A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Genesis · Chapter 49
CHAP. XLIX.
Verſ. 1. GAther your ſelves together that I may tell you that which ſhall befall in the laſt dayes.]
That is, in time to come, yea long time hereafter: for theſe words are frequently uſed in Scripture, not onelyonly for the laſt dayes of the world, nor, as ſome will have it, onelyonly for the time of the new Teſtament, but generally for the time to come. See 1. Tim. 4. 1. The Spirit ſpeaketh expreſly (ſaith the Apoſtle) that in the latter times, foreign, ſome ſhall depart from the faith, which yet came to paſſe not long after the Apoſtles time.
Verſ. 3. Reuben thou art my firstborn, my might, &c.]
The firſtborn are uſually in the Scriptures called the beginning and chief of their parents ſtrength, Deut. 21. 17. But he ſhall acknowledge the ſonne of the hated for the firſtborn, &c. for he is the beginning of his ſtrength. Pſal. 105. 36. He ſmote all the firſtborn in their land, the chief of all their ſtrength; and that both becauſe they are begotten in the prime of their parents ſtrength; and becauſe children being accounted the ſtrength of their parents, Pſal. 127. 4, 5. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, ſo are the children of the youth: Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them, they ſhall not be aſhamed; but they ſhall ſpeak with the enemies in the gate, conſequently the firſtborn are the beginning and chief of their ſtrength, the principall pillar and ſtay of their family. But now Jacob ſaith this of Reuben, onelyonly by way of yielding what he ſhould have been, had it not been for his ſinne, and that to make him the more ſenſible of the loſſe which his ſinne had brought upon him: Reuben thou art my firſtborn, my might, and the beginning of my ſtrength, the excellency of dignitie, and the excellency of power; by the ordinary courſe of nature the greateſt honour and authoritie ſhould have come to thee and thy children; but now hear a contrary doom, Ʋnſtable as water, &c.
Verſ. 4. Ʋnſtable as water, thou ſhalt not excell.]
This expreſſeth his ſudden downfall from the dignitie of his birthright, even as waters do naturally roll down from high places, and will not continue there, or elſe it is meant of his weakneſſe and of the weakneſſe of his poſteritie, in compariſon of what they ſhould have been had he not loſt his birthright. And indeed frequently in the Scripture the diſſolving and weakening of mens ſtrength is compared to the pouring forth of waters, I am poured forth like water, ſaith David, Pſal. 22. 14. and all my bones are out of joynt; and John 7. 5. The hearts of the people melted and became as water; as we alſo uſe to ſay of feeble men, that they are as weak as water: which well agreeth with the condition of Reubens poſteritie, of which tribe we reade not that ever it came to any excellencie among the other tribes.
He went up to my couch.]
Jacob, as out of an indignation of the fact, turneth his ſpeech from Reuben to his brethren, and ſhews how juſt cauſe there was to pronounce this ſ…nt…nce againſt him.
Verſ. 5. Simeon and Levi are brethren, &c.]
That is, as brethren by birth of the ſame father and mother, ſo alſo true brethren in iniquitie: for ſo this word Brother is ſometimes taken, as Prov. 18. 9. He that is ſlothfull in his work, is brother to him that is a great waſter. And obſervable it is how unpartially Moſes her… relates that brand of infamy that was ſet upon Levi, the ſtock of that tribe whereof himſ…lf was; which makes it evident that in writing this ſtory he was not guided by his own private ſpirit, but by the ſpirit of God.
Verſ. 6. O my ſoul, come not thou into their ſecret; unto their aſſembly, mine …onour, be not thou u…ited.]
