Genesis 49:10 and the Messiah

By: Menachem

In this article we are going to discuss Genesis 49:10 and what it really talks about. First I want to post the Hebrew text with translation along with the Aramaic Targums Onkelos and Yonatan/Yerushalami and for the sake of comparison I will post the KJV version of this verse. This will give us some insight on the view of this particular verse and how it was interpreted originally. I will also give Rashi’s comments on this matter.

Genesis 49:10 (KJV):
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Genesis 49:10(Hebrew):
לֹא-יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו עַד כִּי-יָבֹא שִׁילֹה וְלוֹ יִקְּהַת עַמִּים:

Translation (Hebrew):
The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a scholar from their midst until he arrives at Shiloh and to him will be the obedience of the peoples.

Genesis 49:10(Onkelos):
לָא יְעִידֵי עָבֵיד שׁוּלטָן מִדְבֵית יְהוּדָה וְסָפְרָא מִבְנֵי בְנוֹהִי עַד עָלְמָא עַד דְיֵיתֵי מְשִׁיחָא דְדִילֵיה הִיא מַלכוּתָא וְלֵיה יִשׁתַמעוּן עַמְמַיָא׃

Translation (Onkelos):
The right to exercise Dominion shall not pass from the house of Judah and the scribe from his descendants for ever and ever, until the messiah arrives to whom the kingdom belongs and to whom the obedience of peoples is due.

Genesis 49:10(Yonatan/Yerushalami)
לא פסקין מלכין ושליטין מדבית יהודה וספרין מאלפי אורייתא מזרעיה עד זמן די ייתי מלכא משיחא זעיר בנוי ובדיליה יתימסון עממייא:

Translation (Yonatan/Yerushalami):
[The line of] kings shall not cease, nor will rulers, from the house of Judah, nor sages teaching the Torah from his descendants, until the time that the king messiah comes from his children; and on his behalf the people will come together.

The word וּמְחֹקֵק is rendered quite often as “Staff” in many Jewish translations. This is quite annoying and we are going to give a better rendering of “Scholar” along with support from other sources listed above. The Aramaic Targums are very crucial to understanding the proper interpretation of this particular verse and to lend credibility to the translation of וּמְחֹקֵק as “Scholar” and not “Staff.” The Targums lend this credibility due to their own rendering of this in a similar fashion as either “scribe” or “sages” using the words סָפְרָא and ספרין respectively (English word order). The KJV even recognizes that this word is not “staff” but renders it as “Lawgiver” in accordance with the view of “Scholar/Scribe/Sages.”


Rashi’s comments on Genesis 49:10:
Rashi does a similar thing yet he explains it even further in his comments on certain words. For the sake of accuracy I will give Rashi’s comments in the Hebrew script and a translation of such.

Rashi:
עַד כִּי יָבא שִילׂה:
מלך המשיח שהמלוכה שלו. וכן תרגמו אונקלוס. ומדרש אגדה שילו שי לו שנאמר (תהלים עו) יובילו שי למורא:

Translation of Rashi:
until he arrives at Shiloh: the King Messiah, to whom the kingdom belongs (שֶׁלוֹ). And Yes! Onkelos [renders this also]. According to the Midrash Aggadah, “Shiloh (שילה)” [is a combination of] שַׁי לוֹ, a gift to him, as it is said: “They will bring a gift to him who is to be feared” (Ps. 76:12).

Ramban:
עד כי יבא שילה ולו יקהת כל העמים: לעשות בכולם כרצונו, וזהו המשיח, כי השבט ירמוז לדוד שהוא המלך הראשון אשר לו שבט מלכות ושילה הוא בנו אשר לו יקהת העמים.

Translation of Ramban:
Until he comes to Shiloh and to him will be the obedience of peoples: When he will be able to do as he pleases with all of the nations. This is referring to the Messiah. The Scepter [here] refers to David for he was the first king who had the royal scepter. “Shiloh” refers to his son to whom there will be obedience from the nations.


I think these are sufficient for the sake of this article. According to Rashi’s and Ramaban’s rationale they considered this to be a reference to the King Messiah as they largely agree with Onkelos’ interpretive rendering of this verse.