Year of the Bible: Part Two of Twelve Egzanp

Jacob Blesses His Sons.

We see God place enormous importance on the spoken word throughout the Bible, especially a blessing spoken aloud. In Jacob's day, it was common practice to pronounce a blessing on one's children. The Hebrew word used here is "Baruch" and describes the type of blessing Jacob pronounced over his sons. The meaning of this word is to kneel, bend freely, and extend an irrevocable gift.

The opposite of Baruch is 'Arar and means "to bind." In today's passage, Jacob spiritually "unties" his sons to release them into their destinies with God before he dies.

Like Abraham and Isaac before him, Jacob gives his sons land. In this way, Jacob was transferring the promise of a yet-to-be-inherited homeland to his sons and their children's children. Remember, Jacob and his family were currently in Egypt, no Canaan [the promised land], so this is why Jacob is reminding them that they are not yet home. Jacob blesses Judah and prophetically declares that rulership will come in his family line, pointing to the woman's seed mentioned earlier in Genesis.

Question: Do you ever stop to think about the creative power you possess in your words? Does what you say bless or curse others? Do your words encourage or tear down your friends, family, and neighbors?

Prayer Focus: We all struggle to control our words. Invite the Holy Spirit to help you see opportunities to bless others with what you say when you naturally want to "curse" them with negativity. If reading with others today, read the final scripture in today's reading as a prayer over those you're with. If reading alone, ask God to show you who you can bless by sending the scripture as a "blessing" over their life.

Go Deeper: Judah was the third-born son in Jacob's family. Typically, first-born sons were the most favored, and the younger ones often appeared to be overlooked. Interestingly, God chose someone other than who the "world" would naturally choose in many instances. Jacob was younger than his brother, David was the youngest in his family, and Judah was the third in line. Keep in mind God does not look at the exterior like we do; He looks at the heart.