Kugel reported that modern scholars read Jacob's blessing of Judah in to reflect a portrait of the Tribe of Judah's rise to power as epitomized by the career of King David, who came from the Tribe of Judah. In this reading, the words of , “Your hands on your enemies’ neck,” laud David’s abilities as a fighter, first as the leader of a small, vicious guerrilla band, and eventually as the commander of the regular army that subdued Judah’s enemies. And the words, “Your father's sons shall bow down before you,” reflect that David caused the other tribes to submit to his authority. These scholars thus date the blessing to the time of David or Solomon.