Глава 49

Jacob predicts the fate of his descendants Gen.49:1–2. And Jacob called his sons and said: Gather yourselves together, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the days to come; Come together and listen, sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father. In a highly poetic, divinely inspired speech, Jacob, bypassing the life ahead of his descendants in Egypt, prophetically paints a picture of the future life of each tribe in Canaan, and in each case proceeds from the individual qualities of one or another of his sons and the circumstances of his life, and then moves on to the future, now closer, now more distant, of his generation - to the “last days” (acharith hajamim, ἐπ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν; Vulg.. in diebus novissimis), which in relation to the most important point of Jacob’s prophecy - the prophecy about Judah means “not the future in general, but the final future, namely the messianic time of the completion of everything” (Keil). Of course, the first time after the settlement of Israel in Canaan and the period of the judges form the closest points of Jacob’s prophetic contemplation, but his prophetic perspective is far from being limited to these limits, and the historical features of the said period are full of symbolic meaning in relation to the distant future of the history of salvation. The messianic meaning of the expression “in the last days” also belongs to other biblical prophecies (Isa. 2:2; Jer. 30:24; Ezek. 38:16; Dan. 10:14 ; Os. 3:5; Mich. 4:1; Wed Heb. 1:1–2). In general, in general and in many particulars, the prophecy of Jacob is a type of patriarchal blessing, clothed in inspired and poetic form. Blessed Theodoret answered the question (question on Genesis 112): why is it said that Jacob blesses children when he curses some? - answers: “the last words of the patriarch are not curses or blessings, but predictions.” Gen.49:3–4. Reuben, my firstborn! you are my strength and the beginning of my strength, the height of dignity and the height of power; but you raged like water - you will not prevail, for you ascended to your father’s bed, you desecrated my bed [on which] you ascended. In Art. The 3rd talks about those advantages, natural and recognized by ordinary Hebrew law, which belonged to Reuben by birth - it is said in order to show “that there is no benefit from the advantages of nature if they are not accompanied by perfections of the will” (John Chrysostom, Bes. 47: 7–16); as the firstborn of Jacob, he is the embodiment of a whole, unimpaired by years, fatherly strength (koach, LXX and Aquila: ἰσχυς μοῦ; Vulg.: fortitudo mea), virgin strength (like the inexhaustible strength of the earth, Gen. 4:12). This concept is then supplemented by the synonymous “the firstfruits of my strength” (reschit oni), as is absolutely accurately conveyed in the Russian Bible and in which sense this expression is used more than once in the Bible (Deut. 21:17; Ps. 77:51, 105:36). LXX convey the same idea, but more specifically: ἀρχὴ τέκνων (slav.: “beginning of children”). Aquila (κεφάλαιον λύπης), Symmachus (ἀρχὴ ὀδύνης) and Vulgate (principium doloris) in the sense of illness, suffering (as in Gen. 35:18), expressing the idea that Reuben by desecrating his father’s bed, the first of his brothers caused bitter offense and grief to my father. But Simeon and Levi were the first to cause grief to the father - with the bloody massacre in Shechem (Gen. 34:25-30), here, in the context of the speech, by analogy with Deut. 21:17; Ps. 77:51, 104:36, speaks of the benefits of birthright. Continuing his speech about this, Jacob further calls Reuben “the height of dignity and the height of power” (Vulg.: prior in donis, major in imperiis; Aquila: praestans dignitate, praestans fortitudine, LXX, they probably read the original text differently than in the current one, rendering: σκληρὸς φέρεσθαι καὶ σκληρὸς αὐθάδης ); according to the explanation of the Targums Onkelos and Jonathan, the Midrash and blessed Jerome (cf. 1 Chronicles 5:1–2), this designates those who belonged to Reuben by right of birthright: • the authority of the priesthood or the dignities of the high priesthood; the first, instead of him, went to Joseph, the second to Levi, the third to Judah. In Art. 4 indicates the reason for depriving Reuben of the birthright with its advantages: general frivolity, recklessness and arrogance (LXX: ἐξύβρισας) of Reuben (for the meaning of Hebrew pachaz, cf. Judges 9:4; Jer. 23:32), in which Reuben is likened to stormy water (cf. Job. 24:13–18), and in particular - his grave insult to his father’s name by desecrating his bed (Gen. 35:22); Jacob was so deeply offended by the vile fact of Reuben's intemperance, to whom the equally reckless Absalom later became like (2 Sam. 16:22). “You will not prevail” - this deprivation of birthright made itself felt throughout the subsequent history of the tribe of Reuben, which never played any significant role in the history of the Israeli