The secret of Joseph's life Inspiration has set before us. In words of divine power and beauty, Jacob, in the blessing pronounced upon his children, spoke thus of his best-loved son: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, Even a fruitful bough by a well; Whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, And shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; . . . Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; And by the Almighty, who shall bless thee With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lieth under: . . . 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." Genesis 49:22-26. 54

Hemmeligheden ved Josefs liv er blevet forkyndt os ved inspiration. Med guddommeligt stærke og skønne ord talte Jakob i den velsignelse, han udtalte over sine børn, således om sin højest elskede søn: