Commentary to Genesis 49.
KLI YAKAR. Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz (1550 - 1619) a Rabbi and Torah Commentator, served as the Rabbi of Prague from 1604-1619.
The explanations below are free-flowing paraphrases of what we understood to be intended. It is not a word-for-word translation.
On the other hand we have not really added anything. Our understanding in this case may more or less be relied upon.
Source:
Kli Yakar (in Hebrew) on Genesis 49:
https://www.sefaria.org.il/Kli_Yakar_on_Genesis.49.22.1?lang=he&with=all&lang2=he
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Jacob
Genesis (NASB) 49:
49 Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, 'Assemble yourselves, so that I may tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.
2 Gather together and listen, sons of Jacob;
Yes, listen to Israel your father.
Jacob spoke in the name of both Jacob (the present time of his speaking) and of Israel (the future).
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Reuben
Genesis (NASB) 49:
3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,
My might and the beginning of my strength,
Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 Uncontrollable as water, you shall not have preeminence,
Because you went up to your father's bed;
Then you defiled it, he went up to my couch.
Reuben the Firstborn had his Firstborn Right given to the sons of Joseph.
Reuben was an heroic warrior imparting strength and power to the people.
To achieve his victories Reuben will require overwhelming numbers and great martial qualities.
This will be given unto him but not to a sufficient degree to acquire pre-eminence over his brothers.
The blessing of peace will be given to him and an equal standing with his brothers but not more than that.
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Simeon and Levi
Genesis (NASB) 49:
5 Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Their swords are implements of violence.
6 May my soul not enter into their council;
May my glory not be united with their assembly;
For in their anger they killed men,
And in their self-will they lamed [e]oxen.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel.
I will scatter them in Jacob,
And disperse them among Israel.
Simeon and Levi are brothers, Tools of violence are natural to them. They will not need to arouse themselves to achieve victory. It will come naturally.
By scattering them through the other Tribes their natural zealotry may have a good effect and bring a blessing to all of Israel and them within it.
Their natural violent proclivities bring both praise and denigration.
Like Judah, Simeon will also be teachers and writers, Levi will be priests and receive donations and offerings.
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Judah
Genesis (NASB) 49:
8 As for you, Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
Your father's sons shall bow down to you.
9 Judah is a lion's cub;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He crouches, he lies down as a lion,
And as a lion, who [h]dares to stir him up?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes,
And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
11 He ties his foal to the vine,
And his donkey's colt to the choice vine;
He washes his garments in wine,
And his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are dull from wine,
And his teeth white from milk.
The other Tribes will acquiesce to the Rulership of Judah.
cf.
2-Samuel 5:
1 Then all the Tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, 'Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and in. And the LORD said to you, 'You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a leader over Israel.''
Dan will judge his people like one of the tribes of Israel, like the special Tribe of Israel i.e. Judah. Dan will also be a judge of Israel, and impartial.
Dan was compared both to young lion and to a snake. Dan is like a judge and has to fight against both external and internal enemies, fore and aft.
Three received their blessing according to their Name: Judah, Dan, and Gad.
Judah , Your brothers will acknowledge you [Yaduca].
Dan, Dan will judge [YaDiN] his people.
Gad, Gad - a company grouped together [gadud yaGudunu].
All three were compared to a lion.
All three fought the Wars of the LORD.
All three have the means of their victories hinted at in their names:
Yehudah - acknowledged by all - instilling awe and trepidation in others.
Dan - Vengeance, judgment, and punishment (Din).
Gad - cleaving with a weapon.
Judah has the quality of separating himself and not participating in bad companies.
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Zebulon -
Genesis (NASB) 49:
Zebulun will reside at the seashore;
And he shall be a harbor for ships,
And his flank shall be toward Sidon.
Zebulon is a merchant who trades and supports Issachar who learns Torah. Zebulon needs to lay his money out in order to make more of it.
Issachar stays at home and everything comes in to him.
Zebulon is dependent on his ships. associated with Tsidon.
The thoughts of Zebulon are spread over many matters, he is less focused than Issachar is.
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Issachar -
Genesis (NASB) 49:
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 carry burdens,
And became a slave at forced labor.
Enclosed by borders, delves in Torah.
Pays ransom to be released from accepted civic duties.
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Dan -
[see also Judah, above]
Genesis (NASB) 49:
16 Dan shall judge his people,
As one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
A horned viper in the path,
That bites the horse's heels,
So that its rider falls backward.
18 For Your salvation I wait, LORD.
Dan will judge his people and remove the doers of wicked from Israel.
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Gad-
Genesis (NASB) 49:
As for Gad, a band of raiders shall attack him,
But he will attack at their heels.
Many different groups will attack him in war and he will defeat them all. he will pursue his enemies and cut them down.
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Asher -
Genesis (NASB) 49:
20 As for Asher, his [food shall be rich,
And he will yield royal delicacies.
Asher has fat bread for his meal. Asher would supply olive oil to the temple and the temple would give bounty to all the world.
Does not eat along, likes company. Helps boys and girls.
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Naphtali
Genesis (NASB) 49:
Naphtali is a doe let loose;
He utters beautiful words.
Naphtali a doe set loose - Naphtali - Nofet Li - dripping honey i.e. good news. Good quick ripening fruits in his territory.
Gives -" imri shefer"i.e. words of Beneficence - "shefer" indicates something new, improvement. The English word "super" comes from the same root.
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Joseph-
Genesis (NASB) 49:
22 Joseph is a fruitful branch,
A fruitful branch by a spring;
Its branches hang over a wall.
23 The archers provoked him,
And shot at him and were hostile toward him;
24 But his bow remained firm,
And [v]his arms were agile,
From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25 From the God of your father who helps you,
And by the Almighty who blesses you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father
Have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors
Up to the furthest boundary of the everlasting hills;
May they be on the head of Joseph,
And on the top of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.
A Fruitful son is Joseph.. fruitful and Multiplying. Yosepf means addition, God will increase you a thousand fold.
Above the eye, despite his beauty and success the evil eye will have no influence over him.
increases and multiplies like a fish.
An attempt will be made to destroy him with a missile. He will destroy they who do so. [Future or Past?]
He who shepherds (involves himself with) immoral women will waste his wealth (Proverbs 29:3].
Joseph refused the advances of the wife of Potiphar, therefore he became enormously wealthy.
he received the Blessing of "the Mighty One of Jacob. From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel," (Genesis 49:24).
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Benjamin -
Genesis (NASB) 49:
27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the morning he devours the prey,
And in the evening he divides the spoils.
Benjamin will receive an eternal reward, in the End Times just as in the Early Days (when Ehud the Judge and then Saul reigned?]
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Genesis (NASB) 49:
28 All these are the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them [aa]when he blessed them. He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him.