Genesis 49:22
in Genesis 49Joseph is a fruitful vine—a fruitful vine by a spring, whose branches scale the wall.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a fountain; His branches run over the wall.
KJV
Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
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This verse in Genesis 49
Commentary
14 notes on this verse(Verse 22 and following) The son of Joseph grew up, the son of Joseph grown tall above the fountain of the daughter, walking with a composed stride on the wall. And they provoked him, and contended with him, and were angry against him, having arrows. He sat in the strength of his bow, and the chains of his hands were broken, from the hands of the mighty Jacob. From there will come the shepherd, the stone of Israel from the God of your father: and the rest.
This site's exposition
Joseph is a fruitful vine
on Genesis 49:22-24
Joseph is a fruitful vine by a spring, with branches that scale the wall. The archers who attacked him are his brothers, Potiphar's house and the prison, told back in one line. His bow held steady, and the strength came from the Mighty One of Jacob.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
The prophet has blessed Joseph more than all his brothers, because he contemplated the mysteries which, having been prefigured in him, would be fulfilled in Christ. Therefore Jacob did not praise Joseph but the one who was symbolized by Joseph. In fact, he says to him, "My son is increased, Joseph," because thanks to his kingly and perfect name the grace of Christ has increased and has become abundant in the world.
What was the reason that, above all his sons, the father pursued Joseph more abundantly as his son, if not because he already saw in him the mysteries of Christ prefigured? Therefore, blessing him more who was expected than him who was seen, he said: Joseph, my son, is to be multiplied. Who is to be multiplied, if not Christ, whose grace is always increased, and whose glory has no end? Concerning whom also John says: He must increase, but I must decrease; for through his name, which is salvation and perfection, grace has been multiplied and abounded in this world. My son is to be enlarged; and therefore, because his brothers saw him growing, they began to envy. But Joseph understood and zeal entered into those whom he favored the most. Finally, he said: I came not but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And they said: We do not know where he is from. He cared for them, and they denied him.
What is the significance of the fact that only Joseph among all the brothers is called son three times? In accordance with the limits of my point of view, I understand that the first time Joseph was born [to his father] as a son, because he was born of Rachel when his father did not hope any longer to obtain an offspring. But then Joseph was, in a sense, born to his father a second time as a son, because it was announced to Jacob that he was alive, when he was by now convinced of his death. And finally he becomes his son for the third time when, by instructing [Joseph] and educating him with doctrine and erudition and all the virtues through which he was able to see God, he had begotten him also in the spirit. On the other hand, it would not be correct for Jacob to call Joseph the youngest son, since he is older than Benjamin, unless we must understand that he is the youngest in the teaching of his father.
Just as Jacob depended on Joseph instead of Reuben the firstborn, so also instead of Adam, the firstborn and rebellious one, the world had one Son of old age, in the latter days of the world, so that the whole world might stand and lean …
My son, he said, is younger. Indeed, he is the youngest, who was almost the last born. Finally, Scripture also says: Jacob loved him, because he was the son of his old age. This also refers to Christ. For the Son of God, shining forth to the aged and already setting world, came late through the birth of the Virgin Mary, as if receiving a body as the son of old age according to the mystery, who always was with the Father before the ages. And the Father says to him: Return to me, calling him from the earth to heaven, whom he had sent for our salvation. Therefore, raising up his only-begotten Son, he frustrated the plan of the slanderers. Hence, Isaiah also says: The futile plan of your spirit. And the one who had been accusing and directing arrows like a hunter, has disarmed everything: he has crushed the power of those who relied on their own strength and not on God. Then, he said, Israel prevailed from the God of your father, and my God helped you. Who is it that strengthened Israel and helped his son, if not the only Father God, who said: Jacob, my servant, I will uphold him; Israel, my chosen one, my soul will uphold him.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 23 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Second, there must be the clear view of wise judgment, so that, as the dove staying over water can see the bird of prey, man too may see in Scriptures. And this pertains to Joseph, which is understood to mean "growing."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
His two sons were as branches of a vine, or other spreading plant, running over the wall. Note, God can make those fruitful, great comforts to themselves and others, who have been looked upon as dry and withered. More is recorded in the history concerning Joseph than concerning any other of Jacob's sons; and therefore what Jacob says of him is historical as well as prophetical.
