The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 3 · Section 47
SECT. XLVII.
JAcob now being hear his end, commanded that his Sons ſhould come all together to him, that he might by the Spirit of Propheſie bleſs them, and tell them what ſhould be their future State, and what ſhould betide them in their ſucceeding Generations. And firſt he ſpeaks to Reuben: He tells him, he was his Firſt-born, and the beginning and firſt effort of his ſtrength, [Deut. 21.17. Pſal. 105.36.] and on that account in the ordinary courſe of Nature many honourable Priviledges belonged to him;(i)Simpliciter ſic accipiendum ſe in ſuo gradu ſtetiſſet Reuben; privatus omnis excellentiae futurus eſſet penes eum. Vatablus. As headſhip of the Family, and a double portion to maintain that Dignity, and the Prieſthood. But it muſt now be otherwiſe with him by reaſon of his hainous Sin and deteſtable Inceſt in going up to his Fathers Bed, and defiling Bilhah his Concubine, Gen. 35.22. Now the Headſhip of the Family ſhould be tranſlated to Joſeph, who ſhould have a double portion, and his two Sons ſhould be Heads of two Tribes. The Prieſthood ſhould be conferred on Levi, and the Kingdom principally on Judah, and partly on Ephraim, viz. the Kingdom of the ten Tribes. He tells him, His Luſt had been like an impetuous ſtream of water that cannot eaſily be kept within its own bounds, but violently breaks the banks that ſhould reſtrain it, and keep it in; His Luſt had broke through all reſtraints of duty and modeſty, and therefore he ſhould not excel; that is, his Tribe ſhould not excell either in number, valour, or any excellent Atchievements. So that this wicked Fact done above forty years ago (ſoon after the birth of Benjamin)*Ch. 35.22. is here ſeverely doomed, and that to humble Reuben for his Sin, and to teach his Brethren to take heed of all ſuch high provoking Tranſgreſſions againſt God.
2ly, He comes to Simeon and Levi, who he ſays are Brethren (and that not only by Birth, being Children of the ſame Father and Mother) but in Manners, Conditions, and wicked Practices. (k)Thus Moſes impartially ſets a brand of Infamy upon Levi, his great Grandfather, which ſhews that in writing this Story he was not guided by his own private ſpirit, but the Spirit of God.They were Inſtruments of great Cruelty in the Land of their Sojourning upon the Shechemites, [Gen. 34.13, 25.] where, being Strangers, they endangered the ruine of themſelves and their Fathers Houſe. Then by a pathetical Apoſtrophe he ſhews his deteſtation of their outragious Fact, and clears himſelf of all ſuſpition of his favouring of it, and prevents all Aſperſions which otherwiſe after his death might poſſibly have been caſt upon him for it. O my Soul (ſays he) come not thou into their ſecret; as if he ſhould have ſaid, God forbid that ever my Soul ſhould joyn in ſuch a Villany. They did it ſecretly, without my knowledge, and when they aſſembled together to contrive the execution of it, I was not among them, neither did my Soul or my Tongue (l)Q. d. Ex animo deteſtor hoc ſcelus nec ullum aſſenſum lingua praebuit.(both which are mans glory) ever give any conſent or approbation to that barbarous Fact. (m)The Author of the Apochryphal Book of Judith highly extols this Fact, which ſhews that he wrote not by Inſpiration of that Spirit of God that the Patriarch Jacob was acted by, when he utter'd this Propheſie.For in their wrath they ſlew Hamor and Shechem, and the Citizens of their City, and in their rage and wilfulneſs they digg'd (n)We read not of this before Ch. 34. yet it ſeems by this paſſage, it was then done, verſ. 6. They ſlew a man, that is, many men. The Hebrews do frequently uſe an Enallage of a ſingular for a plural number. Jun. & Trem. Sic reddunt, pro viâ ſuâ occiderunt viros & pro arbitrio ſuo avulſerunt, vel diripuerunt boves. Ita eos arguit Parens, q. d. crudeles eſſent & avidi raptores.down a Wall, viz. of Shechem's houſe (where their Siſter was kept) to reſcue her out of their hands. He pronounces their anger to be deteſtable, which was ſo cruel and violent, and which had like to have been the Ruine of him and his. Then ſpeaking in the Perſon of God (as Prophets uſed ſometimes to do) He ſays, He will divide them in Jacob, and ſcatter them in Iſrael. And accordingly it happened. For Simeon was not planted apart by himſelf as the other Tribes were, but his Tribe had their Inheritance intermixed(o)Yet out of their Lot, in ſeveral places here and there, theſe Simionites had certain Cities and Villages, Joſh. 19.9. And afterwards upon their multiplying, they were forced to ſeek further for new Habitations in Mount Seir, and Mount Geder, driving out the Amalekites, 1 Chron. 4.39. and ſo they were ſcattered in their Habitations. with that of Judah, Joſh. 19.1. And the Tribe of Levi was diſperſed among all the Tribes of Iſrael.
