Genesis 48:22

One portion above thy brethren. The word translated “portion,” shekem, is the same as the name of the city of Shechem, in whose neighborhood Jacob had bought a piece of land (ch. 33:18, 19) and whose population two of Jacob’s sons had massacred. The word shekem means “shoulder” or “ridge.” Since Joseph was later buried at Shechem (Joshua 24:32), and there was a piece of land near Sychar, or Shechem, in the time of Christ which was still considered as that portion which Jacob had given to his son Joseph (John 4:5), it is very probable that this statement of Jacob, by which he presented a piece of land to Joseph, was a play on words. The piece of land that Jacob owned was at Shechem, and was perhaps a ridge or had the appearance of a shoulder, for which reason Jacob called it a shekem, a “shoulder” or “ridge.” The meaning “portion” for shekem is otherwise unattested, and is based entirely on the ancient versions. Shekem may appropriately be rendered “mountain slope” (RSV).

With my sword and with my bow. This is the only place reference is made to warlike acts on the part of Jacob. All other texts referring to the piece of land that Jacob gave to Joseph speak of it as purchased (Gen. 33:18, 19; Joshua 24:32). Since these texts must refer to the same piece of land that Jacob mentioned as having conquered with sword and bow, it must be that Jacob’s property had been taken away from him by the Amorites after he had left the Shechem region (Gen. 35:4, 5). Although the “terror of God” prevented them from attacking Jacob and avenging the massacre of the Shechemites, they seem to have taken Jacob’s estate, so that the patriarch was forced at some later time to reconquer his property by force of arms. This explanation seems to be more reasonable than that of some commentators who wish to see in Jacob’s utterance a prophecy referring to the future conquest of Palestine in the time of Joshua.