Introduction:

The Book of Ruth

Introduction to the Book of Ruth

Elimelech Moves His Family to Moab

Author unknown (possibly Samuel)

The date of the writing is uncertain (shortly before or during David’s reign.)

The book is named for a Gentile woman. (Ruth and Esther are the only two books in the Bible named for women.

Today’s lesson:

Ruth 1:1-5 NLT
Elimelech Moves His Family to Moab
¹ In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. ² The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there.
³ Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. ⁴ The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah (or pa), and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, ⁵ both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband.

Examine the Scriptures

Ruth 1:1-5 NLT
Elimelech Moves His Family to Moab

¹ In the days when the judges ruled in Israel,

The story of Ruth took place around 1100 BC

The Judges ruled from the death of Joshua (1376 B.C.) to the beginning of Saul’s reign. (about 1050 BC) 300+ years

Some commentators think that this was during the reign of Gideon others say Jair.

Judges 17:6 NLT
⁶ In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

Life in Israel:

Each tribe looked out for its own interests.

Discord existed between the tribes.

Many of the original inhabitants had not been driven out of the area and still maintained control of large tracts of land.

The Israelites were influenced by the idolatry of Canaan and the surrounding countries.

Judges 2:11 NLT
¹¹ The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal.

Judges 3:7 (ditto)

Judges 8:33 (ditto)

Judges 10:6 NLT
The Ammonites Oppress Israel
⁶ Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all.

God punished His people each time they turned to idols. When they repented, God raised up judges to deliver them. But during times of peace, Israel fell in love with idols again. Notice the cycle that the Israelites kept repeating.
Sin – slavery – sorrow – salvation

• The story of Ruth took place somewhere around 1100 BC when judges ruled in Israel. 

a severe famine came upon the land.

Famines were not uncommon in the ancient world.

God acting in judgement on His sinning people. (?)

Genesis 47:13 NLT
Joseph’s Leadership in the Famine
¹³ Meanwhile, the famine became so severe that all the food was used up, and people were starving throughout the lands of Egypt and Canaan.

Famine occurred early in the lives of Abraham (12:10) and Isaac (26:1).
Famine was a devastating catastrophe in an agrarian society.  It was often accompanied by starvation, disease, or war that brought adversity at many levels of society. Famines had far-reaching results in price inflation, robbery, social exploitation, agricultural collapse, migration, and even cannibalism.

• Famines were not uncommon in the ancient world. 

So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home

Main characters:

Elimelech was married to Naomi.

Elimelech and Naomi had two sons, Mahlon and Kilion (A Hebrew family).

Orpah and Ruth were Moabites

Boaz 

Bethlehem (a place where significant events of Biblical history takes place).
5 miles south of Jerusalem

Naomi and Ruth will move back to Bethlehem

Both David and Jesus were born in Bethlehem.

and went to live in the country of Moab,

Elimelech was forced to move his family to a foreign land.

• Elimelech moves his family from Bethlehem in Judah to Moab.

(View this on a map)

The Moabites were the decedents of Lot’s oldest surviving daughter.

Genesis 19:30-36 NLT
Lot and His Daughters
³⁰ Afterward Lot left Zoar because he was afraid of the people there, and he went to live in a cave in the mountains with his two daughters. ³¹ One day the older daughter said to her sister, “There are no men left anywhere in this entire area, so we can’t get married like everyone else. And our father will soon be too old to have children. ³² Come, let’s get him drunk with wine, and then we will have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father.”
³³ So that night they got him drunk with wine, and the older daughter went in and had intercourse with her father. He was unaware of her lying down or getting up again.
³⁴ The next morning the older daughter said to her younger sister, “I had sex with our father last night. Let’s get him drunk with wine again tonight, and you go in and have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father.” ³⁵ So that night they got him drunk with wine again, and the younger daughter went in and had intercourse with him. As before, he was unaware of her lying down or getting up again.
³⁶ As a result, both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their own father. 

Moab was the son of the older daughter.

Ben-Ammi was the son of the youngest daughter.

