The Blessings of Jacob to Joseph Re-examined. Genesis 49:22-26 Retranslated (7 October, 2013, Cheshvan 3, 5774)
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A re-examination of the Blessings to Joseph in the Hebrew Bible reveals significant differences from how conventional Bible Translations render them. The Great Seal of the USA (depicted on the dollar bill) was indicated in these blessings!
Duration 20.38 minutes
The Tribe of Joseph in the Bible is sometimes listed as one single entity and at other times under the names of the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh.
Joseph was part of the Ten Tribes who were exiled and who lost awareness of their Hebrew Ancestry. We understand that descendants of Joseph became predominant amongst the English-speaking peoples.
We identify Ephraim as Britain and its offshoots and Manasseh as the USA.
These identifications are based on Biblical verses, Rabbinical sources, and historical evidence.
Genesis 49:22-26 covers the blessing of Jacob to Joseph. Jacob was also known as Israel and he was the father of twelve sons from whom came the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
The Hebrew Language as used in the Bible often lends itself to multiple meanings and possibilities in translation. These different possible intended meanings are deliberate. They reflect the multifold application of Scripture in describing future reality.
We re-examined Genesis 49:22-26 in the light of our knowledge of the Hebrew Language.
Several alternate possibilities were apparent. They are presented below. They shed additional light on our identification of the descendants of Joseph with Anglophone peoples.
They also enhance our appreciation of the Bible and are of value on that point alone.
It should be mentioned however that some degree of speculation exists. They should be considered more as suggestions rather than the final word.
We are not claiming omniscience in these matters. Nevertheless the linguistic possibilities are there and deserve to be appreciated. In our humble opinion the options offered here are preferable to those found in conventional translations.
In the Hebrew Bible when several meanings are possible it is often deliberate and ALL the different meanings may be intended.
The King James Version of the blessing to Joseph begins:
[Genesis 49:22] JOSEPH IS A FRUITFUL BOUGH, EVEN A FRUITFUL BOUGH BY A WELL; WHOSE BRANCHES RUN OVER THE WALL:
This may alternatively be rendered:
Genesis 49:22
Ben Porat [son of fertility] Yoseph; ben porat [son of power], under the Eye; the daughters marched as one towards [for the sake of] the bull.
Explanation: Joseph is a son of fertility and power in Hebrew, a "ben porat" which is mentioned twice, first with one meaning, then with the other. Joseph is a potent son under the Eye [of Divine Providence].
In the King James, "Ben Porat" is translated as "A FRUITFUL BOUGH":
In Hebrew "Ben Porat" can also mean "A Powerfully Fertile Son" or "A Son of Power". Or both
"BY A WELL" in Hebrew: "ali ayin" which can also mean above, or under (ali), the eye (ayin).
We thus have a "Powerful Son" overseen by the Eye of Providence as depicted on the Great Seal of the USA overlooking the Pyramid (Picture of Egypt) symbol of Joseph ( Midrash Numbers Rabah 2;5).
WHOSE BRANCHES RUN OVER THE WALL in Hebrew may be understood as rather saying:
"the daughters marched as one towards" [or "for the sake of"] the bull, i.e. the daughters marched as one for the sake of the bull.
This interpretation may indicate the important role the women of Ephraim (whose symbol is the bull) will play in the end-time.
The word translated here as "bull" in Hebrew is Shor. This word can also mean "wall" and that is how it is usually understood but the choice of "bull" here is preferable.
The bull represents Joseph or Ephraim the son of Joseph.
Genesis 49:22
Joseph is a son of fertility and power, a potent son under the Eye [of Divine Providence] ; the daughters marched as one for the sake of the bull.
Getting back to our study.
The next verse in the KJ says:
[Genesis 49:23] The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
Alternative Translation:
And they were embittered against him, and quarrelled, and the owners of missiles hated him.
Comment:
Is Joseph in danger of a missile attack from Iran? or from others?
The next three verses in the KJV say:
Genesis 49:
24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
Concerning the last three verses above we cannot really improve on them but they may also be understood from the Hebrew to say:
Genesis 49:
24 And he settled in the strength of his bow and the seed of his arms spread outwards. This was from the hand of the Great Bull [Abir] of Jacob. From there came the shepherd of the Stone [Measurement] of Israel.
Note: The word translated as stone in Hebrew is Even. This also means measurement or treating with equity as in the English word (derived from the Hebrew), "evening" i.e. making equal.
