All these are the twelve tribes of Israel— Bishop Sherlock observes (Diss. 3: on prophecy) 1st, That what is commonly called Jacob's blessing his sons, may be as well called Jacob's appointment of twelve rulers, or princes, to govern the house of Israel: for, that this form of government took place immediately upon the decease of Jacob, may be collected from hence, that from this time all applications and messages are made, not to the people, but to the elders or heads of tribes, Exodus 3:16; Exodus 3:7. And we see the people and their rulers are distinguished plainly, Exodus 34:31-32. Now, as there is no designation of this form of government in any other place in Scripture, and it could not be settled tacitly by a mere devolution of Jacob's power among his sons after his decease, it must be allowed to be settled by Jacob himself, in this and the foregoing chapter: and to this all the circumstances, reported in these two Chapter s answer. 2ndly, Jacob, having thus settled twelve princes or rulers of people in his house, speaks to them as heads of a people, and not as single persons; and what he says, relates to them and their people collectively, and not to them personally: this is evident from the present words, all these are the twelve tribes of Israel; and hence, likewise, that the things foretold and ascribed to them, are by no means capable of being understood of single persons. When the sacred writer says twelve tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, though not expressly mentioned, are to be understood as blessed in Joseph.
And blessed them; every one, &c.— i.e.. He informed each of them what would happen in after-times to his posterity respectively, as we are told in the introduction to the prophecy. The verb, ברךֶ barek, in this place, neither signifies, to bless, nor yet, on the contrary, to curse, though it is true, that it is applicable to all Jacob's children separately; as the three eldest were cursed, and the rest were blessed: yet, whatever the precise meaning of it be, it is certain that it must be used in such a manner as to be common to them all, in the same sense. The sense therefore given to this word by Schultens on Job 1:5 viz. to bid farewel, or to take leave, will be here very suitable. It is thus used, 2 Samuel 19:39. And Calmet says, that benir (to bless) is here put to express the last sentiments of a dying father toward his children. Durell.