This is ſpoken to ſhew his deteſtation of that execrable fact of theirs, in maſſacring the Shechemites, and to proteſt againſt the leaſt conſent that he ſhould give thereto. No, ſaith he, when they conſulted together, and contrived that curſed plot, they did it ſecretly without my knowledge; and when they aſſembled together to put in execution their barbarous deſigne, I knew not of it: yea, God forbid that my ſoul ſhould ever joyn in the plotting of ſuch a villanie. By his honour, in the ſecond clauſe, he means, as in the firſt clauſe, his ſoul, becauſe the ſoul is the chief excellency of man, and the glory of the body, without which the body is nothing better then a liveleſſe lump of earth: yet ſometimes by a mans honour or glory in the Scriptures is meant his tongue: ſo my glory, Pſal. 16. 9. My heart is glad, and my glory rejoyceth, is by the Apoſtle rendred my tongue, Acts 2. 26. My heart did rej…yce, and my tongue was glad; and that becauſe the ſpeech of man is alſo his glory, as being that gift of God wherein he excels all other creatures; and ſo therefore it may be here alſo taken, unto their aſſembly, mine honour, be thou not united, implying that he would not give the leaſt conſent or approbation to a fact ſo foul. Now this ſevere cenſure of that treacherous and bloudy crueltie of Simeon and Levi in the ſlaughter of the Shechemites, is a notable evidence that th… Authour of that Apocryphall book of Judeth, where this fact of Simeons is highly extolled, wrote not by the inſpiration of that ſpirit of God, by which the Patriarch Jacob was guided when he uttered this prophecy, and conſequently that that Book is no part of the Canonicall Scripture.
Verſ. 7. I will divide them in Jacob, and ſcatter them in Iſrael.]
Jacob ſpeaks here as in the perſon of God; as uſuall it is in the Scriptures to aſcribe the work of God to the Prophets who are onelyonly his meſſengers to foreſhew what he will do. How this prophecy was fulfilled in the tribe of Levi, every one knows; who were here and there diſperſed abroad, and placed in ſeverall cities all the land over, that ſo they might teach and inſtruct the people in the law of God: wherein alſo the goodneſſe of God is obſervable, that turned, as it were, this curſe into a bleſſing; for though the dividing and ſcattering of them was in it ſelf a puniſhment, yet that they w…re diſperſed for that end, to be as the mouth of God unto the people, to feed them with knowledge and underſtanding, herein they were exceedingly honoured. As for the tribe of Simeon, how this prophecy was accompliſhed in them we may ſee alſo, Joſh. 19. 1, &c. who were not planted apart by themſelves in the land of Canaan, as the other tribes were, but had their inheritance intermingled with that of Judah, out of vvhoſe lot in ſeverall places here and there thoſe of Simeon had certain cities and villages aſſigned them: and therefore vve ſee that vvhen Moſes bleſſed the ſeverall tribes before his death, Deut. 33. he made no mention at all of this ſcattered tribe of Simeon; and that aftervvards they vvere forced, many of them at leaſt, to ſeek a nevv habitation, partly in Mount Seir, and partly in Mount Gedor, 1. Chron. 4. 39, 43. by force of arms driving out the Amalekites, and other inhabitants, and ſo planting themſelves in their room. Novv herein alſo vvas the puniſhment denounced againſt Simeon ſvveetned alſo, in that though they vvere thus divided and ſcattered, yet it vvas an honour to them that they vvere at firſt joyned vvith the royall tribe of Judah, and that aftervvards God made them victorious over thoſe uncircumciſed nations in vvhoſe countrey they planted themſelves, vvhen their firſt habitation, by reaſon they multiplied ſo greatly, vvas too little for them.
Verſ. 8. Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren ſhall praiſe.]
Alluding to his name, vvhichwhich ſignifieth confeſſion, or, praiſe, Gen. 29. 35. And ſhe conceived again, and bare a ſonne, and ſhe ſaid, Now will I praiſe the Lord. And the meaning is, that the name of this tribe ſhould be famous and eminent amongſt the reſt, not onelyonly in regard of the temporall government, but much more in regard that out of him Chriſt ſhould come, Heb. 7. 14. For it is evident that our Lord ſprang out of Judah.
Thy hand ſhall be in the neck of thy enemies.]
