Gad being girded, etc... It seems to allude to the tribe of Gad; when
after they had received for their lot the land of Galaad, they marched
in arms before the rest of the Israelites, to the conquest of the land
of Chanaan: from whence they afterwards returned loaded with spoils. See
Jos. 4. and 12.

49:20. Aser, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield dainties to
kings.

49:21. Nephthali, a hart let loose, and giving words of beauty.

49:22. Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and comely to behold: the
daughters run to and fro upon the wall;

Run to and fro, etc... To behold his beauty; whilst his envious brethren
turned their darts against him, etc.

49:23. But they that held darts, provoked him, and quarrelled with him,
and envied him.

49:24. His bow rested upon the strong, and the bands of his arms and his
hands were loosed, by the hands of the mighty one of Jacob: thence he
came forth a pastor, the stone of Israel.

His bow rested upon the strong, etc... That is, upon God, who was his
strength: who also loosed his bands, and brought him out of prison to be
the pastor, that is, the feeder and ruler of Egypt, and the stone, that
is, the rock and support of Israel.

49:25. The God of thy father shall be thy helper, and the Almighty shall
bless thee with the blessings of heaven above, with the blessings of the
deep that lieth beneath, with the blessings of the breasts and of the
womb.

49:26. The blessings of thy father are strengthened with the blessings
of his fathers: until the desire of the everlasting hills should come:
may they be upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the Nazarite
among his brethren.

The blessings of thy father, etc... That is, thy father's blessings are
made more prevalent and effectual in thy regard, by the additional
strength they receive from his inheriting the blessings of his
progenitors Abraham and Isaac. The desire of the everlasting hills,
etc... These blessings all looked forward towards Christ, called the
desire of the everlasting hills, as being longed for, as it were, by the
whole creation. Mystically, the patriarchs and prophets are called the
everlasting hills, by reason of the eminence of their wisdom and
holiness. The Nazarite... This word signifies one separated; and agrees
to Joseph, as being separated from, and more eminent than, his brethren.
As the ancient Nazarites were so called from their being set aside for
God, and vowed to him.

49:27