Genesis 49:18 kjv

I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

Genesis 49:18 nkjv

I have waited for your salvation, O LORD!

Genesis 49:18 niv

"I look for your deliverance, LORD.

Genesis 49:18 esv

I wait for your salvation, O LORD.

Genesis 49:18 nlt

I trust in you for salvation, O LORD!

Genesis 49 verses

Genesis 49 18 Meaning

Jacob, nearing the end of his life and in the midst of delivering prophetic blessings and pronouncements upon his sons, utters a personal prayer, expressing deep trust and patient expectation for God's divine deliverance and ultimate rescue. This profound statement of faith is not merely a wish but a resolute declaration of hope in the covenant Lord (YHWH) for salvation, encompassing comprehensive well-being and rescue for himself and for the destiny of his descendants.

Genesis 49 18 Context

Genesis chapter 49 records the solemn final words and prophetic blessings spoken by Jacob to each of his twelve sons, immediately prior to his death. These pronouncements often highlight specific character traits of the sons and reveal insights into the future destiny and nature of the tribes that would descend from them. Verse 18 is a unique, spontaneous interjection within this long discourse. It appears directly after Jacob's somewhat ominous and perplexing prophecy concerning Dan (Gen 49:16-17), where Dan is likened to a serpent or viper that unexpectedly strikes, causing a rider to fall backward. Jacob's sudden cry for salvation ("I wait for Your salvation, O LORD") in this specific place underscores his deep awareness of life's unpredictable dangers, the future perils his descendants might face, and the spiritual battles that lay ahead. It transforms the mere foresight of future events into an expression of profound trust in God's ultimate deliverance and sovereignty over all circumstances, providing a powerful spiritual anchor in a passage filled with varied and often challenging prophecies.

Genesis 49 18 Word analysis

• Word-by-word:

  • I wait / I have waited (קִוִּיתִי - qiwwîṯî): This is from the Hebrew root קָוָה (qawah), which signifies a strong, eager, patient, and persistent expectation. It implies not a passive waiting, but an active leaning into God, with a hopeful anticipation and firm reliance. The verb form (perfect tense, first common singular) suggests a settled and enduring state of waiting, reflecting a lifelong habit of trusting God. It often carries the sense of gathering oneself or stretching forward toward an anticipated outcome. This verb is frequently used in Psalms and prophetic books (e.g., Psa 25:5; Isa 40:31) to describe confident trust in God's timing and power to act.
  • for Your salvation (לִישׁוּעָתְךָ - Lišūʻātəḵā):
    • Li- (לְ - preposition): "For" or "to." This preposition indicates the direct object and purpose of Jacob's waiting, pointing distinctly towards God's action.
    • Yəšūʿāh (יְשׁוּעָה): "Salvation," "deliverance," "help," "rescue," "victory," or "welfare." This noun comes from the root יָשַׁע (yasha', "to save" or "to deliver"). It denotes a comprehensive rescue, encompassing not only physical preservation from danger but also spiritual liberation from distress, and ultimate eschatological redemption. This is the same root from which the names Joshua and Yeshua (Jesus) are derived, highlighting its profound significance regarding divine deliverance.
    • -təḵā (suffix): "Your." This possessive suffix firmly attributes the source, nature, and efficacy of this salvation solely to YHWH. It is a divine, personal, and absolute salvation that belongs to God.
  • O LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH, Yahweh): This is the tetragrammaton, the sacred, ineffable personal covenant name of God, frequently rendered "LORD" in English translations. It denotes God's self-existence, eternal nature, and, critically, His unchanging faithfulness to His covenant promises. Addressing God by this personal name indicates an intimate, trusting relationship and Jacob's confident belief in God's active presence and power to fulfill His redemptive purposes. It stands in contrast to the transient and limited powers of humans or pagan deities.

• Words-group by words-group:

  • "I wait for Your salvation": This entire phrase encapsulates an profound act of faith and dependence. Jacob is declaring his ultimate hope not in his sons' abilities, nor in the strength of their future tribes, but exclusively in the sovereign power of God to provide comprehensive rescue. It signifies a perspective that transcends immediate difficulties, looking to God as the sole provider of true deliverance from all perils—whether physical or spiritual, present or future. It underscores a fundamental tenet of biblical faith: the futility of human effort apart from divine aid.
  • "Your salvation, O LORD": This second part elevates the statement to a direct, worshipful appeal. The specific attribution of "salvation" to "Your" (God's) reinforces divine agency. The immediate address to "O LORD" (YHWH) brings the full weight of God's covenant relationship and His unchanging, faithful character into the plea. It affirms that this salvation is entirely divine in origin and guaranteed by God's very being and promises, distinguishing it from any earthly help. This declaration amidst tribal prophecies imbues the entire passage with a deep theological meaning, rooting all future hopes in the omnipotence and unwavering love of the Creator God.

Genesis 49 18 Bonus section

Scholarly consensus points to this verse being a personal cry from Jacob, reflecting his faith in God. Many commentators understand it as an exhausted yet faithful sigh or prayer after the burden of prophecy, especially following Dan's foretelling, which speaks of treachery and the fall of the rider. This specific positioning might suggest Jacob's weariness concerning the future troubles of Israel, compelling him to voice his hope directly to the Lord for spiritual and physical deliverance. It can also be seen as an anchor in the prophetic storm, guiding the reader's attention from earthly tribal destinies back to the heavenly source of ultimate redemption. Some interpret it as an eschatological yearning, with Jacob looking beyond the immediate tribal realities to the ultimate "salvation" that would come through the Messiah (the 'Shiloh' of Judah's prophecy in Gen 49:10). This verse functions as a chiastic pivot point, echoing the intention of Gen 49:1 where Jacob desires to tell his sons what will happen in the "latter days," bringing the prophetic session to a profound theological conclusion rooted in God's intervention and complete redemption for His people.

Genesis 49 18 Commentary

Genesis 49:18 is a unique and potent interjection within Jacob's detailed prophecies, serving as a spiritual climax to his deathbed pronouncements. Its abruptness and placement directly after the difficult and cryptic words concerning Dan underscore Jacob's comprehensive vision of both the future challenges facing his descendants and his absolute, unwavering reliance on God for their ultimate deliverance. It is not a lament of despair but a declaration of resolute faith, demonstrating that despite the diverse destinies and potential hardships prophesied for his sons, Jacob's ultimate hope rests entirely and patiently in God's saving power. This short prayer transforms the entire prophetic utterance, elevating it from mere human predictions to a divinely anchored discourse, confirming that the future of Israel, and indeed all true salvation, depends solely on the faithful character of YHWH. It encourages believers across all ages to place their unwavering trust in God, knowing that true deliverance comes only from Him, regardless of life's immediate circumstances or impending trials.