Genesis 49.22-28-Israel's Prophetic Blessing on Rachel's Sons and Narrator's Conclusion
Sunday April 22, 2007
Genesis: Genesis 49:22-28-Israel’s Prophetic Blessing on Rachel’s Sons and Narrator’s Conclusion
Lesson # 317
Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 49:22.
This morning we will continue with our study of Genesis 49, which gives us the record of Jacob/Israel bestowing prophetic blessings and antiblessings upon his twelve sons as well as giving instructions for his burial and this chapter also records his death.
In Genesis 49:1-4, we read where Israel pronounced an antiblessing on Reuben, his firstborn because Reuben committed adultery and incest with his concubine Bilhah.
Then, in Genesis 49:5-7, he pronounced prophetic anti-blessings upon Simeon and Levi for the massacre of the city of Shechem.
This was followed by Genesis 49:8-15, which records Israel pronouncing prophetic blessings upon Judah, Zebulun and Issachar.
We left off on Thursday evening noting Genesis 49:16-21, which records the patriarch pronouncing prophetic blessings upon the sons of Zilpah and Bilhah as well as praying to God for deliverance.
This morning we will study Israel’s prophetic blessings on Rachel’s sons, which are recorded in Genesis 49:22-27 as well as the narrator’s conclusion, which is recorded in Genesis 49:28.
Genesis 49:22, “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; Its branches run over a wall.”
“Joseph” was the eleventh son of Jacob born in Paddan Aram and he was the first child that Rachel bore to Jacob according to Genesis 30:22-24.
The name “Joseph” refers to his sons “Ephraim” and “Manasseh” whom Israel adopted giving them equal status with their uncles as progenitors of the tribes that will bear their names and inheritors of the land of Canaan (See Genesis 48:1-20).
The use of the name “Joseph” for the tribes of “Manasseh” and “Ephraim” is also used in Numbers and Joshua.
“Fruitful bough” is composed of the noun ben (/B@) (bane), which means, “son” and the verb parah (hrP) (paw-raw), which means, “to produce fruit.”
Therefore, the Hebrew text literally reads, “Joseph is a son who produces fruit,” which is a metaphor for fertility and a play on the name of his second son “Ephraim” whose name means, “He (God) has made me fruitful.”
The term ben, “son” is used in a metaphoric sense for a vine and the verb parah, “who produces fruit” is used substantively to describe that this vine produces fruit abundantly.
In the statement “Joseph is a son who produces fruit” Israel is comparing the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of his son Joseph to a vine that produces fruit abundantly, which metaphorically means that Ephraim and Manasseh’s descendants would produce offspring in great numbers.
Therefore, we can translate the term ben, “son” with this figure in mind as “vine.”
Israel further describes the fertility of Joseph’s sons and in particular Ephraim by describing him as a vine “by a spring” which refers to the vine having access to an abundant water supply that enables it to be fertile.
The statement “Its branches run over a wall” is composed of the following in the Hebrew text: (1) Noun bath (tB^) (bath), which means, “daughter” (2) Verb tsa`adh (du^x*) (tsaw-ad), which means, “to climb over” (3) Preposition `al (lu^) (al), which means, “over” (4) Noun shur (rWv) (shoor), “which means, “wall.”
Therefore, the Hebrew text literally reads, “with daughters that climb over a wall,” which is a metaphor for the expansion of the territory of Joseph’s descendants (See Joshua 17:14-18).
The term bath, “daughters” is used in a metaphoric sense for the branches of a vine that climb over a wall.
Genesis 49:22 could be translated literally as follows, “Joseph is a son who produces fruit by a spring with daughters that climb over a wall” or it can be translated figuratively as “Joseph is a vine which produces fruit by a spring with branches that climb over a wall.”
In Genesis 49:22, Israel is using figurative language comparing his favorite son Joseph and in particular Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh to a vine, which produces fruit abundantly, with an abundant water supply and branches that climb over a wall.
In figurative terms, he is predicting that Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh would be strong and numerous, producing offspring in great numbers.