people. Already Moses, in his blessing to the tribe of Reuben (Deut. 33:6), prayerfully wishes for it only so that it does not die out. Deborah denounces the Reubenites for their indifference to the national disaster of enslavement and the war of liberation (Judges 5:15–16). Subsequently, the tribe of Reuben was one of the first to disappear from history. Gen.49:5–6. Simeon and Levi are brothers, their instruments of cruelty are swords; Let not my soul enter into their council, and let not my glory join their assembly, for in their anger they killed the husband and, at their whim, cut the veins of the calf; Jacob deliberately calls Simeon and Levi brothers and predicts a common, equally unfavorable fate for them - due to the similarity of their moral character and mode of action, due to their equally active participation in the Shechem bloodshed (Gen. 34:25-27) and (according to tradition) in the sale of Joseph (Gen. 37:27-28). Arbitrarily and unreasonably, Bohlen and others saw here the personification of the historical cruelty of both tribes during the time of the judges: history does not know such facts; rather, this would refer to the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 20–21), but a different prediction is given about Benjamin (v. 27). From here, as well as from the historical fate of the tribe of Levi (v. 7), it is clear how unsuccessful the attempt of some new biblical scholars is to understand the entire prophecy of Jacob as a vaticinium ex eventu, as an artificial confinement of the historical destinies of the tribes of Israel to their ancestors, and to push back the edition of the prophecy to the times of David and Solomon. The Hebrew mecherotheihem is rendered in the Russian Bible as “their swords.” The word mecherah is of unknown meaning, and is rendered very differently in translations. The accepted Russian reading is one of the more probable: here the Hebrew word is close to the Greek μάχαιρα. 6 st:. Jacob speaks of the bloodthirsty cruelty of Simeon and Levi with the same disgust as he speaks of the incest of Reuben (v. 4): the soul of Jacob (further called his “glory” as in Ps. 7:6 and other places) had no communion in the bloodthirsty actions of Simeon and Levi, who, during the massacre in Shechem, not only massacred the male population of the city, but exterminated or mutilated (through cutting the sinews) the cattle of the Shechemites (cf. 2 Kings 8:4; Josh. 11:6, 9); Vulg. – figuratively see suffoderunt murum. Gen.49:7. cursed is their anger, for it is cruel, and their wrath, for it is fierce; I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel. “But (the patriarch) curses not Simeon and Levi themselves, but their crafty passions, anger, rage... And their punishment was only a prediction (Blessed Theodoret answered question 112). The division of the tribes of Simeon and Levi and their scattering among other tribes was a specific remedy against the criminal unanimity of their ancestors. The prophecy was fulfilled with accuracy on both tribes, although in a different way - in all its unfavorable meaning only on the tribe of Simeon. It quickly decreased in number during the 40 years of wandering in the desert; soon after leaving Egypt there were 59,300 capable of war (Num. 1:23), and at the end of the indicated period - only 22,000 (Num. 26:14). In Canaan it received its inheritance not independently, but within the tribe of Judah (Joshua 19:1, 9). Its insignificance in the life of the people is already evident from the fact that in the blessing of Moses (Deut. 33) it is not mentioned at all. According to Jewish tradition, the largest number of poor people was in the tribe of Simeon (Berech. r. R. 98, 485). On the tribe of Levi, the patriarch's formidable word also initially came true: it did not receive its own inheritance during the division of Canaan, but only 48 cities - in the inheritance of different tribes (Joshua 21:41). But then the sincere and zealous service to God of the representatives of this tribe, see, for example, Ex. 32:26, ​​29, made him the chosen and sacred tribe of Jehovah's servants at His sanctuary (Num. 18:20–24, etc.): then the curse of dispersion turned into the blessing of sacred service - teaching, worship, etc. among Israel (Deut. 32:9–11). In the latter sense, “the tribe of Levi was scattered because of high honor, so that Levites and priests would live in each tribe, and everyone would benefit from them” (Blessed Theodoret). Is it now possible that Jacob’s prophecy about Levi, so unfavorable for him and his tribe, could have occurred during the time of David - Solomon, when the sacred significance and high service, as well as God’s chosenness of the Levi tribe, were generally recognized in Israel? The appearance in these times, generally after Moses, of an alleged satire on the tribe of Levi and others was absolutely unthinkable. Gen.49:8–12. Judas! Your brothers will praise you. Your hand is on the back of your enemies; the sons of your father will worship you. The