Introduction: This last section of the book of Genesis takes us to the end of the patriarchal period with the deaths of Jacob and Joseph. The whole clan of Jacob is now in exile in Egypt. The last words of the book are “a coffin in Egypt.” The history of salvation seems to have no happy ending. And yet, this is the part of the book that is the most redolent of hope. The profile of Israel as God’s people looms on the horizon. The portentous number of “seventy” that constitutes the house of Jacob (Gen. 46:27) alerts the reader to the spiritual destiny of this people. Jacob blesses his sons (Gen. 49:1–28) and predicts the future of what will become the 12 tribes of Israel and the future coming of the Messiah, who will save Israel and the nations (Gen. 49:10–12). The last words of the book that are resonant with death are, in fact, words pointing to the redemptive future: they anticipate the return to the Promised Land in terms that echo the first words of Genesis, introducing the event of Creation and the planting of the Garden of Eden. The underlying theological principle is that God turns evil into good (Gen. 50:20). This is the lesson that Joseph shares with his brothers to comfort them and reassure them (Gen. 50:21), but, more important, to open their eyes to God’s salvation of the world (Gen. 50:20).
Part II: Commentary
The Blessing of Jacob
After having gathered his sons (Gen. 49:1, 2), Jacob blesses them one after another, following their birth order, from Reuben the eldest to Benjamin the youngest (Gen. 49:3–27). These blessings are, in fact, prophecies that predict their future (Gen. 49:1). The Hebrew words be’akharit hayyamim, “in the last days” (Gen. 49:1), is a technical expression that often refers to the coming of the Messianic King and the eschatological salvation (Isa. 2:2, Dan. 10:14). The text of Jacob’s blessing, as it moves from his first son, Reuben, to his last one, Benjamin, is therefore imbued with the prophetic-eschatological tension.
This is the third time in the book of Genesis that a blessing is addressed to a group of persons. The first collective blessing is God’s blessing of Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:28). The second is Noah’s blessing of his three sons (Gen. 9:24–27). Jacob’s blessing is more related to Noah’s blessing in that both are fatherly blessings and even curses; and both contain specific prophecies unveiling the future destiny of the sons. Both blessings appear at the beginning of a new era, and both mark the first steps of a new race. Therefore, the blessing of Israel has a universal scope. The blessings conclude with the reference to “the twelve tribes of Israel” (Gen. 49:28). This is the first biblical mention of the “twelve tribes.” Clearly, the future destiny of all of Israel, with its failures and successes, is in view (compare Gen. 49:1).
The Coming of the Messiah
The words that are used—“scepter,” “lawgiver”—indicate that it is a king rather than a tribe that is the object of the prophecy. This verse, Genesis 49:10, also is echoed in Balaam’s prophecy (Num. 24:17). The star from Jacob in Balaam’s prophecy corresponds to the Lion of Judah in Jacob’s prophecy. Furthermore, our passage introduces a temporal element in that rulership (Gen. 49:10). The coming of the Messiah is placed in the history of Israel. Yet, the adverbial conjunction ‘ad ki, “until,” in the phrase “until Shiloh” means more than just a point of arrival. The Hebrew ‘ad ki does not necessarily refer to an end but rather to a fulfillment or to a climax, expressing a superlative (Gen. 26:13, Gen. 41:19). This means that the royalty of Judah will reach its climax with the coming of Shiloh. The universal dimension of this Person is clarified in the next few words: “ ‘To him shall be the obedience of the peoples’ ” (Gen. 49:10, ESV). Note that the word people is plural in the Hebrew text (‘amim).
The universal scope of this Ruler to whom “peoples” owe obedience suggests a figure of Messianic and supernatural dimension. The word Shiloh is the name of a Person as indicated by its parallel to the name Judah. The Hebrew word is related to the words shalwah or shalom, “peace,” both being synonyms (Ps. 122:7). This interpretation is attested in the most ancient Christian and Jewish sources and has the merit of fitting the context of our passage (Gen. 49:11), which associates the coming of this Ruler with the reign of peace (compare Isa. 9:5, 6; Mic. 5:5, [4]; Eph. 2:14). The last two verses of Jacob’s blessing to Judah (Gen. 49:11, 12) describe the character and the mission of the Messiah. The Hebrew word for “donkey” refers generally to the donkey used for riding (Judg. 10:4). The donkey evokes peace and humility (in contrast to the horse, which evokes war and arrogance [Prov. 21:31]). The same association of kingship and lowliness is used by Zechariah to describe the “lowly” Davidic king who will ride on a donkey (Zech. 9:9) and will reign over the whole world, “from sea to sea . . . to the ends of the earth” (Zech. 9:10, NKJV). This image reminds us of Solomon, who rides his father’s mule to signify that he is the anointed one, the true heir to the Davidic throne (1 Kings 1:38–48). Likewise, Jesus’ action to “untie” the donkey and His riding on it point back to that tradition (Mark 11:2–11).