These sons became the founders of the Moabites and the Ammonites, nations that often warred against Israel.

God is amazing and uses WHOEVER He chooses to use! 

taking his wife and two sons with him. ² The man’s name was Elimelech (My God is King), and his wife was Naomi (pleasant). Their two sons were Mahlon (sick) and Kilion (pining). 

They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah.

Inhabitants of Ephrath (Ephratah or Ephratha) another name for Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2 NLT
A Ruler from Bethlehem
²  But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel,
whose origins are in the distant past,
will come from you on my behalf.

And when they reached Moab, they settled there. 

³ Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons.  

• Elimelech dies, leaving Naomi in a foreign land without a husband. 

Note: In verse one we read, “a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home”. 

Elimelech left his home in Bethlehem because of the famine.  We can assume that he intended to return to Bethlehem after the famine in the land ended.

• We can assume that Elimelech intended to return to Bethlehem after the famine in the land ended.

⁴ The two sons married Moabite women.

Hebrew men marrying Moabite women.

Marrying a Moabite did not violate Mosaic Law, (marrying a Canaanite was forbidden) however marrying foreign women often proved to be unwise (learn a lesson from Solomon).

• Elimelech’s sons marry Moabite women.

One married a woman named Orpah (stubborn), and the other a woman named Ruth friendship). But about ten years later, ⁵ both Mahlon and Kilion died.

• Both Mahlon and Kilion die leaving Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth without husbands.

Note: Ruth had been barren for years in Moab before her husband Mahlon died.

• God’s sovereignty is jumping off the pages in this story. 

This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband.

At this point in the story Naomi is sad, discouraged, and without hope, having lost her husband and two sons.

If the family name were to carry on, there had to be an heir.  But having no sons, Naomi was left without hope.   Her Moabitess daughters-in-law offered her no apparent means to an heir.

• At this point in the story Naomi is sad, discouraged, and without hope, having lost her husband and two sons.

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We are coming to the end of Genesis.

The end of another era of Biblical history.

A lesson in a lesson.

A lesson of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Genesis 50:14-26 NLT

The End of Another Era of Biblical History

A lesson of forgiveness and reconciliation.

¹⁴ After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial. ¹⁵ But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said.
¹⁶ So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us ¹⁷ to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. ¹⁸ Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.
¹⁹ But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. ²¹ No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
The Death of Joseph
²² So Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt. Joseph lived to the age of 110. ²³ He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim, and he lived to see the birth of the children of Manasseh’s son Makir, whom he claimed as his own.
²⁴ “Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
²⁵ Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.” ²⁶ So Joseph died at the age of 110. The Egyptians embalmed him, and his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 50:14-26 NLT

The End of Another Era of Biblical History

A lesson of forgiveness and reconciliation.

¹⁴ After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial. 

 ¹⁵ But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful.

A lesson in a lesson.

A lesson of forgiveness and reconciliation.

• Joseph’s brothers were experiencing feelings of guilt for their sinful behaviors

and

they underestimated the genuineness of Joseph’s forgiveness and affection for them. 

“Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said.

Had Joseph forgiven his brothers?

The brothers were “guilt-ridden” (consumed with guilt).

The brothers did not feel forgiven.

• Joseph’s brothers did not feel forgiven and expected Joseph to “pay them back” for all the wrong they had done to him.

¹⁶ So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us ¹⁷ to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’

If Jacob, in fact, said this he too underestimated the genuineness of Joseph’s forgiveness and affection for them.

Discuss:
Reconciliation
Forgiveness (is not a feeling)

People often confuse forgiveness with reconciliation, as if they were the same thing. They aren’t. Reconciliation is the final step in the forgiveness process, but it might not happen. Forgiveness can take place without reconciliation taking place. It takes two people to reconcile, but only one to forgive.

Reconciliation – restore broken relationships.

• Forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same things.

• Forgiveness is not a feeling.

So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.”

• Joseph’s brothers begged Joseph to forgive their sin.

When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 

Why did Joseph weep?  I believe Joseph wept because his brothers had not experienced the forgiveness he had intended to extend to them.

