Genesis 49 – Israel blesses his sons

Genesis 49:22–26. What Is the Significance of Joseph’s Blessing?

Genesis 49: Jacob/Israel blesses his sons
Genesis 49: Jacob/Israel blesses his sons

“There are several things to be understood in the prophecy. First, he should become a multitude of nations. We understand what this means. In the second place, his branches should run over the wall. Now what does this mean? The Lord in ancient times had a meaning for everything. It means that his tribe should become so numerous that they would take up more room than one small inheritance in Canaan, that they would spread out and go to some land at a great distance. . . . “Joseph’s peculiar blessing, which I have just read to you, was that he should enjoy possessions above Jacob’s progenitors to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills. This would seem to indicate a very distant land from Palestine.” (Orson Pratt, in Journal of Discourses, 14:9.) The seed of Joseph came to the land of America at the time Lehi and his family departed from the Mediterranean world. The land of America is specifically designated by the Lord as the land reserved for “a remnant of the house of Joseph” (3 Nephi 15:12).

Genesis 49:26. America Is the Land of the “Everlasting Hills”

“I suppose that Jacob saw this land as well as Moses, and he designates it a land afar off; the utmost bounds would signify a very distant land. He said this land (The Americas) was over and above, what his progenitors gave to him and he would give it to Joseph. . . . The precious things of heaven were to be given to Joseph on this land. Blessed of the Lord be his land for the precious things of heaven, more precious than the fullness of earth, more precious than the productions of the various climates of the earth, more precious than the grain, and the gold and silver of the earth. The precious things of heaven revealed to the people of Joseph on the great land given to them unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills.” (Orson Pratt, in Journal of Discourses, 18:167–68.)

Some scriptures to consider:
Hosea 5-14
Isaiah 11 & 2nd Nephi 21
2 Nephi 3 & the JST to Genesis 50:24-38
D&C 133:25-35
Deuteronomy 33:6-29
Ezekiel 37– specifically v22-23