Bible Strands
Genesis 49:12
His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jacob addresses his son Judah during his final tribal blessings, placing this description immediately after the vine and wine imagery of Genesis 49:11.
The words — The Hebrew חַכְלִילִי (chakhli, "darkened") and לְבֶן (leven, "white") literally contrast the deep red of wine with the brightness of milk to describe physical features.
The thread — This agricultural contrast runs back to the garment-washing imagery in Genesis 49:11 and parallels the wine-related warnings found in Proverbs 23:29.
Why it lands — The text states a literal physical description of the subject before inviting symbolic interpretation, requiring the reader to note the concrete imagery without adding external meaning.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 23:29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?