genesis-49:14-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 49:13-21

Here we have Jacob's prophecy concerning six of his sons. I. Concerning Zebulun (Gen. 49:13), that his posterity should have their lot upon the seacoast, and should be merchants, and mariners, and traders at sea. This was fulfilled when, two or three hundred years after, the land of Canaan was divided by lot, and the border of Zebulun went up towards the sea, Josh. 19:11. Had they chosen their lot themselves, or Joshua appointed it, we might have supposed it done with design to make Jacob's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:14

Issachar is a strong ass ,.... Or as one, the note of similitude being wanting, as Ben Melech observes; "a bony" F5 חמר גרם "Asinus osseus", Montanus, Tigurine version, Munster, Vatablus, Drusius, Piscator, Cartwright. one, as the word signifies; not one that is lean, and nothing but skin and bones, as some interpret it, but that is strong and robust, able to carry burdens; and this tribe is compared to an ass, not for stupidity and sluggishness, but for its strength, and its use... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:15

And he saw that rest was good ,.... Not the house of the sanctuary, and attendance there, and the service of that, as the Targum of Jerusalem; nor the rest of the world to come, the happiness of a future state, as that of Jonathan; but rather, as Onkelos, the part and portion of the good land allotted him; he saw that a quiet industry exercised in a diligent cultivation and manuring his land was preferable to the hurry of a court, or the fatigue of a camp, or the dangers of the seas: and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:16

Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. There is an elegant paronomasia, or an allusion to the name of Dan in those words, which signifies to judge, and the sense of them is, there should be heads, rulers, and judges of it, as the other tribes had; and this is the rather mentioned of him, because he is the first of the children of concubine wives as yet taken notice of; and what is here said of him is also to be understood of the rest of the sons of the concubines; for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:17

Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path ,.... Or be like that sort of serpents called the adder; or rather, that which has the name of Cerastes, which lies among sand, and being of the same colour is not easily discerned, and is often trampled upon unawares, and bites at once, unexpected; as Bothart F8 Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 3. c. 12. col. 418, 419, 420. from various writers has shown; particularly Diodorus Siculus F9 Bibliothec. l. 3. p. 183. says, of this kind of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:18

I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord. Jacob finding his spirits faint and flag, stops and breathes awhile before he proceeded any further in blessing the tribes; and as he found he was a dying man, and knew not how soon he should expire, expresses what he had been thoughtful of and concerned about in time past, and still was; that he had been waiting and hoping for, and expecting a state of happiness and bliss in another world, where he should be saved from sin and Satan, and the world,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 49:14

Issachar is a strong ass - גרם חמר chamor garem is properly a strong-limbed ass; couching between two burdens - bearing patiently, as most understand it, the fatigues of agriculture, and submitting to exorbitant taxes rather that exert themselves to drive out the old inhabitants. The two burdens literally mean the two sacks or panniers, one on each side of the animal's body; and couching down between these refers to the well-known propensity of the ass, whenever wearied or overloaded,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 49:15

He saw that rest - The inland portion that was assigned to him between the other tribes. He inclined his shoulder to the load; the Chaldee paraphrase gives this a widely different turn to that given it by most commentators: "He saw his portion that it was good, and the land that it was fruitful; and he shall subdue the provinces of the people, and drive out their inhabitants, and those who are left shall be his servants, and his tributaries." Grotius understands it nearly in the same way.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 49:16

Dan shall judge - Dan, whose name signifies judgment, was the eldest of Jacob's sons by Bilhah, Rachel's maid, and he is here promised an equal rule with those tribes that sprang from either Leah or Rachel, the legal wives of Jacob. Some Jewish and some Christian writers understand this prophecy of Samson, who sprang from this tribe, and judged, or as the word might be translated avenged, the people of Israel twenty years. See Judges 13:2 ; Judges 15:20 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 49:17

Dan shall be a serpent - The original word is נחש nachash , and we have seen on Genesis 3 that this has a great variety of significations. It is probable that a serpent is here intended, but of what kind we know not; yet as the principal reference in the text is to guile, cunning, etc., the same creature may be intended as in Genesis 3. A cerastes upon the track - The word שפיפון shephiphon , which is nowhere else to be found in the Bible, is thus translated by the Vulgate, and... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 49:13-21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 49:18

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 49:14

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 49:15

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 49:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 49:17

Grupo de Marcas