Matthew Henry Commentary Genesis 49:8-12

"Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise: Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; Thy father`s sons shall bow down before thee. 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? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler`s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come: And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be. Binding his foal unto the vine, And his ass`s colt unto the choice vine; He hath washed his garments in wine, And his vesture in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, And his teeth white with milk." — Genesis 49:8-12 (ASV)

Judah's name signifies praise. God was praised for him (Genesis 29:35), praised by him, and praised in him; therefore his brothers will praise him. Judah would be a strong and courageous tribe. Judah is compared, not to a lion raging and roaming, but to a lion enjoying the satisfaction of his power and success, without creating trouble for others; this is true greatness.

Judah would be the royal tribe, the tribe from which Messiah the Prince would come. Shiloh, that promised Seed in whom the earth would be blessed, “that peaceable and prosperous One,” or “Saviour,” will come from Judah. Thus dying Jacob at a great distance saw Christ's day, and it was his comfort and support on his deathbed. Until Christ's coming, Judah possessed authority, but after his crucifixion this authority was diminished, and according to what Christ foretold, Jerusalem was destroyed, and all the poor, harassed remnant of Jews were thrown into confusion.

Much of what is said here concerning Judah, applies to our Lord Jesus. In him there is plenty of all that is nourishing and refreshing to the soul, and that maintains and cheers the divine life within it. He is the true Vine; wine is the appointed symbol of his blood, which is drink indeed, as shed for sinners and applied in faith; and all the blessings of his gospel are wine and milk, without money and without price (Isaiah 55:1), to which every thirsty soul is welcome.