God’s Word Translation
Genesis 49:9
9Judah, you are a lion cub. You have come back from the kill, my son. He lies down and rests like a lion. He is like a lioness. Who dares to disturb him?
Genesis 49:9 in other versions
- King James Version (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?
- New International Version (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?
- English Standard Version (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?
- New King James Version (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?
Context of Genesis 49:9
7May their anger be cursed because it’s so fierce. May their fury be cursed because it’s so cruel. I will divide them among ⌞the sons of⌟ Jacob and scatter them among ⌞the tribes of⌟ Israel. 8“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. Judah, you are a lion cub. You have come back from the kill, my son. He lies down and rests like a lion. He is like a lioness. Who dares to disturb him? 10A scepter will never depart from Judah nor a ruler’s staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes and the people obey him. 11He will tie his donkey to a grapevine, his colt to the best vine. He will wash his clothes in wine, his garments in the blood of grapes.
Read all of Genesis 49Genesis 49:9 word by word
גּ֤וּר אַרְיֵה֙ יְהוּדָ֔ה מִטֶּ֖רֶף בְּנִ֣י עָלִ֑יתָ כָּרַ֨ע רָבַ֧ץ כְּאַרְיֵ֛ה וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֥י יְקִימֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- a lion’sאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
- whelpגּוּרgûr gûr · whelpH1482
- from the preyטֶ֫רֶףţereph · preyH2964
- my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- thou art gone upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- he stooped downכָּרַעkâra‛ · to bowH3766
- he couchedרָבַץrâbats · to stretchH7257
- and as an old lionלָבִיאlâbîy' lebîyâ' lebâ'îym lebâ'ôth · lionH3833
- who shall rouse him upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
Cross-references for Genesis 49:9
- Hosea 5:4“The wicked things that the people have done keep them from returning to their God. They have a spirit of prostitution, and they don’t know the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 15:24Then the end will come. Christ will hand over the kingdom to God the Father as he destroys every ruler, authority, and power.
- Revelation 5:5Then one of the leaders said to me, “Stop crying! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has won the victory. He can open the scroll and the seven seals on it.”
- Numbers 23:24Here is a nation that attacks like a lioness and is as ferocious as a lion. It doesn’t lie down until it eats its prey and drinks the blood of its victim.”
- Numbers 24:9His people lie down ⌞and⌟ rest like a lion. They are like a lioness. Who dares to disturb them? Those who bless you will be blessed! Those who curse you will be cursed!”
Commentaries on Genesis 49:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-33Verses 1-33 - Jacob Blesses His Sons 5. מכרה mekêrāh “weapon;” related: כיר kārar or כרה kārāh dig. “Device, design?” related: מכר mākar “sell,” in Arabic “take counsel. Habitation.” 10. מחקק mechoqēq “lawgiver, judge, dispenser of laws.” This word occurs in six other places - Numbers 21:18; Deuteronomy 33:21; Jud. Deuteronomy 5:14; Psalm 60:9; Psalm 108:9; Isaiah 33:22; in five of which it clearly denotes ruler, or judge. The meaning “sceptre” is…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-12Verses 8-12 Judah's name signifies praise. God was praised for him, chap. 29:35, praised by him, and praised in him; therefore his brethren shall praise him. Judah should be a strong and courageous tribe. Judah is compared, not to a lion raging and ranging, but to a lion enjoying the satisfaction of his power and success, without creating vexation to others; this is to be truly great. Judah should be the royal tribe, the tribe from which Messiah the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-12The blessing for Judah is the most notable. In this message, Jacob said that Judah would be strong like a lion and would defeat his enemies. His brothers would also honor and praise him (compare 29:35; see, for example, Ruth 4:11–12; 1 Samuel 18:6–7; Psalms 2, 45, 72; Isaiah 11:1–13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-331. Jacob called unto his sons--It is not to the sayings of the dying saint, so much as of the inspired prophet, that attention is called in this chapter. Under the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit he pronounced his prophetic benediction and described the condition of their respective descendants in the last days, or future times. Ge 49:3, 4. Reuben forfeited by his crime the rights and honors of primogeniture. His posterity never made any figure; no…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 49:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 49
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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