Genesis 49:1-33

 

I.    Verse 1,2  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. {2} Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

A.  Other saints of God who gave a blessing before they died.

1.      Genesis 27 - Isaac.

2.      Deut. 33 - Moses.

3.      Joshua 24 - Joshua.

4.   I Sam. 12 - Samuel.

B.   This is a prophecy Jacob gives concerning the future of the tribes of Israel.

1.   I have read some commentaries that teach that Jacob did not say any of these things.

2.      They somehow believe that chapter 49 was added to Genesis at a later date after these things came to pass.

3.      How they can believe that and still believe the Bible is true, I do no know.

C.   The prophecy of the last days.

1.      These are the days when Israel will be a mature nation.

2.   The last days, according to scripture, began with Jesus Christ.

D.  Who did the prophecy come from?

1.   He calls them the sons of Jacob.

2.   He instructs them to hear Israel their father.

3.   The sons have come from a natural man, Jacob.

4.   The prophecy they hear comes from a supernatural man, Israel.

 

II.   Verse 3,4,  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: {4} Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

A.  Judging from the first sentence, Reuben's head must have begun to swell.

1.   He was the first born and that male usually received the greatest blessing.

2.      There is no doubt that Reuben began to have visions of great prosperity and blessings when he heard these words.

3.      There are those people who believe they ought to receive great things simply because of the position they are in.

4.   But it doesn't work this way, as Reuben will soon see.

5.   All honest rewards are given because they are deserved.

B.   The color goes from Reuben's face as he hears the next verse.

1.      Genesis 35:22 records this event as happening immediately after Rachel's death and just as Jacob returned to Canaan.

2.   It is important to note that Israel, the spiritual leader; not Jacob, the fleshly leader, heard about it.

3.      Israel did nothing about it at that time, but left Reuben to his own fate.

4.      This act was almost 40 years ago, yet it is remembered against him.

a.   It is not known if this adulterous relationship was a one time affair, or if it continued for some time.

b.   Regardless of that, sin is sin, and must be judged.

5.   It is likely all the sons of Israel knew about Reuben and Bilhah.  They would certainly give assent to the words spoken by their father.

6.      There is nothing to indicate that Bilhah received any condemnation at all.

a.   I know it seems foreign to us, but in the scriptures a purchased maid is under the total dominion of her owners.

b.   I speak by pure conjecture, but this deed happened shortly after Rachel died.  It may have been that Reuben started out by comforting Bilhah and wound up in wickedness.

c.   She is still guilty of sin, yet her position as subservient to Reuben does, as least in the eyes of men, make her less responsible.

C.   The future of the tribe of Reuben.

1.      They were not chosen to bear the promised seed - Jesus Christ.

a.   It must be noted that the adulterous act of Reuben is not necessarily the cause of this tribe losing the preeminence in the coming Savior.

b.   It was the uncontrolled nature that caused the act in the first place.

c.   This evil nature in the tribe of Reuben was never overcome.

2.   The tribe of Reuben never supplied a famous leader to Israel, except in Numbers 16, the rebellion of Korah involved many of the sons of Reuben.

3.      Numbers 32 - Reuben settled east of Jordan instead of in the land of Canaan proper.

4.   In Judges 4,5 when Deborah and Barak lead Israel to rebel against Hazor, Reuben played around instead of fighting.  See Judges 5:15,16.

 

III. Verse 5-7,  Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. {6} O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. {7} Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

A.  Simeon and Levi are here put together because of their joint cruelty.

1.      They are indeed brothers in the flesh.

2.      They are also "brothers" in the cruelty of their thinking.

B.   Genesis 34, the destruction of Shechem and Hamor seem to be what Jacob is referring to.

1.      This was a matter of trickery from the very beginning, compare 34:7 and 14-17.  (O my soul, come not thou into their secret, Jacob desires to have no part in their wickedness.)

2.      Verse 25 - Simeon and Levi held their anger in check until the third day, then completely destroyed the men.  (In their anger they slew a man.)

3.      Verse 27-29 - Simeon and Levi spoiled the city.  (In their selfwill they digged down a wall.)

4.      Verse 30-31 - When Israel rebuked their cruelty, they showed no remorse, but answered him harshly.

5.      They never think that Dinah might also have been at fault.

C.   The result of their wickedness is to all generations.

1.      They had joined together to sin, and God will separate them for His glory.

2.      When they are separated, God uses each tribe for good.

D.  The tribe of Simeon.

1.   The decrease in population.

a.   Numbers 1:22,23 - There were 59,300 at the first census.

b.   Numbers 26:12-14 - there were 22,200 at the second census.

