John Calvin Commentary Genesis 49:22

"Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a fountain; His branches run over the wall." — Genesis 49:22 (ASV)

Joseph is a fruitful bough. Others translate it, “a son of honor,” and both are suitable; but I rather incline to the former sense, because it seems to me that it refers to the name Joseph, by which addition or increase is signified. Although I have no objection to the similitude taken from a tree that, being planted near a fountain, draws from the watered earth the moisture and sap by which it grows faster.

The sum of the figure is that he is born to grow like a tree situated near a fountain, so that, by its beauty and lofty stature, it may surmount the obstacles around it. For I do not interpret the words that follow to mean that there will be an assembly of virgins on the walls, whom the sight of the tree will attract; but, by a continued metaphor, I suppose the tender and smaller branches to be called daughters. And they are said to run over the wall when they spread themselves far and wide.

Moreover, Jacob’s discourse does not simply relate to the whole tribe, nor is it a mere prophecy of future times; but the personal history of Joseph is blended with that of his descendants. Thus some things are peculiar to himself, and others belong to the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

So when Joseph is said to have been grieved, this is usually referred especially to himself. And since Jacob has compared him to a tree, he also calls both his brothers and Potiphar, with his wife, archers. Afterwards, however, he changes the figure by making Joseph himself like a strenuous archer, whose bow remains strong, and whose arms are not relaxed, nor have lost their vigor in any degree; by which expressions he predicts the invincible fortitude of Joseph, because he yielded to no blows, however hard and severe.

At the same time we are taught that he stood, not by the power of his own arm, but as being strengthened by the hand of God, whom he distinguishes by the peculiar title of the mighty God of Jacob, because He intended His power to be especially conspicuous, and to shine most brightly in the Church.

Meanwhile, he declares that the help by which Joseph was assisted arose from this: that God had chosen that family for Himself. For the holy fathers were extremely solicitous that the gratuitous covenant of God should be remembered by themselves and by their children, whenever any benefit was granted to them.

And truly it is a mark of shameful negligence not to inquire from what fountain we drink water. Meanwhile, he tacitly censures the impious and ungodly fury of his ten sons because, by attempting the murder of their brother, they, like the giants, had carried on war against God.

He also admonishes them for the future that they should rather choose to be protected by the guardianship of God than to make Him their enemy, since He is equally willing to give help to all. And from this arises a comforting consideration for all the pious when they hear that the power of God resides in the midst of the Church, if they glory in Him alone, as the Psalm teaches:

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will invoke the name of the Lord our God. (Psalms 20:7)

The sons of Jacob, therefore, must take care not to hurl themselves into ruin by trusting in their own strength, but must rather bear themselves nobly and triumphantly in the Lord.

What follows admits of various interpretations. Some translate it, From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel; as if Jacob would say that Joseph had been the nourisher and rock, or stay of his house. Others read, the shepherd of the stone, in the genitive case, which I approve, except that they mistake the sense by taking “stone” to mean family.

I refer it to God, who assigned the office of shepherd to His servant Joseph, in the same way that one uses the service of a hired worker to feed his flock. For from where did it arise that he nourished his own people, except that he was the dispenser of Divine beneficence?

Moreover, under this type, the image of Christ is portrayed for us. Before He came forth as the conqueror of death and the author of life, He was set as a mark of contradiction (Hebrews 12:3), against whom all cast their darts. So now also, following His example, the Church must be transfixed with many arrows, so that she may be kept by the wonderful help of God.

Furthermore, lest his brothers should maliciously envy Joseph, Jacob presents his victory in a favorable light to them by saying that he had been liberated so that he might become their nourisher or shepherd.