The Meaning of Genesis 49:9 Explained

Genesis 49:9

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?

YLT: A lion's whelp is Judah, For prey, my son, thou hast gone up; He hath bent, he hath crouched as a lion, And as a lioness; who causeth him to arise?

Darby: Judah is a young lion; From the prey, my son, thou art gone up. He stoopeth, he layeth himself down as a lion, And as a lioness: who will rouse him up?

ASV: 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 a lioness; who shall rouse him up?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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? 

What does Genesis 49:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 49:1-13 - Jacob Foretells The Future Of His Sons
Once more Joseph visited his father's dying-bed. This was the third time and the last. He stood as one of twelve strong bearded men, gathered around the aged form, whose face was shadowed by death, but aglow with the light of prophecy. How intense their silent awe as they heard their names called one by one, by the old man's trembling voice, speaking with difficulty! The character of each was delineated with unerring insight: the outstanding incidents of their past history enumerated and their future forecasted. The scene was an anticipation of the final judgment, where men shall hear their lives reviewed and the sentence passed. Shiloh means Peace-Giver. What a fragrant name for our Lord! What wonder that He shall gather the nations to His cross and throne! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 49

1  Jacob calls his sons to bless them
3  Their blessing in particular
29  He charges them about his burial
33  He dies

What do the individual words in Genesis 49:9 mean?

Whelp of a lion Judah [is] 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
גּ֤וּר אַרְיֵה֙ יְהוּדָ֔ה מִטֶּ֖רֶף בְּנִ֣י עָלִ֑יתָ כָּרַ֨ע רָבַ֧ץ כְּאַרְיֵ֛ה וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֥י ؟ יְקִימֶֽנּוּ

גּ֤וּר  Whelp 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גּוּר  
Sense: cub, whelp, young.
אַרְיֵה֙  of  a  lion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲרִי 
Sense: lion.
יְהוּדָ֔ה  Judah  [is] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
מִטֶּ֖רֶף  from  the  prey 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טֶרֶף  
Sense: prey, food, leaf.
בְּנִ֣י  my  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עָלִ֑יתָ  you  have  gone  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
כָּרַ֨ע  He  bows  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַע  
Sense: to bend, kneel, bow, bow down, sink down to one’s knees, kneel down to rest (of animals), kneel in reverence.
רָבַ֧ץ  he  lies  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָבַץ  
Sense: to stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out.
כְּאַרְיֵ֛ה  as  a  lion 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲרִי 
Sense: lion.
וּכְלָבִ֖יא  and  as  a  lion 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶבֶא 
Sense: lion.
؟ יְקִימֶֽנּוּ  shall  rouse  him 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.