Genesis 49:24

Summary

Genesis 49:24 describes a bow remaining steady and arms staying agile through the empowerment of "the Mighty One of Jacob," concluding with a reference to "the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel." The verse uses paired verbal clauses to describe physical stability and strength, followed by two divine epithets in construct chains.

Key words

• Teshev ("it remained", H3427) — qal narrative verb; the subject (bow) "sat" or "stayed put," conveying firmness rather than motion.
• 'eitan ("permanence", H0386) — adjective functioning adverbially with the preposition be ("in"), describing the manner of the bow's staying — "in steadiness."
• yaphozzu ("they were agile", H6339) — qal narrative verb, plural, describing the arms' continued flexibility or strength.
• 'avir ("mighty one of", H0046) — construct adjective linking to Ya'aqov ("Jacob", H3290), forming the epithet "Mighty One of Jacob."
• ro'eh ("shepherd", H7462B) — qal participle, "the one shepherding," in construct-like apposition with 'even ("stone of", H0068G) before Yisra'el ("Israel", H3478).

What the text says

The Hebrew sentence is built from two narrative-vav clauses describing physical steadiness: the bow (qashto, "his bow", H7198 with suffix -o) "remained" (Teshev) "in permanence" (be'eitan), and "the arms of his hands" (zero'ei yadav, a double construct chain: "arms of" + "hands of" + "his") "were agile" (yaphozzu). Both actions are attributed to an external source introduced by the preposition mi ("from"): "from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob" (mi-yedei 'avir Ya'aqov).

The final clause shifts syntax: mi-sham ("from there") introduces a nominal clause with the participle ro'eh ("shepherd," functioning as a substantive, "the one who shepherds") standing in apposition to 'even Yisra'el ("stone of Israel"), a construct phrase. The grammar does not specify who or what is being called "shepherd" and "stone" beyond linking them to the preceding "Mighty One of Jacob" via the adverb "from there," leaving the referential chain implicit in Hebrew syntax alone.

Differences between versions

The LXX renders Teshev be'eitan ("it remained in permanence") as synetribē meta kratous ("it was broken/shattered with strength"), a reversal of the Hebrew sense of steadiness into destruction. The LXX also renders the singular qashto ("his bow") as plural ta toxa auton ("their bows"). Where the Hebrew yaphozzu ("they were agile") describes continued strength, the LXX has exelythē ("were loosened/relaxed"), describing weakening rather than agility. The Vulgate's sedit in forti ("it sat in strength") stays closer to the Hebrew verb Teshev, though its dissoluta sunt vincula ("the bonds were dissolved") diverges similarly toward loosening. For the final phrase, the LXX omits the terms corresponding to ro'eh ("shepherd") and 'even ("stone") as separate images, instead reading ho katischysas Israel ("the one who prevailed over Israel"), followed by para theou tou patros sou ("from God your father") — wording not present in the Hebrew construct chain 'even Yisra'el ("stone of Israel").