This prophecy was fulfilled according to a comparison of two censuses taken during the course of Israel’s wandering in the desert under Moses prior to entering Canaan under Joshua.
The combined number of males in Ephraim and Manasseh increased from 72,700 (See Numbers 1:32-35) in the second year after the Exodus to 85,200 forty years later (See Numbers 26:28-37) while in contrast, the combined populations of Reuben and Simeon during the same period decreases from 105,800 to 65,930.
In his farewell address, Moses in Deuteronomy 33:17 refers to the “myriads of Ephraim” and the “thousands of Manasseh.”
Genesis 49:23, “The archers bitterly attacked him, and shot at him and harassed him.”
This passage refers to opposition that Joseph faced throughout his life from his brothers, Potiphar’s wife and Pharaoh’s cupbearer, which we have noted in detail in our studies of Genesis 37-40.
Genesis 49:24, “But his bow remained firm, and his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).”
The statement “his bow remained firm and his arms were agile from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob” means that during the years of adversity that Joseph endured, he maintained a dynamic mental attitude with love, joy, peace and no bitterness and resentment because he was empowered by the Word of God (See Hebrews 4:12).
The Word of God provided Joseph the power or capacity to handle the adversity in his life because he trusted that God would fulfill His Word to him in the form of the two prophetic dreams that are recorded in Genesis 37:5-11.
The title “the Mighty One” is a reference to God with emphasis upon His omnipotence and the name “Jacob” signifies the patriarch’s weakness and dependence upon God’s power and provision and protection.
Therefore, the title “the Mighty One of Jacob” means that the omnipotence of God was manifested in Joseph’s human weakness and impotence when he appropriated the omnipotence of God by having faith in the promises of God.
Therefore, the statement “But his bow remained firm, and his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob” indicates that Joseph lived according to the spiritual principle taught by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God’s power is manifested in human weakness or impotence.
Since Joseph trusted the Word of God, he was able to transcend his tremendous adversity and injustice directed towards him and so he would agree with what Paul said in Philippians 4:12.
Like Paul, the Word of God, which is alive and powerful, gave Joseph the power or capacity to be able to persevere and endure and not fall victim to self-pity and bitterness and disillusionment.
God is also referred to as a “Shepherd” emphasizing that God protected and nourished Joseph during his years of adversity.
The figure of God as a Shepherd of His people is used throughout the Scriptures (See Psalm 23:1-3; John 10:11; Hebrews 13:20-21).
Genesis 49:24, “But his bow remained firm, and his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).”
God is also referred to by Israel as the “Stone of Israel,” which the Hebrew literally reads, “the Rock of Israel,” which refers to the power and strength and firm foundation that God provided for the soul of Joseph during his times of adversity.
This figure is used of the Lord Jesus Christ elsewhere in Scripture (See Psalm 118:22-23; Isaiah 28:16; Mark 12:10-11).
The name “Israel” means, “one who fights and overcomes with the power of God” and reflects strength and character produced by appropriating the power of the Word of God by claiming the promises of God in prayer.
Therefore, the title “the Rock of Israel” means that Joseph overcame his adversities by appropriating the omnipotence of the Word of God by having faith in the promises of God.
Genesis 49:25, “From the God of your father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.”
The phrase “the God of your father” would assure Joseph and his descendants that the same God who delivered Jacob from Esau, Laban, and famine and all his adversities would deliver him and his descendants.
Commenting on this expression, Nahum Sarna writes, “The title stresses the continuity of the generations, the unbroken chain of religious tradition that alone makes the dying patriarch’s blessing meaningful and effective.” (JPS Torah Commentary, page 344, Jewish Publication Society).
“God” is not the usual Elohim but rather the singular form of the noun, which is El (la@) in order to express the uniqueness of the God of Jacob.
“Almighty” is the noun shadday (yD^v^) (shad-dah-ee), which denotes God’s ability or power to provide Joseph and his descendants with various blessings.
