Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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for in their anger they slew a man,
and in their self-will they digged down a wall.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce;
and their wrath, for it was cruel: I
will divide them in Jacob,
and scatter them in Israel.
8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise:
thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Glorious things are here said of Judah. The mention of the crimes of the three elder of his sons had not so put the dying patriarch out of humour but that he had a blessing ready for Judah, to whom blessings belonged. Judah's name signifies praise, in allusion to which he says, Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise, Ge 49:8. God was praised for him (Ge 29:35), praised by him, and praised in him; and therefore his brethren shall praise him.
Note, Those that are to God for a praise shall be the praise of their brethren. It is prophesied that, the tribe of Judah should be victorious and successful in war: Thy hand shall be in the neck of thy enemies. This was fulfilled in David, Ps 18:40.
It should be superior to the rest of the tribes; not only in itself more numerous and illustrious, but having a dominion over them: Thy father's children shall bow down before thee. Judah was the lawgiver, Ps 60:7. That tribe led the van through the wilderness, and in the conquest of Canaan, Jdg 1:2 The prerogatives of the birthright which Reuben had forfeited, the excellency of dignity and power, were thus conferred upon Judah.
Observe, "Thy brethren shall bow down before thee, and yet shall praise thee, reckoning themselves happy in having so wise and bold a commander."
Note, Honour and power are then a blessing to those that have them when they are not grudged and envied, but praised and applauded, and cheerfully submitted to.