Genesis 49:2 kjv

Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

Genesis 49:2 nkjv

"Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.

Genesis 49:2 niv

"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.

Genesis 49:2 esv

"Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.

Genesis 49:2 nlt

"Come and listen, you sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father.

Genesis 49 verses

Genesis 49 2 Meaning

Genesis 49:2 serves as a solemn command from Jacob to his twelve sons, urging them to gather collectively and give their undivided attention to his final prophetic words. These utterances concern their individual futures and the destinies of the tribes they will establish. The verse emphasizes the profound significance of this moment, as a father, now identified by his divine name "Israel," prepares to reveal God-given insights into the future of his descendants.

Genesis 49 2 Context

Genesis 49:2 is the immediate opening statement of Jacob's final and comprehensive pronouncements upon his twelve sons. Preceding this, Genesis 48 details Jacob's blessing of Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, adopting them as his own, ensuring they would each become a tribe of Israel, alongside his other ten sons. Chapter 49, therefore, is Jacob's ultimate act as patriarch, a farewell address delivered before his death.

Historically, this event reflects the practices of ancient Near Eastern patriarchal societies where the dying patriarch would convey his last will, assign inheritance, and pronounce blessings or curses that were believed to profoundly affect the future destiny of his descendants. Spiritually, it's a pivotal moment when Jacob, operating under divine inspiration as "Israel," imparts prophetic insights into the future character, geographical settlement, and spiritual standing of the nascent tribes that would form the nation of Israel. It sets the stage for the specific tribal prophecies to follow.

Genesis 49 2 Word analysis

• Assemble yourselves (קִבְצוּ - qib'tsu): A Qal Imperative Plural of the Hebrew verb קָבַץ (qabats), meaning "to gather," "to collect," or "to assemble."

  • Significance: This is not an informal request but a commanding instruction. It indicates a formal and solemn convocation is required. Jacob is calling his entire family, the patriarchs of the future nation, to a unified and serious gathering for a momentous purpose, highlighting the weight and urgency of the impending message.

• and hear (וְשִׁמְעוּ - u-shema'u): A Waw-conjunction + Imperative Plural of the Hebrew verb שָׁמַע (shama), meaning "to hear," "to listen," and often, implicitly, "to obey" or "to heed."

  • Significance: This imperative directly follows "assemble yourselves," reinforcing the necessity of undivided attention. The repetition of the concept of hearing ("hear...listen") within this verse stresses that the upcoming words are not mere familial pleasantries but vital, authoritative pronouncements requiring thoughtful consideration and adherence. In biblical usage, shama implies an active engagement—not just hearing sounds, but understanding and responding.

• you sons of Jacob; (בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב - b'ney Ya'aqov): Literally, "sons of Jacob."

  • Significance: This directly addresses all twelve of his biological children, who are the progenitors of the future twelve tribes of Israel. It emphasizes their common familial origin and their collective identity as his heirs. Even with their diverse personalities and future destinies, they are first and foremost "sons of Jacob," united by blood and a shared heritage.

• Listen to Israel (שְׁמָעוּ אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל - sham'u el Yisrael): Again, the Imperative Plural of שָׁמַע (shama), followed by "to Israel."

  • Significance: The deliberate shift from "Jacob" to "Israel" is highly significant. "Israel" is the name God gave to Jacob after his wrestling match at Peniel (Gen 32:28; 35:10), symbolizing his struggle with God and his new identity as one who prevails with God. When Jacob refers to himself as "Israel," it elevates his pronouncements beyond mere paternal counsel to a divinely inspired oracle. It underscores that these are God's words spoken through His chosen servant, carrying prophetic authority for the nation.

• your father. (אֲבִיכֶם - avikhem): Literally, "your father" (masculine plural suffix).

  • Significance: This final phrase reinforces the patriarchal authority and familial bond. It contextualizes the divine pronouncement within a deeply personal, relational framework. The combination of "Israel" (divine authority) and "your father" (familial love and natural authority) ensures the gravity and legitimacy of his final testament. The words come from one who loves them, yet also from one through whom God is speaking.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Assemble yourselves and hear": This opening imperative forms a unified command for active, present engagement. It’s a formal summons, demanding physical presence and mental attention before a significant event. This dual command sets a tone of solemnity and importance for the entire chapter.
  • "you sons of Jacob; Listen to Israel your father": This phrase establishes the specific audience and the authoritative speaker. The transition from "sons of Jacob" to listening to "Israel your father" encapsulates the duality of the patriarch's role: he is both their biological father (Jacob) and the spiritual leader entrusted with divine revelation (Israel). This construction highlights that the pronouncements are deeply personal yet simultaneously carry immense covenantal weight.

Genesis 49 2 Bonus section

• This opening verse mirrors prophetic and covenantal formulas found elsewhere in the Old Testament, where God or His representative issues a solemn summons to "hear" His word (e.g., Deut 6:4; Isa 1:10).
• The contrast between "Jacob" and "Israel" is a recurring theological motif in the Book of Genesis, emphasizing the tension and transformation from an individual human struggling (Jacob) to the father of a chosen people with a divine calling (Israel).
• The collective summons implies a unity of the tribes, even though the prophecies to follow will delineate stark differences and even condemnations among them. This initial call reminds them of their fundamental shared identity and destiny as one people.
• The content that follows this command includes not only blessings but also some severe judgments and future outlines, making the imperative to "hear" crucial for understanding both their immediate tribal characteristics and their long-term roles in salvation history.

Genesis 49 2 Commentary

Genesis 49:2 functions as the indispensable overture to one of the most significant patriarchal prophecies in the Bible. By commanding his sons to "assemble yourselves and hear," Jacob initiates a formal, ceremonial act of conveying a critical final testament. The immediate repetition of the call to "hear" emphasizes the imperative nature and profound importance of his forthcoming words. The powerful shift in his self-reference from "Jacob" to "Israel" signifies more than a change in name; it denotes a transition from merely their aging father to the divinely transformed patriarch through whom God's voice will speak concerning the destiny of the twelve tribes. His authority here is not merely familial but is imbued with a spiritual weight derived from his new identity and his covenant relationship with the Almighty. This verse, therefore, sets a solemn tone, demanding not just passive listening but an attentive, receptive spirit, recognizing that the very foundation and future course of the nation of Israel are about to be laid out through the divinely inspired words of their dying father.