That is, thou ſhalt put them to flight and ſubdue them. This prophecy of the valour and prevailing power of Judah was fulfilled when that tribe became the leader, Num. 10. 14. In the firſt place went the ſtandard of the camp of the children of Judah. Judg. 1. 1, 2. The children of Iſrael asked the Lord, ſaying, Who ſhall go up for us againſt the Canaanites firſt to fight againſt them? And the Lord ſaid, Judah ſhall go up; as alſo in thoſe Worthies of this tribe, Othniel, Judg. 3. 9, 10. David, 2. Sam. 8. 1. Solomon, 1. Chron. 22. 9. but eſpecially in Chriſt, who hath vanquiſhed all the powers of darkneſſe.
Thy fathers children ſhall bow down before thee.]
This is ſpoken in relation to that regall power that ſhould be eſtabliſhed in the tribe of Judah, to which all the Iſraelites ſhould ſubmit themſelves; and purpoſely that he might comprehend all the poſteritie of Jacob, even all the tribes of Iſrael, he ſaith not, thy mothers children, but, thy fathers children ſhall bow down, &c. Yet it is moſt exactly accompliſhed in the ſpirituall kingdome of Chriſt, Phil. 2. 10. That at the name of Jeſus every knee ſhould bow.
Verſ. 9. Judah is a lions whelp, &c.]
The tribe of Judah is here compared to a lion, thereby the better yet to expreſſe their mighty ſtrength and courage, how terrible they ſhould be unto their enemies, and how great and glorious their conqueſts ſhould be; that look as a lion, the king of beaſts, flies upon any beaſt he meets with, and tears them in pieces, and returning from his prey, coucheth down, and feedeth upon his prey, or lieth at reſt, and none dare diſquiet him, or offer to take his prey from him; ſo ſhould Judahs kings conquer and ſubdue their enemies, and then returning with victorie ſhould quietly and peaceably enjoy their ſpoils and conqueſts without diſturbance. But eſpecially is this ſpoken in relation to Chriſts unreſiſtable power, and glorious conqueſts, who is therefore called▪ the lion of the tribe of Judah, Rev. 5. 5.
Verſ. 10. The ſceptre ſhall not depart, &c. till Shiloh come.]
Shiloh, is by interpretation, the Proſperer, the Safemaker, the Prince of peace: or, as others think, his ſonne, or, her ſonne, & is doubtleſſe meant of the Meſſiah, the Lord Chriſt, who is indeed the onelyonly Saviour of mankind, the onelyonly Peace-maker betwixt God and us; and the ſonne of Judah, and that as being the ſonne of the Virgin Mary, who was of Judahs tribe: ſo that the drift of theſe words was to foretell of what tribe the Meſſiah ſhould be, to wit, of the tribe of Judah; and at what time he ſhould come, to wit, that after once the regall dignitie ſhould be ſettled in that tribe, which was done when David was anoynted king, the government ſhould never be taken from him, at leaſt ſo farre but that there ſhould be a Lawgiver from between his feet, nor his kingdome and commonwealth be utterly ruined and aboliſhed untill the Meſſiahs coming. The chief difficultie of this place is, in making good the truth of this prophecy, concerning the continuance of Judahs principalitie and kingdome untill the Meſſiahs coming, and that becauſe it is evident, 1. That after Jechoniah and Zedekiah, the two laſt kings of Judah, they had no more any king of that royall houſe of David, nor of the tribe of Judah: for ſo Jeremiah prophecied concerning Jechoniah, Jer. 22. …0. Thus ſaith the Lord, Write ye this man childleſſe, a man that ſhall not pro…per in his dayes: for no man of his ſeed ſhall proſper, ſitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah; yea ſo Ezekiel prophecied concerning the utter overthrow of that crown and regall dignitie, Ezek. 21. 27. