Genesis 49:27 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

Navigator

Genesis 49:27

Comments

The last to be born was Benjamin. ‘Benjamin shall ravin [be ravenous] as a wolf.’ This is a commendation actually. Benjamin had better be careful that he doesn't develop the bad traits of the wolf, but in these words, it is probably all good. He is a hunter. He shall be hungry for accomplishment, hungry to succeed. ‘In the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night shall divide the spoil’, which is a poetic way of saying that he will be successful all day, and there will never be a moment when he is not successful in hunting. By day and night he is hunting. By day getting, by night dreaming of it. ‘He shall divide the spoil.’ He won't keep it to himself; he will supply his family, his neighbours. So Benjamin will, in a way, be a type of the New Testament church in her great commission, in her evangelism. We need to be like that: constantly concerned about souls and about witness, and about outreach. The blessing of Benjamin is that in life, he is a go-getter, as it were, and keeps at it, so that he can provide, and God gives him success. He uses all the skill of a wolf and he accomplishes much.

Application

Let us beware that we don’t develop the cunning of the wolf. Some people must always be gaining. The devil is subtle: ‘I would have hard work getting them to love money, so I will get them to love something else instead.’ What am I in the church for? Just to find friends? Some are not interested in giving; for them it is all take and no give. Or for comforts? Some absorb vast amount of comfort, but never give any out in return. Some seek kindness; others seek praise and flattery. Why does he have friends? For what he gets from them?

Benjamin was one of the smallest tribes but wanted much for itself. Their territory was twenty-eight by twelve miles just above Judah. In Judges 19 they defended the most grotesque wickedness. The resulting reprisals on Benjamin by the other tribes almost annihilated one of the smallest of the tribes. The tribe of Benjamin could display greed, jealousy, egotistic and utterly disorderly behaviour. But it is also wonderful picture of grace. During, and after David, they provided captains, overseers of the nation from David on. All greed, impetuosity, and disorderliness can be removed by grace. In New Testament another son of Benjamin is converted by grace and made a chief servant – Saul of Tarsus.

Questions

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Genesis 49:27 Commentary and Bible Study