73 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Genesis 49 This chapter contains a prophecy of future things, relating to the twelve sons of Jacob, and to the twelve tribes, as descending from them, and which he delivered to his sons on his death bed, having called them together for that purpose, Genesis 49:1, he begins with Reuben his firstborn, whose incest he takes notice of,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jacob called upon his sons,.... Who either were near at hand, and within call at the time Joseph came to visit him, or if at a distance, and at another time, he sent a messenger or messengers to them to come unto him: and said, gather yourselves together; his will was, that they should attend him all together at the same time, that he might...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter is a prophecy; the likest to it we have yet met with was that of Noah, ch. ix. 25, &c. Jacob is here upon his death-bed, making his will. He put it off till now, because dying men's words are apt to make deep impressions, and to be remembered long: what he said here, he could not say when he would, but as the Spirit gave him...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Gather yourselves together,.... This is repeated to hasten them, and to suggest that he had something of importance to make known unto them, which he chose to do, when they were together: and hear, ye sons of Jacob, and hearken to Israel your father: these words are used and doubled to excite their attention to what he was about to say, and which...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Reuben, thou art my firstborn,.... Jacob addressed himself to Reuben first, in the presence of his brethren, owned him as his firstborn, as he was, Genesis 29:31 did not cashier him from his family, nor disinherit him, though he had greatly disobliged him, for which the birthright, and the privileges of it, were taken from him, 1 Chronicles 5:1 my...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: The patriarch fixes his eyes on his firstborn; he must say something sharp that would dishonour him, but he does not deny him the rights of birthright. He clothes him with the robes and the jewels of primogeniture, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Unstable as water,.... Which is not to be understood of the levity of his mind, and his disposition to hurt, and the impetuous force of that breaking forth like water, and carrying him into the commission of it; but rather of his fall from his excellency and dignity, like the fall of water from an high place; and of his being vile, mean, and...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Unstable as water, thou shall not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. So a man may have great opportunities, and yet lose them. Uncontrolled passions may make him very little who otherwise might have been great. Reuben was “the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power,” yet...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; — So it is clear that the greatest strength and dignity and power will not serve a man, so as to make him excel, if he be unstable. There are many such persons still remaining in the world; their doctrine changes like the moon, and we never know what it is. Their spirit and temper constantly change; their...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Simeon and Levi are brothers,.... Not because they were so in a natural sense, being brethren both by father and mother's side, for there were others so besides them; but because they were of like tempers, dispositions, and manners (f), bold, wrathful, cruel, revengeful, and deceitful, and joined together in their evil counsels and evil actions,...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Simeon and Levi — They stood next according to the order of birth: “Simeon and Levi” —
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
O my soul, come not thou into their secret,.... Their cabinet counsels, combinations and conspiracies; this Jacob said, as abhorring the wicked counsel they had took of slaying the Shechemites; and lest any should think he was concerned in it, or connived at it, he expressed a detestation of the fact on his dying bed: the future tense may be put...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Are brethren; They are very much like each other.
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce,.... It was sinful anger in the nature of it, and so criminal and detestable; it was strong, fierce, and furious in its operation and effects, and so justly cursed; not their persons, but their passions: and their wrath, for it was cruel; it issued in the cruel and barbarous slaughter of the inhabitants of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise,.... His name signifies praise, and was given him by his mother, her heart being filled with praises to God for him, Genesis 29:35 and is here confirmed by his father on another account, because his brethren should praise him for many excellent virtues in him; and it appears, by instances already...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Judah, — Now the patriarch changes his tone, for he has come to that tribe which would take the birthright, out of which the Christ would come: “Judah” — Gen_49:8. Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: They praised God for him, they praised God by him, they praised God in him; he is the type of Jesus, of whom we can say all this with great...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: His name was praise, and such was his history to be, for David came of that tribe, and great David’s greater Son, whom it is our joy to praise. Gen_49:8. Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. While that was true of Judah, it is still more...