Parshat Vaychi

In the last verse in Chapter 48, Yaakov promises Yosef the city of Shechem, “…which I took from the Emorite with my sword and bow.”
Up until now the only thing we know about any “taking of the city of Shechem” is that Shimon and Levi took up arms and massacred the males of the city in retaliation for the treatment accorded to their sister Dinah. Yaakov’s reaction to their armed encounter was anything but positive and supportive. Some say this is what Yaakov is referring to. But this seems hardly likely.
What could Yaakov be referring to?
The Yalkut Shimoni (towards the end of 133) quotes “our rabbis” who described a tremendous battle which took place – not in the immediate aftermath of the Shechem massacre, but seven years later when the Emorites all gathered against Yaakov’s family to avenge the fall of their brethren in Shechem. The passage is quite long, and the details are fascinating. Targum Yonatan also makes reference to this military encounter, as does Rashi in the first opinion he records.
Whether the events as described took place is surely debatable, but from one perspective, Yaakov could be referring to his conquerings in this war with the Emorites. Ramban, however, looks at a model forged by Elisha in the book of Kings II 13, in which he instructed King Yoash to shoot arrows in the direction of Aram to symbolize the victory that was to come over their land. Ramban suggests that Yaakov similarly asserted his power through the same symbolic action.