Genesis 49:23

23 The archers with malice attacked, shooting their hate-tipped arrows;

Genesis 49:23 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 49:23

The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and
hated him.
] His brethren who grieved him with their ill usage, shot out bitter words against him, and hated him for his dreams, and because his father loved him; and they could not speak peaceably to him, they mocked at him, conspired to kill him, stripped him of his clothes, cast him into a pit, and then sold him; in all which he was a type of Christ, as used by the Jews. His mistress also, and Satan by her, grieved him with her temptations and solicitations to sin, which were as fiery darts shot at him; but being resisted, her impure love was turned into hatred to him, and she shot her lies, calumnies, and reproaches, as so many darts at him; and, as the Targum of Jonathan, the magicians of Egypt, who envied him for his superior knowledge, and perhaps many others in Pharaoh's court, who were displeased at his preferments, might bring accusations to Pharaoh against him, out of hatred to him; and Satan and his principalities and powers, whose temptations are compared to fiery darts, are not to be exempted, which they shoot at and grieve the people of God, who are hated by them. Perhaps reference may be had to the wars of the posterity of Joseph under Joshua, who was of the tribe of Ephraim, with the Canaanites.

Genesis 49:23 In-Context

21 Naphtali is a deer running free that gives birth to lovely fawns.
22 Joseph is a wild donkey, a wild donkey by a spring, spirited donkeys on a hill.
23 The archers with malice attacked, shooting their hate-tipped arrows;
24 But he held steady under fire, his bow firm, his arms limber, With the backing of the Champion of Jacob, the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
25 The God of your father - may he help you! And may The Strong God - may he give you his blessings, Blessings tumbling out of the skies, blessings bursting up from the Earth - blessings of breasts and womb.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.