1.Genesis 47:27, in Hebrew says “Israel dwelt (yoshev) in Egypt.” Then the next verse, which is the beginning of this Torah portion, says, “Jacob lived (chai) in the land of Egypt. Is there a difference in these two phrases and if so what can we learn from this difference?
Maybe Jacob/Israel physically lived in Egypt but spiritually he was a resident of Canaan, the land of his fathers. Jacob’s spirit still lived in Israel. Egypt is a symbol of the material world we all live in here in this world. Our challenge is to not let it become our home spiritually.
Israel lost this battle between spirit and flesh to some extent in that they chose to stay in Egypt. Remember the famine had been going on for 2 years when Jacob arrived. It was over in another five years. So the last 12 years Jacob stayed was not because he had to but because he chose to. Our fight is to never lose sight of what is real. This world and all it offers is temporary. Jacob knew this and at the end he asked Joseph to promise not to bury him in Egypt but to take him home to Israel. Hebrews 11:9-10 offers us insight into why he did this.
“9 By faith he made his home in the promised landlike a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the citywith foundations,whose architect and builder is G-d. “
We as G-d’s children must never lose sight of where our home really is. It is to be doing the will of the Father, not to become wrapped up in the temporary. Faith is what moves us from morning to night each day. Egypt is not our home.
2a.In Genesis 49:2 Jacob says, “Gather yourselves together, and hear, you sons of Jacob; and listen to Israel your father.” Why do you think he changed names in this sentence from Jacob to Israel?
G-d changed Jacob’s name to Israel. When G-d changes a name in scripture, it signifies a profound identity shift, new purpose, and a new destiny, marking a person for a special role, a fresh start, or a deeper relationship with Him, transforming them from their old limitations into a greater calling, like Jacob becoming Israel or Simon becoming Peter. It’s a divine declaration of a new character, a new chapter, or a new spiritual status, often reflecting a promise or a future work.
So the name Israel represented the spiritual side of who the man was – the role G-d had for him in his life. The Hebrew meaning of the name Jacob is supplanter or striving with G-d.
2b.I would like you to look at the words Jacob spoke to Judah when he blessed him. He says in Genesis 49:8, “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise…” As we have studied recently we know the word in Hebrew for praise (yada) can have more than one meaning. It can mean praise or confess. Since Jacob is telling them of the days to come what could this passage be referring to?
First in Genesis 49:1 Jacob gathers them around him and tells them what will befall them in the “days to come.” In Hebrew this would be more accurate to say, “last days” or until the Messianic age. So in Genesis 49:8-11 we read of his words over Judah. Think, as you read these verses how they might tie into Messiah.
When Jacob said to Judah, “your brothers shall praise you” it could also read, “your brothers shall confess you.” In the Messiah this phrase will ultimately be fulfilled. Philippians 2:11 says every tongue will confess that Yeshua the Messiah is L-rd. So only then do these words of Jacob find their final fulfillment.