The other images of “wine” and “milk” and their respective colors of red/eyes and white/teeth evoke the abundance of life and the peace and security that will fill the Promised Land (Num. 13:23, 27). The reference to eye and tooth in our context, which refers to the fullness of enjoyment, intends, then, to suggest the intensity of life and of complete peace that will characterize the Messianic kingdom.
From Evil to Good
When Joseph’s brothers come to Joseph to ask for forgiveness (Gen. 50:17), Joseph reassures his brothers that he intends no harm to them. His words, “ ‘Do not be afraid’ ” (Gen. 50:19, NKJV), are the same words that God used to reassure Abraham of his future (Gen. 15:1). To relieve the tension, Joseph places himself on the same human level: “Am I in the place of God?” (Gen. 50:19). Jacob had addressed Rachel with the same words in response to her complaint of not having children (Gen. 30:2). However, for Joseph this is different. While for Jacob these words were an expression of his anger, for Joseph the same words express his love toward his brothers and are meant to assuage their worries.
And when Joseph, unexpectedly, refers to God, he implies that divine forgiveness is involved in human forgiveness. Joseph even refers to his brothers’ treachery as the mechanism of that forgiveness: in that which they “ ‘meant evil,’ ” “ ‘God meant it for good’ ” (Gen. 50:20, NKJV). What his brothers did, which they rightly acknowledge as “evil,” was turned “ ‘to save many people alive’ ” (Gen. 50:20, NKJV). Joseph does not merely content himself with granting forgiveness to his brothers; he takes away their feeling of guilt, for their evil action turned out for good. They can now face Joseph and confront the future. Joseph reassures them with the same words that involve the future, “ ‘Do not be afraid’ ” (Gen. 50:21, NKJV; compare Gen. 50:19), and concludes with the promise that he will provide for them and their children.
The Salvation of the World
Whereas the text mentions a grave for Jacob but no coffin (Gen. 49:29), for Joseph, the text mentions a coffin but no grave (Gen. 50:26). Joseph was embalmed, and yet he is not buried, because of his hope of the Promised Land. Thus, Joseph does not command to have his bones buried at his death. He wants his bones to be carried to Canaan along with all the people of Israel. In the meantime, he is “put in a coffin in Egypt” (Gen. 50:26). The Hebrew uses the definite article ba’aron, literally meaning “in the coffin,” thus stressing the significance of the fact that this coffin was without a grave.
Thus, the book of Genesis ends the same way that the whole Pentateuch ends: with death, yet without a grave (Deut. 34:6), and in view of the Promised Land (compare Deut. 34:1–4). The book of Genesis, like the Pentateuch, begins with Creation and the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1, Genesis 2) and ends with the prospect of the Promised Land and the hope of the resurrection of the dead (Deut. 34:6; compare Jude 9). This literary coincidence is not accidental. We find the same association elsewhere and at the beginning and end of several books of the Bible (for instance, see Isa. 1:2; Isa. 66:22, 23; Eccles. 1:1–11; Eccles. 12:14; Dan. 1:12; Dan. 12:13; John 1:1–10; John 21:22, 23), and even throughout the entire Bible (Genesis 1, Genesis 2, Rev. 22:20).
Part III: Life Application
The Blessing of Jacob. There is a story about a New Testament teacher who said to his students, “If you want to be a good Christian, you will have to kill the Jew in you.” Then one student answered: “Do you mean killing Jesus?” How does the blessing of Jacob to his sons relate to you personally? Is it possible to receive the blessings of Jacob while denying their Jewish component? What makes these blessings your blessings, as well?
The Coming of the Messiah. How does Jacob’s prophecy apply to Jesus Christ? Discuss with your class the rich imagery that is used in this passage to characterize the Messiah. How does the image of Christ as “lawgiver” apply to your life? How does the imagery of tooth and eyes, which signify joy of life and peace, affect your understanding of the Christian life?
From Evil to Good. Do you remember one experience in life when a wicked action directed at you, with the intention to harm, turned out for your good? In the aftermath of that action, how did your experiences of suffering and injustice play a role in the formation of your character?
The Salvation of the World. How does our name “Seventh-day Adventist” show our belief in the Creation? As our name suggests, what is the association between our belief in Creation and the hope that we have in the second coming of Jesus?
Adjust My Preferences
Welcome! Please set your reading preferences below.
You can access this panel later by clicking the
preference icon
in the top right of the page.
