Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
This is Jacob's blessing upon his best-loved son Joseph, spoken as his dying final words to his gathered children. They were his last words of advice to his sorrowing children, forgiving their unfilial conduct and wicked treatment of Joseph. They were uttered while the Spirit of the Lord rested upon him, under prophetic inspiration rather than merely from natural affection as a father.
As prophecy they reach far into the future, foretelling the future history of the tribes. They lay open past lives and future history and reveal the purposes of God and the truth, even when that truth is painful. They show that God would by no means sanction cruelty or wickedness, but viewed deeds of violence in their true light and would visit them for sins. Unlike the gloomy curse upon Simeon and Levi, the word to Joseph and to most of the sons is not as gloomy but is of eloquence of a happy character predicting a cheerful future.
Within that tribal blessing Joseph received the double portion of the inheritance, while the priesthood was assigned to Levi and the kingdom and Messianic promise to Judah. The image means Joseph thriving by abundant water like a fruitful bough or branch nourished by a well, whose branches run over the wall in flourishing growth that extends beyond its boundaries and bounds. That flourishing portrays Joseph as fruitful by a well and spreading beyond bounds, a well-watered branch whose growth reaches beyond its bounds.
The surrounding blessing joins that success to hostility endured and to abundant blessing. Archers sorely grieved him and hated and attacked him, yet his bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, from whence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel. His father's blessings prevailed above the blessings of his progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills upon the head of him that was separate from his brethren, and rested on him in abundance, beginning a prophecy of abundant blessings for Joseph and his descendants.
The verse sets forth the secret of Joseph's life, fruitfulness, greatness, and overflowing influence: loyalty to God and faith in the Unseen as his anchor, with his power hidden in God. It sets forth God's purpose toward His people and the glorious possibilities before them. God planted Israel as a goodly, fruitful vine by the wells of life within the circle of His special care and blessing to be fruitful and to overflow with blessing to others, illustrating the abundant blessings and fruitfulness He intended. Joseph is a picture of the fruitful character God purposed for Israel, a life made fruitful by God bearing the graces of good fruit to bless the world, but the people of Christ's day lacked the qualities seen in Joseph's life and failed to fulfill that purpose.
This is Jacob's blessing upon his best-loved son Joseph, spoken as his dying final words to his gathered children. They were his last words of advice to his sorrowing children, forgiving their unfilial conduct and wicked treatment of Joseph. They were uttered while the Spirit of the Lord rested upon him, under prophetic inspiration rather than merely from natural affection as a father.
As prophecy they reach far into the future, foretelling the future history of the tribes. They lay open past lives and future history and reveal the purposes of God and the truth, even when that truth is painful. They show that God would by no means sanction cruelty or wickedness, but viewed deeds of violence in their true light and would visit them for sins. Unlike the gloomy curse upon Simeon and Levi, the word to Joseph and to most of the sons is not as gloomy but is of eloquence of a happy character predicting a cheerful future.
Within that tribal blessing Joseph received the double portion of the inheritance, while the priesthood was assigned to Levi and the kingdom and Messianic promise to Judah. The image means Joseph thriving by abundant water like a fruitful bough or branch nourished by a well, whose branches run over the wall in flourishing growth that extends beyond its boundaries and bounds. That flourishing portrays Joseph as fruitful by a well and spreading beyond bounds, a well-watered branch whose growth reaches beyond its bounds.
The surrounding blessing joins that success to hostility endured and to abundant blessing. Archers sorely grieved him and hated and attacked him, yet his bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, from whence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel. His father's blessings prevailed above the blessings of his progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills upon the head of him that was separate from his brethren, and rested on him in abundance, beginning a prophecy of abundant blessings for Joseph and his descendants.
The verse sets forth the secret of Joseph's life, fruitfulness, greatness, and overflowing influence: loyalty to God and faith in the Unseen as his anchor, with his power hidden in God. It sets forth God's purpose toward His people and the glorious possibilities before them. God planted Israel as a goodly, fruitful vine by the wells of life within the circle of His special care and blessing to be fruitful and to overflow with blessing to others, illustrating the abundant blessings and fruitfulness He intended. Joseph is a picture of the fruitful character God purposed for Israel, a life made fruitful by God bearing the graces of good fruit to bless the world, but the people of Christ's day lacked the qualities seen in Joseph's life and failed to fulfill that purpose.