3ly, He comes to Judah. He tells him as his Name ſignified Praiſe, [Ch. 29.35.] ſo his Tribe ſhould be renowned and praiſed, and ſhould be famous and eminent among the reſt, not only in regard of external Power and Government, but much more becauſe out of him the Meſſias ſhould come, [Heb. 7.14. For it is evident that our Lord ſprang out of Judah.] He tells him, His hand ſhall be in the Neck of his Enemies, that is, He ſhould Conquer and ſubdue them. This Propheſie of the prevailing power of Judah was fulfilled, when that Tribe became the Leader, [Numb. 10.14. & 7.11, 12. Judg. 1.2. & 20.18.] As alſo in thoſe Worthies of this Tribe, Othniel, Jud. 3.9, 10. David, 2 Sam. 8.1. Solomon, 1 Chron. 22.9. But more eminently in Chriſt, who hath vanquiſhed all the Powers of Darkneſs. He goes on, Thy Fathers Children ſhall bow down before thee, whereby he intimates, that his Poſterity ſhall be advanced to the Soveraignty, and to a Regal Power, to which all the Iſraelites ſhould ſumbit. Yet this was more fully to be accompliſhed in the Spiritual Kingdom of Chriſt, to whom every knee ſhall bow, Phil. 2.10. He further adds, Judah is a Lions Whelp; whereby he intimates the mighty ſtrength and courage of this Tribe, and how terrible they ſhould be to their Eenemies, and how great and glorious their Conqueſts. He further adds, For the Prey, my Son, thou art gone up. (p)Leones poſtquam in planis praedati ſunt, Saturi ad montes redeunt. Teſte Zenoph. de Venatione.that is, having taken the Prey, thou ſhalt go up to thy Habitation in a triumphant manner. He ſtooped down, he couched. Here He varies the perſon as the Prophetick Spirit moved him, ſometime ſpeaking as to his Son, and ſometimes of him. And as a Lion is the King of Beaſts, and flies upon other Beaſts, and tears them in pieces, and returning from his Prey, coucheth down, and lieth at reſt, and none dare diſquiet him, or offer to rouze him, and take his Prey from him; ſo ſhould Judah's Kings Conquer, and ſubdue their Enemies, and then returning with Victory ſhould quietly and peaceably (q)So it was in Solomon s days, after David's Victories, 1 King. 4.25.enjoy their Spoils and Conqueſts. See Numb. 23.24. But this is more eſpecially verified in Chriſt, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah; Rev. 5.5. He further declares, That the Scepter ſhall not depart from Judah, that is, from the Nation and Kingdom of the Jews (ſo denominated from Judah)(r)After the Royal Dignity was once ſetled in this Tribe, viz. in David, 1 Chron. 5.2. there were no more Kings of that Tribe after Jeconiah and Zedekiah, Jer. 22.30. After their return from Captivity, the Principality was in Zerubbabel, and likely in others of the Tribe of Judah for a time. But ſome while after the Maccabees of the Tribe of Levi got the Rule, and continued therein by the choice and conſent of the people of Judah, till a little before the Birth of Chriſt, when Herod an Idumaan was made King by the Romans. which became a Kingdom apart by it ſelf, after the ten Tribes were ſeparated from them; and although there were ſome of the Tribe of Levi and of Benjamin mix'd among them, and incorporated into them, yet the people were called by the name of Judah, [the Kingdom and Commonwealth of Judah] and there was a Government ſtill in Judah, whereas the ten Tribes, after they were carried away Captive into Aſſyria, did never return to be a Kingdom again, but thoſe of Judah, after 70 years Captivity, did return into their own Land, and became a Kingdom and