Forgiveness is
a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness. … Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, nor does it mean condoning or excusing offenses.

Understanding God’s forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 NLT
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Hebrews 8:12 NLT
12 And I will forgive their wickedness,
and I will never again remember their sins.”

Forgive as God forgave.

Ephesians 4:32 NLT
32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

• I believe Joseph wept because his brothers had not experienced the forgiveness he had intended to extend to them.

¹⁸ Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.

Genesis 37:5-8 NLT
⁵ One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. ⁶ “Listen to this dream,” he said. ⁷ “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”
⁸ His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them. 

Genesis 44:12-16 NLT
¹² The palace manager searched the brothers’ sacks, from the oldest to the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! ¹³ When the brothers saw this, they tore their clothing in despair. Then they loaded their donkeys again and returned to the city.
¹⁴ Joseph was still in his palace when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him. ¹⁵ “What have you done?” Joseph demanded. “Don’t you know that a man like me can predict the future?”
¹⁶ Judah answered, “Oh, my lord, what can we say to you? How can we explain this? How can we prove our innocence? God is punishing us for our sins. My lord, we have all returned to be your slaves—all of us, not just our brother who had your cup in his sack.” 

• Joseph’s brothers recognized the reality of the relationship (roles) that existed between themselves and their brother.

1 Corinthians 12 – One Body with Many Parts 

¹⁹ But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 

Forgiveness never includes revenge.

Romans 12:19 NLT (17-21)
¹⁹ Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.

• Forgiveness can never include revenge.

²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. 

He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 

Another example of God’s sovereignty.

Esther 4:13-14 NLT
¹³ Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: … ¹⁴ Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Ephesians 2:10 NLT
¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 

Psalm 139:16 NLT
¹⁶ You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

²¹ No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” 

So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them. 

• Joseph reassured his brothers that he had forgiven them of their sin against him.

Genesis 45:4-11 NLT
⁴ “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. ⁵ But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. ⁶ This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. ⁷ God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. ⁸ So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.
⁹ “Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately! ¹⁰ You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. ¹¹ I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’” 

• Joseph recognized God’s role (God’s sovereignty) in the events of his life.

The Death of Joseph

²² So Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt. Joseph lived to the age of 110. ²³ He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim,

Great-great grandchildren

and he lived to see the birth of the children of Manasseh’s son Makir, whom he claimed as his own.

Great-grandchildren

A sign of God’s blessing.

Psalm 128 NLT
¹ How joyful are those who fear the Lord—
all who follow his ways! …
⁵ May the Lord continually bless you …
⁶ May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.

 Proverbs 17:6 NLT
⁶ Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; …

 Proverbs 3:5-6 

• Joseph experienced God’s blessings in his old age.

²⁴ “Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

Genesis 17:8 NLT
⁸ And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

• Joseph understood the promises God had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

²⁵ Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.”  

Besides being a physical place (the land of Canaan), the Promised Land is a theological concept. In both the Old and New Testaments, God promised to bless his faithful followers and bring them into a restful place. Faith and faithfulness are the conditions of entering the Promised Land (Hebrews 11:9). 

²⁶ So Joseph died at the age of 110. 

Joseph’s death signified the end of his generation and of the patriarchal age.  From this point forward, God dealt with Israel as a nation. 

The Egyptians embalmed him, and his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt. 

Joseph’s body was kept in Egypt as a pledge of hope for the slaves awaiting the Promised Land.

Exodus 13:19 NLT
¹⁹ Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to do this. He said, “God will certainly come to help you. When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.” 

Joshua 24:32 NLT
³² The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought along with them when they left Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the plot of land Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor for 100 pieces of silver. This land was located in the territory allotted to the descendants of Joseph.

• Joseph’s dying wishes were carried out.

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Jacob’s Death and Burial

Genesis 49:29-50:14

We are coming to the end of Genesis.

The end of another era of Biblical history.

