We are in chapter 49 of Genesis with our word for today. יוֹד֣וּ praise, confess, take confession, throw, cast, profess, give voice. It is used 110 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used the most in the sense to show gratitude or express appreciation. God is the one our word is applied to the most. 2 Samuel 22:50 For this I will אוֹדְךָ֥ praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. 1 Chronicles 16:8, 34-35 Oh הוֹד֤וּ give praise to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!... Oh הוֹד֤וּ give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may לְהֹדוֹת֙ give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. And if we remember back when talked about Leah naming her children she praises God and names her son with the same root word. Genesis 29:35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will אוֹדֶ֣ה praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name יְהוּדָ֑ה Judah.
This is exactly how our word is used today in our chapter. As we see Jacob continuing to address his family before he dies. Genesis 49:8-12 יְהוּדָ֗ה Judah, your brothers shall יוֹד֣וּךָ praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
Jacob had paraded the sins of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, but he said nothing about Judah’s suggestion that the brothers sell Joseph as a slave. Jacob realized now that what Judah did at least saved Joseph’s life and got him to Egypt, where God had a work for him to do. Jacob also said nothing about Judah’s sin with Tamar. Jacob’s estimation of Judah had gradually risen higher, especially since Judah had offered himself as a pledge for Benjamin, and surely Joseph had told Jacob about Judah’s compassionate plea on behalf of his youngest brother. When Jacob and the family moved to Egypt, it was Judah whom Jacob sent ahead to make things ready. Judah had made some mistakes, but he had also made some things right with his father and his family; and that was the difference between him and his three older brothers.
Since God appointed Judah to be the royal tribe, it was logical to associate the tribe with the lion, the king of the beasts. Jacob compared Judah to a lion’s cub, a lion, and a lioness. Who would dare rouse a lion when he’s resting after feeding on the kill, or a lioness while she’s guarding her cubs? The description in verses 11–12 certainly goes beyond Judah’s time and speaks of the blessings of the return of Christ. This is the language of hyperbole. It describes a land so wealthy and a people so prosperous that they can do these outrageous things and not have to worry about the consequences. When Christ returns people will enjoy health and beauty, because the devastating enemies of human life will have been removed. I’ll close with this amazing picture of everyone praising God. Psalm 67:1-5 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples יוֹד֖וּךָ praise you, O God; let all the peoples י֝וֹד֗וּךָ praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Let the peoples יוֹד֖וּךָ praise you, O God; let all the peoples י֝וֹד֗וּךָ praise you!
