Genesis 49:10 kjv
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Genesis 49:10 nkjv
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
Genesis 49:10 niv
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
Genesis 49:10 esv
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Genesis 49:10 nlt
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor.
Genesis 49 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 49:8-9 | "Judah, your brothers will praise you... You are a lion's cub..." | Establishes Judah's strength and leadership position among his brothers. |
| Num 24:17 | "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter out of Israel;" | Prophesies a future ruler/king, aligning with Gen 49:10's scepter from Jacob. |
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | "I will raise up your offspring after you... and I will establish his kingdom... Your house and your kingdom..." | The Davidic Covenant establishing an eternal dynasty through Judah's lineage. |
| Ps 2:6-9 | "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill... 'You are my son... Ask of me, and I will make the nations...'" | Describes the universal rule and inheritance of God's Anointed King. |
| Ps 72:11 | "All kings shall bow down to him, all nations shall serve him." | Echoes the "obedience of the peoples" to the coming ruler. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | "For to us a child is born... the government will be on his shoulders... of the increase of his government there will be no end." | Identifies the divine, eternal King, Messiah, bearing true authority. |
| Isa 11:1-10 | "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit... He will stand as a banner for the peoples..." | Points to the Messianic figure from David's line (Judah) and his universal draw. |
| Jer 23:5-6 | "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch..." | Reiterates the Messianic promise through David, Judah's descendant. |
| Ezek 21:26-27 | "Remove the turban, and take off the crown... Until he comes to whom it belongs—then I will give it to him." | Parallels the "until Shiloh comes" (he whose right it is) theme of authority. |
| Zec 9:9-10 | "Rejoice greatly... Your king is coming to you... his dominion will be from sea to sea..." | Prophesies the peaceful arrival and universal dominion of the Messiah-King. |
| Matt 2:2 | "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?" | The wise men recognizing the birth of the prophesied King, born in Bethlehem of Judah. |
| Matt 2:6 | "‘And you, O Bethlehem... from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’" | Quoting Mic 5:2, affirming the ruler's origin in Judah. |
| Luke 1:32-33 | "He will be great... the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever." | Gabriel's prophecy concerning Jesus, connecting Him to David's (Judah's) throne. |
| John 18:36-37 | "My kingdom is not of this world... You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born..." | Jesus' self-declaration as King, albeit with a kingdom not of this world. |
| Rom 15:12 | "The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles..." | Applies Isa 11:10 to Christ, highlighting His rule over all peoples. |
| Eph 1:20-22 | "[God] seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority..." | Christ's supreme authority and universal reign in fulfillment. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that... every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." | All beings acknowledging Jesus' ultimate Lordship and authority. |
| Heb 1:8 | "But of the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.'" | Directly links the divine Son (Christ) to the "scepter" of kingdom. |
| Rev 5:5 | "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered..." | Identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of Jacob's prophecy concerning Judah's Lion. |
| Rev 11:15 | "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." | The ultimate culmination of the "obedience of the peoples" and Christ's universal reign. |
| Rev 19:15 | "From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron." | Christ's righteous rule as King of kings, wielding authority like a scepter. |
Genesis 49 verses
Genesis 49 10 Meaning
Genesis 49:10 is a foundational prophecy spoken by Jacob over his son Judah, declaring the permanence of a scepter and lawgiver's staff within Judah's lineage until the coming of a significant figure called "Shiloh." This "Shiloh" is presented as the rightful possessor of universal authority, to whom the allegiance of all peoples will eventually be drawn. It foretells Judah's enduring tribal and royal preeminence as the ancestral line for the ultimate King, the Messiah.
Genesis 49 10 Context
This verse is part of Jacob's final prophetic blessings and pronouncements upon his twelve sons as he lies on his deathbed in Egypt. Each "blessing" or "pronouncement" reveals a facet of the future destiny of the tribal descendants, influenced by the character and past actions of the patriarch. Following strong rebukes for Reuben, Simeon, and Levi due to their transgressions, Jacob bestows a remarkable and extensive prophecy upon Judah, setting him apart. The historical context is foundational to Israel's identity and its future trajectory, leading ultimately to the establishment of the monarchy and the Messianic hope.
Genesis 49 10 Word analysis
- The scepter (Hebrew: shevet, שבט): This word primarily means a rod, staff, or club. In this context, it symbolizes tribal authority, rulership, and royal power. It can also refer to a tribe itself, implying the continuity of Judah as the ruling tribe.
- shall not depart (Hebrew: lo yasur, לא יסור): Implies permanence and continuity. The authority of Judah would not cease or turn aside from the tribe. It signifies an unbroken succession of leadership.
