Genesis 49:9 kjv

Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

Genesis 49:9 nkjv

Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?

Genesis 49:9 niv

You are a lion's cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness?who dares to rouse him?

Genesis 49:9 esv

Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?

Genesis 49:9 nlt

Judah, my son, is a young lion
that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down;
like a lioness ? who dares to rouse him?

Genesis 49 verses

Genesis 49 9 Meaning

Genesis 49:9 prophesies the character and future prominence of the tribe of Judah. It likens Judah to a mighty lion, signifying immense strength, ferocity in victory, and supreme, unchallenged authority once established in power. The imagery indicates that Judah will conquer its adversaries and then rest securely in its dominion, becoming a force that no one dares to disturb.

Genesis 49 9 Context

Genesis chapter 49 contains Jacob’s final prophetic blessings and pronouncements upon his twelve sons just before his death. These blessings are not merely wishes but divinely inspired insights into the future character and destiny of each son’s tribe within the nation of Israel. For Judah, in particular, Jacob's words convey a unique prominence. The surrounding verses in Gen 49 highlight Judah's future dominance over his brothers (v.8) and, most significantly, the promise of a perpetual royal lineage descending from him, culminating in a supreme ruler (v.10). Historically, this prophecy sets the stage for the rise of the Davidic monarchy and ultimately points to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who hails from the tribe of Judah. The cultural context views the lion as the epitome of power, sovereignty, and unconquerable might in the ancient Near East.

Genesis 49 9 Word analysis

• Judah (יְהוּדָה - Yehudah): Meaning "praise" or "praised." This name takes on deeper significance as the tribe will become the object of praise through its royal line and ultimately the Messiah.
• lion's whelp (גּוּר אַרְיֵה - gur aryeh): "Gur" refers to a young lion, a cub, implying Judah's early development into strength. The term signifies burgeoning power, potential, and vigor. It suggests Judah's strength will grow from a strong foundation.
• from the prey (מִטֶּרֶף - mittərəph): "Teref" means torn flesh, carrion, or prey. This refers to the outcome of Judah’s hunt or conquest.
• my son (בְּנִי - benî): A tender term, highlighting the personal nature of Jacob's blessing.
• you have gone up (עָלִיתָ - ʿālîtā): Literally "you have ascended." This signifies Judah's rise in triumph and withdrawal from the conflict or the pursuit of prey. It implies a state of being victorious and having satisfied its need for battle or provision.
• He stooped down (כָּרַע - kāraʿ): To bend or crouch down. It describes a posture of rest after exerting power, or preparing to spring, yet here implying secure repose.
• he crouched (רָבַץ - rāvatz): To lie down, rest, recline. This denotes a deep, secure resting state, a powerful lion at peace in its territory, having secured its dominance. It implies strength in repose, a dangerous beast undisturbed.
• as a lion (כְּלָבִיא - kə̄lāvîʾ): "Lavi" refers to a mature, full-grown, formidable lion. This reinforces the image of Judah's mature and fully realized strength and majesty.
• and as a lioness (וּכְלָבִיא - ūḵəlāvîʾ): "Lᵉvî'āh" is a lioness, often associated with ferocity, protectiveness, and a potent ability to defend its young and territory. This adds depth to the imagery of power and sovereignty.
• who dares rouse him? (מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ - mî yəqîmennū): A rhetorical question implying no one. "Yeqimennu" means to raise up, awaken, or disturb. This asserts Judah's unchallengeable supremacy and security in its reign, warning off any challengers. It speaks of a power so absolute that it rests confidently, knowing it cannot be threatened.

Words-group analysis:

• "Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up": This paints a picture of Judah's development. It starts as a "whelp," a promising young one, but swiftly transitions to having secured its "prey"—victory and plunder—and "gone up" to a place of rest and elevated status, a triumphant hunter now settled. This also implies a past of fierce activity followed by secure rest.
• "He stooped down, he crouched as a lion and as a lioness": These verbs emphasize the powerful, deliberate nature of Judah's repose. The comparison to both a mature "lion" and "lioness" doubles the image of strength, majesty, and fierce protectiveness, indicating both formidable strength in defense and dominant power in command.
• "who dares rouse him?": This rhetorical question proclaims Judah's unquestionable supremacy. It's a statement of invulnerability and settled dominion. It forecasts a period of sustained, unchallenged rule.

Genesis 49 9 Bonus section

The motif of the lion, especially its protective and powerful characteristics, makes it a fitting symbol for the tribe from which kingship would emerge. In ancient Near Eastern art and literature, lions often represented deities or powerful rulers, suggesting an innate royalty and dominion bestowed upon Judah. The repeated emphasis on resting after battle or the hunt implies not weariness, but assured victory and secure establishment of power, making Judah's "rest" a form of ongoing authority rather than an cessation of influence. This resting lion poses a quiet but potent threat to anyone foolish enough to disturb it. This dual image of ferocity in action ("from the prey...gone up") and supreme power in repose ("who dares rouse him?") underscores the enduring nature of Judah's promised strength.

Genesis 49 9 Commentary

Genesis 49:9 powerfully describes the tribal character and destiny of Judah through the metaphor of a lion. It depicts a progression: Judah, starting as a vigorous "lion's whelp," quickly demonstrates its prowess by securing its "prey," representing triumph over adversaries and obtaining abundant provision. After this successful engagement, Judah does not continue its hunt but ascends to a place of dignified repose, settling "as a lion and a lioness." This imagery underscores its majestic, sovereign authority and deep, secure rest. The ultimate pronouncement, "who dares rouse him?", declares Judah's unassailable position and enduring dominance, forecasting a powerful, unthreatened rule. This prophecy finds its initial fulfillment in the leadership of the tribe during the conquest of Canaan, culminating in the reign of King David, and ultimately in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who is uniquely identified as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah," whose Kingdom is eternal and whose authority is beyond challenge. This verse highlights the attributes of conquest, security, majesty, and absolute authority, which define both the earthly Davidic lineage and the heavenly reign of Christ.