03.25.26 - Genesis 48-49
Mar 25, 2026
Genesis 48-49
Today’s reading is full of blessings from Jacob to his family before he dies—first to Joseph’s sons in Genesis 48, then to his own 12 boys in the following chapter. As you read, keep in mind how significant birth order was for these families, especially for the firstborn, who would stand to inherit the responsibility of spiritual leadership in the home.
As Jacob prepares to bless Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s sons, he placed his right hand “on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn)” (48:14). This displeased Joseph, as it was customary for the firstborn to receive the greater blessing. However, Jacob insisted that he had not erred in his actions, proceeding to declare that, although both brothers would be great, Ephraim’s offspring would be greater than Manasseh’s (48:19).
The stage was now set for Jacob to call his 12 boys together so that he “may tell [them] what shall happen to [them] in days to come” (49:1). As such, “some of what follows are not so much blessings as they are prophecies regarding what God will do with these tribes in the future.”[i] Let’s look at some interesting highlights from Jacob’s remarks:
· Reuben: Jacob’s firstborn was to receive the blessing of strength, dignity, and power, yet Reuben’s immoral actions with his father’s concubine disqualified him from inheriting this blessing.
· Simeon and Levi: Grouped together because these two sons were responsible for the death of many as they avenged the wrong done to their sister, it was foretold that both of these tribes would be scattered among the land. Simeon’s clan became the weakest in number and was subsequently grafted into the tribe of Judah, while the tribe of Levi received no inheritance of land, but was instead dispersed among close to fifty towns in service to the LORD.
· Judah: Jacob’s words to Judah are the most noteworthy for us today. Charles Spurgeon says of this specific prophetic blessing: “The dying patriarch was speaking of his own son Judah; but while speaking of Judah he had a special eye to our Lord, who sprang from the tribe of Judah. Everything therefore which he says of Judah, the type, he means with regard to our greater Judah, the antitype, our Lord Jesus Christ.”[ii] To be sure, references to a lion, scepter, and ruler’s staff all point us to kingship from the line of Judah, which is ultimately fulfilled by the King of kings, the Messiah, Lord Jesus!
· Issachar: Warren Wiersbe notes that “This tribe produced no great heroes, but their everyday labor was a help to others. After all, not everybody in Israel was called to be a Judah or a Joseph!”[iii] Wise words for us to consider as well, particularly for those who strive for the spotlight.
· Dan: It was prophesied by Jacob that the tribe of Dan “shall judge his people…be a serpent in the way, a viper in the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that his rider falls backward” (49:16-17). Samson, one of the greatest judges, was a descendant of Dan, and the crafty character of the serpent was on display through many generations that came after Dan—including Samson (go read Judges 16 for an example).
There is a brief interlude in Genesis 49:18, where Jacob cries out, “I wait for your salvation, O LORD.” David Guzik notes that “The Hebrew word for salvation is ‘yeshuwah.’ At this point in the prophecy, when Jacob was near death, he called out for God’s salvation. Knowingly or not, Jacob called out for Jesus.”[iv]
· Naphtali: Jacob noted that beautiful words would come from Naphtali’s land, and since much of Jesus’s ministry took place in this region, this prophetic statement was spot on.
· Joseph: Jacob affirmed that the favored son was attacked and harassed by archers (his brothers), yet Joseph did not retaliate because of his confidence in God to protect him. Blessings upon blessings were then conveyed from father to “him who was set apart from his brothers” (49:26), as Joseph remained the apple of his father’s eye until the end.
· Benjamin: A “ravenous wolf…devouring the prey…and dividing the spoil” (49:27). Not too flattering, but all too true, as two notable “wolves” descended from Benjamin: Saul, the first king of Israel, and Saul of Tarsus (also known as Paul), who persecuted Christians until his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.
“When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people” (49:33). And with that, the life of Jacob comes to a close, but his final words to his family would endure forever.
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Journal responses to the following prompts:
· Words can make a strong impact on our future. Are you living up to the words (encouraging or demoralizing) spoken over you?
· Does it strengthen your confidence in the validity of Scripture to know that Jacob’s prophecies over his sons, some not fulfilled for over a thousand years, all came to pass?
[i] Study Guide for Genesis 49. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved February 20, 2026, from
https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/genesis/genesis-49.cfm
[ii] Shiloh. (1874, January 1). The Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching at Midwestern Seminary. Retrieved February 20, 2026, from https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/shiloh/#flipbook/
[iii] Wiersbe, W. W. (2001). The Bible exposition commentary: The Pentateuch. David C. Cook. p. 167.
[iv] Study Guide for Genesis 49. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved February 20, 2026, from
https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/genesis/genesis-49.cfm