“Bless” is the verb barakh (Er^B*), which means, “to endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity, longevity, etc.” and so this verb indicates that God endued Joseph and his descendants with power for success, prosperity, fecundity (offspring in great numbers) and longevity.
“Blessings” is the noun berakhah (hkrB+) (ber-aw-kaw), which refers to various temporal gifts from God.
The expression “the blessings of heaven above” refers to fertility of land because of an abundant water supply from the earth’s atmosphere and “blessings of the deep that lies beneath” refers to fertility of land due to an abundant water supply underneath the earth.
Therefore, this expression predicts that the territory in which the descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim would settle would be extremely fertile.
The expression “blessings of the breasts and of the womb” refers to the fertility of the human body (See Numbers 6:24-26; Deuteronomy 33:15; Hosea 12:8).
Therefore, this expression predicts that the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim would have fertility of the body meaning abundant offspring.
These blessings were fulfilled to a certain extent during the history of Joseph’s descendants and will find their ultimate fulfillment during the millennial reign of Christ.
Genesis 49:26, “The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.”
Israel’s statement “The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills” is an acknowledgement that God has blessed him more than his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.
In relation to children, God had blessed Jacob more than Abraham and Isaac in the sense that Abraham had one child through Sarah, Isaac and he had through Hagar, Ishmael and six sons through Keturah whereas Isaac had only Jacob and Esau but Jacob had twelve children.
Jacob’s descendants numbered seventy when he came to Egypt from Canaan.
Therefore, in terms of posterity, God blessed Jacob more than his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.
The green mountain tops of Carmel and Hermon in the land of Canaan were an image of God given life and prosperity.
The phrase “May they be on the head of Joseph” is incorrectly translated but rather should be rendered “they (the blessings) will be on the head of Joseph” since we do not have the “jussive” form of the verb hayah, which would express Israel’s desire for action from God upon his son Joseph and his descendants.
Therefore, Israel is not praying for these blessings to come upon Joseph descendants but that they will and is thus prophetic and not a petition.
The expression “the one distinguished among his brothers” refers to the preeminence of Joseph in that he was superior to his brothers in both character and spirituality as well as his position in life as the prime minister of Egypt.
This expression also means that Joseph was elected by God to perform a special service for Him as the prime minister of Egypt in order to deliver not only his family from famine as well as the nation of Egypt but also the entire world.
Genesis 49:27, “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he devours the prey, and in the evening he divides the spoil.”
“Benjamin” was the last child that Rachel bore to Jacob and his name means, “son of my right hand” and his birth is recorded in Genesis 35:16-18.
Israel’s prophecy concerning the descendants of Benjamin refers to the successful military victories that they would achieve in the future (See Judges 3:15-30; 5:14; 20:14-21; 1 Samuel 9:1; 13:3; 1 Chronicles 8:40; 12:2-27, 29; Esther 2:5; Romans 11:1).
The statement “he divides the spoil” predicts that the tribe of Benjamin will share its military victories with the other tribes of Israel.
Genesis 49:28, “All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him.”
“All these” is a reference of course to Israel’s twelve sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
The statement “this is what their father to said to them when he blessed them” is a reference to the prophetic blessings that Israel pronounced upon his twelve sons who would be the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel, which are recorded in Genesis 49:3-27.
This is the first Biblical reference to the twelve tribe of Israel.
The twelve tribes would include, Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Manasseh and Ephraim.
Levi is excluded because he did not receive land but was the priesthood of the nation whereas Joseph is not included since his sons Manasseh and Ephraim were adopted by his father who in turn received and split Joseph’s double portion as the recipient of the birthright (See Joshua 14:4; 1 Chronicles 5:1-2; Genesis 48; Numbers 1:10, 47).
The number twelve in the Bible denotes “governmental perfection.”
The twelve tribes descending from Israel (See Genesis 35:23-26) correspond in number to the twelve tribes of Nahor (see Genesis 22:20-24), of Ishmael (See Genesis 25:12-18), and of Edom (see Genesis 36:10-14).