Genesis 49:29 – 50:14 NLT
Jacob’s Death and Burial
²⁹ Then Jacob instructed them, “Soon I will die and join my ancestors. Bury me with my father and grandfather in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. ³⁰ This is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a permanent burial site. ³¹ There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried. There Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, are buried. And there I buried Leah. ³² It is the plot of land and the cave that my grandfather Abraham bought from the Hittites.”
³³ When Jacob had finished this charge to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and joined his ancestors in death.
^50:1 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him. ² Then Joseph told the physicians who served him to embalm his father’s body; so Jacob was embalmed. ³ The embalming process took the usual forty days. And the Egyptians mourned his death for seventy days.
⁴ When the period of mourning was over, Joseph approached Pharaoh’s advisers and said, “Please do me this favor and speak to Pharaoh on my behalf. ⁵ Tell him that my father made me swear an oath. He said to me, ‘Listen, I am about to die. Take my body back to the land of Canaan, and bury me in the tomb I prepared for myself.’ So please allow me to go and bury my father. After his burial, I will return without delay.”
⁶ Pharaoh agreed to Joseph’s request. “Go and bury your father, as he made you promise,” he said. ⁷ So Joseph went up to bury his father. He was accompanied by all of Pharaoh’s officials, all the senior members of Pharaoh’s household, and all the senior officers of Egypt. ⁸ Joseph also took his entire household and his brothers and their households. But they left their little children and flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. ⁹ A great number of chariots and charioteers accompanied Joseph.
¹⁰ When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn memorial service, with a seven-day period of mourning for Joseph’s father. ¹¹ The local residents, the Canaanites, watched them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad. Then they renamed that place (which is near the Jordan) Abel-mizraim, for they said, “This is a place of deep mourning for these Egyptians.”
¹² So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them. ¹³ They carried his body to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the cave that Abraham had bought as a permanent burial site from Ephron the Hittite.
¹⁴ After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 49:29 – 50:14 NLT
Jacob’s Death and Burial

²⁹ Then Jacob instructed them (his sons), “Soon I will die and join my ancestors. Bury me with my father and grandfather in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 

• Jacob instructed his sons to bury him with his father and grandfather in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.

Jacob’s request represented hope for the future.

Jacob had made this same request earlier.

Genesis 47:29-30 NLT
²⁹ As the time of his death drew near, Jacob called for his son Joseph and said to him, “Please do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honoring this last request: Do not bury me in Egypt. ³⁰ When I die, please take my body out of Egypt and bury me with my ancestors.”
So Joseph promised, “I will do as you ask.”

• This is a testimony of Jacob’s understanding and belief in the promises God had made to him as well as to Abraham and Isaac.

Review.

Genesis 23:9 NLT
⁹ … let me (Abraham) buy his cave at Machpelah (Mach pe lah), down at the end of his field. I will pay the full price in the presence of witnesses, so I will have a permanent burial place for my family.”

This is the only land in Canaan owned by Abraham

Abraham paid the full price and became the legal owner.

Hebrews 11:9 NLT
⁹ And even when he (Abraham) reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.

Hebrews 11:13-16 NLT
¹³ All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. ¹⁴ Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. ¹⁵ If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. ¹⁶ But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 

Acts 7:5 NLT
⁵ “But God gave him (Abraham) no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants—even though he had no children yet. 

³⁰ This is the cave in the field of Machpelah (Mach pe lah), near Mamre in Canaan, that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a permanent burial site. ³¹ There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried. There Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, are buried. And there I buried Leah. 

 Abraham and his wife Sarah.
Isaac and his wife Rebekah.
Now Jacob and Leah.

Notice that Jacob mentions Leah, not Rachel.

Genesis 35:18-20 NLT
¹⁸ Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means “son of my sorrow”). The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin (which means “son of my right hand”). ¹⁹ So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ²⁰ Jacob set up a stone monument over Rachel’s grave, and it can be seen there to this day.

• Leah appeared to receive more honor in death than she did in life. 

³² It is the plot of land and the cave that my grandfather Abraham bought from the Hittites.”

Not in Egypt where he was currently living.

³³ When Jacob had finished this charge to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and joined his ancestors in death.

Genesis 47:28 NLT
²⁸ Jacob lived for seventeen years after his arrival in Egypt, so he lived 147 years in all. 

