Deep Dive

Genesis 49:9

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Judah is a young lion— my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him?

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Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 9

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. 9

יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… אֲרִי (ʼărîy, H738) — a lion גּוּר (gûwr, H1482) — a cub (as still abiding in the lair), especially of the lion טֶרֶף (ṭereph, H2964) — something torn, i.e. a fragment, e.g. a fresh leaf, prey, food בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… עָלָה (ʻâlâh, H5927) — to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of… כָּרַע (kâraʻ, H3766) — to bend the knee; by implication, to sink, to prostrate רָבַץ (râbats, H7257) — to crouch (on all four legs folded, like a recumbent animal); be implication, to recline,… לָבִיא (lâbîyʼ, H3833) — to roar; a lion (properly, a lioness as the fiercer (although not a roarer;)) קוּם (qûwm, H6965) — to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

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Cross-references

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

Numbers 24:9rank 12

He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”

Numbers 23:24rank 9

Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”

Revelation of John 5:5rank 9

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Micah 5:8rank 5

Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them.

Hosea 5:14rank 4

For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them.

Ezekiel 19:5rank 2

When she saw that she had waited in vain, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.

I Corinthians 15:24rank 1

Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.

Hosea 5:4rank 1

Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God, for a spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.

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