2.   The diminishing inheritance of Simeon.

a.   Deut. 33 - Moses did not include Simeon in his blessings.

b.   Joshua 19:1 - Simeon received their inheritance in the midst of Judah, or to the south of Judah.  Eventually, Simeon's inheritance was drawn into Judah.  Compare map # 5 and 7 in Thompson Chain Reference Bible.

c.   Judges 1:3 - The joining of Simeon and Judah to conquer their mutual enemies.

d.   I Chron. 4:24-43 - Here is a list of the princes of Simeon.  Some have few descendants and some even leave their inheritance and lived in Mt. Seir, south of the dead sea in the land of Edom!

E.   The tribe of Levi.

1.      Exodus 32:26 - When Moses called for defenders of the faith in the matter about the golden calf, only the tribe of Levi stepped forward.

a.   This showed their repentance of past evil.

b.   It also showed a determination to stand for the truth, even against their own brothers.

2.      Num. 35:1,2 - Moses commanded that the inheritance of the Levites would be cities given to them by each tribe of Israel.

3.      Joshua 21:1-42 - Verse 41,42 states that Levi possessed 48 cities in the whole of Israel.

4.   The cities of Levi are cities of refuge where very difficult cases of life or death are determined.

5.      Levi also becomes the priestly tribe, representing the coming Savior.

F.   A comparison of Simeon and Levi.

1.      These two tribes were joined together in wickedness.

2.      Simeon never repented, and was therefore scattered and never became a force for holiness in Israel.

3.      Levi, on the other hand, repented.  God forgave them, and used them for the good of all Israel.

4.      This is so for us.  When we sin, let us repent.  God will forgive us and use us for His glory and the good of those around us.

 

IV. Verse 8-12,  Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. {9} Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? {10} The sceptre 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. {11} 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: {12} His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

A.  Jacob has everything good and nothing bad to say about Judah.

1.   I would imagine he was waiting for his father to reveal his bad past life, like he had done for the other three older sons, but this didn't happen.

2.      This wasn't because Judah didn't have a bad past.  He had sinned in committing adultery with Tamar, his daughter in law, but his sin wasn't mentioned.

a.   It was wrong for Judah to be enticed by a harlot, but Tamar was more at fault than Judah.

b.   There is every indication that Judah repented of his fault for in Genesis 38:26 Judah acknowledges his sin, and "knows her again no more".

3.   It seems like Jacob has looked for someone worthy to receive the blessing of the firstborn, but the first three have failed to meet the test.

4.      Judah is chosen because he has been faithful to the precepts of God.

B.   Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise.

1.   The passage does not say that the brothers will praise Judah now, but in the future.

2.   A person is not praised for that which isn't deserved, but in the future, it will be well known that Judah is the chosen tribe and when God is praised, Judah will also be praised.

C.   Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies.

1.      This passage seems to tell of glorious exploits in battle.

2.   In Psalms 18, David, who is from the tribe of Judah, sings a song when he is delivered from all his enemies and from Saul.

3.      Verse 40 records, "Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me."

4.   I Samuel 18:7, "And the women answered as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands."

5.      Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin, David from Judah.  The tribe of Judah is more victorious than Benjamin.

D.  Thy father's children shall bow down before thee.

1.   I think this means that Judah will be the tribe all the other tribes of Israel will follow.

2.      According to Psalms 60:7, Judah was the lawgiver.  Judges 1:2, Judah was the tribe that lead Israel through the wilderness.

E.   Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

1.   A whelp is a lions cub, still abiding in the lair.

2.      This means that he is still living at home, and doesn't know all the good things the future holds in store for him.

3.   He doesn't really understand his strength, or the fear others have of him.

4.      There is a great respect for Judah that hasn't been realized by Judah or the other tribes, yet.

F.   Judah will always feed himself and have plenty.  Nobody will think of taking anything away from him, for they have great fear of his strength and power.

G.   Judah doesn't always have to show off his strength.

1.   He knows he has strength, therefore, sits in majesty and power.

2.   His quiet presence is enough to convince anybody that he is a power that is not to be contended with.

H.  The sceptre 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. {11} 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: {12} His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

1.      Jacob foresaw all the way to Christ.

2.   He saw that all the true kings of Israel would be of the tribe of Judah.

a.   It is true that Saul was a king of Israel, and he was from the tribe of Benjamin.

b.   He was not a true king.

c.   He was given to Israel because of their wickedness in seeking to be like all the others nations.

