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. 

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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.

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Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons (Part 1)

Review:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

 I believe this lesson gives parents and teachers a lot to think about.  You do not have to agree with everything I am saying, but please share with me your reason for disagreeing.

Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons (Part 1)

Genesis 48:21-49:2 NLT
²¹ Then Jacob said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. ²² And beyond what I have given your brothers, I am giving you an extra portion of the land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
^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.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 48:21-49:7 NLT
²¹ Then Jacob said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. 

Jacob was reminding Joseph that God will be with him.

Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT (A promise to Joshua)
⁶ So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Hebrews 13:5-6 NLT (The promise to Joshua repeated to all believers.)

⁵ … For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”
⁶ So we can say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”

Jacob was also telling Joseph something that would happen approximately 440 years from this point in time.

• Jacob had matured into a man of faith.

Jacob knew and believed the promise God had made with this father and grandfather.  He remembered and believed his dream at bethel when God had said to him, “The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants.” 

• Jacob reminded Joseph of the covenant God had made with him (Jacob), his father (Isaac), and his grandfather (Abraham). 

These words would certainly have been encouraging to Joseph.

²² And beyond what I have given your brothers, I am giving you an extra portion of the land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”

The same verse in different translations:

Genesis 48:22 New International Version
²² And to you I give one more ridge of land than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

Genesis 48:22 Common English Bible
²² I’m giving you one portion more than to your brothers, a portion that I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

Genesis 48:22 English Standard Version
²² Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.” 

Jacob’s history does not record any conquest of Amorite land.

This is the only mention of Jacob taking land from the Amorites with his sword and bow.

This verse may be unclear to us.  That’s o.k.

What do we know from scripture?  Let’s focus on what we do understand.

Joseph was going to receive something “beyond what Jacob gave to his brothers”.

1. 1. 1. Technically, there is no tribe of Joseph (although the phrase is used in Numbers 13:11, Numbers 36:5, and Revelation 7:8). Instead, Joseph received a “double blessing” when his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, each had one of the twelve tribes of Judah named after them.

1. 1. 2. Jacob did purchase property from the children of Hamor (Genesis 33:19) but that was not by conquest.

Genesis 33:18-19 NLT
¹⁸ Later, having traveled all the way from Paddan-aram, Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. There he set up camp outside the town. ¹⁹ Jacob bought the plot of land where he camped from the family of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for 100 pieces of silver. ²⁰ And there he built an altar and named it El-Elohe-Israel. (“God, the God of Israel.”) 

1. 3. Jacob gave Joseph a plot of land near Shechem.

John 4:4-6 NLT
⁴ He had to go through Samaria on the way. ⁵ Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar (near Shechem), near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. ⁶ Jacob’s well was there …

Joseph was buried at Shechem.

1. 4. Joseph’s bones were buried at Shechem.

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 received a special blessing from his father Jacob.

Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons
^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.

• Jacob tells each of his sons what will happen to them in the days to come.

Descriptions of his sons included phrases such as:

Unruly
In their anger they murdered men.
Crippled oxen just for sport.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down – who dares to rouse him.
A sturdy donkey.
 A poisonous viper along the path.
A ravenous wolf devouring his enemies. 

Jacob’s words portrayed the future history of each son, seemingly based on their character up to that time.

“Jacob’s words” might be better stated as God’s prophecy.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT)

Jacob was God’s spokesman.

I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come.

Jacob knew his sons.

Proverbs 20:11 NLT
¹¹ Even children are known by the way they act,
    whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.

Matthew 7:15-20 NLT
The Tree and Its Fruit
¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. ¹⁶ You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. ¹⁹ So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Predictable outcomes for the behaviors of individuals (and nations).

Deuteronomy 11:26-28 NLT
²⁶ “Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! ²⁷ You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. ²⁸ But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 NLT
¹⁵ “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. ¹⁶ For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
¹⁷ “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, ¹⁸ then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.
¹⁹ “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! ²⁰ You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Psalm 37:22 NLT
²² Those the Lord blesses will possess the land,
but those he curses will die.

• Choices have consequences.

Jacob’s words were not limited to the future history of his sons, his words also portrayed, to some degree, the future of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Consequences of parental disobedience.

Children are not punished for the sins of their parents (Deuteronomy 24:16 ¹⁶ “Parents must not be put to death for the sins of their children, nor children for the sins of their parents. Those deserving to die must be put to death for their own crimes.) but the children would feel the impact of their parent’s sins as a natural consequence of the parent’s disobedience.  Children reared in such an environment would be influenced to practice similar sins, thus experience punishment for their sins.  The effect of a disobedient generation would take several generations to reverse.

Children are not punished for the sins of their parents, but their lives are affected by the sins of their parents.

Exodus 20:5-6 NLT
⁵ You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. ⁶ But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

Exodus 34:6-7 NLT
⁶ The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out,
“Yahweh! The Lord!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
⁷ I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty.
I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;
the entire family is affected—
even children in the third and fourth generations.”

Numbers 14:18 NLT
¹⁸ ‘The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.’

Jeremiah 32:18 NLT
¹⁸ You show unfailing love to thousands, but you also bring the consequences of one generation’s sin upon the next. You are the great and powerful God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

A parent tends to greatly influence a child’s belief system, from religion to personal values and habits.

• Parents play a major role in determining a child’s success or failure in life.

Verses we use all the time show that we believe that parents do play a major role in determining a child’s success or failure in life.

Proverbs 22:6 NLT
⁶ Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 NLT
⁴ “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. ⁵ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. ⁶ And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. ⁷ Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

Psalm 78:4, 6, 7 NLT
⁴ We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.
⁶ so the next generation might know them—
even the children not yet born—
and they in turn will teach their own children.
⁷ So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.

Luke 6:40 NLT
⁴⁰ Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.

Matthew 10:24 NLT
²⁴ “Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 

2 Timothy 1:5 NLT
⁵ I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.

• Scripture tells parents to direct their children on to the right path. 

² “Come and listen, you sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father. 

This is a two-way street.

The parent (Jacob) gives good honest counsel.

The children (sons of Jacob) need to listen and learn.

Proverbs 1:8-9 NLT
⁸ My child, listen when your father corrects you.
Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
⁹ What you learn from them will crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck.

Ephesians 6:1-3 NLT
Children and Parents
¹Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. ² “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: ³ If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” 

• Scripture tells children to honor their parents.

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