Jacob’s life had not been easy.

Jacob was both deceptive (with his father) and crafty (with his uncle Laban).

In the end, Jacob died as a man of genuine faith.

Death Is Inevitable

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NLT
A Time for Everything
¹ For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
² A time to be born and a time to die.

Psalm 90:10 NLT
¹⁰ Seventy years are given to us!
Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
soon they disappear, and we fly away.

James 4:14 NLT
¹⁴ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

Hebrews 9:27 NLT
²⁷  …. each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,

• Death Is Inevitable for all of us.

• Scripture recognizes Jacob as a man of faith. (Hebrews 11:21)

Hebrews 11:21 NLT
²¹ It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff. 

• Jacob’s death was the end of another era of Biblical history.

^50:1 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.  

² Then Joseph told the physicians who served him to embalm his father’s body; so Jacob was embalmed. ³ The embalming process took the usual forty days.

This appears to be embalming by Egyptian physicians using Egyptian processes.

Usually in Egypt, mummifying was a forty day process, which included gutting the body (the heart was removed not because the ancient Egyptians believed that the heart was the center of intelligence, emotions, and feelings), drying it, and wrapping it. (MacArthur) 

• Jacob was embalmed by the physicians who had served him. 

And the Egyptians mourned his death for seventy days.

The period of mourning for a pharaoh was 72 days.

Jacob was obviously a greatly honored man.

Note the details recorded in the Scriptures.

⁴ When the period of mourning was over, Joseph approached Pharaoh’s advisers and said, “Please do me this favor and speak to Pharaoh on my behalf. ⁵ Tell him that my father made me swear an oath. He said to me, ‘Listen, I am about to die. Take my body back to the land of Canaan, and bury me in the tomb I prepared for myself.’ So please allow me to go and bury my father. After his burial, I will return without delay.”

Another brief look at the character of Joseph.

Love and respect for his father.

Respect for authority (the Egyptian government). Romans 13

⁶ Pharaoh agreed to Joseph’s request. “Go and bury your father, as he made you promise,” he said. ⁷ So Joseph went up to bury his father. He was accompanied by all of Pharaoh’s officials, all the senior members of Pharaoh’s household, and all the senior officers of Egypt. 

This Egyptian escort was a display of honor and respect for Joseph by the Egyptian dignitaries.

⁸ Joseph also took his entire household and his brothers and their households. But they left their little children and flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. ⁹ A great number of chariots and charioteers accompanied Joseph.

• This was Joseph’s first time back to his homeland in 39 years.

This journey was made in sorrow to bury a man, the next journey into the land would be to live there.

¹⁰ When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad (At id), near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn memorial service, with a seven-day period of mourning for Joseph’s father. ¹¹ The local residents, the Canaanites, watched them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad. Then they renamed that place (which is near the Jordan) Abel-mizraim (A bel miz ram), for they said, “This is a place of deep mourning for these Egyptians.”

A place of deep mourning for these Egyptians.

¹² So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them. ¹³ They carried his body to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the cave that Abraham had bought as a permanent burial site from Ephron the Hittite.

• Jacob’s instructions to his sons about his burial had been carried out.

Genesis 46:2-4 NLT
² During the night God spoke to him in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called.
“Here I am,” Jacob replied.
³ “I am God, the God of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. ⁴ I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes.”

God had promised Jacob that Joseph would be with him when he died and Jacob would be brought back to the land of Canaan.

¹⁴ After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial.

Joseph’s second trip to Egypt.

The brother’s fourth trip to Egypt.

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Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons (Part 3)

Genesis 49:3-28

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

In the last lesson, we read Jacob’s words to Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, and Issachar.

In this lesson, we will read Jacob’s words to Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin.

Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons (Part 3)
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 49:16-28 NLT
¹⁶ “Dan will govern his people,
like any other tribe in Israel.
¹⁷ Dan will be a snake beside the road,
a poisonous viper along the path
that bites the horse’s hooves
so its rider is thrown off.
¹⁸ I trust in you for salvation, O Lord!