Commonwealth (though not ſo glorious(s)The Jewiſh Scepter was much weakened by Pompey, much ſhaken by Herod's Intruſion, but finally broken and aboliſhed at the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, after which they had no force nor face of a Commonwealth. Therefore it is evident againſt the Jews that the Meſſiah is come. as before) and did live under the Government of their own Laws, and Command of their own Rulers. He further adds, That there ſhould not ceaſe to be a Lawgiver between Judah's feet, [ſee Deut. 28.57.] that is, of the Seed and Progeny of ſome belonging to that Kingdom till Shilo come; that is, the Proſperer and Prince of Peace, the promiſed Meſſiah to whom, not only the believing Jews, but the Gentiles alſo ſhall come in as to their King, and ſubmit themſelves to his Scepter. Jacob further propheſieth of the wonderful fruitfulneſs of Judah's lot in the Land of Canaan, (which was the beſt and largeſt that fell to day of the Tribes) viz. that it ſhould abound with Vines and rich Paſtures, and that they ſhould have ſuch ſtout and well-grown Vines, that an Aſs might be tied to them as to other Trees, and that they ſhould have ſuch plenty of Wine, that they might even waſh their Garments in the juice of the Grape. Therefore He adds, Judah's Eyes ſhall be red with Wine, and his Teeth white with Milk; whereby he ſignifies the fruitfulneſs of their Vineyards, and richneſs of their Paſtures, inſomuch that Wine and Milk ſhould (in a manner) be as plentiful and common among them even as Water.
4ly, He comes to Zebulun, whom though younger than Iſſachar, *Gen. 30.18, 20.yet he bleſſes before him, [ſo doth alſo Moſes, Deut. 33.18.] And his lot fell to him in the Land of Canaan before Iſſachar's, Joſh. 19. from 10. to 17. He pronounces of Zebulun that he ſhall dwell at the haven of the Sea, and he ſhall be for a Haven of Ships; that is, his Habitation ſhall be at the Sea-coaſt; His Border ſhall be the Ocean Weſt-ward, and the Sea of Galilee Eaſt-ward, and he ſhall rejoyce in his going out or trading, Deut. 33.18. And his Border ſhall be unto Sidon, that is, not to the City, but Country of the Sidonians. For the Land of the Sidonians or Phaenicians extended to Accho or Ptolemais, (t)Bochart. Georg. Sacr. p. 342.a City thereof, on which the North bound of Zebulun did confine.
5ly, He comes to Iſſachar, and fore-ſheweth how different the diſpoſition of his Tribe ſhould be from that of Zebulun. For whereas Zebulun ſhould be altogether for Trading and Traffiqueing abroad, theſe of Iſſachar ſhould be wholly for a quiet life, and Country employments at home. Iſſachar (ſays he) is a ſtrong Aſs, (u)Yet ſome of Iſſachar were of a more noble and heroick Spirit, ſee Judg. 5.15. 1 Chron. 12.32. when Thola of Iſſachar judged Iſrael they had reſt, Judg. 10.couching down between two Burdens, by which alluſion of a ſtrong, lazy, and eaſe-loving-Aſs, he foretelleth that the Proſperity of Iſſachar ſhould be ſtrong indeed as to the bodily labour of Husbandry; and by reaſon of the goodneſs and fertility of their Soil, ſhould love Husbandry, eaſe, and a quiet life, and ſhould rather ſubmit to any Taxes or Tribute that ſhould be laid upon them, either from the Kingdom of Phaenicia (x)Inter duo onera, i. e. hinc regnum Phaeniciae illinc Samariae. Lightfoot. Solebant geminas ſarcinas vel clitellas a finis imponere ad ferenda utrin que onera. Glaſ.or Samaria, (upon both which they confin'd) than be driven from that quiet which at home they did enjoy. See Judges 5.16.