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it ſhall be no more untill he come whoſe right it is, and I will give it him; 2. That after their return from their captivity in Babylon, though in the principalitie of Zorobabel, and perhaps of ſome of his poſterity, there was a little reviving of the dignitie of Judahs tribe, yet within few years, the ſupreme, yea the regall, power came into the hands of the Macchabees, who were of the tribe of Levi, and yet ruled many of them as kings over the Jews, untill Herod did wholly take away their principality from them. Now to this objection ſome anſwer, That though in the time of the Macchabees, who were indeed of the tribe of Levi, the chief power was removed from the tribe of Judah, yet there was then a Lawgiver from between his feet, to wit, the Sanhedrin, that great Councell of ſeventy Elders, to whom the cognizance of the weightieſt cauſes appertained, and the eſtabliſhing of laws, and who were ſtill elected out of the tribe of Judah, and continued conſtantly in the exerciſe of this power untill a little before the birth of Chriſt, Herod who was a mere ſtranger became king of Judea, and rooted them quite out; yet becauſe the chief thing alledged in this anſwer to ſatisfie the objection, to wit, that the Sanhedrin were all choſen out of the tribe of Judah, is taken for granted, but cannot be well proved, a more full anſwer I conceive is given by others in theſe following particulars: 1. That by Judah here is meant the whole nation and kingdome of the Jews, after the ten tribes of Iſrael were ſeparated from them, and became a kingdome apart by it ſelf, and that becauſe although there were of the tribes of Levi and Benjamin amongſt them, yet they were as it were incorporated into the tribe of Judah, and the whole commonwealth had their name from Judah, and was called the kingdome of Judah; inſomuch that in the eleaventh chapter of the firſt book of the kings, three ſeverall times, to wit, verſ. 13, 32, 36. it is ſaid that there ſhould be onelyonly one tribe reſerved to the kings that were of the poſteritie of David; and 1. King. 12. 20. it is ſaid, There was none that followed the houſe of David but the tribe of Judah onelyonly; yea and after their return from the captivitie out of Babylon, they were all chiefly planted in the lot and territory that appertained to the tribe of Judah: whence it is, that though after Nehemiahs time, the chief government was in the hands of the prieſts, yet becauſe the whole people were called by the name of Judah, the kingdome and commonwealth of Judah, therefore ſtill the government may be ſaid to be in Judah; yea and this therefore may well be thought to be the main thing intended in this prophecie, that whereas thoſe of the kingdome of the ten tribes of Iſrael, after they were carried away captive into Aſſyria, did never return thence again to become a kingdome and commonwealth as before, yet thoſe of Judah, after ſeventy years captivity in Babylon, returned again into their own land, and became a kingdome and commonwealth as before, though not ſo glorious, living under the government of their own lavvs, and the command of their own rulers, and ſo continued, untill a little before Chriſts coming the government vvas vvholly taken from them, and not long after the death of Chriſt, their kingdome and commonvvealth vv…s by the Romanes utterly deſtroyed. 2. That even at that time vvhen the ſupreme povver vvas in the prieſts, they had it by the choice and appointment of the people of Judah, vvho conferred this honour upon the Macchabees becauſe of their zeal and valour in fighting againſt their enemies. 3. Though all the Sanhedrim vvere not of the tribe of Judah, yet doubtleſſe the greateſt part of them vvere of that tribe, as it is evident, becauſe the greateſt part by farre of thoſe that returned from Babylon vvere of that tribe, vvhichwhich is ſufficient to make good this prophecy, That there ſhould not ceaſe to be a Lawgiver from between Judahs feet, that is, of his ſeed and progeny, untill the Meſsias came.
And unto him ſhall the gathering of the people be.]
That is, vvhereas a little before the coming of Chriſt Judah ſhall ſeem to have loſt his authority, in Chriſt it ſhall be recovered again, to vvhom not onelyonly the Jevvs but all other nations ſhall come in as to their king, and ſubmit themſelves to his ſceptre.
Verſ. 11. Binding his fole unto the vine, &c.]
This laſt paſſage of Judahs bleſſing is vvholly a prophecy concerning the vvondrous fruitfulneſſe of that part of Canaan, vvhichwhich ſhould fall to Judahs lot and portion, to vvit, that it ſhould abound vvith vines and fat paſtures, inſomuch that vvine and milk ſhould be as plentifull and common in a manner as vvater amongſt them.