¹⁹ “Gad will be attacked by marauding bands,
but he will attack them when they retreat.

²⁰ “Asher will dine on rich foods
and produce food fit for kings.

²¹ “Naphtali is a doe set free
that bears beautiful fawns.

²² “Joseph is the foal of a wild donkey,
the foal of a wild donkey at a spring—
one of the wild donkeys on the ridge.
²³ Archers attacked him savagely;
they shot at him and harassed him.
²⁴ But his bow remained taut,
and his arms were strengthened
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
²⁵ May the God of your father help you;
may the Almighty bless you
with the blessings of the heavens above,
and blessings of the watery depths below,
and blessings of the breasts and womb.
²⁶ May my fatherly blessings on you
surpass the blessings of my ancestors,
reaching to the heights of the eternal hills.
May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph,
who is a prince among his brothers.

²⁷ “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
devouring his enemies in the morning
and dividing his plunder in the evening.”

 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 3)
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 49:16-28 NLT

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

¹⁶ “Dan will govern his people,
like any other tribe in Israel.

Dan was one of Jacob’s 12 sons, he will be the head of one of the 12 tribes.

The name Dan means “judge”.

Dan was called to provide justice.

• In many ways, the tribe of Dan will be like the other tribes of Israel.

But the tribe chose treachery.

¹⁷ Dan will be a snake beside the road,
a poisonous viper along the path
that bites the horse’s hooves
so its rider is thrown off.

This is not a prediction of success and prosperity.

• The tribe of Dan had trouble taking possession of the land assigned to them.

Joshua 19:
The Land Given to Dan
⁴⁰ The seventh allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Dan.
⁴¹ The land allocated as their homeland included the following towns: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, ⁴² Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, ⁴³ Elon, Timnah, Ekron, ⁴⁴ Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, ⁴⁵ Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, ⁴⁶ Me-jarkon, Rakkon, and the territory across from Joppa.
⁴⁷ But the tribe of Dan had trouble taking possession of their land, so they attacked the town of Laish.  They captured it, slaughtered its people, and settled there. They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor.
⁴⁸ The homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Dan included these towns and their surrounding villages.

Judges 1:34-35 NLT
³⁴ As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them back into the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains. ³⁵ The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but when the descendants of Joseph became stronger, they forced the Amorites to work as slaves.

Judges 18:27-29
²⁷ Then, …, the men of Dan came to the town of Laish, whose people were peaceful and secure. They attacked with swords and burned the town to the ground. ²⁸ There was no one to rescue the people, for they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby. This happened in the valley near Beth-rehob.
Then the people of the tribe of Dan rebuilt the town and lived there. ²⁹ They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor, Israel’s son, but it had originally been called Laish.

• The tribe of Dan was not known for moral stature or religious faithfulness.

The tribe chose to worship idols.

Judges 18:1-31 tells us that the tribe of Dan turned idolatrous and abandoned God after they entered the Promised Land and moved north.

Judges 18:30-31 NLT
³⁰ Then they set up the carved image, and they appointed Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses, as their priest. This family continued as priests for the tribe of Dan until the Exile. ³¹ So Micah’s carved image was worshiped by the tribe of Dan as long as the Tabernacle of God remained at Shiloh.

1 Kings 12:28-30 NLT
The Northern Tribes Revolt
²⁸ So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!”
²⁹ He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan—at either end of his kingdom. ³⁰ But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there. 

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 ¹⁸ I trust in you for salvation, O Lord!

(This follows all we know about Dan)

At this point, Jacob interjects an expression of hope.
“I trust in you, O Lord!)
There are a lot of tough years ahead for the Children of Israel.

Revelation 7:4-8 NLT
⁴ And I heard how many were marked with the seal of God—144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel:
⁵ from Judah                12,000
from Reuben               12,000
from Gad                     12,000
⁶ from Asher                12,000
from Naphtali              12,000
from Manasseh           12,000
⁷ from Simeon*           12,000
from Levi                      12,000
from Issachar              12,000
⁸ from Zebulun            12,000
from Joseph                 12,000
from Benjamin            12,000

(No mention of Dan)

• The tribe of Dan is not mentioned with the 144,000 marked with the seal of God in Revelation 7:4-8.

