Genesis Chapter Forty-Nine Series

GENESIS CHAPTER FORTY-NINE OVERVIEW

Overall what is happening in this chapter is that Jacob blesses his sons before he dies.

Joseph Benson’s Commentary (1857) - Genesis 49

Jacob, being about to die, blesseth his sons, and foretelleth what shall happen to each of them hereafter. He giveth them charge concerning his funeral, and dieth.

Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge (2010) - Genesis 49

Overview:

Jacob calls his sons to bless them; (Genesis 49:1-2)

Their blessing in particular; (Genesis 49:3-28)

He charges them about his burial; (Genesis 49:29-32)

He dies. (Genesis 49:33)

Adam Clarke (1826) - Genesis 49

Jacob, about to die, calls his sons together that he may bless them, or give prophetic declarations concerning their posterity, (Genesis 49:1-20. Prophetic declaration concerning Reuben, (Genesis 49:3-4). Concerning Simeon and Levi, (Genesis 49:5-7); concerning Judah, (Genesis 49:8-12); concerning Zebulun, (Genesis 49:13); concerning Issachar, (Genesis 49:14-15); concerning Dan, (Genesis 49:16-18); concerning Gad, (Genesis 49:19); concerning Asher, (Genesis 49:20); concerning Naphtali, (Genesis 49:21); concerning Joseph, (Genesis 49:22-26); concerning Benjamin, (Genesis 49:27). Summary concerning the twelve tribes, (Genesis 49:28). Jacob gives directions concerning his being buried in the cave of Machpelah, (Genesis 49:29-32). Jacob dies, (Genesis 49:33).

John Gill (1746) - Genesis 49

This chapter contains a prophecy of future things, relating to the twelve sons of Jacob, and to the twelve tribes, as descending from them, and which he delivered to his sons on his death bed, having called them together for that purpose, (Genesis 49:1) He begins with Reuben his firstborn, whose incest he takes notice of, on which account he should not excel, (Genesis 49:3), next Simeon and Levi have a curse denounced on them for their cruelty at Shechem, (Genesis 49:5), but Judah is praised, and good things prophesied of him; and particularly that Shiloh, or the Messiah, should spring from him, the time of whose coming is pointed at, (Genesis 49:7), the predictions concerning Zebulun, Issachar, and Dan, follow, at the close of which Jacob expresses his longing expectation of God's salvation, (Genesis 49:13) and after foretelling what should befall Gad, Asher, and Naphtali, (Genesis 49:19), a large account is given of Joseph, his troubles, his trials, and his blessings, (Genesis 49:22), and Benjamin the youngest son is taken notice of last of all, all the tribes being blessed in their order according to the nature of their blessing, (Genesis 49:27), and the chapter is closed with a charge of Jacob's to his sons to bury him in Canaan, which having delivered, he died, (Genesis 49:29).

Matthew Henry (1714) - Genesis 49

This chapter is a prophecy; the likest to it we have yet met with was that of Noah, (see Genesis 9:25). Jacob is here upon his death-bed, making his will. He put it off till now, because dying men's words are apt to make deep impressions, and to be remembered long: what he said here, he could not say when he would, but as the Spirit gave him utterance, who chose this time, that divine strength might be perfected in his weakness. The twelve sons of Jacob were, in their day, men of renown, but the twelve tribes of Israel, which descended and were denominated from them, were much more renowned; we find their names upon the gates of the New Jerusalem, (see Revelation 21:12). In the prospect of this their dying father says something remarkable of each son, or of the tribe that bore his name. Here is:

I. The preface (Genesis 49:1-2).

II. The prediction concerning each tribe (Genesis 49:3-28).

III. The charge repeated concerning his burial (Genesis 49:29-32).

IV. His death (Genesis 49:33).

KEY EVENT

Jacob blesses his sons.

KEY VERSE

Genesis 49:1 “Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, "Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come.”

KEY EXPLANATION

Jacob in calling his sons together would proclaim prophesies over them. It was intended, not just for the sons, but for their descendants as well.

KEY CROSS-REFERENCE

Revelation 4:1 “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things."”

KEY QUOTE

“Grace is when you get the good things you don’t deserve. Mercy is when you are spared from getting the bad things you do deserve. Thank God – He is generous with both.”