Genesis 49

Genesis 49:3

MY might] Begotten in the floure of my age, and of my strength an Hebrew phrase, as Deuteronomy 21:17. Psalms 78:51 The excellency] By the right of thine eldership thou hadst the superiority of commanding thy brethren, and the honour of Priesthood, and the prerogative of the double part.

Genesis 49:4

Unstable] The Italian hath it, All that is runne out] Through thine abominable incest thou hast lost that naturall right thou hadst, like water powred upon a pent-house, for the Dominion was transferred to Iudah, the Priesthood to Levi, and the double portion to Ioseph, in the persons of his 2 children, Genesis 48:5. 1 Chronicles 5:1.Thou shalt not excell] The Italian, Thou shalt not have the superioritie] By my patriarchall authoritie I deprive thee of thy right of eldership Up to my couch]The Italian addeth, All that vanished away] that thy degree is vanished away, like a vapour or smoake: the Hebrew is gone up.

Genesis 49:5

Are Brethren] Even as they were borne of one mother, so were they joyned together in their wills, in the action touching the Sichemites. Genesis 34:25.

Genesis 49:6

Come not thou] God forbid that ever I should either in thought, or word, have had any part, in those bloudy councells and enterprizes Mine honour] That is my tongue, according to the Hebrew phrase, Psal. 16. 9. and 30. 12. and 57. 8. 9. because that the facultie of speaking, amongst the sensible faculties is the noblest that man hath, above all creatures In their selfe will] In their owne passion, without any lawfull power, or any just enforcement, which are the two things, which make taking up of armes just Digged down] Utterly destroyed the City of Sichem, though that be not expressed in the history.

Genesis 49:7

I will divide them] For a punishment of their blame-worthy union and league; I decree their posteritie to be scattered amongst the other tribes, in the division of the Land of Canaan; So Simeons part was intermixed with Iudahs: Ios. 19. 1. and it was yet more scattered, when the one part of it went to seek out new habitations: 1 Chronicles 4:24. Levi also had no part together, but was divided amongst all the tribes: Ios. 21. 4. &c.

Genesis 49:8

Shall praise] That is, shall honour thee, and acknowledge thee, for their head, and superior: 1. Chron. 5. 2. He alludes to the signification of Iudahs name whereof, see Gen, 29. 35 Thy band] he prophecyeth of the peoples victoris, wherein Iudah was alwayes the chief: Iudg. 1. 2. and 20. 18. chiefly under David and his descent. Now under these corporall warres, and victories, are also understood Christs spirituall ones, who was the true Lion of Iudah: R5. 5 Thy fathers chldren] All my posterity shall respect thee as their Lord, in the Kingdome conferred upon the Tribe of Iudah, in Davids person. And all the Chuch, which is the true Israel in spirit, shall worship Christs person, which came from Iudah, according to the flesh: Genesis 27:29.

Genesis 49:9

A Lions whelp] That is to say, in his beginnings, and as it were in his first youth, he shall overcome and subdue his enemies, and then shall enjoy that rest which he hath established through his valour An old Lion] For there are two kindes of Lions, the one short and trussed up, with a curled haire; the other greater, with long haire, and more fierce.

Genesis 49:10

The Spter] The right of eldership and of supreme temporall Dominion, shall never be quite taken away from thee, untill the Messias be come, who shall be of thy posterity, and he shall change it into a spirituall and everlasting kingdome, destroying a little while after, by means of the Romans, both the people, and forme of any Jewish Common-weale, Daniel 9:26-27. Now although the Tribe of Judah have not alwayes beene in possession of the kingdome, as before David, in Babylon under the Asmoneans, who were Levites, and under Herod the Idumean, yet it never lost the title and right to it; and hath alwayes kept some Reliques of the possession, having the body of its common-weale severall, and its divine and humane Lawes, which never was promised, nor happened unto any of the other Tribes. Isaiah 7:8. And the alteration of one raigning generation, altereth not the kingdome, if the same people and Lawes remaine. Now he describeth this slate by the Scepter, and the Law-giver, and by the first fifteen poynted out the supream power, and by the second, the administration of Justice, Councels, and Offices of government Between] It seemeth that he alludes to the custome and fashion of Kings, who when they sit in their Thrones, have below at their feet their Chancellors, Councellors, and chiefe officers Shiloh] The Italian hath it, him to whom that belongeth] That is, the Messias; the true everlasting King of his Church, Psalms 2:6; Psalms 110:2: Of whom the earthly ones were onely figures and representers: The Hebrew word Shiloh hath beene by many of the ancient, rightly translated Vnto him] Hee shall convert it into a spirituall and universall Kingdome, over all people. Others, unto him shall the people be gathered and reduced.