6ly, He comes to Dan, eldeſt Son of Bilhah, Rachel's Hand-Maid, and alluding to his Name, pronounceth this bleſſing upon him. Dan ſhall judge his people as one of the Tribes of Iſrael, as if he ſhould have ſaid, though he was the Son of an Hand-Maid, yet his Poſterity ſhould be one of the Tribes of Iſrael, and enjoy all the Priviledges of a Tribe, as well as the Poſterity of his free-born Sons, of whom he had before ſpoken. And as other Tribes had their Heads and Elders, (y)Dan being the eldeſt of the Sons of the Hand-Maids, by expreſſing that he ſhould enjoy this Priviledge, the like is implyed concerning the reſt.to judge and decide Cauſes among them, ſo ſhould They, [Numb. 1.4, 16.] Further he declares, That Dan ſhall be a Serpent in the way that biteth the Horſes, ſo that his Rider ſhall fall backward; that is, ſhall prevail more by cunning than force. Thus we find that Sampſon (who was of this Tribe) uſed craft as well as ſtrength, Judges ch. 15. & 16. So did this Tribe alſo deal with Laiſh, Judges 18.27. So that 'tis a Propheſie of this Tribe, That what they wanted in ſtrength they ſhould make up in ſubtilty and ſudden ſurpriſal. (z)Moſes compares him to a Lions whelp, Deut. 33.22. poſſibly for the ſuddenneſs of his leap, when …e ſees the advantage of his Prey. Dan is omitted in the ſealing of the Tribes, Apoc. 7. So is Simeon omitted in Moſes's Benediction, Deut. 33. Likely Simeon for his cruelty againſt the Shechemites, and Dan for his notorious Idolatry, Judg. 18.19. 1 King. 12.29.Then Jacob foreſeeing by the Spirit of Propheſie the great dangers that his Poſterity, and this Tribe in particular would be expoſed to, both in regard of their Inheritance, [Judges 1.34. Joſh. 19.47.] as alſo the true Religion and pure Worſhip of God, (which they would ſoon forſake and turn to Idolatry, Judges 18.17.) He breaks out into this pious Ejaculation, (a)Lumen Propheticum eſt Lumen raptum.O Lord, I earneſtly pray for, and humbly expect thy gracious Deliverance of them out of all their Dangers.
7ly, He comes to God, his eldeſt Son by Zilpah, of whom he Propheſies, That a Troop ſhall overcome him, but he ſhall overcome at laſt; where alluding to his Name (which ſignifies a Troop, ſee Gen. 30.11.) he intimates, he ſhall be ſubject to the Incurſions of bordering Enemies. And ſo indeed he was, his lot falling beyond Jordan Eaſtward, [ſee Judg. 10.7, 8. Jer. 49.1.] He was ſorely annoy'd with the Ammonites, Moabites, and Others who did by Troops make Inroads upon him. But at length he foretells that the Gadites ſhould gather their Forces together and overcome their Enemies, and drive them out of their Country, and then ſhould peaceably enjoy their Poſſeſſions. See Deut. 33.20. 1 Chron. 5. from 18. to 23. 1 Chron. 12.8.
8ly, He comes to ſpeak of Aſher, his youngeſt Son by Zilpah, (who carried bleſſedneſs in his Name) of whom he Propheſies, That out of the excellent portion allotted to him, he ſhould have plenty of Corn, and of Wheat eſpecially. So that His Bread ſhould be fat, (fat ſignifying the beſt of any thing, Gen. 4.4.) and his lot ſhould yield Royal Dainties; namely, excellent Oil, [Deut. 33.24, 25. Joſh. 19.24, 25.] and other rare and delicious Fruits. Such as may grace any King's Table, and pleaſe his Palat.
9ly, He comes to Napthali, ſecond Son of Bilhah, of whom he Propheſies, That Naphtali is as an Hind let looſe. Wherein he foretelleth how this Tribe ſhould be bleſſed with liberty and plenty, and live in choice Paſtures; as alſo that they ſhould be active and nimble in dealing with their Enemies, and light-footed to purſue them, and eſcape danger, [Pſal. 18.33. Judg. 4.10, 15, 16.] He further adds, He giveth goodly words, Whereby he intimates, That this Tribe ſhould be fair-ſpoken, courteous, and of friendly behaviour, and therefore greatly beloved, Deut. 33.23.