Verſ. 13. Zebul…n ſhall dwell at the haven of the ſ…a.]
Though Iſſachar vvere older then Zebulun, yet Jacob bleſſeth him firſt, becauſe his lot vvas next in the diviſion of the land, Joſh. 19. 10. And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun, &c. and propheſieth of his dvvelling by the ſea, alluding to his name which importeth dwelling, Gen. 30. 20. Now will my husband dwell with me, &c. and ſhe called his name Zeb…l…n: and indeed his borders were both to the main ſea Weſtward, and to the ſea of Galilee Eaſtward, Joſh. 19. 10. And their border went up toward the ſea, &c. Iſa. 9. 1. When at the firſt he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievouſly afflict her by the way of the ſea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
Verſ. 14. Iſſachar is a ſtrong aſſe, &c.]
Jacob here foreſheweth how different the diſpoſition of this tribe of Iſſachar ſhould be from that of Zebulun, whereof he had before ſpoken, as Moſes alſo doth, Deut. 33. 18. Rejoyce Zebulun in thy going out, and Iſſachar in thy tents; to wit, that whereas thoſe of Zebulun ſhould be altogether for tradin gand trafficking abroad at ſea, theſe of Iſſachar ſhould be wholly for a quiet life, and countrey imployments at home. Iſſachar is a ſtrong aſſe, &c. The meaning is, that this tribe ſhould be of great ſtrength, but of a more ſervile diſpoſition; that his portion ſhould fall in a fertile and fat ſoil, and that accordingly his ſtrength ſhould be imployed in tilling the ground and other countrey labours; and laſt of all, that he ſhould rather undergo any tributes and taxes that ſhould be laid upon him, then be drawn from that quiet which at home he did enjoy. But then withall we muſt know that this is ſpoken onelyonly concerning the condition of this tribe for the generall; for even in this tribe there were ſometimes ſome that were of a more noble and a more heroicall ſpirit. Judg. 5. 15. it is ſaid, That the princes of Iſſachar were with Deborah, even Iſſachar and alſo Barak; and 1. Chron. 12. 32. it is ſaid that many of the children of Iſſachar reſorted to David to Hebron, who were men of eminent underſtanding, and ready armed to the warre, as it is verſ. 23. and came purpoſely to ſettle the kingdome upon him, according to the word of the Lord.
Verſ. 16. Dan ſhall judge his people as one of the tribes of Iſrael.]
Dan was the eldeſt ſonne of Bilhah, Rachels handmaid, and his name was given him as a memoriall that God had judged Rachel in giving her a ſonne by her handmaid (for Dan ſignifieth judging) Gen. 30. 6. ſaith Rachel, God hath judged me, and hath alſo heard my voice, and hath given me a ſonne; therefore …alled ſhe his name Dan; alluding therefore to his name he pronounceth this bleſſing upon him, Dan ſhall …udge his people, as one of the tribes of Iſrael; and the meaning doubtleſſe is that however he was the ſonne of a handmaid, yet his poſteritle ſhould be one of the tribes of Iſrael, and enjoy all the priviledges of a tribe, as well as the poſterity of his freeborn ſonnes, of whom before he had ſpoken; to wit, they …hould have an equall ſhare in the land of Canaan, and as other tribes had their heads and elders to judge and decide cauſes amongſt them, ſo ſhould they. Some conceive the raiſing up of Sampſon to be one of the judges, who was of the tribe of Dan, to be the accompliſhment of this prophecy; but queſtionleſſe the bleſſing here promiſed is more generall, and meant of the common priviledges which as a tribe Dan ſhould enjoy in the common government of the people together with the reſt. And Dan being the eldeſt of the ſonnes of the handmaid, by expreſſing that he ſhould enjoy this priviledge, the like is implyed concerning the reſt.
