Beyond the prophecies concerning the immediate history of the tribes of Israel, Jacob sees the Messiah and the ultimate hope of salvation. This hope is already indicated in Jacob’s opening words that use the expression “in the last days” (v. 1), a technical expression that refers to the coming of the Messianic king (Isaiah 2:2, Daniel 10:14).
The text then goes through the future line of each of these men. These are not predestinated fates, as if God willed that each of these would face what they faced; rather, they are expressions of what their characters and the character of their children would bring about. God’s knowing, for instance, that someone will kill an innocent man is a radically different thing from God’s having willed that the killer do it.
Important Prophecy (vs. 8-12)
Over and above human free will, God does know the future, and He had arranged that it would be through Judah that the Messiah would come. Judah (Gen. 49:8-12), who is represented by a lion (v. 9), refers to royalty and praise. Judah will produce King David, but also the Shiloh, that is, the one who will bring shalom, “peace” (Isaiah 9:6-7) to Him “shall be the obedience of the people” (v. 10).
The Jews have long seen this as a Messianic prophecy pointing to the coming Messiah, and Christians, too, have seen this text as pointing to Jesus. “Unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (v. 10), which is, perhaps, a precursor to the New Testament promise “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:10).
As Ellen G. White wrote: “The lion, king of the forest, is a fitting symbol of this tribe, from which came David, and the Son of David, Shiloh, the true ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah,’ to whom all powers shall finally bow and all nations render homage.” — Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 235.
The Order of Jacob’s Sons
As appears from the table below, the order of their blessings in the last words of the patriarch is only partially identical with their order of birth:
| Birth Order (Gen. 29, 30, 35) | Mother | Blessing Order, Jacob’s Prophecy (Gen. 49) | |
| 1. | Rueben | Leah | Rueben. Forfeit his birthright was entirely his own fault. This was his blessing in its entirety. He had gone up to his father’s bed and committed adultery with Bilhah. The birthright then moved to Joseph, who rec’d a double portion as the oldest son of Jacob’s wife Rachel. See: 1 Chron. 5:1-2. This tribe remained on the east side of the Jordan rather than crossing the Jordan to be with the other tribes within the promised land (Numbers 32). |
| 2. | Simeon | Leah | Simeon. Passed over because of his anger, resulting in violence towards Shechem over Dinah’s rape. This tribe rec’d a few cities in Israel but later would be scattered which ended as a curse. |
| 3. | Levi | Leah | Levi. Passed over because of his anger, resulting in violence towards Shechem over Dinah’s rape. This tribe initially was grouped with Simeon’s inheritance of the cities, but later was given the priesthood because of their stand in regards to the ‘golden calf’ issue under Moses. They therefore did not inherit any land. Their scattering became a blessing because they served as priests throughout the tribes. |
| 4. | Judah | Leah | Judah. Rec’d the position linked with the birthright, which was leader/ruler. Produced a line of kings, beginning with King David and much later, Jesus Christ. |
| 5. | Dan | Bilhah | Zebulun. A haven for ships. Rec’d the land between the Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Galilee. This tribe was noted for its faithfulness to David, supplying the largest number of soldiers to David’s army (1 Chron. 12:33). |
| 6. | Naphtali | Bilhah | Issachar. A strong donkey. Rec’d land in the Valley of Jezreel in Galilee which was rich farmland. They were agricultural. Because of their abundance, they were targets of oppressive foreign armies who put them into servitude – becoming a band of slaves. Rather than fighting for their land they were content to be slaves as long as they could remain there. |
| 7. | Gad | Zilpah | Dan. A serpent by the way. This tribe would provide justice for the people. They produced one of the most prominent Judges, Samson (Judges 13:2). Later they became a center of idol worship in Israel (1 Kings 12:26-30; Amos 8:14, Judges 18). Left out of the listing of tribes in Rev. 7:5-8. |
| 8. | Asher | Zilpah | Gad. He shall triumph at last. This tribe chose to stay on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead, rather than cross the Jordan and be with the other tribes within the promised land. This tribe supplied many fine troops for King David (1 Chron. 12:14). |
| 9. | Issachar | Leah | Asher. He shall yield royal dainties. Rec’d land with good fertile soil, which brought forth luxuries (Deut. 33:24). |
| 10. | Zebulun | Leah | Naphtali. He gives goodly words. The land of this tribe was a key portion near the Sea of Galilee, the region where Jesus did much of His teaching and ministry (Matt. 4:12-16). Some reference ‘goodly words” to the song of Deborah in Judges 5, who came from this tribe. |
| 11. | Joseph | Rachel | Joseph. A fruitful bough. Rec’d many blessings and the wealth (double portion) connected to the birthright. Or, rather his son’s: Ephraim and Manasseh. |
| 12. | Benjamin. | Rachel | Benjamin. A ravenous wolf. This tribe had a reputation for fierceness, producing many of Israel’s military leaders: Ehud – Judges 3:15-23; Saul -1 Sam. 9:1, 14:47-52; Jonathan; Esther/Mordecai; and Paul – Acts 8:1-3 (prior to his conversion). |
The birthright was divided between Judah (spiritual/social leader) and Joseph or Ephraim/Manasseh (wealth).