Key Text: Genesis 47:27
Study Focus: Genesis 46–50; Acts 3:25, 26.
Part I: Overview
Introduction: This last section of the book of Genesis takes us to the end of the patriarchal period with the deaths of Jacob and Joseph. The whole clan of Jacob is now in exile in Egypt. The last words of the book are “a coffin in Egypt.” The history of salvation seems to have no happy ending. And yet, this is the part of the book that is the most redolent of hope. The profile of Israel as God’s people looms on the horizon. The portentous number of “seventy” that constitutes the house of Jacob (Gen. 46:27) alerts the reader to the spiritual destiny of this people. Jacob blesses his sons (Gen. 49:1–28) and predicts the future of what will become the 12 tribes of Israel and the future coming of the Messiah, who will save Israel and the nations (Gen. 49:10–12). The last words of the book that are resonant with death are, in fact, words pointing to the redemptive future: they anticipate the return to the Promised Land in terms that echo the first words of Genesis, introducing the event of Creation and the planting of the Garden of Eden. The underlying theological principle is that God turns evil into good (Gen. 50:20). This is the lesson that Joseph shares with his brothers to comfort them and reassure them (Gen. 50:21), but, more important, to open their eyes to God’s salvation of the world (Gen. 50:20).
Part II: Commentary
The Blessing of Jacob
After having gathered his sons (Gen. 49:1, 2), Jacob blesses them one after another, following their birth order, from Reuben the eldest to Benjamin the youngest (Gen. 49:3–27). These blessings are, in fact, prophecies that predict their future (Gen. 49:1). The Hebrew words be’akharit hayyamim, “in the last days” (Gen. 49:1), is a technical expression that often refers to the coming of the Messianic King and the eschatological salvation (Isa. 2:2, Dan. 10:14). The text of Jacob’s blessing, as it moves from his first son, Reuben, to his last one, Benjamin, is therefore imbued with the prophetic-eschatological tension.
This is the third time in the book of Genesis that a blessing is addressed to a group of persons. The first collective blessing is God’s blessing of Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:28). The second is Noah’s blessing of his three sons (Gen. 9:24–27). Jacob’s blessing is more related to Noah’s blessing in that both are fatherly blessings and even curses; and both contain specific prophecies unveiling the future destiny of the sons. Both blessings appear at the beginning of a new era, and both mark the first steps of a new race. Therefore, the blessing of Israel has a universal scope. The blessings conclude with the reference to “the twelve tribes of Israel” (Gen. 49:28). This is the first biblical mention of the “twelve tribes.” Clearly, the future destiny of all of Israel, with its failures and successes, is in view (compare Gen. 49:1).
The Coming of the Messiah
The words that are used—“scepter,” “lawgiver”—indicate that it is a king rather than a tribe that is the object of the prophecy. This verse, Genesis 49:10, also is echoed in Balaam’s prophecy (Num. 24:17). The star from Jacob in Balaam’s prophecy corresponds to the Lion of Judah in Jacob’s prophecy. Furthermore, our passage introduces a temporal element in that rulership (Gen. 49:10). The coming of the Messiah is placed in the history of Israel. Yet, the adverbial conjunction ‘ad ki, “until,” in the phrase “until Shiloh” means more than just a point of arrival. The Hebrew ‘ad ki does not necessarily refer to an end but rather to a fulfillment or to a climax, expressing a superlative (Gen. 26:13, Gen. 41:19). This means that the royalty of Judah will reach its climax with the coming of Shiloh. The universal dimension of this Person is clarified in the next few words: “ ‘To him shall be the obedience of the peoples’ ” (Gen. 49:10, ESV). Note that the word people is plural in the Hebrew text (‘amim).
The universal scope of this Ruler to whom “peoples” owe obedience suggests a figure of Messianic and supernatural dimension. The word Shiloh is the name of a Person as indicated by its parallel to the name Judah. The Hebrew word is related to the words shalwah or shalom, “peace,” both being synonyms (Ps. 122:7). This interpretation is attested in the most ancient Christian and Jewish sources and has the merit of fitting the context of our passage (Gen. 49:11), which associates the coming of this Ruler with the reign of peace (compare Isa. 9:5, 6; Mic. 5:5, [4]; Eph. 2:14). The last two verses of Jacob’s blessing to Judah (Gen. 49:11, 12) describe the character and the mission of the Messiah. The Hebrew word for “donkey” refers generally to the donkey used for riding (Judg. 10:4). The donkey evokes peace and humility (in contrast to the horse, which evokes war and arrogance [Prov. 21:31]). The same association of kingship and lowliness is used by Zechariah to describe the “lowly” Davidic king who will ride on a donkey (Zech. 9:9) and will reign over the whole world, “from sea to sea . . . to the ends of the earth” (Zech. 9:10, NKJV). This image reminds us of Solomon, who rides his father’s mule to signify that he is the anointed one, the true heir to the Davidic throne (1 Kings 1:38–48). Likewise, Jesus’ action to “untie” the donkey and His riding on it point back to that tradition (Mark 11:2–11).