3.      David was the first king from the tribe of Judah, and he was a man like God's own heart.

4.      When Israel was divided after Solomon's death, the tribe of Judah continued until the Babylonian captivity.

5.      Even after that, Judah continued to supply Godly leaders for Israel. 

I.    Shiloh means the "sending forth", referring to the coming Savior.  When Jesus comes, He shall be the king of Israel for all eternity.  Jesus Christ has a kingdom which shall last for all eternity.

1.   The latter part of verse 10 and verse 11 and 12 speak concerning Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel.

2.   The gathering together speaks not only of Israel following Christ when he came physically, but the greater meaning is the spiritual following in the millennium and eternity.

3.      Binding his foal and the ass's colt speaks of the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem.

4.      Washing his garments in wine and his clothes in the blood of grapes speaks of Christ treading the winepress of the wrath of God alone.

5.      Eyes red with wine and teeth white with mild speaks of the purity of Christ while He judges the wickedness of mankind.

 

V.  Verse 13,  Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

A.  To the casual observer, there doesn't seem to be anything in these verses except for the location of Zebulun.

B.   These verses actually prove the inspiration of Jacob's prophecy.

1.      Joshua 19:10-16 - When Canaan is divided to the various tribes of Israel, the lot is used.

a.   Joshua 14:1-5 - The Lord commanded Moses that Canaan was to be divided to Israel according to Lot.

b.   There is a lot of discussion of what the lot is.

c.   It could be "drawing straws" or something like that, we just don't know.

d.   It was a "chance" that man couldn't control, but God could.

2.   It is no accident that the lot of Zebulun fell where it did.

3.   God inspired Jacob in Genesis 49:13, and God worked in the circumstances of the lot to cause that prophecy to come true.

C.   Who would deny that God appoints the bounds of our habitation?

 

VI. Verse 14,15,  Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: {15} And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

A.            Issachar seems to be a working (blue collar) class people.

1.      This is not to look down on them at all.

2.      Every nation that will be strong must have a group of people that is able to do the necessary work.

B.            Issachar like his position.

1.   He does not try to figure out governments or high society.

2.   He is very content to do his job and live in quietness and peace.

C.            Issachar becomes bound to two things.

1.   He is tied to the common things of this earth.

a.   This is not bad at all.

b.   He finds great pleasure in things that others pass by.

c.   We would all do well to find pleasure in everyday simplicities.

2.   He pays taxes.

a.   It must be noted that the common people have always paid the greater share of taxes.

b.   The extremely poor pay no taxes for they have little income.

c.   The rich pay little taxes for they know how to manage their finances around the loopholes in the tax laws.

 

VII.      Verse 16-18,  Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. {17} Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. {18} I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

A.  Verse 16 seems odd at first glance.

1.      Dan is the first son Jacob has mentioned that is not a son of Sarah.  Genesis 35:25.

2.      Abraham send the children of Hagar and Keturah away and they didn't share in the inheritance of Isaac.

3.   The children of Jacob are different from the children of Abraham.

4.   God is building the nation from all the descendants of Jacob, not from all the descendants of Abraham.

5.      Isaac was the only son of Abraham that God would use to build the nation of Israel.

6.   The other sons of Jacob (not by Sarah) would understand that they were also included in the national plans for the nation of Israel.

B.   The serpent in the Bible is always an evil creature.

1.   I do not believe God is saying Dan is evil any more than Jesus told his disciples to be evil when He said, "Be ye wise as serpents but harmless as doves".

2.      Dan is to be a very wise tribe.

C.   Judges 13:2 - Samson is from the tribe of Dan.

1.   A lot of people believe Samson was an evil person, but Hebrews 11:32 records Samson among the heroes of faith.

a.   When Samson got his hair cut off, and lost his power, his eyes were put out and he worked at a grist mill.

b.   There came a day when the Philistines gathered together to worship their false god and mock Samson.

c.   A small child led Samson to the temple where many people were assembled.

d.   God gave Samson his power back and he destroyed the temple, killed the Philistines and was killed himself.

e.   He bit like a snake, when the Philistines lest expected it.

2.      When the Danites sought their inheritance in Judges 18, nothing would deter them from getting it.

D.  The salvation Jacob waited for.

1.      This could be the salvation of Dan.

2.      Several commentaries state that this salvation is Jacob earnestly desiring spiritual blessings of God which include the fulfillment of all God's promises.

3.   I couldn't find any scripture that would prove either supposition true or false.

 

VIII.     Verse 19,  Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

A.  Gad means "troop".

B.   I Chronicles 12:8 - They are men of war, who will be defeated from time to time, but their persistent trust in God will enable them to overcome.

