Yaakov's Blessing of Yosef/2

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Yaakov's Blessing of Yosef

Exegetical Approaches

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Individual Blessing for the Present

Yaakov's blessing was aimed at Yosef the individual and related to events that transpired in his lifetime.  The sources disagree regarding which incidents are alluded to and form the focus of the blessing:

Conflict with the Brothers

Yaakov told Yosef that despite his brothers' enmity, he had prevailed and managed to rise above them.

בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן – Ibn Ezra understands "בֵּן פֹּרָת" to mean a "fruitful branch", with "פֹּרָת" being a poetic form of the word "פורה".‎1  The doubling is simply Tanakh's way to express continuity or permanence (suggesting that Yosef will continuously bears fruit).
בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר – This phrase expands on the first blessing of progeny, and means that Yosef's branches will make others which will climb like a vine over the walls.  The word "שׁוּר" might be related to the Aramaic "שורא" (wall).2
"...וַיְמָרְרֻהוּ וָרֹבּו" – This verse describes the brothers plot to sell Yosef.   The siblings are described metaphorically as archers who set Yosef's gallbladder (מְרֵרָה) as a target to shoot (רבה) at.3
וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ וַיָּפֹזּוּ זְרֹעֵי יָדָיו – Yosef proved too strong for the brothers who could not prevail over him.  Yaakov expresses this by describing Yosef's bow as sitting in a place of strength and his arms as being mighty (וַיָּפֹזּוּ)‎.4
מִידֵי אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל

Mrs. Potiphar's Attempted Seduction

Multiple Events

Tribal Blessing for the Future

Combination