Once the division came within the tribes, the Northern Kingdom was made of up 10 tribes (Asher, Dan, Gad, Issachar, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Ephraim, Manasseh), the Southern Kingdom was made up of two tribes (Judah, Benjamin; who joined the priestly tribe of Levi). The Northern Kingdom was Israel with the capital of Samaria, and the Southern Kingdom was called Judah with the capital of Jerusalem. Note: The tribe of Levi was not part of the tribal confederation, they had a special calling to hold the priesthood and perform ordinances under the law of Moses. Note: Joseph is not listed for his two sons are: Ephraim and Manasseh (double portion).
Why Judah? Source: Adventist Record
Jacob’s family was a fractious one. And no wonder, for his 12 sons were borne by four mothers, and only one of these did Jacob truly love. Another was foisted upon him by the trickery of his father-in-law, and the other two mothers were maidservants and only wives for convenience of Leah and Rachel to procure children through them.
With that said, this article is about Judah. Was he Jacob’s firstborn son? No; in fact, he had three older brothers: Reuben, the firstborn, followed by Simeon and Levi. Here, I will endeavor to show there were reasons why Judah is mentioned in the two ancestries of Jesus in Matthew and Luke, to the exclusion of all his other brothers—even Joseph.
To commence establishing the supremacy of Judah over his brothers, we need to go back to the murderous intent of most of them toward their somewhat innocent and naïve younger brother, Joseph. Jacob had sent Joseph to see how his brothers were doing with the sheep. Initially, they had headed to Shechem, but, perhaps because the pasture there was not as lush as they had hoped, they went on to Dothan. A kind man directed Joseph to that area of Canaan.
While some distance away from his brothers, they realized who it was, and most of them thought this would be an ideal time and place to finish this young brother’s dreaming once and for all. They wanted to kill him, throw his body into a pit, and tell their father a wild beast must have killed and devoured him. I said most of the brothers, for Reuben, the senior brother, remonstrated with them, telling them they must not kill him but put him into a pit. He had plans to retrieve the young fellow and deliver him safely to his father. Shortly afterward, Reuben must have gone some distance away to check on their flocks, for when he returned, Joseph was not to be found—not in the pit or anywhere Reuben looked.
In the meantime, it was Judah who had stepped into the breach in the absence of the eldest brother and suggested Joseph be sold to a passing caravan of Ishmaelites. He realized that while slavery was not a happy life, at least it was an improvement on killing Joseph. Perhaps, Joseph, Judah may have thought, may be able to escape and find his way back home.
Therefore, on this occasion, we see the first instance of Judah acting as a savior of his young brother.
Later, when the worst famine ever was wreaking havoc in that area of the world, Jacob had commanded his sons to go to Egypt to buy food (word had spread to surrounding nations); this was the second occasion when food supplies in their homes were running perilously low. Here again, it was Judah who appeared to be the spokesman for his brothers, for he pointed out to his father that they could not buy food if they did not take Benjamin with them, as the premier of Egypt had demanded on their first visit (see Genesis 42:15).
Jacob was petrified that if Benjamin was to go to Egypt, he may not return; Jacob would then be bereft of his only two sons by Rachel, the wife he deeply loved. Soon afterward, though, food supplies were almost exhausted, so Jacob told his sons to go back to Egypt and buy more food. Again, it was Judah who spoke to their father, emphasizing they would not be able to even see the great ruler of Egypt unless their youngest brother was with them. Jacob eventually relented, and the sorrowful band of brothers headed off to Egypt again, fearful of what may happen to Benjamin when they met Egypt’s ruler. We see here again the role Judah played as a human savior, for he said he would be surety for Benjamin, and that if he did not bring Benjamin back, the blame would be on Judah’s head forever (see Genesis 43:2–9).
Soon after commencing the return journey to their home, it was found that Joseph’s personal cup was in Benjamin’s sack, necessitating the group’s return to Egypt with the armed guard that had pursued them.
Here again, we find Judah acting as savior, not only for his young brother but even their whole group. In his rather lengthy representation to the mighty Egyptian ruler (see Genesis 44:16–34), he said, “please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers” (v. 33, NKJV).
This is a strong precursor to the fact that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, was willing to take our place that we may go free. Perhaps it is now becoming clearer why Judah was chosen to be in the line of Jesus and the Saviour became the Lion of the tribe of Judah (see Revelation 5:5).
Shortly before Jacob died, he called his sons to come before him, for he wanted to tell them what would befall them in the last days (see Genesis 49).
Jacob’s blessings to both Judah and Joseph occupy five verses. Of particular note is Jacob’s description of Judah as a lion, which was central to his statement: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (v. 10). Even Balaam was given an insight into the One who was to come, when he prophesied, “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).
Ellen White wrote this about Judah: “The crowning blessings of the birthright were transferred to Judah. The significance of the name—which denotes praise,—is unfolded in the prophetic history of this tribe.… The lion, king of the forest, is a fitting symbol of this tribe, from which came David, and the Son of David, Shiloh, the true ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah,’ to whom all powers shall finally bow and all nations render homage” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 236).
In the record of Israel’s history, we find verification of the precedence Judah took over his brothers: “yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s” (1 Chronicles 5:2).
While the honor of the birthright given to the firstborn son in those ancient times was an important custom for them, God takes into account more than the order of birth in His dealings with us.