\\INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 49\\

This chapter contains a prophecy of future things, relating to the
twelve sons of Jacob, and to the twelve tribes, as descending from
them, and which he delivered to his sons on his death bed, having
called them together for that purpose, \\#Ge 49:1,2\\, he begins with
Reuben his firstborn, whose incest he takes notice of, on which account
he should not excel, \\#Ge 49:3,4\\, next Simeon and Levi have a curse
denounced on them for their cruelty at Shechem, \\#Ge 49:5,6\\, but
Judah is praised, and good things prophesied of him; and particularly
that Shiloh, or the Messiah, should spring from him, the time of whose
coming is pointed at, \\#Ge 49:7-12\\, the predictions concerning
Zebulun, Issachar, and Dan, follow, at the close of which Jacob
expresses his longing expectation of God's salvation, \\#Ge 49:13-18\\
and after foretelling what should befall Gad, Asher, and Naphtali,
\\#Ge 49:19-21\\, a large account is given of Joseph, his troubles, his
trials, and his blessings, \\#Ge 49:22-26\\, and Benjamin the youngest
son is taken notice of last of all, all the tribes being blessed in
their order according to the nature of their blessing, \\#Ge 49:27,28\\,
and the chapter is closed with a charge of Jacob's to his sons to bury
him in Canaan, which having delivered, he died, \\#Ge 49:29-33\\.