All these are the twelve tribes] That is, of these twelve sonnes of Jacob, descended and were denominated the twelve Tribes of Israel: they are usually numbred twelve, though there were thirteene, reckoning two Tribes for Joseph which came of him; so that though sometimes a Tribe be omitted (as Simeon in the benediction of Moses, Deut. 33. and Dan in the sealing of the tribes, Rev. 7. whereof see the reason Annot. on 5: 17. of this Chap.) yet the number of twelve continueth, for where others are omitted Levi is taken in; and the reason is, because they are reckoned according to their distinct portions in the Land of Canaan, which the Levites had not; See Annot. on Deut. 10. vers. 9. And for their order, sometimes they are brought in according to their birth, as Gen. 29. vers. 22, &c. & Chap. 30. from the sixth verse forward, without any respect to their mothers, whether wives, or hand-maids; sometimes they are mentioned according to the senioritie, or acceptation of their mothers; as first the sonnes of Leah, then the sonnes of Rachel, after them the sonnes of Bilhah Rachels hand-maid, and last of all the sonnes of Zilpah Leahs hand-maid; so are they ranked, Gen. 35. vers. 23, &c. Sometimes they are brought in according to the order of birth, partly of dignitie, so Judah is named first, Revelation 7:5. partly according to their lot in the Land of Canaan, and for that reason is Zebulun placed before Issachar, in this Chapter, though Issachar were the elder brother by the same father and mother, Gen. Chap. 30. 18. 20. Sometimes they are ranked so, as we cannot give a reason of their order, as in the benediction of Jacob here, and of Moses, Deut. 33. where they both spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost; but for the most part Reuben is named first, not alwaies, as not in Numbers 2:3. Revel. 7. Whence the Papists argument drawne for Peters great preeminence from a nominall precedence is convinced to be vaine; for Reuben did not excell, but lost the birth-right, for Judah had the preeminence of the Scepter, and the Priesthood Levi had, and the birth-right was given to Joseph; and they cannot say that Peter was alwaies named first, for James was named before him, Galatians 2:9. and blessed them] That is, having called them all together, and spoken to them in particular, he dismissed them with a generall benediction, praying for them all; and though that be spake of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, seemeth liker a curse then a blessing, yet if he said no more then hath beene noted, his whole speech might be called by the name of blessing, the denomination being made according to the greater and better part; and it seemes they had their blessing with the rest, for they had their portion of the Land of Canaan as well as their brethren, and their names were set in the precious stones of the brest-plate of Aaron as well as the rest, Exodus 28:21. and of their Tribes are as many sealed as of the rest, Revel. 7. vers. 5. 7. and that severe reprehension of them by their devout and dying father, might worke upon them to repentance, and thereby make them more capable of their portion with the rest, and so it was a blessing to them; and like unto a potion, though bitter in taste, yet of wholesome and healthfull operation. every one according to his blessing] That is, the blessings are set downe, as they were particularly applied to every Tribe, according to their severall references to his twelve sonnes.