Read the Passage: Genesis 49:29–50:26

Listen to the Redeemed Mind Podcast: Genesis 50

Passing and Burial (49:29–50:14)

After blessing Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh, as well as prophesying about the future of Israel, Jacob’s affairs were in order. Then, at Gen. 49:29–33, Jacob instructed his sons to bury him in the tomb of the patriarchs in Canaan. Recall that earlier, Jacob had made a covenant with Joseph about interring his body in the Promised Land, saying, “Please do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place” (Gen. 47:29–30). Abraham had bought this cave years earlier, as is recorded in Gen. 23:1–20, and it was the burial place of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and well as Leah. Observe that after many years of favoring his wife Rachel, Jacob finally honored his wife Leah by burying her in the family tomb, and requesting to be buried alongside her. Rachel’s burial is recorded at Gen. 35:19–20.

Jacob’s death, at 147 years of age, is recorded at Gen. 49:33, as it says, “Jacob drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.” After weeping over Jacob, Gen. 50:1–3 reports that Joseph instructed the physicians to embalm his father Jacob. Note that in order to avoid any spiritual confusion, Joseph asked the medical doctors to embalm his father, and not the usual cult leaders who carried out embalming. Observe that Jacob, and later Joseph (cf. Gen. 50:26), are the only two men in the Bible who are specifically identified as being embalmed, for the Jews’ usual practice was to bury (cf. John 19:40), often with spices and perfumes (cf. 2 Chron. 16:14; Luke 23:56; John 19:39–40). Next, after a lengthy time of mourning, Joseph requested permission from Pharaoh to bury Jacob in Canaan, saying, “I will come back” (Gen. 50:5). While Joseph was prominent, he was still under Pharaoh’s authority.

Having received permission to leave Egypt, Joseph, his brothers, and many of the Jews carried Jacob’s body to the land of Canaan for burial. Observe Gen. 50:7 reports that Joseph was accompanied by “all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt.” The Egyptians attended the burial not to keep an eye on the Israelites, but out of respect for Joseph and Jacob. While seventy days of mourning had already been observed in Egypt, once the funeral party arrived in Canaan, they observed another week of mourning. These seven added days were apparently unusual, which led the Canaanites to conclude, “This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians” (Gen. 50:11). After the burial of Jacob, and in fulfillment of his earlier promise, it is recorded, “Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, and all who went up with him to bury his father” (Gen. 50:14).

Fear and Assurance (50:15–21)

Although Jacob’s family had been living in Egypt, under the care of Joseph, for at least seventeen years, the passing of Jacob caused Joseph’s brothers to fear retaliation for their earlier mistreatment of Joseph. Therefore, the brothers sent a message to Joseph saying that it was Jacob’s desire that Joseph would forgive his brothers. While Jacob surely did want Joseph to forgive his brothers, it seems likely that the content of this message was fabricated. In any event, by sending this message, the brothers had underestimated the extent of Joseph’s love for them, as well as the reality of his forgiveness. As he had done earlier at Gen. 45:3–8, so here at Gen. 50:19–21 Joseph again expressed that: (1) he loved his brothers, (2) they had no need to be afraid, (3) he would provide for all those in their households, and (4) God was providentially at work, even in their prior sinful deeds.

Blessing and Promise (50:22–26)

By collating several chronological references in Genesis (cf. Gen. 41:46–47, 53; 45:6, 11; 47:9), we can determine that Joseph was around 56 years old when Jacob died. Joseph would then live another 54 years and pass away at the age of 110 (cf. Gen. 50:22, 26). Just as Jacob had gathered his family and specified that he was to be buried in the land of Canaan (cf. Gen. 47:29–31; 49:29–32), so at Gen. 50:24–25 Joseph assembled his brethren and specified that he was to be buried in the Promised Land. Yet, a difference between the interment instructions of Jacob and Joseph is that whereas Jacob wished to be buried in Canaan immediately upon his death, Joseph realized that his body would remain in Egypt until the time God visited His people. Joseph then reminded Israel of the Abrahamic Covenant, saying, “God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land” (Gen. 50:24).

Application Questions:

1. Why did the patriarchs of Israel all pass away before God’s people fully received the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant?
2. Why did Jacob bury Leah, and not Rachel, in the family tomb? What caused Jacob to honor Leah at her death?
3. Why did Joseph have to request permission from Pharaoh to bury Jacob? Why was there such an extensive mourning period?
4. In His sovereignty, how can God use the sinful actions of mankind to accomplish His Kingdom purposes?
5. Why was Jacob buried in Canaan at his death, whereas Joseph’s body remained in Egypt until Israel was freed from bondage?