- from Judah (Hebrew: mi-Yehudah, מיהודה): Explicitly identifies the tribe through whom this lasting authority will be exercised. This lineage would become the royal line of Israel.
- nor the ruler's staff (Hebrew: u-mechoqeq, ומחקק): This term means a lawgiver, commander, or one who decrees. It reinforces the idea of governing authority, encompassing legislative, judicial, and executive power. The "staff" associated with it signifies the emblem of this rule.
- from between his feet (Hebrew: mibben raglav, מבין רגליו): This idiom likely suggests something intimately and continuously possessed or held in a person's immediate power and possession. It conveys enduring presence and succession, potentially indicating hereditary possession passed down from father to son.
- until (Hebrew: ad ki, עד כי): This marks a specific temporal limit or turning point. It implies that Judah’s independent political authority will eventually merge with or culminate in a greater figure's rule.
- Shiloh comes (Hebrew: yavo shiloh, יבא שילה): This is the most debated and significant phrase.
- Shiloh (שלֹה): While possibly referring to the city of Shiloh, the dominant interpretive tradition, both ancient Jewish (e.g., Targum Onkelos, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan) and Christian, understands "Shiloh" here as a personal name or a messianic title. Interpretations include:
- "He whose it is": This derives from a similar Hebrew root (sheloh) meaning "belonging to him" or "whose it is." This makes the phrase mean "until he comes whose right it is" or "to whom it belongs." This aligns with Ezekiel 21:27 and strongly points to the rightful heir to ultimate kingship, the Messiah.
- "Peace" or "Tranquility": Relating Shiloh to shalom (peace), suggesting the "man of peace" or "peace-bringer."
- "He who is sent": Linking it to the verb shalach (to send), suggesting a sent one, i.e., the Messiah.In context, it undeniably refers to a culminating figure, the ultimate kingly authority.
- Shiloh (שלֹה): While possibly referring to the city of Shiloh, the dominant interpretive tradition, both ancient Jewish (e.g., Targum Onkelos, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan) and Christian, understands "Shiloh" here as a personal name or a messianic title. Interpretations include:
- and to him shall be the obedience (Hebrew: viqqehat ammim, יקהת עמים): The term yiqqehat implies a gathering, assembling, or the bringing of people together in allegiance or submission. It indicates the profound and universal drawing of people to this coming figure.
- of the peoples (Hebrew: ammim, עמים): This explicitly signifies that the future king's authority and appeal will extend beyond Israel to include all nations and peoples, anticipating a universal dominion.
Genesis 49 10 Bonus section
The concept of a ruler or a 'scepter' coming out of Judah also connects with Balaam's prophecy in Numbers 24:17, which foretells a 'star' and 'scepter' rising out of Jacob/Israel, again pointing towards a significant kingly figure. Rabbinic tradition has often linked Genesis 49:10 to the Messiah, despite differing views on the nature of his arrival. Historically, Judah maintained a form of internal self-governance or influence within Israel for many centuries, particularly after the return from Babylonian exile, supporting the notion that the 'scepter' did not entirely depart before the time of Christ's first advent. For example, during the Second Temple period, the Sanhedrin (whose members included descendants of Judah) held significant religious and judicial authority.
Genesis 49 10 Commentary
Genesis 49:10 is a pivotal messianic prophecy, embedding within the patriarch Jacob's dying words the divine election of Judah as the enduring royal line from which the Messiah would emerge. The "scepter" and "ruler's staff" denote unbroken political and governmental authority vested in the tribe of Judah, confirmed later by God's choice of King David from this tribe (1 Sam 16). This prophecy guarantees that Judah would maintain a degree of preeminence and internal autonomy, preventing the total disappearance of their distinctive tribal authority, right up until the advent of "Shiloh."
"Shiloh" is a profoundly significant title, universally interpreted as pointing to the Messiah, the rightful heir to the everlasting throne. The phrasing "until Shiloh comes" or "until he comes to whom it belongs" indicates a transfer or ultimate convergence of authority to this figure, implying that Judah’s unique position serves as a holding pattern until the universal King arrives. The prophecy culminates in the declaration that "to him shall be the obedience of the peoples," emphasizing that Shiloh's reign will be comprehensive and universal, drawing the voluntary submission of all nations, not just Israel. This universal aspect highlights the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, whose kingdom knows no bounds. This verse beautifully bridges the promises to Abraham and Jacob with the Davidic covenant and ultimately, the reign of Christ, establishing Judah as the channel for God's redemptive plan through the Messiah.