• Samson known as a judge and deliverer of Israel was from the tribe of Dan.

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 ¹⁹ “Gad will be attacked by marauding bands,
but he will attack them when they retreat.

The name Gad means “attack”.

Tribes located east of the Jordan River were often raided.  This resulted in the development of valiant fighters.

They were all skilled in combat and armed with shields, swords, and bows.

1 Chronicles 5:18 NLT
The Tribes East of the Jordan
¹⁸ There were 44,760 capable warriors in the armies of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. They were all skilled in combat and armed with shields, swords, and bows.

1 Chronicles 12:8 & 14 NLT
⁸ Some brave and experienced warriors from the tribe of Gad also defected to David while he was at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were expert with both shield and spear, as fierce as lions and as swift as deer on the mountains.

¹⁴ These warriors from Gad were army commanders. The weakest among them could take on a hundred regular troops, and the strongest could take on a thousand!  

• The tribe of Gad was skilled in combat and armed with shields, swords, and bows. 

The demise of Gad

2 Kings 10:32-33 NLT
The Death of Jehu (The 11^th king of the separate kingdom of Israel – the Northern kingdom)
³² At about that time the Lord began to cut down the size of Israel’s territory. King Hazael conquered several sections of the country ³³ east of the Jordan River, including all of Gilead, Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh. He conquered the area from the town of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge to as far north as Gilead and Bashan.

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 ²⁰ “Asher will dine on rich foods
and produce food fit for kings.

Asher was located on the agriculturally rich coastal region of the Mediterranean Sea.

• The land of Asher was fertile and productive producing rich food. 

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 ²¹ “Naphtali is a doe set free
that bears beautiful fawns.

• Naphtali, like a doe, would be a free mountain people.

(The hilly region northwest of the Sea of Galilee.)

 Their lives were not always carefree.

Judges 5:18 NLT
The Song of Deborah
¹⁸ But Zebulun risked his life,
as did Naphtali, on the heights of the battlefield. 

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The next blessing is addressed to Joseph but applicable to his two sons.

• Jacob reserved his longest blessing for Joseph, confirming his special standing.

 ²² “Joseph is the foal of a wild donkey,
the foal of a wild donkey at a spring—
one of the wild donkeys on the ridge.

Genesis 49:22 KJV
²² Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

Genesis 49:22 ESV
²² “Joseph is a fruitful bough,
a fruitful bough by a spring;
his branches run over the wall.

Genesis 49:22 NIV
²² “Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches climb over a wall.

²³ Archers attacked him savagely;
they shot at him and harassed him.
²⁴ But his bow remained taut, – the promise of victory
    and his arms were strengthened
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
²⁵ May the God of your father help you;
may the Almighty bless you
with the blessings of the heavens above,  (rain for crops)
and blessings of the watery depths below, (streams and wells of water)
and blessings of the breasts and womb. (Abundant offspring)
²⁶ May my fatherly blessings on you
surpass the blessings of my ancestors, (Abraham and Isaac)
    reaching to the heights of the eternal hills.
May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph,
who is a prince among his brothers. (A reflection of both his character and position)

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.

Samuel was from Ephraim

Gideon was from Manasseh

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 ²⁷ “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
devouring his enemies in the morning
and dividing his plunder in the evening.”

A description of a violent tribe.

• The Benjamites were a cruel and violent tribe.

Read Judges Chapters 19 and 20.
The Levite and His Concubine
Israel’s War with Benjamin

• Both Sauls in the Bible were from the tribe of Benjamin.

Both exhibited streaks of cruelty.

Old Testament Saul

1 Samuel 9 NLT
¹ There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. … ² His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.

1 Samuel 19:10 NLT
¹⁰ Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night.

New Testament Saul

Philippians 3:5 NLT
⁵ I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin …

Acts 8:3 NLT
³ But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

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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.

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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. 

******************** 

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. 

******************** 

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.

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