Verſ. 16. Dan ſhall be a ſerpent by the way.]
A prophecy that this tribe ſhould rather by cunning then open force get the better of their enemies. Some footſteps whereof we have in Sampſons acts, and alſo in that exploit of this tribe againſt Laiſh, which they ſuddenly ſurpriſed, Judg. 18. 27. And they came unto Laiſh, unto a people that were at quiet, and ſecure; and they ſmote them with the edge of the ſword, &c.
Verſ. 18. I have waited for thy ſalvation, O Lord.]
This ejaculation thus interpoſed, is not ſtrange in a dying man; yet the ground might be, his foreſeeing the troubles of his poſterity, and that tribe of Dan in ſpeciall.
Verſ. 19. Gad, a troop ſhall overcome him, but he ſhall overcome at laſt.]
Herein Jacob foretells that Gads poſterity, being placed in the utmoſt skirts of the land of Canaan, ſhould be often ſorely annoyed with the incurſions of the bordering nations that ſhould be enemies to Iſrael, to wit, the Ammonites, Moabites, and others, who ſhould often by troops make inroads upon the Gadites that lay next to them, but at length they ſhould gather their forces together, overcome them, and drive them out of their countrey again, and ſo afterward peaceably enjoy their poſſeſſions. Now becauſe Gad ſignifieth a troop; A troop cometh, ſaith Leah concerning this firſt-born ſonne of her handmaid Zilpah, and therefore ſhe called his name Gad, Gen. 30. 11. in alluſion to his name, Jacob thus expreſſeth his bleſſing, Gad, a troop ſhall overcome him, but he ſhall overcome at the laſt.
Verſ. 21. Naphtali is a hind let looſe, he giveth goodly words.]
Herein is chiefly propheſied (as I conceive) that this tribe ſhould alſo have a fruitfull and pleaſant portion in the land of Canaan, wherein they ſhould be as a hind let looſe, that hath ſcope and liberty, and ſo in choice of paſtures find plenty of feeding; 2. That they ſhould live as in plenty, ſo in peace, as a hind let looſe, that is, a hind that muſt not be hunted, but is preſerved and cheriſhed as the delight of the owner; but 3. It may alſo be meant of their cunning and active nimbleneſſe in dealing with their enemies, that they ſhould be light-footed both to purſue enemies, and to eſcape danger, Pſal. 18. 34. He maketh my feet like hinds feet; whereof one inſtance we have in the ſtory of Barak, Judg. 4. 10, 15, 16. And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedeſh, &c. And the Lord diſcomfited Siſera, and all his chariots, and all his hoſt with the edge of the ſword before Barak, ſo that Siſera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet; but Barak purſued after the chariots, &c. and all the hoſt of Siſera fell upon the edge of the ſword, and there was not a man left. As for the ſecond clauſe, he giveth goodly words, thereby is meant in generall, that this tribe ſhould be fair-ſpoken▪ courteous, and of friendly behaviour, and therefore beloved; or it may be more particularly intended, 1. of their eloquence, and fair ſpeeches, whereby they ſhould rather keep themſelves ſafe, then by force of arms; 2. of the ſongs of thankſgiving, the praiſes and bleſſings which they ſhould return unto God, both for their fruitfull land, their peace, and conqueſt of their enemies; of which laſt we have an inſtance in that ſong of Deborah and Barak, Judg. 5.
Verſ. 20. Out of Aſher his bread ſhall be fat, and he ſhall yield royall dainties.]
That is, the portion which in the diviſion of the land of Canaan ſhall fall to this tribe, ſhall be fat, and fertile, abounding with wine and oyl, but eſpecially with the choiceſt and fineſt wheat; and ſo indeed it was one of the richeſt and fruitfulleſt parts of all that countrey.
Verſ. 22. Joſeph is a fruitfull bough.]
Becauſe of him came two tribes.
Verſ. 23. The archers have ſorely grieved him, &c.]
