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:)
But his bow abode in strength. The bow is used metaphorically as the symbol of strength and power (Job 39:20; Jeremiah 49:35; Hosea 1:5); its 'abiding in strength' signified its retaining its elasticity unimpaired, and continuing in its firm position - i:e., the weapon with which he opposed his enemies, here metaphorically described as a bow, was the stedfast virtue of his character, his innocence, patience, temperance, faith in God, and obedience to His law: with these he resisted all opposition, and triumphed over every difficulty and trial. But Jacob, tracing the moral stability of Joseph to its true source, adds, "and the arms of his hands were made strong" - i:e., his hands, young as he was, were rendered pliant and vigorous for wielding the bow - "by the hands of the mighty One of Jacob." The allusion is to Genesis 32:24-30.
From thence is the Shepherd, the stone of Israel - х mishaam (H8033), as used here, is an expression of doubtful meaning.] Some interpret it, 'from that time forth' (Rosenmuller (hoc loco), Glassii, 'Phil. Sacr.,' p.
370) - i:e., from the period of Jacob's wrestling with God. He was the shepherd (the guardian stone) of Israel; and no doubt God is frequently represented in Scripture under the image of a shepherd, as well as of a stone (rock or fortress). But the word stone in this passage denotes not a stone, but stone, as one of the hardest and least mutable substances in nature, and therefore an appropriate figure for expressing strength combined with durability. A second class of critics take х mishaam (H8033)] from thence as referring to the bow of Joseph having been 'made strong by the hands of the mighty One of Jacob' - i:e. the divine favour and aid enlisted on the side of Joseph; so that in him Israel had a shepherd to feed him, a stone on which to lay his head-a sustainer and protector in the season of extraordinary privation and distress. A third class, as Calvin, Ewald, etc., render the words, 'Shepherd of the stone of Israel,' meaning by stone, the house or family of Israel. Others, as Gesenius, regard х mishaam (H8033) as pleonastic] the sentiment, under a profusion of pious epithets, running continuously, thus - "the mighty One of Jacob ... the Shepherd ... the stone of Israel (Genesis 49:25): Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty," etc. х Shaday (H7706) is here unaccompanied by 'Eel (H410), God; and this is the only place in Genesis where it stands thus alone.]