Genesis 49

Genesis 49:10

Gen. 49:10. “Until Shiloh come.” Silenus, so famous among the poets, whom they place in the order of their gods, is derived from hence. Diodorus, lib. 3 says, the first that ruled at Nisa was Silenus, whose genealogy is unknown to all, by reason of his antiquity, which is agreeable to what the Scriptures say of the Messiah, Isaiah 53:8, “Who shall declare his generation?” And elsewhere, “To us a child is born, to us a son is given, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the everlasting Father;” and other passages. As for Nisa, where Silenus reigned, it seems to be the same with Sina (as was showed elsewhere. See No. 401). The Messiah dwelt there. It was he that dwelt there in the bush.

And there he manifested himself and spake with Moses and the children of Israel. This is represented as his dwelling-place several times in Scripture; and therefore, when God redeemed the children of Israel from Egypt, and brought them there, he is represented as bringing them to himself.

Near this mountain was the altar called Jehovah-Nissi, which is a name Moses gave the Messiah. Of Shiloh it is said, and to him shall the [the Hebrew word for] the gathering, or the obedience (as the word signifies), of the people be. Thus Silenus is made by the poets to be the greatest doctor of his age, and he is called Bacchus’s preceptor, i.e. according to Vossius’s account, Bacchus was Moses (see No. 401) and Silenus, or Shilo, or Christ, instructed Moses on mount Sinai, or Nisa, the place where Bacchus and Silenus were said to be. Bacchus and Silenus are made by the poets to be inseparable companions. Another attribute given to Silenus is, that he was carried for the most part on an ass, which Bochart refers to that of Gen 49:11. “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.” The mythologists fable Silenus as a comrade of Bacchus, to be employed in treading out grapes; this Bochart refers to, Genesis 49:11, “He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes;” and is agreeable to what is said of the Messiah elsewhere in the Scripture, “I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people was none with me.” They characterize Silenus as one that was always drunk, as it is supposed from what follows, Genesis 49:12. “His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk,” which Solomon makes the character of one overcome with wine. Proverbs 23:29; Proverbs 23:30. “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.” They ascribe to Silenus for his meat cow’s milk, which Bochart makes to be traduced from Genesis 49:12. “And his teeth white with milk.” That Silenus is the same with Shilo, further appears from that of Pausanius Eliacon 2. ΕνγαρτηΕβραιωνχωραΣιληνουμνημα, the monument of Silenus remains in the country of the Hebrews. See Gale’s Court of Gen. p. 1. b. 2. c. 6. p. 67-69.

Gen. 49:22

Genesis 49:22

Gen. 49:22. “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even,” etc. The word which is translated “branches,” properly signifies “daughters,” and the word which is translated “wall,” signifies both a “wall” and an “enemy;” so that the words may be translated either, “whose branches run over the wall,” or, “whose daughters go over to the enemy.” But let it be translated either of the ways, the event referred to, doubtless, is the tribe of Benjamin’s being supplied with wives. For their wives that they were supplied with from Jabesh-Gilead were of this tribe, for Jabesh-Gilead was in the half-tribe of Manasseh; and the daughters of Shiloh, which they catched when they came out in dances, were of the tribe of Ephraim, for Shiloh was in that tribe. Thus their daughters went over to the enemy, or tribe of Benjamin, who were enemies to the other tribes of Israel, in that war in which their women and most of the men were destroyed. Thus, also, the branches or daughters of this fruitful bough or vine ran over the wall. As the whole people of Israel are several times in Scripture compared to a vineyard, so here a particular tribe in Israel seems to be compared to a distinct enclosure of fruit-trees or vineyard that was walled in (as vineyards were wont to be), and so separated from other vineyards.

Joseph is compared here to an exceeding flourishing bough or vine, whose daughters or branches run over the wall and get out of the enclosure and run into another vineyard. In that it is said his branches run over the wall, and the same word that signifies branches, also signifying (and more properly signifying) daughters; it seems to show which way his branches shall run over the wall - viz., by his daughters breaking over the enclosure or limits of the tribe and going to another tribe.

Gen. 49:24

Genesis 49:24

Gen. 49:24. “But his bow,” etc. This was remarkably verified in Joshua and Gideon, who were of this tribe, as appears with respect to Joshua by Numbers 13:8, and with respect to Gideon by Judges 6:11, with Joshua 17:2, and Judges 6:35. They were wonderful instances of those whose bow abode in strength, and the arms of whose hands were strengthened by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, who were strengthened, and succeeded by immediate help from God, as appears by their whole story. Jephthah the Gileadite was also of Joseph, being of the tribe of Manasseh: - [“from thence is the Shepherd, the stone of Israel.”] These words seem to have a remarkable fulfillment in Joshua, who was, as it were, the “shepherd of Israel,” who led them into Canaan to their pasture, and conquered their enemies for them, and was, in a subordinate sense, the “rock” of Israel’s salvation, who bore the name of Christ. Joshua is Jesus or the Saviour, and was a remarkable type of Christ, and who had Christ with him, and acted by His influence, and fought by His strength, and had His Spirit to guide him. It may also have respect to the ark and tabernacle being kept at Shiloh, as it was till the days of Samuel, for Shiloh was in the tribe of Ephraim (Psalms 78:60; Psalms 78:67).

The ark was the type and symbol of Christ, the Shepherd and Rock of Israel; and the Tabernacle and the mercy-seat over the ark was the place of His presence. [“From thence,” etc.] - i.e., from the mighty God of Jacob, mentioned in the immediately preceding words. It seems, evidently, to be explained by the words immediately following - “From the God of thy father, and He will help thee.” For so the words are, literally translated: “The arms of his hands were made strong” (thus He helped thee) “by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob,” (who was Joseph’s father): “from thence is the Shepherd, the stone of Israel: even from the God of Jacob thy father, and He” (the Shepherd, the stone of Israel) “will help thee, and by Him shall the arms of their hands be made strong.” He the Messiah, the hand or the arm of the Lord (as He is sometimes called), which shall strengthen thine arms. [See Pool, Synop., on Genesis 49:25.