His brethren that ſold him, his miſtris that accuſed, and m…ſter that impriſoned, did what they could to r…ine him; but through Gods aſſiſtance he proved too ſtrong for them all.
Verſ. 24. From thence is the ſhepherd, stone of Iſrael.]
That is, from the mightie God of Jacob it was, that Joſeph became the ſhepherd, the ſtone of Iſrael▪ a ſhepherd, in that he fed both his father and brethren in the time of famine; the stone of Iſrael, in that he was a rock of refuge to them, providing a hiding place for them in Egypt when they were in ſo great diſtreſſe, and in that he was the onelyonly ſtay and ſupport of his father and all his family. And herein was Joſeph a figure of Chriſt, who is the ſhepherd of his Iſrael, the foundation and corner ſtone of his Church and people, Acts 4. 11. This is the ſtone which was ſet at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Verſ. 26. The bleſſings of thy father have prevailed above the bleſsings of my progenitours, &c.]
This place is diverſly rendred by Interpreters, and accordingly they differ much in giving the ſenſe and meaning of the words. But according to our tranſlation the meaning of the firſt clauſe is evident, to wit, that Jacob therein affirms that the bleſſings wherewith he had bleſſed his children, and Joſeph eſpecially, were of farre greater efficacie and excellencie then thoſe wherewith his progenitours had bleſſed their children. If we underſtand it to be ſpoken concerning all his children, and that it is afterward particularly applyed to Joſeph in the following words, They ſhall be on the head of Joſeph, &c. and thus we muſt know that he preferres the bleſſings wherewith he had bleſſed his children before thoſe of the Patriarchs that were before them, 1. becauſe they were more particularly explained and applyed; 2. becauſe they were and ſhould be more ſuddenly, clearly, fully and effectually accompliſhed in them: for till their increaſe in Egypt, where was that ſeed to be ſeen that ſhould equall, as it were, the number of the ſtarres? yea what likelyhood was there of ſuch an increaſe? 3. becauſe whereas the promiſed ſeed made to Abraham was ratified onelyonly unto Iſaac, and ſo Iſhmael and the reſt of his ſonnes were excluded, and afterwards it was confirmed onelyonly to Jacob, and ſo Eſau was cut off, now it was ratified unto all his children, and upon the condition of faith to all their poſteritie. But if we underſtand it particularly of Joſeph, the bleſſing wherewith Jacob had bleſſed him is ſaid to ſurpaſſe the bleſſings wherewith his progenitours were bleſſed, 1. becauſe it ſhould not now be long ere the promiſes made to Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob concerning the multiplying of their ſeed. &c. ſhould be performed: hitherto there was no appearance of that which God had promiſed, but now as in the other ſonnes of Jacob, ſo in Joſeph alſo, the promiſe of God ſhould be accompliſhed; 2. becauſe he ſhould have this priviledge above the reſt, that his two ſonnes ſhould be the heads of two ſeverall tribes; 3. becauſe Joſeph was in regard of temporall bleſſings farre happier then ever Jacob, or any of his progenitours had been, being advanced in Egypt to the higheſt pitch of honour next under the King, and ſo living and dying in great proſperitie. The greateſt difficultie is in the next words, Ʋnto the utmoſt bounds of the everlaſting hills, and the moſt probable expoſitions that are given thereof are theſe▪ 1. That they are a comparative expreſſion of the ſurpaſſing excellency of thoſe bleſſings wherewith he had bleſſed his children, and Joſeph eſpecially, and how farre they exceeded thoſe of his progenitours, to wit, as farre, as the utmoſt tops of the hills and mountains are above the ordinary levell of the earth; 2. That they are an amplification of that which went before concerning the bleſſings wherewith he had bleſſed them, ſhewing that they were bleſſings not onelyonly temporall, but alſo ſpirituall and eternall, ſuch as ſhould reach beyond the continuance of the mountains and hills, which yet ſhould continue till time ſhould be no more, and are therefore called, everlasting hills: whence is that of the prophet, … 54. 10. The mountains ſhall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindneſſe ſhall not depart from thee, &c. that is, my kindneſſe to thee ſhall be more ſtable then the mountains that cannot be removed, but ſhall continue to the end of the world. And indeed herein was the chief and ſurpaſſing excellency of Jacobs bleſſing above thoſe of his progenitours, that all his ſonnes were appointed heirs of the promiſe, and of the covenant of grace, not one of them being excluded, as Iſhmael and Eſau were; and 3. they are added to ſet forth the riches of the portion of land which ſhould befall the tribes of Ephraim and Manaſſeh in the diviſion of Canaan, which as it ſhould abound with all other deſirable bleſſings, ſo alſo with the chief things of the ancient mountains, and the precious things of the lasting hills, as Moſes calls them in his bleſſing of Joſeph, Deut. 33. 15. And indeed if we obſerve how evident it is that Moſes doth there, as it were, explain and unfold this bleſsing of Jacob, we may the more readily encline to think that what is there expreſſed concerning the ancient mountains and laſting hills in Joſephs portion is alſo covertly intended here.