young lion Judah, my son, rises from his prey. He bowed down, lay down like a lion and like a lioness: who will raise him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from between his feet, until the Reconciler comes, and to Him is the submission of the nations. He binds his donkey's colt to the vine, and the son of his donkey to the best vine; he washes his clothes in wine and his garments in the blood of grapes; [his] eyes are shining from wine, and [his] teeth are white from milk: Reuben is deprived of the birthright, Simeon and Levi are deprived of the birthright and independence, the 4th son Judah in the person of his offspring receives both the first and the last, in general his tribe is “royal and of all other tribes the most powerful” (Blessed Theodoret). In general, “the blessing given to Judas is mysterious: it foreshadowed everything that relates to Christ” (John Chrysostom). Actually, the middle part of the blessing to Judas – v. 10; the two previous verses (8 and 9) and the next two (11 and 12) reveal the historical features of the earthly power and prosperity of the tribe of Judah, in which, however, one can also see a reflection or prototype of messianic moments. 8–9 sts:. Judah (Yehuda), from Hebrew. - praised (cf. Leah’s words at his birth, Gen. 29:35): “Now I will praise the Lord”) will become the subject of praise and glorification of his brothers. According to the Midrash, this means that all the tribes of Israel will subsequently bear the name of Judah - they will be called Jews. The glorious name of Judah will correspond to his valor, courage, power: strength in the fight against enemies and victory over them, dominion over the tribes of Israel (the sons of the father, not the mother, as in Genesis 27:29: all the ancestors of the tribes of Israel, from all 4 wives of Jacob). And not only in war will the tribe of Judah be scary to the enemies: it will inspire everyone with fear of respect and in a state of deep peace: just as a lion cub, a lion, and especially a lioness, even a sleeping one, instills special fear in a person, so, like the king of beasts, the tribe of Judah in different eras of history after settling in Canaan was threatening to the predatory tribes surrounding Israel in Palestine. If this power of the tribe of Judah developed in its entirety under David, then even in the desert it was at the head of all the tribes (Numbers 2:3), and the conquest of Canaan first began (Judges 1:1–8). The tribe of Judah had the image of a lion as its coat of arms on the military banner. The patriarch’s comparison was realized in all its strength in the death of the Lord: “just as the lion and the sleeper are terrible, so the master’s death became terrible both to death and to the devil... And the words: who will awaken him? show His ineffable power. For He raised Himself..." (Blessed Theodoret, cf. John Chrysostom, 718). In the first half of Art. 10 The tribe or descendants of Judah are promised in two synonymous expressions the supreme power in Israel - governmental (schebet; LXX: ἄρχων, Russian: “scepter”, cf. Num. 24:17; Isa. 14:5; Zech. 10:11) and legislative, as well as military (mechoqeq; LXX: ἡγούμενος; Vulg.: dux; slav.: “leader”). Then the limit of this domination is indicated - in the sense of its termination or its ideal completion - in the words: ad ki jabo Schiloh, very differently understood by interpreters of all times and directions. The prevailing interpretation - both in terms of antiquity, and in terms of the authority of its representatives, and in terms of the context of ideas and events in the history of salvation - is messianic. All differences in the understanding of the above expression come down to a different interpretation of the word Shiloh. Of the non-messianic interpretations, we can mention the one that sees in the latter the name of the city of the tribe of Ephraim - Shiloh (Heb. Schiloh, e.g. Josh. 16:6, 18:1, etc., or schilo - Judgment 21:21, etc.), where, after the conquest of Canaan, the tabernacle was erected, and the whole phrase conveys: “until they come to Shiloh” - the meaning is very restrictive: hegemony Judah would have been very short-lived, and the significance of the Jews coming to Shiloh is problematic. The prophetically messianic interpretation, which dominated in the Jewish synagogue, in the ancient Christian church and in the learned Christian theology of the medieval and modern periods, represents several modifications according to the different understanding of Shiloh, and in any case the idea of ​​a new messianic order of life is retained. Schiloh is understood precisely as abstract instead of concrete - reconciler, prince of peace (LXX: ἀποκείμενα αυτω; Akila: ῶ ἀπόχειται) or - just as concrete: “his son” (R. Kimhi); qui mittendus est (Vulg.), etc. In the Talmud and Midrash, Shiloh is one of the names of the Messiah. The end of the verse “To Him is the subjection of the nations” is referred to by all interpreters as the Messiah, as is then the whole of verse 