Joseph is a fruitful bough,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
The sum of a fruitful vine - This appears to me to refer to Jacob himself, who was blessed with such a numerous posterity that in two hundred and fifteen years after this his own descendants amounted to upwards of 600,000 effective men; and the figures here are intended to point out the continual growth and increase of his posterity. Jacob was a fruitful tree planted by a fountain, which because it was good would yield good fruit; and because it was planted near a fountain, from being continually watered, would be perpetually fruitful.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
a fruitful bough, &c.--denotes the extraordinary increase of that tribe (compare Nu 1:33-35; The patriarch describes him as attacked by envy, revenge, temptation, ingratitude; yet still, by the grace of God, he triumphed over all opposition, so that he became the sustainer of Israel; and then he proceeds to shower blessings of every kind upon the head of this favorite son.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
DEAR friends, we long to have many converts. We count that Church happy to which God adds daily of such as are being saved. But we are very much concerned about the quality of our converts. We do not wish to make up a Church with a number of shallow professors, whose religion lies upon the surface, and is of a doubtful character. We are very anxious that we should have those in our fellowship who are thoroughly converted, richly experienced and fully instructed in the deep things of God. We would have as our associates people who are established by principle rather than moved by passion. We would earnestly pray to have a company of Believers added to the Church who shall be like Joseph in character—fruitful trees growing by the well, whose branches ran over the wall. Jacob describes Joseph as a fruitful offshoot and he explains his fruitfulness by his position—he is fruitful "by a well." When a vine grows near a well which is always full, and when it is able to send its roots down to drink of the unfailing spring, it may very well be fruitful and send forth many branches. The point is, to get by the well. Or, to use our second text, to tap "the deep that couches beneath." If we can reach the secret fountains and say to God, with the Psalmist, "All my fresh springs are in You," then shall we find nourishment for our branches and our fruit and leaf will never fail. "Dwell deep" is a prophetic word of much value to Christians. To live upon land-drainage and casual rains may suffice for ordinary plants. But the trees of the Lord which bring forth much fruit need to penetrate below the topsoil and reach the secret fountains of Divine Grace. Upon that subject I am going to talk this morning.
DEAR friends, we long to have many converts. We count that Church happy to which God adds daily of such as are being saved. But we are very much concerned about the quality of our converts. We do not wish to make up a Church with a number of shallow professors, whose religion lies upon the surface, and is of a doubtful character. We are very anxious that we should have those in our fellowship who are thoroughly converted, richly experienced and fully instructed in the deep things of God.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בֵּ֤ן | ben | [is] a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| פֹּרָת֙ | porat | a fruit-bearer | H6509 → | 29 times |
| יוֹסֵ֔ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| בֵּ֥ן | ben | a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| פֹּרָ֖ת | porat | a fruit-bearer | H6509 → | 29 times |
| עֲלֵי־ | ʾalei- | at | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עָ֑יִן | ʾayin | a spring | H5869 → | 887 times |
| בָּנ֕וֹת | banot | daughters | H1323 → | 588 times |
| צָעֲדָ֖ה | tzaadah | she will climb | H6805 → | |
| עֲלֵי־ | ʾalei- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שֽׁוּר׃ | shur | a wall | H7791 → |
בֵּ֤ן[is] a son of
benH1121 →4930 times
פֹּרָת֙a fruit-bearer
poratH6509 →29 times
יוֹסֵ֔ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
בֵּ֥ןa son of
benH1121 →4930 times
פֹּרָ֖תa fruit-bearer
poratH6509 →29 times
עֲלֵי־at
ʾalei-H5921 →5755 times
עָ֑יִןa spring
ʾayinH5869 →887 times
בָּנ֕וֹתdaughters
banotH1323 →588 times
צָעֲדָ֖הshe will climb
tzaadahH6805 →
עֲלֵי־over
ʾalei-H5921 →5755 times
שֽׁוּר׃a wall
shurH7791 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 128:3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine flourishing within your house, your sons like olive shoots sitting around your table.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 19:10
Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of the abundant waters.
- Psalms 52:8
But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in the loving devotion of God forever and ever.
- Romans 11:24
For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their…
- Proverbs 5:15–18
Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well.
- Jeremiah 11:16
The LORD once called you a flourishing olive tree, beautiful with well-formed fruit. But with a mighty roar He will set it on fire, and its branches will be consumed.
- Ezekiel 19:10
Through
Genesis 41:52And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
it leads to
- Genesis 50:23
He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.
- Genesis 17:6
I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.
- Amos 6:6
You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you fail to grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
- Genesis 50:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies28
On this verse
On this chapter
- Afterlife Vocabulary
- Dan
- Dinah at Shechem
- Jacob
- Judah, the Brother Who Stood Surety
- The Words Agape, Philia, Chesed and Ahavah
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About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On the Blessings of the Patriarchs; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 23; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2113: “By The Fountain” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 43:10; Hippolytus of Rome, ON THE BLESSINGS OF ISAAC AND JACOB 26; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tyrannius Rufinus, Commentary (church-history corpus).