Genesis 49:26

26 The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties 1of the everlasting hills.[a] May they be 2on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.

Genesis 49:26 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 49:26

The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings
of my progenitors
Jacob's blessings were greater and more numerous, both those which he himself had, and bestowed upon his offspring, than those that Abraham and Isaac had, he having more children than they, and blessings for everyone of them; whereas they each of them had but two, and one of these two were excluded the blessing: and besides, though these blessings were the same in substance bestowed on his progenitors, and by them on him, yet these were more clearly and distinctly given out by him to his posterity, and were nearer their accomplishment:

unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills, they shall be on the
head of Joseph:
that is, continue on him as long as the everlasting hills continue, particularly those of a spiritual kind, for they endure for ever. The word for "bounds" signifies "desire"; and Onkelos paraphrases the words,

``which the princes that were of old desired:''

meaning either the angels who desire to look into heavenly things, or the patriarchs, who were desirous of the coming of the Messiah, and salvation by him; and so the Vulgate Latin version is, "until the desire of the everlasting hills should come"; that is, Christ, who is the desire of all nations, in whom all nations of the earth are to be blessed, and therefore desirable; blessings of all kinds are upon the head of the just, as they were on Joseph, ( Proverbs 10:6 )

and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his
brethren;
who shunned company and conversation with him, and at length sold him into Egypt, where he was parted from them, and remained separate for many years; and when they came to dwell in the land of Egypt, they lived in Goshen, and he at Pharaoh's court, where he was distinguished with peculiar honours, and advanced above them. Of Christ his antitype, see ( Hebrews 7:26 ) .

Genesis 49:26 In-Context

24 yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd,the Stone of Israel),
25 by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almightywho will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.
27 "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil."
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Deuteronomy 33:15; Habakkuk 3:6
  • 2. Deuteronomy 33:16

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. A slight emendation yields (compare Septuagint) the blessings of the eternal mountains, the bounties of the everlasting hills
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.