Genesis 49:
25 [This was] From the God of your father; and HE will help you. And the Almighty. And HE will bless you. Blessings of the Heavens above; blessings of the Chasm lying underneath. Blessings of breasts and womb.
26 The blessing of your father are greater than the blessings of my forebears. They reach the boundaries of the hills of this world. Be you at the head, Joseph. And the Supreme Commander, Crown [Nazir] of his brothers [and separated from them].
Note: The word Nazir translated as crown may also connote "separated from".
Let us put our new version together, modify it slightly, and see how it looks:
Genesis 49:
22 Joseph is a son of fertility and power, a potent son under the Eye [of Divine Providence] ; the daughters marched as one for the sake of the bull.
23 And there were those who were embittered against him, and quarrelled, and the owners of missiles hated him.
24 And he settled in the strength of his bow and the seed of his arms spread outwards. This was from the hand of the Great Bull of Jacob. From there came the shepherd of the doing of equitable justice in Israel.
25 [This was] From the God of your father; and HE will help you. And the Almighty. And HE will bless you. Blessings of the Heavens above; blessings of the Chasm lying underneath. Blessings of breasts and womb.
26 The blessing of your father are greater than the blessings of my forebears. They reach the boundaries of the hills of this world. Be you at the head, Joseph. And the Supreme Commander, Crown [Nazir] of his brothers [and separated from them].
In these verses we find references to the various blessings of Joseph and the Ten Tribes which we have already deduced from other sources;
Great numerical increase; political and military power; numerous adversaries and the senseless hatred of other nations towards him; the importance of women occasionally taking the initiative for the sake of the Tribal Nations; self-reliance; overcoming adversity and adversaries; the doing of justice and recognizing the basic equality of all Israelites and the underlying dignity of all men; the palpable assistance of Divine Providence; Blessings of climate and of the earth; mineral wealth and riches from under the earth; the blessings of Joseph to be vastly greater than those of the other Tribes who nevertheless will also be greatly blessed; the supremacy in blessing of Joseph; Joseph being set apart from the other tribes.
We also see in these blessings the implied unravelling of hidden potential with the inner soul of Hidden Promises evolving outwards. It was not something that would happen all at once but rather would develop and follow lines of historical progress. This is what happened. These are the blessings.
NEW Hebrew Nations Version (slightly polished over):
Genesis 49:
22 Joseph is a fertile son, a powerful child, under the Eye [of Divine Providence] ; the daughters marched as one for the sake of the bull.
23 And there were those who were embittered against him, and quarrelled, and the owners of missiles hated him.
24 And he settled in the strength of his bow. And the seed of his arms spread outwards. This was from the hand of the Great Bull of Jacob. From there comes the Shepherd who does equitable justice in Israel.
25 [This was] From the God of your father; and HE will help you. And [HE IS] the Almighty. And HE will bless you. Blessings of the Heavens above; blessings of the Chasm lying underneath. Blessings of breasts and womb.
26 The blessing of your father are greater than the blessings of my forebears. They reach the boundaries of the hills of this world. Be you at the head, Joseph. And the Supreme Commander, the Crown [Nazir] of his brothers [and separate from them].
Selected Additional Commentary:
49:22.... the daughters marched as one for the sake of the bull.
The daughters referred to here may refer to an historical event. Did the descendants of Joseph take numerous women from other nations?
See: Hebrew Fathers? Did Only Male Descendants Survive in Some Cases? Are Many of the Ten Tribes descended from Non-Israelite Women? Notes for Further Study.
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/tribes/fathers.html
The bull is Joseph in general, or Ephraim, cf. "HIS GLORY IS LIKE THE FIRSTLING OF HIS BULL" [Deuteronomy 33:17] .
http://www.britam.org/Proof/Joseph/joBull.html
49:24 ... And the seed of his arms spread outwards. The Hebrew words translated here as "seed of his arms" are "zroyai-yadav". 'zroyai' means 'arms,' and 'Yadav' means his hands or his hands and arms. The word 'zroyai' however is so configured here as to connote also a link to the word "zera" meaning seed. We therefore infer that both meanings are implied and that we have a play on words.
49:24... From there comes the Shepherd who does equitable justice in Israel.' This a difficult expression but it fits the literal sense of the Hebrew. We would understand the Shepherd spoken of here to represent the soul of the Israelite Nation.
49:26 They reach the boundaries of the hills of this world. The word translated as "this world" in Hebrew is "olam". This word also implies eternity. The expression could therefore also be rendered as "the eternal hills".