Read Genesis 49 here or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
49:1-4 {p} Reuben’s blessing
49:5-7 {p} Simeon and Levi’s blessing
49:8-12 {p} Judah’s blessing
49:13 {p} Zebulun’s blessing
49:14-15 {s} Issachar’s blessing
49:16-17 {s} Dan’s blessing
49:18 {s} “I have waited for your salvation, O YHVH!”
49:19 {s} Gad’s blessing
49:20 {s} Asher’s blessing
49:21 {s} Naphtali’s blessing
49:22-26 {p} Joseph’s blessing
49:27-50:26 {p} …
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall be the gathering of the people. Gen 49:10
Judah’s blessing contains an overt Messianic prophecy. The discussion on the meaning of Shiloh and its Messianic significance from Gesenius’ Hebrew Lexicon is enlightening. The root word from which Shiloh is derived, is the verb “to be at rest,” the same root that gives us shalom. Therefore this word can indicate the abstract concept of tranquility.
“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah until tranquility shall come, and the peoples shall obey him,” meaning Judah; i.e., Judah shall not lay down the sceptre of the ruler, until his enemies be subdued, and he shall rule over many people; an expectation belonging to the kingdom of the Messiah, who was to spring from the tribe of Judah. Others take the meaning of Shiloh as the concrete noun, and render it, the peaceable one, the peacemaker; either understanding the Messiah Himself (Isa 9:1-7) or Solomon (1 Chr 22:9). The ancient versions take Shiloh in this sense, “until he shall come to whom the sceptre, the dominion, belongs;” i.e. Messiah.
– Gesenius’ Hebrew Lexicon
“Shiloh” is derived from שלה shalah, Strong’s H7951, a verbal root meaning, “to be tranquil.” The pictographs, according to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, are shin + lamed + hey. Although the Lexicon doesn’t expressly state this, I believe the shin was originally a sin, a thorn, since the Lexicon assigns it the meaning of “to draw out,” as we do when a thorn becomes embedded.
sin ס = thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
lamed ל = shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
hey ה = man w/upraised arms, thus look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath
The parable is of a sheep caught in a thicket by thorns (sin) entangled in its wool, so that the shepherd uses his staff (lamed) to draw the sheep out of the thicket, thus restoring it to a state of well-being (hey). Moses is preaching the Gospel of grace from Genesis.
If there are questions, these are good resources, all by Christine Miller:
Gen 49:1-26 Chiastic structure
Gen 49:1-4, Gathering together
Gen 49:5-7, The anger of man
Gen 49:8-12, Until Shiloh comes
Gen 49:13, The haven of rest
Gen 49:14-15, Issachar’s blessing
Gen 49:16-18, The ruler and the shepherd
Gen 49:19, Gad’s blessing
Gen 49:20, Asher’s blessing
Gen 49:21, Naphtali’s blessing
Gen 49:22-26, Joseph’s blessing
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