Verſ. 26. They ſhall be on the head of Joſeph, &c.]
Comparing the bleſſings wherewith God had bleſſed him to the oyl wherewith Princes are wont to be anoynted, he ſaith, They ſhould be on the head of Joſeph, and on the crown of the head of him that was ſeparate from his brethren, that is, whom the Lord hath ſeparated and ſet apart from the reſt of his brethren, advancing him to a high and ſingular degree of honour: and in this ſenſe he was a Nazarite, as the word is in the originall.
Verſ. 27. Benjamin ſhall ravine as a wolf, in the morning he ſhall devour the prey, &c.]
Becauſe the wolf is a ſtrong and fierce beaſt, and goeth forth uſually both mornings and evenings to ſeek his prey, Jacob here compares this tribe to a ravening wolf, and that to ſignifie, they ſhould be a very ſtrong couragious and warlike people, and that they ſhould with admirable violence vanquiſh and deſtroy their enemies, and return from the battel laden with the ſpoils. And indeed that this tribe of Benjamin was in future times of a warlike diſpoſition, we find in many places of the ſacred hiſtory, and eſpecially in thoſe bloudy battels which they fought with their brethren of the other tribes, where though there were of the other tribes foure hundred thouſand armed men, & themſelves were but five and twenty thouſand and ſeven hundred, yet they twice overcame them, and ſlew of them eight and thirtie thouſand; and it is there particularly noted of theſe Benjamites (which ſhows what active men they werefor the warre) that there were amongſt them ſeven hundred choſen men left-handed, thatcould every one ſling ſtones at a hairs breadth and not miſſe, Judg. 20. 16. and in the conqueſts of Saul, the firſt king of Iſrael, who was of this tribe.
Verſ. 28. All theſe are the twelve tribes of Iſrael.]
That is, theſe are the heads from whom deſcended the twelve tribes of Iſrael; indeed there were thirteen tribes: but Ephraim and Manaſſeh are comprehended in one, under the name of Joſeph their father; and beſides when the land of Canaan was divided amongſt the tribes, the Levites had no ſhare amongſt them, becauſe the Lord was their portion, and ſo they were ſtill called the twelve tribes of Iſrael. And by this mentioning of the tribes, the holy Ghoſt doth, as it were, direct us to look for the accompliſhment of theſe prophecies, not ſo much in the perſons of Jacobs ſonnes, as in their poſterity.
Every one according to his bleſſing, he bleſſed them.]
That is, he foretold the ſeverall bleſsings which God had allotted to them. But did he not rather pronounce three of them accurſed, namely, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi? I anſwer, 1. That the temporall chaſtiſement threatned was but a fatherly correction for their amendment, and ſo a bleſsing and not a curſe: but 2. They are bleſſed alſo in that he concludes them within the number of the tribes, and ſo comprehendeth them within the Covenant: for by this means they have an equall right with the reſt to the land of promiſe, and by faith to the heavenly Canaan, whereof the other was a type.