a. The coming king. Since the older three brothers have been eliminated for preeminence, that blessing falls upon Judah. The status of firstborn was conferred upon Joseph’s family as we read in 1 Chronicles 5, but the blessing of preeminence in the family fell to Judah. Even though he was not chosen to be the firstborn he would be the strongest. Psalm 78, mentions this, “He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but he chose the tribe of Judah.” In verse 70 it says that he chose David his servant to shepherd Jacob his people. This Psalm connects the words of Jacob to king David which God will later connect back to Jacob’s words that the scepter would never depart from David and to the one that would always sit on the throne b. Obedience of the nations. Judah is pictured as a conquering warrior whose hand is on the neck of his enemies and whose brothers bow in praise. Judah is like a lion cub who has laid down to sleep after eating its prey. Who is willing to wake this lion? Well, this warrior, this lion, is also a conquering king who receives tribute and will always hold rule. Notice that he not only rules his brothers but he shall have the obedience of the peoples or nations. Psalm 2:8, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession.” Daniel 7:13-14 “and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” In Revelation 5 we read, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered… for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” c. Power and prosperity. Verses 11-12 uses images the invoke the sense of great power and prosperity. The vines are so plentiful and strong that you could tie a donkey to them. The image of washing garments in wine and the blood grapes should be a familiar image to us because both Isaiah in chapter 63 and John in Revelation 19 pick up and use this same imagery about the winepress of the wrath of God and his complete ability to destroy the wicked. Again the imagery of eyes that are dark and teeth that are white speak of power and of prosperity.