Genesis 49:15

 Genesis 49:15

And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

a. NLT: When he sees how good the countryside is and how pleasant the land, he will bend his shoulder to the load and submit himself to hard labor. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: And he saw a resting-place that it was good, And the land that it was pleasant; And he bowed his shoulder to bear, And became a servant under taskwork. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And he seeth rest that it is good, And the land that it is pleasant, And he inclineth his shoulder to bear, And is to tribute a servant. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: And he saw that rest was good and that the land was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear [his burdens] and became a servant to tribute [subjected to forced labor]. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: And having seen the resting place that it was good, and the land that it was fertile, he subjected his shoulder to labour, and became a husbandman.

f. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: He saw tranquility that it was good, and the land that it was pleasant, yet he bent his shoulder to bear and he became and independent laborer. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

1. “And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant…”

a. [And he] saw [Strong: 7200 ra'ah raw-aw' a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.]

b. that [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

c. rest [Strong: 4496 mnuwchah men-oo-khaw' or mnuchah {men-oo-khaw'}; feminine of 4495; repose or (adverbially) peacefully; figuratively, consolation (specifically, matrimony); hence (concretely) an abode:--comfortable, ease, quiet, rest(-ing place), still.]

d. [was] good [Strong: 2896 towb tobe from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)).]

e. and [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

f. [the] land [Strong: 776 'erets eh'-rets from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.]

g. that [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

h. [it was] pleasant [Strong: 5276 na`em naw-ame' a primitive root; to be agreeable (literally or figuratively):--pass in beauty, be delight, be pleasant, be sweet.]

2. and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

a. [and] bowed [Strong: 5186 natah naw-taw' a primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application (as follows):--+ afternoon, apply, bow (down, - ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away), wrest, cause to yield.]

b. [his] shoulder [Strong: 7926 shkem shek-em' from 7925; the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively, the spur of a hill:--back, X consent, portion, shoulder.]

c. [to] bear [Strong: 5445 cabal saw-bal' a primitive root; to carry (literally or figuratively), or (reflexively) be burdensome; specifically, to be gravid:--bear, be a burden, carry, strong to labour.]

d. [and] became [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

e. [a] servant [Strong: 5647 `abad aw-bad' a primitive root; to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.:--X be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, + husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper,]

f. [unto] tribute [Strong: 4522 mac mas or mic {mees}; from 4549; properly, a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labor:--discomfited, levy, task(-master), tribute(-tary).]

1). William Varner, Jacob’s Dozen: “Issachar is a strong ass crouching down between two burdens (Genesis 49:14). In 20th century terminology, to call someone a donkey would not be a compliment (unless he were a Democrat!). However, no criticism was implied in Jacob’s statement. Donkeys in ancient  Israel were most valuable animals of service. Since it was an age without trucks and trains, donkeys carried most of the cargo that was transported (Deuteronomy 5:14; 22:10; 2 Samuel 19:26). It should be noted that the donkey was later associated with the Messiah (Zechariah 9:9). An additional characteristic of Issachar is that he would be a “strong ass crouching down between two burdens…There is also a geographical characteristic of Issachar portrayed in this vivid word picture. An examination of the tribal allotment to Issachar given in Joshua 19:17-22 reveals that he was assigned the fertile eastern end of the Jezreel Valley. His boundary on the north was Mount tabor and on the south Mount Gilboa. Thus, these two mountains served as the large “burdens'' on the sides of Issachar.