Jacob has called for one last meeting with his sons. But this is no ordinary meeting. Jacob has blessed Pharaoh, Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh. It is now time to bless the rest of his sons. The twelve brothers could hardly fail to understand the significance of what they were about to witness.
The theme throughout the chapter is the spirit of prophecy. Jacob is looking beyond the 400 years of sojourn in Egypt to the return to the promised land and beyond, even to the coming of the Messiah.
He begins with some impressive phrases about Reuben. But these descriptions are reversed in the next verse. Instead of strength he is unstable and will not excel. Why? Because he committed incest with Jacob's surrogate wife, Bilhah—a crime not of passion but cold revenge and rebellion. Jacob's prophecy is fulfilled in Old Testament history, notably with Reuben failing to answer Deborah's call to arms in Judges 5.
Next, Jacob sets his sights on Simeon and Levi, cursing them for slaughtering the Shechemites, and because they had profaned the Old Testament sacrament of circumcision. They had tricked their enemies into being circumcised to allow Shechem to marry their sister. Here is proof of their fierce anger: attacking men who cannot defend themselves. Jacob declares Simeon and Levi will be "scattered." Again, Old Testament history bears up Jacob's prophecy.
Although Levi is scattered throughout the land of Israel (with just 48 cities to call their own) God also blesses them in his mercy: the Levites are called to serve as priests, judges, and teachers.
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Kurt Snow serves as a ruling elder at Covenant Reformed Church of Sacramento (RCUS). He served as a member of the Board of Governors of City Seminary of Sacramento from 2000 to 2020.
