Genesis 49:8 kjv
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
Genesis 49:8 nkjv
"Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you.
Genesis 49:8 niv
"Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you.
Genesis 49:8 esv
"Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you.
Genesis 49:8 nlt
"Judah, your brothers will praise you.
You will grasp your enemies by the neck.
All your relatives will bow before you.
Genesis 49 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 29:35 | And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now I will praise the Lord." Therefore she called his name Judah. | Leah praises God; name origin for "Judah." |
| Gen 37:7-8 | For behold, we were binding sheaves... your sheaves stood about and made homage... brothers hated him more... | Joseph's brothers bowing (similar motif of homage). |
| Gen 49:10 | The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet... till Shiloh comes... | Immediate context; Judah's royal destiny. |
| Num 2:3 | On the east side, toward the sunrise, shall be the standard of the camp of Judah... | Judah's leading position in the wilderness camp. |
| Num 10:14 | The standard of the camp of the children of Judah set out first according to their divisions... | Judah's leadership in Israel's marches. |
| Jdg 1:2 | The LORD said, "Judah shall go up; behold, I have delivered the land into his hand." | Judah as the first tribe to lead in conquest. |
| Jdg 20:18 | And the children of Israel arose and went up to Bethel to inquire of God. They said, "Which of us shall go up first to battle against the children of Benjamin?" The LORD said, "Judah first!" | Judah's recurring role as initial military leader. |
| 1 Sam 16:1 | ...I have provided Myself a king among his sons. | God chooses David from Judah's tribe. |
| 2 Sam 5:2 | Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in... you shall shepherd My people Israel... | David chosen by God as shepherd and king over Israel. |
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | I will raise up your offspring after you... and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name... I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. | Davidic covenant; enduring Judahite monarchy. |
| Ps 78:67-68 | Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah... | Divine choice of Judah over northern tribes. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | "I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant: 'Your seed I will establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations.'" | Eternal nature of the Davidic line (from Judah). |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For unto us a Child is born... The Government will be upon His shoulder... Of the increase of His government... upon the throne of David... | Prophecy of the Messiah, inheriting David's throne. |
| Zech 9:9-10 | Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!... Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation... He shall speak peace to the nations... His dominion shall be 'from sea to sea...' | Prophecy of the king from Zion (Judah), worldwide rule. |
| Matt 1:2 | ...Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar... | Jesus' lineage traced through Judah. |
| Lk 3:33 | ...the son of Judah, the son of Jacob... | Jesus' genealogy affirming Judah's line. |
| Heb 7:14 | For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah... | Affirmation of Jesus' Judahite tribal identity. |
| Rev 5:5 | But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed..." | Jesus identified as the conquering 'Lion of Judah'. |
| Rev 11:15 | ...The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever! | Christ's ultimate victory and reign. |
| Rev 19:15 | Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations... He Himself will rule them... and He Himself treads the winepress... | Christ's victory over His enemies. |
| Eph 1:22 | And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church... | Christ's universal dominion. |
| Php 2:9-11 | Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord... | Ultimate universal homage to Christ. |
Genesis 49 verses
Genesis 49 8 Meaning
Genesis 49:8 is a prophetic blessing given by Jacob to his son Judah, declaring his future preeminence among his brothers. It foretells Judah's role as the praised leader, victorious over his enemies, and receiving homage from his siblings, laying the foundation for his tribe's future dominance and the royal Davidic line. This verse encapsulates themes of praise, power, and political/spiritual supremacy within the emerging Israelite nation.
Genesis 49 8 Context
Genesis chapter 49 records Jacob's final words, a prophetic poem spoken to each of his twelve sons before his death. These pronouncements are not merely blessings but often insightful prophecies detailing the future characteristics and destinies of their respective tribes within Israel. Judah's blessing immediately follows the significant curses pronounced upon Reuben, Simeon, and Levi due to their grave transgressions. Reuben lost his birthright due to defiling his father's bed (Gen 35:22), and Simeon and Levi were cursed for their violent massacre in Shechem (Gen 34). In light of their disqualification, Jacob effectively transfers the birthright (authority, leadership) to Judah, the fourth son, who is deemed worthy, despite his own past failings (e.g., Judah and Tamar). This prophecy establishes Judah's ascendancy and foreshadows the prominence of his tribe, especially in leadership roles and later through the Davidic monarchy, from which the Messiah would descend.
Genesis 49 8 Word analysis
- Judah (יהודה - Yehudah): The name itself means "praise" or "he shall be praised." Jacob's initial declaration to Judah directly links to the etymology of his name, confirming his destiny to be exalted. This etymological play highlights a divinely ordained destiny, where his very identity is intertwined with future acclamation.
- You are he whom your brothers shall praise (יודוך אחיך - Yoduka achikha): This phrase signifies that Judah will be the recipient of acclamation and honor from his own kin. This is not self-praise but recognition from others, solidifying his role as a respected leader. It signifies tribal acknowledgment of his future authority and prominence. This contrasts with Joseph's dreams where his brothers would bow to him, suggesting Judah's ascendancy would be willingly accepted by them.
- Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies (ידך בעורף אויביך - Yadekha b'oreph oyveikha): This is an idiom for decisive victory and total subjugation. Placing one's foot or hand on the neck of a defeated foe was a common ancient Near Eastern symbolic act signifying complete conquest and submission (cf. Josh 10:24). This indicates Judah's prowess in battle and his divinely ordained role in overcoming the adversaries of Israel.
- Your father's children shall bow down before you (ישתחוו לך בני אביך - Yishtachavu lekha bene avikha): This describes an act of prostration or homage, a clear sign of deference, respect, and submission. "Father's children" explicitly refers to his brothers and their descendants, i.e., the other tribes of Israel. This prophesies not just familial respect but a political and spiritual recognition of Judah's superior standing, establishing his tribe as the reigning power over the other tribes. This fulfillment is evident during the Davidic monarchy where Judah was the leading tribe.
Genesis 49 8 Bonus section
The strong imagery of dominion and leadership in Genesis 49:8 prepares the reader for the following verse, 49:9, where Judah is metaphorically depicted as a "lion's cub" and a "lioness." The lion, a symbol of royalty, strength, and victory, becomes Judah's emblem and a key descriptor for the future kings emerging from his lineage, particularly David, and supremely, the Messiah Himself, who is later revealed as the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev 5:5). This continuity between the praise, victory, and submission in verse 8 and the regal, conquering lion in verse 9 underscores Judah's ultimate destiny as the royal line from which the eternal King and Savior of the world would arise. The prophecy effectively shifts the covenantal line of promise from a firstborn (Reuben) or vengeful sons (Simeon and Levi) to a son chosen by divine will for a glorious and lasting dominion.
Genesis 49 8 Commentary
Genesis 49:8 powerfully inaugurates Judah's pivotal role in redemptive history, pivoting from the previous disinheritances of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. The verse transitions Judah from simply being Leah's fourth son to becoming the anointed leader. The promise that his "brothers shall praise" him anticipates a leadership that is acknowledged and revered within the Israelite commonwealth. The vivid imagery of his "hand on the neck of your enemies" speaks of martial strength and conquest, directly foretelling Judah's role in the territorial victories and securing of the land. Most profoundly, the declaration that his "father's children shall bow down before you" signifies an inherent, familial, and tribal preeminence that culminates in the Davidic monarchy, where Judah indeed held sway over all Israel. This blessing, therefore, lays the theological groundwork for the selection of Judah as the royal tribe and the lineage through which the Messiah, the ultimate praise-worthy and victorious King, would come.