“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:10)
Located about 20 miles north of Jerusalem, the town of Shiloh was the place where the tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant were kept in the early days of the judges. It became the center of Jewish worship in the pre-Jerusalem days (Josh 18:1; 1 Sam 1:3, 3:3, 4:11). In Genesis 49:10, the underlying Hebrew word translated here as “Shiloh” can be translated “one who goes in to whom it belongs” (see NIV, ESV, NET). As usual, due to linguistic technicalities, deriving exact translations word for word into English can be challenging. Other translations, NASB and NKJV, take the term as a name, not to be confused with the city of the same name, soon to be discovered and occupied in the Promised Land.
In our passage today, the verse is found in the patriarch Jacob’s blessing on his children, who were to become the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. In particular, Judah was promised that one of his descendants would become king over all the tribes, the Jewish people, the nation that would one day be called Israel. This “Shiloh” (or “the one who comes”) will “[tie] his foal to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes” (Gen 49:11). At the same time, this coming One whom, with the NASB and NKJV, we may call Shiloh, would be a man of peace and man of war. The imagery is effusive. One cannot miss the echo years later in Zechariah’s prophecy of the Messiah: “
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zec 9:9)
The Messiah will also come as a warrior:
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Gen 49:10)
So, whether Shiloh is a name or not, there is One coming, promised from the time of the Patriarchs, who will bring peace and victory. That One will prove to be King Jesus, to whom all will someday bow (Matt 21:2, Phil 2:9-11).
Lord, my life is rooted in the belief that You are coming back for Your own.
This was a really wonderful mini lesson and I appreciate the additional verses for reference. He is coming soon….