Genesis 49:9

“A lion’s cub is Judah; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, he lies down like a lion, and like a lioness; who dares rouse him?”
Genesis 49:9 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

A lion’sאַרְיֵהcubגּוּרis Judah;יְהוּדָהfrom the prey,מִטֶּרֶףmy son,בְּנִיyou have gone up.עָלִיתָHe crouches,כָּרַעhe lies downרָבַץlike a lion,כְּאַרְיֵהand like a lioness;וּכְלָבִיאwhoמִיdares rouse him?יְקִימֶנּוּ

Allusion · Revelation 5:5

Go to Revelation 5:5

Both texts join “lion,” “Judah,” and the word for “tribe” (shevet, which in Genesis 49:10 is “scepter”).

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

אַרְיֵהaryeH738λέωνleōnG3023“lion”
שֵׁבֶטshevetH7626φυλῆςphylēsG5443“rod; tribe”
יְהוּדָהyehudaH3063ἸούδαIoudaG2455“Judah”

Genesis 49:9, word by word

A lion’sאַרְיֵהarye

lion

Lion.

Where else “arye” appears

cubגּוּרgur

lion cub

Lion's cub.

Where else “gur” appears

is Judahיְהוּדָהyehuda

Judah

Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah; also the tribe that came from him and its land, and later the southern kingdom; King David came from it. The name sounds like "give thanks". Borne also by other Israelites.

Where else “yehuda” appears

from the preyטֶּרֶףteref

prey

What the beast hunts and devours.

Where else “teref” appears

my sonבְּנִbeni

son

The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.

Where else “beni” appears

you have gone upעָלִיתָalita

go up

To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.

Where else “alita” appears

He crouchesכָּרַעkara

crouch

To bend the body or knees toward the ground, in prayer or before someone.

Where else “kara” appears

he lies downרָבַץravats

lie down, crouch

Lie down, crouch, like an animal at rest or lying in wait.

Where else “ravats” appears

and like a lionessלָבִיאlavi

lioness

Lioness (or full-grown lion).

Where else “lavi” appears

dares rouse himיְקִימֶyekime

establish

To put something up, or confirm a covenant.

Where else “yekime” appears

Translation note

From the tribe of Judah King David will come (1 Samuel 17:12). The New Testament calls Jesus “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5).

The context

8Judah, you your brothers will praise; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; the sons of your father will bow down to you.

9 · This verse (above)

10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him will be the obedience of the peoples.

Read all of Genesis 49

To study Genesis 49 in a group

1. What it says
What did Jacob say about Judah and Joseph in his blessings (vv. 8-12, 22-26)?
2. What it means
What does it show that Jacob gave each son a different blessing (v. 28)?
3. How I live it
How can you recognize what is distinct and unique in each person in your family?

How to use it