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.
The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors. х howray (H2029), from haaraah, pregnant, is put here for both parents-the father being included as well as the mother; and the import of the clause is, that the blessings which Jacob his father pronounced upon Joseph were far greater than those which he himself had received either from Isaac or Abraham, in respect to the extent of the blessing, the definiteness of the promise, and the nearness of the fulfillment. But instead of this, and 'to the utmost bound,' etc.; Gesenius, Maurer, and others, considering that the parallelism is destroyed by this translation, propose the reading of howray 'ad, the everlasting mountains (cf. Deuteronomy 33:15; Habakkuk 3:6), and render thus, 'the blessings of thy father are greater than the everlasting hills (nay, than), the loveliness (glory) of the ancient mountains' - i:e., however long and carefully cultivated. So the Septuagint: huperischusen huper eulogias hureoon monimoon, kai ep' eulogias thinoon aenoon.]
The head of him that was separate from his brethren, х uwlqaadªqod (H6936) nªziyr (H5139) 'echaayw (H251)] - on the crown of the head of the prince of his brethren. Nazir signifies here not an individual set apart by a religious vow, or separated from others by the severity of his early trials, but a person of rank and honour, distinguished in eminence and dignity. х Qaadªqod (H6936) denotes that part of the head which extends from the vertex to the neck behind. It is here used in parallelism, as synonymous with ro'sh (H7218).] The Septuagint gives a different turn to this last clause; because after the blessings invoked upon the head of Joseph, it represents the concluding words as additional [kai epi korufees hoon eegeesato], and on the head of those whom he led, i:e., of his tribe. The central district of Palestine-in which the plain of El Muknah, in the valley of Shechem, may be considered as generally representing the portion of Ephraim and Western Manasseh-is distinguished for all the natural advantages comprehended in the benediction pronounced upon Joseph.
The variety of hill and dale, the vestiges of ancient terraces upon the sides of the hills, rising one above another, high as the eye can reach; and even many still covered with these artificial levels, on which are fig-orchards and vineyards, the plains filled with crops of grain; a fertile soil, a moist atmosphere, with numerous streamlets and springs, all combined, present a landscape of exquisite loveliness, and exhibit such signs of agricultural prosperity as are not surpassed even by the richest parts of our own country (cf. Deuteronomy 33:13). 'The practical wisdom of the shepherd-prince who crossed the Jordan with his staff, and came back two great bands, was never more signally displayed than in securing a possession in this the garden of Canaan; and in afterward prospectively bestowing it on his favourite son' (Porter, 'Handbook,' p. 340; see also Drew's 'Scripture Lands,' p. 95; Bonar's 'Land of Promise,' p. 359; Bovet, 'Voyage en Terre Sainte,' p. 359).