Genesis 49:11

Binding] A propheticall and allegoricall description of the Churches spirituall blessings Vnto the Vine] As in some other lands one might bind his bast he rdeth on, to a stump or wild shrub: The meaning is, the Land shall be so perfectly unshrubbed, and unforrested, that one shall hardly find any uselesse plant to tye an Asse unto. See Isaiah 7:25 He washed] As Job 29:6.

Genesis 49:12

With Wine] Or more than Wine, or Milk.

Genesis 49:14

Asse] A mighty nation, but cowardly in its enterprizes, and base to submit it self to the yoak of slavery, before it will free it selfe with labour and danger.Coching down] Shut up in his owne countrey, like an Asse in a stable. See Judges, Chapt. 5 verse 15.

Genesis 49:16

Shall judge] By allusion to the name of Dan, which signifieth judgement, Genesis 30:6. He meaneth that Dan shall have his Tribe within his jurisdiction and government, as the other: or peradventure he meaneth it of Sampson, the Danite, who judged; that is to say governed the whole nation: see Judges 13. 2. 24.

Genesis 49:17

A Serpent] A crafty people, who shall proceed more by deceits, than by open strength. See an an example thereof, Judges 18:1-31. and in the whole history of Sampson.

Genesis 49:18

O Lord] It should seem that Jacob, at the remembrance of Dan, trembleth with horror, and rageth, fore-seeing that in that Tribe should be erected the generall idolatrie of the ten Tribes, from whence should grow their ruine, 1. Kings 12. 29. Amos 8:14. which should be restored by the Messias, whom he also looketh upon in this astonishment: see Hosea 3:4-5.

Genesis 49:19

A troup] His country shall be exposed to incursions, and robbings, by his neighbours the Arabians, and other Easterne nations, as being upon their confines beyond Jordan, according to the custome of borderers. He makes an allusion between the Hebrew name for troopes of souldiers and forragers, and the name of God At the last] Or at the last, he shall prey and forrage.

Genesis 49:20

Out of Asher] The Italian hath it, Out of Ashers countrey] That is to say, he shall have aboundance of all things to live on, in his own countrie.

Genesis 49:21

A hinde] A nation of a quick, and ready wit, yet courteous and loving, without gall, or offence to others, like a tame hinde: Proverbs 5:19. which needeth no watch nor locking.

Genesis 49:22

Bough] A figurative description of the marveilous increase of Josephs progenie, chiefly by Ephraim: Genesis 48. 16. 19.

Genesis 49:23

The arers] Though he hath always been as the But at which too many unjust persecutions have shot, by his brothers, his master, his mistresse, yet hath he through Gods grace withstood all these assaults, without diminishing either in state, or faith, and he hath alwayes raised him up, greater, and happier, to be the relief of his Church, in the extremitie of famine.

Genesis 49:24

Of the mightie God] the Italian hath it, Of the mightie of Iacob] that is God, in whom lieth all his Churches strength: see Psalms 132:2.

Genesis 49:25

Of heaven] In dewes, raine, sunne-shine, and other celestiall influences, Leviticus 26:4. Deuteronomy 28:12 Of the deep] By springs and streames, which do all issue out of the great masse of waters which is under the earth Of the breasts] by the copious bringing forth, and bringing up of children; and cattel, Deuteronomy 28. 4. 11.

Genesis 49:26

The blessings] The favours I have received of God, have abounded above them of my forefathers; as in respect of the great number of children which God hath given me; as in regard they are all admitted to be of the blessed seed, and none of them hath been cast out, as in the families of Abraham and Isaac: besides other wonderfull gifts, wherewith God hath blessed me Vnto the] A proverbiall manner of speech, which signifieth the highest of a thing; as the tops of the high hills are above the plaines. Now he saith the everlasting hills, as Deuteronomy 33:15 Habakkuk 3:6. because that for the most part they were from the beginning created in the same forme, and manner, as they have continued in ever since They shall]As I have received thse favours through Gods blessing, so I do wish them in thee, through my blessing, which I assure my self God will ratifie Of him] Of thee Joseph, whom God hath made remarkable in spirituall and temporall gifts, and raised to so excellent a dignitie.

Genesis 49:27

A Wolfe] A description of the warlike customes of this tribe.

Genesis 49:28

All these] This is the state of the partition of the twelve tribes, of which Jacob had spoken, in this his propheticall will According] That is to say, according to those gifts as God would bestow upon them; which will was revealed to Jacob.

Genesis 49:33

Gathered up] An act of a sweet and quiet breathing his last, as of a man that falleth a sleep.