C.   I Chron 5:18-22 is an example of the Gadites overcoming a defeat by the power of God.

 

IX. Verse 20,  Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

A.  Asher will be a very rich tribe.

B.   Asher will use those riches to feed royal and noble families.          

 

X.   Verse 21,  Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

A.            Naphtali means "wrestlings".

B.            Proverbs 5:19 describes a hind as a kind gentle animal, so Naphtali will be a kind and gentle people.

C.   Psalms 18:33 describes a hind as sure footed and swift, like Naphtali will be.

 

XI. Verse 22-26,  Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: {23} The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: {24} 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:) {25} 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: {26} 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.

A.  There are three divisions to Joseph's prophecy.

1.      Verse 22-24 - The blessings of God in the past.

2.      Verse 25 - The four fold blessings of God in the future.

3.      Verse 26 - The blessings given from Abraham to Isaac, from Isaac to Jacob and Esau, and from Jacob to his twelve sons have increased at an increasing rate.

B.   The Prosperity of Joseph.  "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall."

1.   A fruitful bough means a young tree.

2.   A fruitful bough by a well speaks of Joseph receiving the blessings of God during drought.  Genesis 41:51,52, God had already made Joseph prosperous in Egypt:

a.   By giving him two sons,

b.   And giving him almost unlimited control over the country.

3.      Note how God took Joseph, who it seemed was finished when he was sold into slavery, and blessed him mightily.

4.   God can do exactly the same thing for us, if it is according to His will.

5.   The branches running over the wall speaks about the prosperity of Joseph going beyond the limits of his natural boundaries.

C.   Jacob reviews the past of Joseph in order to encourage him concerning future blessings.  "The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:"

1.      Jacob doesn't mention who these archers are, but those listening will surely know what he is talking about.

2.      Joseph's brothers had hated him, shot at him, but missed, in their attempt to destroy him.

3.      Potiphar's wife had at first "loved" him, then hated him and done her worse for him.

4.   The butler had forgotten about him until reminded by Pharaoh's dream that couldn't be interpreted.

D.  The source of Joseph's strength.  "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:)"

1.   His strength is in himself.

a.   There is a certain amount of trying that an individual must do in order to use the power God freely gives him.

b.   This is not a fleshly strength, but it is a spiritual strength that reveals itself in the flesh.

2.      Joseph has a bow, but no arrows.

a.   Joseph is not seeking vengeance on those that have wronged him.

b.   The bow also represents a strength that Joseph has control of that is outside his body, for the bow is not a part of the body, but an instrument used by the body.

c.   Rev. 6:2 - The Antichrist also comes with a bow, but no arrows.  Satan always mimics God.

3.   His strength came from God.

a.   Joseph overcame his brothers evil intentions by actively taking hold of God's promises to him.

b.   Joseph didn't commit adultery with Potiphar's wife by denying his flesh and submitting to God.

c.   Even in prison when there seemed to be no hope, Joseph continued serving because of God.

4.      Joseph is a type of Christ.  "(from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)"

a.   Joseph was flesh, but remained strong in God.

b.   Jesus is the shepherd who cares for the sheep, yet He is also a very hard and impossible to move stone.

c.   Christ is the foundation of the local church (Matt. 16:18), and the stumbling stone and rock of offense (I Peter 2:8).

E.   A look ahead to some of the blessings God will give Joseph.  "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."

1.   All of these blessings will come from God.

a.   Where else would lasting blessings come from?

b.   Joseph can look back at how God has blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and believe that same God will bless his descendants with like blessings.

c.   What a blessing that is!

2.   The four types of blessings.

a.   Blessings of heaven above.  This speaks of spiritual blessings which involve not only eternal life, but spiritual understand so there will rewards in eternity.

b.   Blessings of the deep.  This blessing is in contrast to the blessings of heaven and speaks of material blessings, or that Joseph and his descendants will receive the very best this earth has to offer.

c.   Blessings of the breasts.  This speaks of physical nourishment and enjoyment.

d.   Blessings of the womb.  This speaks of many children that will be born to the tribe of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim.

F.   The greatness of Joseph's blessings.  "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."

1.   It seems to me that Jacob runs out of words to describe the magnanimity of Joseph's blessings from God.

2.      Jacob declares that the blessings God gave him has been greater than the blessings given to Abraham or Isaac.

3.   He declares that God's blessings are growing at an increasing rate.

a.   Abraham had only one blessing to give to Isaac.

b.   Genesis 27:30-40, Isaac had only two blessings to give.  When he gave the greater blessings to Jacob, he had only a lesser blessing to give to Esau.

c.   Jacob has given each of his twelve sons a blessings, and has a blessing so luxurious for Joseph.

d.   II Peter 1:5-8 declares that we ought to add to our faith various attributes of Christianity.  Verse 2 declares that God multiplies grace and peace to us.  This is the principle of God's blessings "increasing at an increasing rate".

e.   This ought to prove that these blessings are more than idle dreams and hopes for ones children, but prophecy from God for things to come.

