There is no doubt that Old Testament kingship reaches its climax with the rise of the Davidic monarchy. What is also just as clear is that the promise of kingship did not begin with David. It goes back as far as Abraham. Recall that the Lord promised Abraham that “kings shall come from your line” (Gen. 17:6; cf. 35:11), a promise that was reiterated with Jacob, (Gen. 35:11). This kingship promise takes a prominent form in the final words of Jacob to his sons in Genesis 49, where he blesses dominion for Judah. The purpose of this essay is to elaborate on this blessing of Jacob and to show how it anticipated the rise of kingship for the people of God.
He begins in verse 8 where Judah is made the object of praise and endowed with worldwide dominion. Verse 9 continues this portrayal of Judah’s rule by vividly depicting him as a young, growing lion that has hunted down its prey, returned to its den with its kill, and resting in power where no one dares challenge him.
This leads to the intriguing images in verse 10. Jacob associates two symbols of kingship with Judah, a “scepter” (Num. 24:17; Isa. 11:4; Ps. 45:7; Zech. 10:11) and a “ruler’s staff” (Num. 21:18; Ps. 60:7). The phrase “from between his feet” is a euphemism for the male reproductive organ (Judg. 3:24; 1 Sam. 24:3; Isa 7:20) and thus represents Judah’s progeny. In other words, a Judean will always be a national commander of God’s people. This will remain true “until Shiloh comes” (v.10).
The figure of “Shiloh” has captured the interest of scholars throughout the ages, and various interpretations have been proposed. Some understand the “sh” as a relative pronoun and “loh” as “to him,” thus “until he comes to whom it [the scepter/ruler’s staff] belongs.” Others see the “sh” as the rare noun shay, meaning “tribute,” thus “until tribute comes to him [Judah].” Still a third option is to understand the reference to “Shiloh” as the personal name of an outstanding future son of Judah. Other interpretations have been offered, but these three represent the most popular options. Regardless of the view, these three share a common theme: one outstanding individual in the line of Judah will establish his dominion that will not be limited only to Israel, but rather “to him shall be the obedience of the peoples” (v.10b).
Although any of these messianic options are possible, I favor the view that sees “Shiloh” as a reference to a personal name. The root sh-l-h occurs frequently in the Old Testament, meaning “ease, quiet, peace.” Thus, “Shiloh” is a figure who is in essence a prince of peace (cf. Isa. 7:14). The image of the prosperity of the peaceful bliss that he brings continues in verses 11-12. The universal reign of Shiloh results in the prosperity of his kingdom, where vines are in such abundance that donkeys can be bound to them instead of hedges. Wine, the fruit of vines, no longer needs to be preserved for special occasions. In the kingdom of Shiloh, it is so plentiful that it can be used for everyday chores, such as the washing of clothes (v.11b). In fact, drinks of pleasure, like wine and milk, will be super-abundant for all to enjoy (v.12).
This picture of peace and prosperity, however, comes at a very high price—namely the sacrifice of Shiloh himself. There is allusion to such an act in the text. One is the imagery of the “blood of grapes” (v.11; cf. Isa. 61:2). Another is the “donkey” (Hebrew ‘ayir). The Akkadian cognate for “donkey,” which occurs in royal letters in the ancient world, often refers to a particular breed of donkey that was commonly used in the ratification of loyalty oaths (cf. Gen. 15). The use of this term in this context suggests that Shiloh will bring peace at his own expense. This “donkey” is alluded to in a similar passage in Zechariah 9:9, where the messianic king enters the city of Jerusalem riding upon this donkey. The significance of Zechariah 9:9 is without doubt since it is fulfilled in the entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem (Matt. 21:5). Thus, Christ enters into Jerusalem riding on a beast that represents his pending sacrifice.
Although Genesis 49:8-12 is the record of the final blessing of Jacob to his son Judah, its reception in the history of redemption saw this as a grand prophecy that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. It says that royal authority will be associated with Judah and his family. This will reach a climactic point where one of his sons will come to establish universal peace and prosperity. Although peace was established by Judean kings like David and Solomon, their reign could not establish it universally where “all the obedience of the peoples” (v.10) belonged to them, nor could they bring about a kingdom prosperity that provide eschatological abundance (vv.11-12). They were a picture of a greater son of Judah, the true Prince of Peace, who would bring the full blessing of His glorious kingdom. Jesus is that great Judean son, the messianic Shiloh whose death established “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1). He ascended to be with His Father but will return “with the armies of heaven” wearing a “robe dipped in blood” (Rev. 19:11-13) to defeat all those who dare to oppose Him. In our union with Christ, we are “fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17) and await His return when He will establish the true heavenly homeland and we will wear white robes washed “in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14).
Redeeming Chillingworth 