Genesis 49:27

"Benjamin - a world, which tears in pieces; in the morning he devours prey, and in the evening he divides spoil." Morning and evening together suggest the idea of incessant and victorious capture of booty (Del.). The warlike character which the patriarch here attributes to Benjamin, was manifested by that tribe, not only in the war which he waged with all the tribes on account of their wickedness in Gibeah (Judg 20), but on other occasions also (Jdg 5:14), in its distinguished archers and slingers (Jdg 20:16; Ch1 8:40, Ch1 8:12; Ch2 14:8; Ch2 17:17), and also in the fact that the judge Ehud (Jdg 3:15.), and Saul, with his heroic son Jonathan, sprang from this tribe (Sa1 11:1-15 and 13; Sa2 1:19.).

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).

49:27 The oracle about Benjamin describes a violent tribe (see Judg 20; 1 Sam 9:1-2; 19:10; 22:17).