10, and finally the whole prophecy about Judah. “This is the clearest sign of the coming of the Lord,” says Blessed Theodoret about the words of Art. 10, - not only the kings of the Jews became poor, but also the bishops and prophets, as proof of the fulfillment of this prediction. When our Savior was about to be born, foreign kings prevailed over the Jews, and this indicated the eternal King - “the hope of the tongues” (answer to question 112). “Until then the Jews and the princes of the Jews will continue until He comes” (John Chrysostom, 718). Art. 11–12 paint a picture of the wealth of the territory of the tribe of Judah in the products of agriculture and cattle breeding: an extraordinary abundance of grapes (including its best variety, the so-called sorek) and an abundance of herds and milk. Midrashis, Targums, St. John Chrysostom, Blessed Theodoret give these features a messianic meaning, for which prophetic images, for example, Joel. 2:22, Messianic times provide some basis. Gen.49:13–15. Zebulun will dwell by the seashore and by the ship's pier, and his border will be as far as Sidon. Issachar is a strong donkey, lying between the channels of water; and he saw that the rest was good, and that the earth was pleasant: and he bowed his shoulders to bear the burden and began to work to pay the tribute. About the fate of the tribes of the last two sons of Jacob from Leah: Zebulun and Issachar (for some reason the younger brother is mentioned earlier). The tribe of Zebulun is promised a coastal position (between the Seas of Galilee and the Mediterranean) as the source of its wealth (Deut. 33:19); its limit is set in the west to Sidon (Tire is not mentioned: it arose much later, about 1200 BC - proof of the antiquity of the prophecy). Never reaching the specified border (Joshua 19:10–16), the tribe of Zebulun lived mainly by participating in international trade. The tribe of Issachar is promised a fertile area, convenient for agriculture and cattle breeding: its emblem is a strong donkey lying in the middle of the paddocks (this is the more precise meaning of the Hebrew mischpetaim, Russian: “channels of water”, Slav.: “limits”) - a comparison that does not contain anything offensive (the Eastern donkey is more beautiful than the European one), but still characterizes the excessive attachment of the tribe of Issachar to agriculture and cattle breeding, his complete apathy towards military and political activities, his preference for slavery over war. A detailed description of the region of both tribes is given by Josephus (War of Judas, Book 3, Chapter 3, 1–2). Gen.49:16–18. Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel; Dan will be a serpent on the road, an adder on the way, biting the horse's leg, so that his rider will fall backward. I hope for your help, Lord! The tribe of Dan, the son of Jacob from a concubine, is given equal rights with the tribes of the sons of Leah and Rachel (the same applies to Gad, Asher and Naphtali): it will judge (jaden - an allusion to the meaning of Dan), i.e. manage independently and even influence the lives of other tribes, like any other tribe. Targum Onkel., Midrash and many others. ancient and new interpreters see here an indication of the Danish Samson. The tribe of Dan will defeat its enemies not so much in open struggle (like Judah, personified in the image of a lion), but rather through secret ambushes and general cunning - properties that distinguish snakes in the animal kingdom: “Dan will be a serpent... and an asp” (v. 17). These unattractive features of the tribe of Dan, historical data for the explanation of which cannot be specified with accuracy (the Targums and Midr. attributed these qualities to Samson, other interpreters to the Danites who captured Laish, Judges 18:1–29), and the lack of mention of the tribe of Dan in the Apocalypse in the speech about those sealed in each tribe of Israel (Rev. 7:4–8) gave rise to the assumption of many holy fathers and teachers of the Church, that the Antichrist will come from the tribe of Dan. According to Blessed Theodoret, “The Spirit of God, who predicted through the patriarch about our Savior, in this prediction also speaks about the Antichrist” (answer to question 112). Jacob's prayer appeal in v. 18 has either a particular relation to the prophecy about Dan - grieving over the future falling away of the Danites from faith and piety, Jacob entrusts them to the intercession of God, or to all tribes in general - with the thought of bringing down the blessing of God on them. This exclamation forms a transition from the first group, in which the main and central figure is Judah and his tribe, to the second, where the main significance belongs to the descendants of Joseph, and contains a prayer for mutual peace between the tribes of Judah and Joseph. Perhaps this appeal is simply a prayerful sigh of a dying patriarch. Gen.49:19. The bastard - the crowd will press him, but he will push them back on their heels. Art. 19, 20, and 21, containing the prophecies concerning Gad, Asher, and Naphtali, form the introduction to the prophecy concerning Joseph. Gad, the image of whose military position is associated here with the etymology of his name (different in comparison with Gen. 30:11), who lived in Gilead, was subjected to constant raids by Arab nomadic tribes (Judges 10:7–8; 1 Chron. 