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“Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon.
Genesis 49:13 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.
  • BSB Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon.
  • NKJV “Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon.
  • NASB ¶“Zebulun will reside at the seashore; And he shall be a harbor for ships, And his flank shall be toward Sidon.
  • NLT “Zebulun will settle by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships; his borders will extend to Sidon.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Zebulun will settle by the sea and become a haven for ships, reaching toward Sidon.

Overview

Jacob foretells Zebulun's seafaring, trade-oriented location and prosperity near the coast. The prophecy reflects God's sovereign apportioning of the tribal territories within Canaan. Each son's distinct portion shows the careful providence by which God orders the lives and places of His people.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 3

  • Deut 33:18–19About Zebulun he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out; and Issachar, in your tents.
  • Josh 19:10–16The third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families. The border of their inheritance was to Sarid.
  • Gen 30:20Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons.” She named him Zebulun.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Genesis videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Genesis 49:13YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on GenesisMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.

How Genesis 49:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.