though it is true that these prophecies
  concern the coming of Messiah, the first time, I believe that
  they concern His second coming also.

  This is the first place in the scripture that this term
  appears.
  There is a similar passage in Daniel.
    Da 10:14* Now I am come to make thee understand what shall
      befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision
      [is] for [many] days.
  Just as in Daniel it is Israel which is in focus here,
  "Daniel's people."


Verses 3-4, Concern Reuben
  Born to Leah who Laben gave to Jacob through trickery.

  Ge 29:30  And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also
    Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other
    years. 31  And when the LORD saw that Leah [was] hated, he
    opened her womb: but Rachel [was] barren. 32 And Leah
    conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben:
    for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction;
    now therefore my husband will love me.

  {Reuben: that is, See a son}

  Compare:
    De 21:15  If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another
      hated, and they have born him children, [both] the beloved
      and the hated; and [if] the firstborn son be hers that was
      hated: 16  Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to
      inherit [that] which he hath, [that] he may not make the
      son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated,
      [which is indeed] the firstborn: 17  But he shall
      acknowledge the son of the hated [for] the firstborn, by
      giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he
      [is] the beginning of his strength; the right of the
      firstborn [is] his.

  strength = 'own {one}
    1) vigour, GENERATIVE POWER
    2) wealth
    3) physical strength (of men and behemoth)

  The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: To him
  of right as the firstborn belonged these, as authority in the
  family, a double portion of Jacob's goods. Gill says, that he
  had not sinned he would have had right to the birthright,
  priesthood , and kingdom.

  unstable as water: Gill says, which speaks of his fall through
    sin, as water falls from a high place.

  "thou shalt not excel;": That is have the things that by right
    were his.

  "because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst
  thou [it]: he went up to my couch.":
    Ge 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]. Now the sons of Jacob
      were twelve:
    Compare:
      De 27:20 Cursed [be] he that lieth with his father's wife;
        because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the
        people shall say, Amen.
      1Ch 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.

Verses 5-7, Concern Simeon and Levi.
  They are brethren, having the same mother and father, but also
  in likeness of temper, disposition. Notice what is said, is
  said of both of them.

  These two were born of Leah also, as was Reuben.
    Gen 29:33  And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said,
      Because the LORD hath heard that I [was] hated, he hath
      therefore given me this [son] also: and she called his name
      Simeon.
        {Simeon: that is, Hearing}
      34  And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now
      this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have
      born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
        {Levi: that is, Joined}

  instruments of cruelty [are in] their habitations:
    instruments...: or, their swords are weapons of violence
    READ Gen 34:1-31

  "O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their
  assembly, mine honour, be not thou united:"
    Which speaks of the secret conspiracy they took in slaying
    the Shechemites. Jacob's soul had no part in it and was not
    united with it.

  for in their anger they slew a man: Hamor an Shechem, with all
    the males of the city.
    They did his not at the command of the Lord, but in anger.

  in their self-will they digged down a wall: Gill says, the wall
    of Shechem's house to retrieve their sister.
    Marginal notes: {digged...: or, lamed oxen}
    Scofield renders it: "hamstrung oxen"

    This they did through "self-will" and not the will of God.

  Cursed be their anger and wrath: It was fierce and cruel,
    therefore they will be scattered in Israel. Their inheritance
    will portions out of others.
    READ: Josh 19:1-9; 21:3-4, 8-9

Verses 8-12, Concern Judah, of which tribe the Lord Jesus Christ
  will come.
  Judah was Leah's fourth son by Jacob.
    Gen 29:35  And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she
      said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his
      name Judah; and left bearing.
    {Judah: that is, Praise}

  Judah had success over his enemies: Example of David, who was
    of this tribe, over his enemies.
    Ps 18:40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies;
      that I might destroy them that hate me. 41  They cried, but
      [there was] none to save [them: even] unto the LORD, but he
      answered them not. 42  Then did I beat them small as the
      dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in
      the streets. 43  Thou hast delivered me from the strivings
      of the people; [and] thou hast made me the head of the
      heathen: a people [whom] I have not known shall serve me.
    Jud 1:2 And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have
      delivered the land into his hand.
    Jud 20:18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to
      the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which
      of us shall go up first to the battle against the children
      of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah [shall go up] first.


  thy father's children shall bow down before thee: Which speaks
    of the kings that came from him, especially the Messiah.
    1Ch 5:2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him
      [came] the chief ruler; but the birthright [was] Joseph's:)
      {chief...: or, prince}
    Heb 7:14 For [it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of
      Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning
      priesthood.
    Ps 78:67  Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and
      chose not the tribe of Ephraim: 68  But chose the tribe of
      Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. 69  And he built his
      sanctuary like high [palaces], like the earth which he hath
      established for ever. 70  He chose David also his servant,
      and took him from the sheepfolds: 71  From following the
      ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his
      people, and Israel his inheritance.

  Judah is a lion's whelp: or a young lion. In the time of the
    judges, Judah was a young tribe that went up against the
    Canaanites and overcame them.

  from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: Lion's, according to
    Gill, would go back up into the mountains after it had found
    it's prey.

  he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who
  shall rouse him up?:
    So dangerous was it to provoke the tribe of Judah, as many
    enemies found out. Through Judah's strength there was peace
    in the land, especially in the days of Solomon, David's son.

  All of this may also be applied to Christ, who is the "Lion of
  the tribe of Judah."
    Re 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold,
      the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath
      prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals
      thereof.

  The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from
  between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him [shall] the
  gathering of the people [be].
    Authority and power over the nation of Israel will not depart
    until the Messiah comes (1st advent).
    Gill says that the Sanhedrin court was chiefly from the tribe
    of Judah.

    The people: Not just Jews, but the Gentiles also.

  Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the
  choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in
  the blood of grapes:
    Zech 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O
      daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee:
      he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon
      an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

    Isa 63:1  Who [is] this that cometh from Edom, with dyed
      garments from Bozrah? this [that is] glorious in his
      apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I
      that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore
      [art thou] red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him
      that treadeth in the winefat? 3 I have trodden the
      winepress alone; and of the people [there was] none with
      me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them
      in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my
      garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4  For the day
      of vengeance [is] in mine heart, and the year of my
      redeemed is come.

  His eyes [shall be] red with wine, and his teeth white with
  milk.
    Rev 1:14  His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as
      white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire;

verse 13, Zebulun: This was the sixth son of Leah by Jacob.
  Gen 30:19  And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth
    son. 20  And Leah said, God hath endued me [with] a good
    dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born
    him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.
    {Zebulun: that is, Dwelling: Gr. Zabulon}

  The tribe of Zebulun dwelt toward the sea when they came into
  Canaan land, which thing they did by casting lots, which shows
  that this was a prophetic utterance by Jacob.
    Jos 19:10  And the third lot came up for the children of
      Zebulun according to their families: and the border of
      their inheritance was unto Sarid: 11  And their border went
      up toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth,
      and reached to the river that [is] before Jokneam; 12  And
      turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the
      border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath,
      and goeth up to Japhia, 13  And from thence passeth on
      along on the east to Gittahhepher, to Ittahkazin, and goeth
      out to Remmonmethoar to Neah; 14  And the border compasseth
      it on the north side to Hannathon: and the outgoings
      thereof are in the valley of Jiphthahel: 15  And Kattath,
      and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem:
      twelve cities with their villages. 16  This [is] the
      inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their
      families, these cities with their villages.

  Zidon: Ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of
    Tyre.

verses 14-15, Issachar: This was Leah's fifth son by Jacob.
  Gen 30:17  And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and
    bare Jacob the fifth son. 18  And Leah said, God hath given
    me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and
    she called his name Issachar.
    {Issachar: that is, An hire}

  Jos 19:17  [And] the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the
    children of Issachar according to their families. 18  And
    their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,
    19  And Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath, 20  And Rabbith,
    and Kishion, and Abez, 21  And Remeth, and Engannim, and
    Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez; 22  And the coast reacheth to
    Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh; and the outgoings of
    their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their
    villages. 23  This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the
    children of Issachar according to their families, the cities
    and their villages.

  Issachar [is] a STRONG ass:
    1Ch 12:32 And of the children of Issachar, [which were men]
      that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel
      ought to do; the heads of them [were] two hundred; and all
      their brethren [were] at their commandment.

  couching down between two burdens: To lie down and stretch out
    with burdens hanging on each side, in order to rest.
    Gill says that Issachar was positioned between Dan and
    Zebulun.
    Even though Issachar was older than Zebulun he is mentioned
    after him and in Joshua's time his lot was after that of
    Zebulun.

  he saw that rest was good: which was implied in the couching
    down. Not spiritual rest, but rest in the land. It was good
    land with little worry.

  the land that [it was] pleasant: Good and pleasant, with much
    fruit, according to Gill.

  bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute:
    He ploughed, sowed and reaped and cared for the fruits of the
    earth.
    Gill says that this tribe chose rather to pay more tribute
    than the rest, that they might abide at home and attend the
    business of their fields, when others were called forth to
    war.

verses 16-17, Dan: A son by Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid.
  READ Gen 30:1-6
    Dan: that is, Judging

  Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel:
    Gill says that this was said because he was the first son
    mentioned of the concubines. That he will judge his people
    just as the other tribes would.

    Samson, who was a judge, came from this tribe.
      Jud 13:2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the
        family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his
        wife [was] barren, and bare not.
      Jud 13:24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name
        Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. 25
        And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in
        the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
      Jud 15:20 And he judged Israel in the days of the
        Philistines twenty years.

  Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path: Some
    have thought this to be describing Samson and how he dealt
    with the Philistines.
    READ Judges 14:1 - 15:20; 16:22-30
    READ Judges 18:22-31

    Jeroboam, Solomon's servant, set up a golden calf in Dan and
    put high places throughout Israel (1Ki 12:25-33).

verse 18, Jacob pauses, being close to death. He is ready for the
  salvation of the Lord in death. Death was the door to eternity.
  It was not the end but the next step of the Lord's salvation.

  Perhaps he paused here because of the prophecy concerning Dan.

verse 19, Gad: a troop
  Gen 30:9  When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took
    Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. 10  And Zilpah
    Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. 11  And Leah said, A troop
    cometh: and she called his name Gad.
    {Gad: that is, A troop, or, company}
  This was after Rachel's handmaid, Bilhah had given birth to Dan
  and Naphtali. (NAF - ta lie)

  Gill says this tribe was a warlike one. They passed over Jordan
  at the head of the armies of Israel, into the land of Canaan,
  in Josua's time.

verse 20, Asher:
  Gen 30:12  And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. 13
    And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me
    blessed: and she called his name Asher.
     {Asher: that is, Happy}

   Their inheritance in Canaan: Jos 19:24-31

   They would have sufficiency of food out of their own land and
   would not be obligated to others. They would yield food fit
   for kings.

verse 21, Naphtali (NAF - ta lie): The second son of Bilhah,
  Rachel's handmaid.
  Gen 30:7  And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare
    Jacob a second son. 8  And Rachel said, With great wrestlings
    have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she
    called his name Naphtali.
      {Naphtali: that is, My wrestling: Gr. Nephthalim}

  Hind = female deer, or doe

  Compare: Christ's disciples.
    Mat 4:13  And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in
      Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of
      Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14  That it might be fulfilled
      which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15  The
      land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, [by] the way
      of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16  The
      people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them
      which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung
      up.

verses 22-26, Joseph: The first son of Rachel, Jacob's beloved.

  His two sons would be as tribes themselves, giving Joseph a
  double portion.

  branches: Heb. daughters

  The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot [at him], and
  hated him: Probably his brethren who tried to get rid of him
    when they put him in the pit.
    But the mighty God of Jacob blessed him in Egypt
    Ac 7:9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into
      Egypt: but God was with him,

  The blessings that Jacob had and gave to his offspring were
  greater that those of his progenitors (prO-jen-i-tors).
  This blessing is on his head, which was separate from his
  brethren, especially during those years that he was in Egypt,
  separated from his brethren.

verse 27, Benjamin: The second son of Rachel, Jacob's beloved.
  Gen 35:18  And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing,
    (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his
    father called him Benjamin.
    {Benoni: that is, The son of my sorrow}
    {Benjamin: that is, The son of the right hand}

  ravin: to tear, rend, pluck

  READ: Judges 20:21-48

verse 28, Summary, The land was divided into 12 parts. Joseph had
  two parts, but Levi had none.
  Though some of what was said sounded as a curse, yet he did
  bless them.

verses 29-32, Jacob gave commanded them concerning his burial
  place.

verse 33, Jacob gives up the ghost. Or yielded up the spirit.
  Ec 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and
    the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
  Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city
    of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
    innumerable company of angels, 23  To the general assembly
    and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and
    to God the Judge of all, and to the SPIRITS of just men made
    perfect,

  He was gathered unto his people: In heaven, which shows that
    the soul does not sleep, and is separate from the body.
      "And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for
      she died)..." (Gen 35:18).
      Her body was not departing.

  If the soul were just the life and the body together and when
  the body dies the soul dies, because it simply means a
  breathing body, then how is it possible for men to kill the
  body and not be able to kill the soul?
    Mt 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not
      able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to
      destroy both soul and body in hell.

  The beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's
  bosom.  Luke 16:22
  The rich man died and was buried and lifted up his eyes in
  hell. Luke 16:23

  See 2 Cor. 5:1-8 (to be absent from the body is to be present
  with the Lord.)
  This is more than God retaining a recording of our person that
  we may be resurrected later, but it is a state of consciousness
  in which we are present and fellowship with the Lord.

  See Phil. 1:21-23
  If the soul was not conscious with the Lord then how can it be
  better?

  How was the thief in paradise with Jesus the day the he died?
  Luke 23:43

  Then last, if the conscious is annihilated in the lake of fire?
  Against annihilation: read Rev 22:15.
  The great white throne judgement has already taken
  place. All of those who were not found in the lamb's
  book of life were cast into the lake of fire. If they
  were annihilated then who are the dogs, sorcerers,
  whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, and those who
  loveth and maketh a lie?