Deep Dive

Genesis 49:15

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He saw that his resting place was good and that his land was pleasant, so he bent his shoulder to the burden and submitted to labor as a servant.

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Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 15

This chapter is a prophecy; the likest to it we have yet met with was that of Noah, Gen 9:25, etc. 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 utterance, who chose this time, that divine strength might be perfected in his weakness. The twelve sons of Jacob were, in their day, men of renown, but the twelve tribes of Israel, which descended and were denominated from them, were much more renowned; we find their names upon the gates of the New Jerusalem, Rev 21:12. In the prospect of this their dying father says something remarkable of each son, or of the tribe that bore his name. Here is, I. The preface (Gen 49:1, Gen 49:2). II. Th prediction concerning each tribe (v. 3-28). III. The charge repeated concerning his burial (Gen 49:29-32). IV. His death (Gen 49:33).

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 15

רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… מְנוּחָה (mᵉnûwchâh, H4496) — repose or (adverbially) peacefully; figuratively, consolation (specifically, matrimony);… טוֹב (ṭôwb, H2896) — good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) נָעֵם (nâʻêm, H5276) — to be agreeable (literally or figuratively) נָטָה (nâṭâh, H5186) — to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used… שְׁכֶם (shᵉkem, H7926) — the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively, the spur of ahill סָבַל (çâbal, H5445) — to carry (literally or figuratively), or (reflexively) be burdensome; specifically, to be… עָבַד (ʻâbad, H5647) — to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc. מַס (maç, H4522) — properly, a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labor

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Cross-references

Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.

Psalms 81:6rank 2

“I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket.

Ezekiel 29:18rank 2

“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder made raw. But he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the labor they expended on it.

Matthew 23:4rank 2

They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Judges 3:11rank 2

So the land had rest for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.

Joshua 14:15rank 2

(Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba, after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim.) Then the land had rest from war.

II Samuel 7:1rank 2

After the king had settled into his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him,

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