10ly, He comes to Joſeph, Of whom he ſays, He ſhall be like a fruitful Stock or Stem of a Vine placed by a Fountain, whoſe Branches ſhall run upon the Wall, and ſo have benefit of the reflection of the Suns heat; by all which he intimates how fruitful he ſhould be, and of him ſhould come two Tribes, viz. Ephraim and Manaſſeh, which multiplied and increaſed exceedingly. He goes on, The Archers have ſorely grieved him, and ſhot at him, and hated him, that is, many have bent themſelves againſt him (as an Archer doth his bow to ſhoot at a mark) viz. His Brethren that ſold him, his Miſtriſs that accuſed him, his Maſter that impriſon'd him, and poſſibly ſome of the Courtiers of Pharaoh that did ſtrive to do him ill Offices. But his Bow abode in ſtrength, that is, his Innocence, Patience, Faith, Chaſtity remained inviolable, and his Power and Proſperity remained intire through the help of the mighty God of Jacob. And from thence it was, namely, from the Power and Providence of God that Joſeph became a Shepherd to Iſrael, to feed and nouriſh them in a time of Famine, and a Stone to Iſrael; that is, a Rock of Refuge for them to fly unto in that their great Diſtreſs. And from this God, even the God of his Father, He tells him, He ſhall be bleſſed with the bleſſings of Heaven from above; that is, with Rain and Dew to make his Land fruitful; and with the bleſſings of the Deep, *Deut. 33.13.that is, with Springs of Water out of the Rock, and with the bleſſings of the Breaſt and of the Womb; that is, with many and well nurſed Children, ten thouſands of Ephraim, and thouſands of Manaſſeh, Deut. 33.17. Laſtly, he tells Joſeph, That the bleſſings with which He, his Father bleſſed him, and his Brethren, did ſurpaſs the bleſſings wherewith his Progenitors Abraham and Iſaac were bleſſed; namely, becauſe they ſhould be ſooner accompliſhed and fulfilled. It ſhould not now be long ere the Promiſes made to Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, concerning the multiplying of their Seed as the Stars of Heaven, ſhould be made good. He further intimates, That the bleſſings on Joſeph ſhould be eminent and excellent, in that the portion of Land in Canaan by lot fall to Ephraim and Manaſſeh (his two Sons) ſhould be a bleſſed portion. His bleſſing ſhould extend to the deſirable Fruits of the laſting hills; (b)Verſ. 26. foreign ad deſiderium, i. e. ad deſiderabiles fructus collium.that is, as his portion ſhould abound with all other deſirables, ſo particularly with the chief things of the ancient Mountains, and the precious things of the laſting hills; As Moſes afterwards propheſied to the ſame purpoſe, Deut. 33.13, 15. All theſe bleſſings (He tells them) ſhall fall on the head of Joſeph, even on the head of him whom the Lord hath ſeparated, and ſet apart from the reſt of his Brethren, advancing him to a high and ſingular degree of honour above them.
Laſtly, He comes to Benjamin, of whom he Propheſies, That He ſhall raven as a Wolf, in the Morning he ſhall devour the Prey, and at Night ſhall divide the Spoil; that is, this Tribe ſhall be like a ravening Wolf, which goeth forth uſually Mornings and Evenings to ſeek his Prey. Whereby he intimates they ſhould be a very ſtrong, couragious, and warlike people, and that they ſhould with admirable celerity vanquiſh and deſtroy their Enemies, and return from the battel laden with Spoils. Which warlike diſpoſition appear'd afterwards in the bloody battels they fought, ſee Judg. 20.15, 16, 17. 1 Sam. 11.11.
Theſe are the Heads from whom deſcended the twelve Tribes of Iſrael. Indeed there were thirteen in all, counting Ephraim and Manaſſeh inſtead of Joſeph; but the Levites had no ſhare among them, becauſe the Lord was their Portion, Deut. 10.9. And this is that which their Father ſpake unto them, and foretold what ſeveral bleſſings God had allotted for them. Which prophetical Bleſſings were to have their accompliſhment not ſo much in the perſons of Jacob's Sons, as in their Poſterity. Indeed what he ſaid to Reuben, Simeon and Levi might ſeem rather a Curſe than a Bleſſing, but the greateſt part of his Speech contained bleſſings, and the denomination is to be taken from the greater and the better part. And Jacob's ſevere reprehenſion of theſe three might alſo be a great bleſſing to them, by bringing them to Repentance. Certain it is, that he comprehends them within the number of the Tribes, and ſo within the Covenant of God, and gives them a right to Canaan, the Type of Heaven. And 'tis like He diſmiſſed them all with a general Benediction, praying for them. Then he told them the time was now come when he muſt be gathered to his People; that is, to the Souls of and ſociety of the Juſt, ſuch as he was. And as for his Body, he enjoyns them to bury it in the Land of Canaan; namely, in the Field of Ephron the Hittite, in the Cave of Macpelah, (ſee Ch. 23.16.) where Abraham and Sarah, Iſaac and Rebecca were buried, and where he had buried Leah. And when he had made an end of commanding his Sons, He gathered up his Feet into the Bed, and quietly gave up the Ghoſt.
Gen. 49. whole Chapter.