The other images of “wine” and “milk” and their respective colors of red/eyes and white/teeth evoke the abundance of life and the peace and security that will fill the Promised Land (Num. 13:23, 27). The reference to eye and tooth in our context, which refers to the fullness of enjoyment, intends, then, to suggest the intensity of life and of complete peace that will characterize the Messianic kingdom.
From Evil to Good
When Joseph’s brothers come to Joseph to ask for forgiveness (Gen. 50:17), Joseph reassures his brothers that he intends no harm to them. His words, “ ‘Do not be afraid’ ” (Gen. 50:19, NKJV), are the same words that God used to reassure Abraham of his future (Gen. 15:1). To relieve the tension, Joseph places himself on the same human level: “Am I in the place of God?” (Gen. 50:19). Jacob had addressed Rachel with the same words in response to her complaint of not having children (Gen. 30:2). However, for Joseph this is different. While for Jacob these words were an expression of his anger, for Joseph the same words express his love toward his brothers and are meant to assuage their worries.
And when Joseph, unexpectedly, refers to God, he implies that divine forgiveness is involved in human forgiveness. Joseph even refers to his brothers’ treachery as the mechanism of that forgiveness: in that which they “ ‘meant evil,’ ” “ ‘God meant it for good’ ” (Gen. 50:20, NKJV). What his brothers did, which they rightly acknowledge as “evil,” was turned “ ‘to save many people alive’ ” (Gen. 50:20, NKJV). Joseph does not merely content himself with granting forgiveness to his brothers; he takes away their feeling of guilt, for their evil action turned out for good. They can now face Joseph and confront the future. Joseph reassures them with the same words that involve the future, “ ‘Do not be afraid’ ” (Gen. 50:21, NKJV; compare Gen. 50:19), and concludes with the promise that he will provide for them and their children.
The Salvation of the World
Whereas the text mentions a grave for Jacob but no coffin (Gen. 49:29), for Joseph, the text mentions a coffin but no grave (Gen. 50:26). Joseph was embalmed, and yet he is not buried, because of his hope of the Promised Land. Thus, Joseph does not command to have his bones buried at his death. He wants his bones to be carried to Canaan along with all the people of Israel. In the meantime, he is “put in a coffin in Egypt” (Gen. 50:26). The Hebrew uses the definite article ba’aron, literally meaning “in the coffin,” thus stressing the significance of the fact that this coffin was without a grave.
Thus, the book of Genesis ends the same way that the whole Pentateuch ends: with death, yet without a grave (Deut. 34:6), and in view of the Promised Land (compare Deut. 34:1–4). The book of Genesis, like the Pentateuch, begins with Creation and the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1, Genesis 2) and ends with the prospect of the Promised Land and the hope of the resurrection of the dead (Deut. 34:6; compare Jude 9). This literary coincidence is not accidental. We find the same association elsewhere and at the beginning and end of several books of the Bible (for instance, see Isa. 1:2; Isa. 66:22, 23; Eccles. 1:1–11; Eccles. 12:14; Dan. 1:12; Dan. 12:13; John 1:1–10; John 21:22, 23), and even throughout the entire Bible (Genesis 1, Genesis 2, Rev. 22:20).
Part III: Life Application
The Blessing of Jacob. There is a story about a New Testament teacher who said to his students, “If you want to be a good Christian, you will have to kill the Jew in you.” Then one student answered: “Do you mean killing Jesus?” How does the blessing of Jacob to his sons relate to you personally? Is it possible to receive the blessings of Jacob while denying their Jewish component? What makes these blessings your blessings, as well?
The Coming of the Messiah. How does Jacob’s prophecy apply to Jesus Christ? Discuss with your class the rich imagery that is used in this passage to characterize the Messiah. How does the image of Christ as “lawgiver” apply to your life? How does the imagery of tooth and eyes, which signify joy of life and peace, affect your understanding of the Christian life?
From Evil to Good. Do you remember one experience in life when a wicked action directed at you, with the intention to harm, turned out for your good? In the aftermath of that action, how did your experiences of suffering and injustice play a role in the formation of your character?
The Salvation of the World. How does our name “Seventh-day Adventist” show our belief in the Creation? As our name suggests, what is the association between our belief in Creation and the hope that we have in the second coming of Jesus?