5:18–19, etc.), but their wild hordes always found a ready rebuff on his part, even if only in the form of guerrilla persecution (“on the heels”). Jephthah was a Gadite (Judges 11:1). Gen.49:20. For Asher, his bread is too fat, and he will deliver royal dishes. Asher is promised extreme soil fertility, an abundance of bread and spices, which will also be used for the royal table (cf. Deut. 33:24–25). Indeed, the territory of Asher between Carmel and Lebanon on the border with Phenicia was the most fertile area in Palestine, and its products were delivered to the court of the kings of Israel and Phoenicia. Gen.49:21. Naphtali is a tall terebinth, spreading beautiful branches. ******** A common reading of the Hebrew Masoretic text and translations is: “Naphtali is a slender doe; he speaks beautiful sayings" (Aquila: Ελαφος ἀπεσταλμένος ὁ διδους χαλλονήν), in which interpreters see an allusion to Barak from the tribe of Naphtali and the song of Deborah caused by his exploits ( Judges 4–5), in the further sense - at the beginning of the gospel preaching in the land of Naphtali (Isa. 9:1; Matt. 4:15) - Galilee, from where all the apostles came. According to the reading of the LXX (accepted in Slavic and Russian): στέλεχος ἀνειμένον, ἐπιδιδοὺς ἐν τῶ γενήματι κάλλος “grand terebinth, spreading beautiful branches”; the meaning is less clear, and (according to Blessed Theodoret “increase of offspring”) the comparison can then be considered as a transition to the blessing of Joseph. Gen.49:22–26. Joseph is a branch of a fruitful tree, a branch of a fruitful tree above the source; its branches extend over the wall; upset him, and the archers shot at him and fought against him, but his bow remained strong, and the muscles of his hands were strong, from the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. From there is the Shepherd and the stronghold of Israel, from God your father, who will help you, and from the Almighty, who will bless you with the blessings of heaven above, the blessings of the deep that lies below, the blessings of the breasts and the womb, the blessings of your father, which exceed the blessings of the ancient mountains and the pleasantness of the everlasting hills; let them be on the head of Joseph and on the crown of the chosen one among his brothers. If in the majestic blessing of Judah the deity spoke, an inspiration to Jacob, then now, in the blessing of Joseph’s favorite, who had already been blessed by him in the person of his sons, the affection of Jacob’s heart for Joseph is revealed. The especially elegant form in which this blessing is expressed, by which, however, Jacob does not elevate Joseph above Judah and does not give the former the high spiritual benefits promised to the latter, but mainly material benefits, is explained by the exceptional position of Joseph among the brothers, as their benefactor and prince (v. 26). Joseph here is: • a fruitful tree (Hebrew porat - an allusion to the name Ephraim: repetition - an indication of 2 tribes from Joseph), stretching its branches over the wall - over our own and strangers, Jews and Egyptians (v. 22), • in case of all disasters (personally experienced by Joseph and those coming to his tribes, especially Manasseh, from which, for example, Gideon was) an indestructible stronghold, strengthened by the same shepherd God who is with Jacob (Gen. 48:15); according to some, here is a prophecy about the Ephraimite Joshua; • the favorite of the father, who teaches him blessings: a) heavenly from above, i.e. dew and rain (cf. Gen. 27:28); b) blessings of the deep - the soil irrigated by waters; c) blessings of the breasts and wombs - abundance of milk and livestock (v. 25); • prince (nazir “crowned”) between brothers – personally and in posterity (giftary tribe of Ephraim, v. 26). Gen.49:27. Benjamin, the ravenous wolf, will eat the catch in the morning and divide the spoil in the evening. The tribe of Benjamin is predicted to be warlike and somewhat wild in character (proof is the famous case of the Levite in Gibeah, Judges 20:4–10). From him came Ehud (Judges 3:15), Saul, and later the Apostle Paul (Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5). Gen.49:28. These are all the twelve tribes of Israel; and this is what their father said to them; and blessed them, and gave them a blessing, each his own. It is deliberately noted that the promises also apply to posterity. Art. 29–30, which constitute a repetition (Gen. 47:29–31) of the testament to Joseph, report the last disposition of Jacob and his death. According to another reading: “Naphtali is a slender chamois; he speaks beautiful sayings.” You might be interested in: