Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons (Part 2)  Continued in the next lesson.

These prophecies are broad in scope, foretelling the future of the different tribes in general terms.

This lesson is not an in-depth study of how these prophecies were all fulfilled.  We will simply see some examples of the fulfillment of these prophecies.

Again, be reminded of the fact that the fulfillment of many of these prophecies did not even begin to take place for 400 years.

Genesis 49:1-2 NLT
^49:1 Then Jacob called together all his sons and said, “Gather around me, and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come.
² “Come and listen, you sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father.
Genesis 49:3-28 NLT
³ “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength,
the child of my vigorous youth.
You are first in rank and first in power.
⁴ But you are as unruly as a flood,
and you will be first no longer.
For you went to bed with my wife;
you defiled my marriage couch.
⁵ “Simeon and Levi are two of a kind;
their weapons are instruments of violence.
⁶ May I never join in their meetings;
may I never be a party to their plans.
For in their anger they murdered men,
and they crippled oxen just for sport.
⁷ A curse on their anger, for it is fierce;
a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel.
I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob;
I will disperse them throughout Israel.
⁸ “Judah, your brothers will praise you.
You will grasp your enemies by the neck.
All your relatives will bow before you.
⁹ Judah, my son, is a young lion
that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down;
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor.
¹¹ He ties his foal to a grapevine,
the colt of his donkey to a choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
¹² His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth are whiter than milk.
¹³ “Zebulun will settle by the seashore
and will be a harbor for ships;
his borders will extend to Sidon.
¹⁴ “Issachar is a sturdy donkey,
resting between two saddlepacks.
¹⁵ When he sees how good the countryside is
and how pleasant the land,
he will bend his shoulder to the load
and submit himself to hard labor. 

²⁸ These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he told his sons good-bye. He blessed each one with an appropriate message.

Examine the Scriptures
Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons (Part 2)

Genesis 49:1-2 NLT (previous lesson)
^49:1 Then Jacob called together all his sons and said, “Gather around me, and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come.
² “Come and listen, you sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father.

Genesis 49:3-28 NLT

• Jacob is telling his sons what would become of them in the days ahead.

These prophecies are broad in scope, foretelling the future of the different tribes in general terms, but be prepared to be amazed.

• These prophecies are broad in scope, foretelling the future of the different tribes in general terms.

Note the order: (There is no consistent pattern)
The six sons of Leah
The one son of Bilhah
The two sons of Zilpah
The one son of Bilhah
The two sons of Rachel

³ “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength,
the child of my vigorous youth.
You are first in rank and first in power.

Jacob begins by praising Reuben.  As firstborn, Reuben was entitled to be head of the family and to receive a double blessing.

But … 

• As firstborn, Reuben was entitled to be head of the family and to receive a double blessing.

But …

⁴ But you are as unruly as a flood,
and you will be first no longer.
For you went to bed with my wife;
you defiled my marriage couch. 

Genesis 35:22 NLT
²² While he was living there, Reuben had intercourse with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Jacob soon heard about it. 

1 Chronicles 5 NLT
¹ The oldest son of Israel was Reuben. But since he dishonored his father by sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, his birthright was given to the sons of his brother Joseph. For this reason, Reuben is not listed in the genealogical records as the firstborn son. ² The descendants of Judah became the most powerful tribe and provided a ruler for the nation, but the birthright belonged to Joseph.

• Reuben lost his “leadership rights” and his “double inheritance”

Judges 5:15-16 NLT
¹⁵ The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak.
They followed Barak, rushing into the valley.
But in the tribe of Reuben
there was great indecision.
¹⁶ Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds—
to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks?
Yes, in the tribe of Reuben
there was great indecision.

• The tribe of Reuben was characterized by indecision.

A wavering between two or more possible courses of action.

NOTE: There is very little mention of the tribe of Reuben in the history of Israel.  It did not produce a judge, prophet, military leader, or other important person.

Deuteronomy 33:6 NLT
⁶ Moses said this about the tribe of Reuben:
“Let the tribe of Reuben live and not die out,
though they are few in number.” 

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⁵ “Simeon and Levi are two of a kind;
Simeon and Levi had the same mother (and father).
their weapons are instruments of violence.
⁶ May I never join in their meetings;
may I never be a party to their plans.
For in their anger they murdered men,
and they crippled oxen just for sport.
⁷ A curse on their anger, for it is fierce;
a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel.

• Simeon and Levi were men of violence. They were men of uncontrolled anger and fury, with disregard for men and animals.

Genesis 34 NLT
Revenge against Shechem
¹ One day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit some of the young women who lived in the area. ² But when the local prince, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw Dinah, he seized her and raped her. ³ But then he fell in love with her, and he tried to win her affection with tender words. ⁴ He said to his father, Hamor, “Get me this young girl. I want to marry her.”
⁵ Soon Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter, Dinah. But since his sons were out in the fields herding his livestock, he said nothing until they returned. ⁶ Hamor, Shechem’s father, came to discuss the matter with Jacob. ⁷ Meanwhile, Jacob’s sons had come in from the field as soon as they heard what had happened. They were shocked and furious that their sister had been raped. Shechem had done a disgraceful thing against Jacob’s family, something that should never be done.
⁸ Hamor tried to speak with Jacob and his sons. “My son Shechem is truly in love with your daughter,” he said. “Please let him marry her. ⁹ In fact, let’s arrange other marriages, too. You give us your daughters for our sons, and we will give you our daughters for your sons. ¹⁰ And you may live among us; the land is open to you! Settle here and trade with us. And feel free to buy property in the area.”
¹¹ Then Shechem himself spoke to Dinah’s father and brothers. “Please be kind to me, and let me marry her,” he begged. “I will give you whatever you ask. ¹² No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will gladly pay it—just give me the girl as my wife.”
¹³ But since Shechem had defiled their sister, Dinah, Jacob’s sons responded deceitfully to Shechem and his father, Hamor. ¹⁴ They said to them, “We couldn’t possibly allow this, because you’re not circumcised. It would be a disgrace for our sister to marry a man like you! ¹⁵ But here is a solution. If every man among you will be circumcised like we are, ¹⁶ then we will give you our daughters, and we’ll take your daughters for ourselves. We will live among you and become one people. ¹⁷ But if you don’t agree to be circumcised, we will take her and be on our way.”
¹⁸ Hamor and his son Shechem agreed to their proposal. ¹⁹ Shechem wasted no time in acting on this request, for he wanted Jacob’s daughter desperately. Shechem was a highly respected member of his family, ²⁰ and he went with his father, Hamor, to present this proposal to the leaders at the town gate.
²¹ “These men are our friends,” they said. “Let’s invite them to live here among us and trade freely. Look, the land is large enough to hold them. We can take their daughters as wives and let them marry ours. ²² But they will consider staying here and becoming one people with us only if all of our men are circumcised, just as they are. ²³ But if we do this, all their livestock and possessions will eventually be ours. Come, let’s agree to their terms and let them settle here among us.”
²⁴ So all the men in the town council agreed with Hamor and Shechem, and every male in the town was circumcised. ²⁵ But three days later, when their wounds were still sore, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, who were Dinah’s full brothers, took their swords and entered the town without opposition. Then they slaughtered every male there, ²⁶ including Hamor and his son Shechem. They killed them with their swords, then took Dinah from Shechem’s house and returned to their camp.
²⁷ Meanwhile, the rest of Jacob’s sons arrived. Finding the men slaughtered, they plundered the town because their sister had been defiled there. ²⁸ They seized all the flocks and herds and donkeys—everything they could lay their hands on, both inside the town and outside in the fields. ²⁹ They looted all their wealth and plundered their houses. They also took all their little children and wives and led them away as captives.
³⁰ Afterward Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me! You’ve made me stink among all the people of this land—among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few that they will join forces and crush us. I will be ruined, and my entire household will be wiped out!”
³¹ “But why should we let him treat our sister like a prostitute?” they retorted angrily.

I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob;
I will disperse them throughout Israel.

So the tribe of Simeon:

received an allocation within the territory of Judah.
was the smallest tribe in the second census of Moses. (Numbers 26:14)
was omitted from the blessing of Moses (Deuteronomy 33:8)

The Levites lived among the other tribes and had no region of their own.

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⁸ “Judah, your brothers will praise you.
You will grasp your enemies by the neck.
All your relatives will bow before you.
⁹ Judah, my son, is a young lion
that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down;
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?

A lion symbolizes sovereignty, strength, and courage.

• Jacob predicted a fierce lion-like dominance of Judah over his enemies
  and over his brothers who would praise him.

1 Chronicles 5 NLT
¹ The oldest son of Israel was Reuben. But since he dishonored his father by sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, his birthright was given to the sons of his brother Joseph. For this reason, Reuben is not listed in the genealogical records as the firstborn son. ² The descendants of Judah became the most powerful tribe and provided a ruler for the nation, but the birthright belonged to Joseph.

Genesis 29:35 Judah is related to the Hebrew term for “praise.”  Judah’s brothers would praise him.

On the march through the wilderness, Judah went first.

They were the first to be allocated land in the Promised Land.

They received 1/3 of the whole land.

In time they became the most powerful and most important tribe.

¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,

Judah’s line included David and Solomon and their dynasty (640 years after this). 

until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor.

Revelation 5:5 NLT
⁵ But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Isaiah 11:10 NLT
¹⁰ In that day the heir to David’s throne
will be a banner of salvation to all the world.
The nations will rally to him,
and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.

Jesus was the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

Jesus was the heir to David’s throne.

• Jesus was the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

¹¹ He ties his foal to a grapevine,
the colt of his donkey to a choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.

Grapevines and wine will be abundant. (A sign of the prosperity of Judah.)  This is likely a millennial prophecy.

¹² His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth are whiter than milk. 

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 ¹³ “Zebulun will settle by the seashore
and will be a harbor for ships;
his borders will extend to Sidon.

The actual settlement spread inland.

The tribe of Zebulun was situated to benefit from the important trade route traveled by sea traders moving through Zebulun’s territory.

Deuteronomy 33:18-19 NLT
¹⁸ Moses said this about the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar:
“May the people of Zebulun prosper in their travels.
May the people of Issachar prosper at home in their tents.
¹⁹ They summon the people to the mountain
to offer proper sacrifices there.
They benefit from the riches of the sea
and the hidden treasures in the sand.”

• The tribe of Zebulun was situated to benefit from the important trade route traveled by sea traders moving through Zebulun’s territory. 

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¹⁴ “Issachar is a sturdy donkey,
resting between two saddlepacks.
¹⁵ When he sees how good the countryside is
and how pleasant the land,
he will bend his shoulder to the load
and submit himself to hard labor.

The tribe of Issachar was an industrious, robust, hardy, and stalwart tribe.

The tribe of Issachar was often subjugated by invading armies.
(Bring under domination or control, especially by conquest.)

Like a strong donkey, the tribe of Issachar would be forced to work for others.

• The tribe of Issachar was an industrious, robust, hardy, and stalwart tribe.
• The tribe of Issachar was often subjugated by invading armies. 

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²⁸ These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he told his sons good-bye. He blessed each one with an appropriate message. 

These prophecies are broad in scope, foretelling the future of the different tribes in general terms.