The Prophecy of Jacob’s Sons
49: 1-28
This is the last of the deathbed oracles of Genesis, and is the first sustained piece of Hebrew poetry in the TaNaKh. The use of an extended section of poetry at the conclusion of a long narrative unit is characteristic of the Torah in general. This passage reiterates the book’s major theme. Mankind lost the blessing of ADONAI through sin and rebellion in the garden of Eden. But God will restore His blessing through the Messiah, who will come through the line of Judah (49:10).758 The rabbis teach that Jacob gathered his sons around him because he wanted to tell them when the Messiah would come. But suddenly the Sh’khinah glory left him, therefore, he had to merely speak of what would happen to his sons in the future.
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