4.   The blessings given to Joseph will be greater than the blessings given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob combined.

5.      Joseph and his descendants will wear these blessings like a crown, for they will be set apart by their enormity.

6.      Joseph's triumphant handling of his youthful separation from his family by his evil brothers is the cause of this blessing upon him and his descendants.

7.      Joseph's separation proved that God was the source of his strength, not family and friends.

a.   Jacob was separated from his family because he stole the birthright and the blessings from Esau by lying to his dad.

b.   It was during this separation that he learned what it means to trust God and receive the blessings of God.

c.   Joseph has also learned to trust God and receive His blessings when separated from his family and friends.

 

XII.      Verse 27,  Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

A.  The future for Benjamin isn't as good as the other sons of Rachel.

1.   The word "ravin" means to tear.

2.      Benjamin shall rip apart and destroy for his own prosperity, destroying anything in his way.

3.   In the morning he shall eat the prey that he has taken the night before.

4.   He shall divide the spoil in the night for he doesn't want to get caught dividing that which he isn't supposed to have in the first place.

5.      People in this tribe that proves the prophecy.

a.   Ehud, the second judge, murdered the king of Moab, Judges 3:14-30.

b.   Judges 20,21 - The tribe of Benjamin got in trouble because of their rebellion against all the rest of Israel.

c.   Esther and Mordecai, Esther 2:5, willingly stayed in Babylon when they ought to have gone back to Jerusalem.  God blessed the Jews in spite of their rebellion.  (God does the same for us, so let's not look down our long noses at them!)

d.   Paul was a Benjamite (Romans 11:1, and Phil. 3:5) and he committed much havoc in the local churches before God saved him.

B.   It is strange that Jacob doesn't give a better prophecy to this son of his old age that he loves dearly.

1.      This prophecy ought to prove to all skeptics that the prophecies are from God, not the natural man.

2.      Jacob gave to this son of his old age what God gave him to give.

3.      This is a lesson for us; we must always say what God instructs us to say, even if it is against those we love the most.

 

XIII.     Verse 28-33,  All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. {29} And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, {30} In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. {31} There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. {32} The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth. {33} And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

A.  All the boys are said to receive a blessing.  "All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them."

1.      Some of the tribes, like Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Benjamin seem to receive more of a rebuke than a blessing, but Jacob calls them all blessings.

2.      There will be some shuffling of the tribes in the future, but there will always be twelve tribes in Israel.

B.   Verse 29-32, Jacob gives commandment concerning his burial.  "And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, {30} In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. {31} There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. {32} The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth."

1.      "Gathered unto my fathers" is an Old Testament term.

a.   Means all must die and return to dust.

b.   Means the soul is assembled with those redeemed that have gone on before.

c.   Genesis 25:8, When Abraham died, "gathered unto his people", he went to be with believers who had already died.

d.   Note Genesis 25:17, Ishmael is also "gathered unto his people".

1.      The body returns to dust as Abraham's body was.

2.      His soul was gathered with the lost dead.

e.   Genesis 35:29, Isaac was "gathered unto his people", believers.

2.   The New Testament declares that believers will be with the Lord.

a.   In Phil. 1:23, Paul declared that he would be with the Lord when he died.

b.   I Thess. 4:17 declares that believers will be with the Lord at the rapture.

c.   The reason we will be with the Lord and the Old Testament saints were with their people is because Christ was not yet seated at the right hand of his Father.

d.   People who die in the New Testament will be with Jesus Christ and other saints.

3.      Jacob being buried in Canaan ties him with the promises of God.

a.   His being buried with Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Leah symbolizes his physical ties with the promise

b.   His being buried in Canaan will cause the tribes of Israel to forget all ties with Egypt, for they will have no remembrance of a cemetery in Egypt.

c.   When they think of their ancestors, they will think only of Canaan and the promises of God in Canaan.

4.   He describes the location of the cave exactly so there can be no mistake concerning it.

C.   The death of Jacob.  "And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people."

1.      There is no indication of how much time when by, but we assume Jacob died shortly after finishing blessing his sons.

2.   He finished all that he needed to finish.

a.   It is good that we might each run the race that is set before us, and finish the course of our lives.

b.   Eccl. 7:16,17, There are those people that die before their time, before they finish what they need to finish.

3.   He was relaxed when he died.

a.   He wasn't straining to stay alive.

b.   It was as if he was looking forward to death and entering the next life.