Sermon Tone Analysis

“Zebulun will dwell at the seashore;

And he shall be a haven for ships,

And his flank shall be toward Sidon.

14“Issachar is a strong donkey,

Lying down between the sheepfolds.

15“When he saw that a resting place was good

And that the land was pleasant,

He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens,

And became a slave at forced labor.

16“Dan shall judge his people,

As one of the tribes of Israel.

17“Dan shall be a serpent in the way,

A horned snake in the path,

That bites the horse’s heels,

So that his rider falls backward.

18“For Your salvation I wait, O LORD.

19“As for Gad, raiders shall raid him,

But he will raid at their heels.

20“As for Asher, his food shall be rich,

And he will yield royal dainties.

21“Naphtali is a doe let loose,

He gives beautiful words.

Summary:

Jacob’s prophecy concerning six of his sons.

(vv.

13-21)

He begins with Zebulun.

(v.

13)

Zebulun will dwell at the seashore;

And he shall be a haven for ships

This was fulfilled when, two or three hundred years after, the land of Canaan was divided by lot, and the border of Zebulun went up towards the sea, Jos.

19:11.

Had they chosen their lot themselves, or Joshua appointed it, we might have supposed it done with design to make Jacob’s words good; but, being done by lot, it appears that it was divinely disposed, and Jacob divinely inspired.

Next, Jacob described what will become of Issachar.

(vv.

14,15)

Issachar is a strong donkey

Issachar is a strong donkey,

Lying down between the sheepfolds

In this sense, Issachar would be “an industrious, robust, hardy, and stalwart tribe...” - MacArthur Study Bible

So too they would be...

fit for labour and inclined to labour, particularly the toil of husbandry, like the ass

He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens,

And became a slave at forced labor

When he saw that a resting place was good

Issachar would find pleasure and rest in its agricultural labors.

that is, it was to be active, patient, given to agricultural labors.

It was established in lower Galilee—a “good land,” settling down in the midst of the Canaanites, where, for the sake of quiet, they “bowed their shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.”

So much so that Issachar “bowed his shoulder...” to them.

Essentially submitting to the labor.

And became a slave at forced labor

He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens

Next, Jacob described what would become of Dan.

(vv.

16-18)

Dan shall judge his people

“Dan, whose name meant ‘Judge,’ fathered an aggressive tribe that would also judge in the nation...” - MacArthur Study Bible

Dan would indeed play a role in the book of judges.

Consider…

Samson, who was of that tribe, and judged Israel, that is, delivered them out of the hands of the Philistines

To Samson, who was of that tribe, and judged Israel, that is, delivered them out of the hands of the Philistines

Although the tribe of Dan would participate in judging, they would not be marked by covenant faithfulness; “Dan was to provide justice, but the tribe chose treachery, like a snake by the roadside.”

- The Bible Knowledge Commentary

Dan shall be a serpent in the way

That bites the horse’s heels

This is not good imagery.

This seems to carry a very negative connotation and indeed, Dan would be a stumbling block for the nation (cf.

).

“In the time of the Judges the first major practice of idolatry appeared in the tribe of Dan ().” - The Bible Knowledge Commentary

“Dan would later abandon its land allotment () and migrate to the extreme north of Israel ().” - MacArthur Study Bible

For Your salvation I wait, O LORD

For Your salvation I wait, O LORD

For Your salvation I wait, O LORD

“Jacob’s closing cry expressed hope for Dan in the day when salvation would indeed come to Israel.

Dan, however, is omitted in the list of the tribes in .”

- MacArthur Study Bible

Next, Jacob described what would become of Gad.

(v.

19)

As for Gad, raiders shall raid him,

But he will raid at their heels

This tribe should be often attacked and wasted by hostile powers on their borders (Jdg 10:8; Je 49:1).

“Border raids were often experienced by the tribes settled east of the Jordan River (e.g., ,).” - The Bible Knowledge Commentary

“Border raids were often experienced by the tribes settled east of the Jordan River (e.g., ,).” - The Bible Knowledge Commentary

“Settling in Transjordan exposed Gad’s people to invasions, making them valiant fighters worthy of victory and commendation (cf.

; ).” - MacArthur Study Bible

Concerning Gad, v. 19.

He alludes to his name, which signifies a troop, foresees the character of that tribe, that it should be a warlike tribe, and so we find (1 Chr.

12:8); the Gadites were men of war fit for the battle.

He foresees that the situation of that tribe on the other side Jordan would expose it to the incursions of its neighbours, the Moabites and Ammonites

He foresees that the situation of that tribe on the other side Jordan would expose it to the incursions of its neighbours

Thus, Jacob foretells that Gad will face future conflict but that they will counter will success in battle.

Next, Jacob described what would become of Asher.

(v.

20)

As for Asher, his food shall be rich,

And he will yield royal dainties

“Asher would be fertile and productive, providing rich food.

That tribe settled along the rich northern coast of Canaan.” - The Bible Knowledge Commentary

“Asher benefited much from occupying the agriculturally rich coastal region N of Carmel, and provided gourmet delights for the palace.

Cf. .”

- MacArthur Study Bible

Concerning Asher (v.

20), that it should be a very rich tribe, replenished not only with bread for necessity, but with fatness, with dainties, royal dainties (for the king himself is served of the field, Eccl.

5:9)

ASHER—“Blessed.”

Its allotment was the seacoast between Tyre and Carmel, a district fertile in the production of the finest corn and oil in all Palestine.

Thus, Asher would have an abundance of agricultural success and would yield royal delicacies.