Gen. 49:29-50:26

1. Locate the passage

The book of Genesis closes with Egyptian funerals for two Hebrew Patriarchs. Both will be permanently buried outside of Egypt. This pericope closes the book and finishes with the family of Israel (Jacob) completely committed to an undisclosed time in Egypt. Both Jacob and Joseph die with the hope of Jacob’s descendants one day returning to Egypt. This passage completes the occupants of the burial site purchased by Abraham, as Jacob is finally laid to rest in Canaan. Joseph was embalmed in Egypt and his bones were eventually laid to rest in Canaan in the territory purchased by Jacob from the sons of Hamor (Gen. 33:19).

2. Genre

The passage is narrative and records Joseph’s conversation with his servants and with Pharaoh regarding his father; with his brothers after his father’s death; and with his brothers as his death approaches

3. Determine the structure of the passage

4. Exegete the passage

As we come to the end of the book of Genesis, we close the door on two long journeys and open the door to another. The chapter records the closing of the chapters for Jacob and Joseph, but reveals the beginning of a new chapter for the nation of Israel. It’s a story of faithful endings and hopeful beginnings. Above all, the chapter reveals the goodness of God to His people and anticipates the salvation of God for His people. He is the wisdom that plans, the hand that feeds, the hope that sustains, and the heart that redeems.

This mini-series focusing on the life of Joseph began with a brash young man who dreamed big dreams and matured to a faithful Patriarch who trusted in the God who would make them come true. It traces Joseph’s involuntarily journey to Egypt that prepared the way for the voluntary journey there of his family. It begins with betrayal and ends with reconciliation.

This pericope begins with Jacob reiterating his request to be buried outside of the land of Egypt and in the cave of Machpelah where his wife Leah, his father, his mother, his grandfather, and his grandmother were all buried.

The amount of space dedicated in the text to the life and ministry of Joseph exceeds that of most men in Scripture and speaks to his significance.

This pericope unfolds in an ABCAB chiastic structure:

49:29-33 – Jacob charges his sons to bury him in the cave of Machpelah

• This section repeats Jacob’s previous instructions to Joseph alone in 47:29-31.
• 49:29 – Jacob gave “instructions” (Hb. “tsava”) to his sons
  • This word is used again retrospectively in 49:33, “he finished giving instructions to his sons.”
• “Gathered to my people”
  • See other uses of this phrase with Abraham (Gen. 25:8), Ishmael (25:17), Isaac (35:29), Aaron (Num. 20:24; Deut. 32:50), and Moses (Deut. 32:50).
    • See also Num. 27:13; 31:2; Judg. 2:10; 2 Kgs 22:20
  • The phrase expresses some important Hebrew conceptions of afterlife:
    • There was a confidence of an afterlife to which Jacob would go
    • There was an obvious family dynamic understood in the afterlife
  • 49:29-30 – these verses twice identify the cave as the only “in the field of Ephron, the Hittite.”
    • See also 49:32; and 50:13.
    • Jacob wants there to be no confusion that Abraham legitimately purchased the cave and the rights for him to be buried there.
  • 49:31 – As in his former instructions to Joseph, Jacob reminds his sons of those who have been buried in the cave of Machpelah: Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah.
  • 49:33 – Jacob drew his feet into the bed and was gathered to his people
    • Perhaps having sat up to address his sons, Jacob drew his feet into the bed and reclined on the bed as the Lord ushered him his people.
    • The Hb. for “drew his” feet and “was gathered” are from the same word “asaph.”
    • Jacob was “gathered” to his people (Hb. “asaph”). This is the same word Jacob used when he instructed his sons to “gather” so that he might bless them (49:1).
    • Jacob’s age is not given here, because the text already recorded it in 47:28.

50:1-13 – Joseph arranged the burial of his father

• This section unfolds in several scenes
  • Joseph mourned over his father
    • The passage continues to refer to Joseph’s father as both Jacob and Israel continuing to demonstrate the transition of his name and to accentuate the development of the nation of Israel in Egypt.
  • Joseph gave instructions on the embalming of his father
  • Joseph and the Egyptians mourned for Jacob
  • Joseph requested of Pharaoh permission to bury his father in Canaan
  • Joseph mourns 7 additional days for his father
  • Joseph buried his father in Canaan
  • Joseph returned to Egypt

• Joseph’s grief is evident at the death of his father.
  • He fell on his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him.
• Two periods of mourning are carried out for Jacob: one in Egypt (70 days) and one in Canaan (7 days).
  • The passage highlights the distinction between Egyptian embalming and Hebrew burial
  • The two periods of mourning are significant
    • The first mourning period lasted 70 days in Egypt with the body lying in state in Egypt for the customary period of mourning. This 70 day period likely included the previously mentioned 40 days required for embalming. Forty days were required, but they mourned for Jacob 30 days more than that for a total of 70 days.
    • The second mourning period lasted 7 days in Canaan with both family and Egyptian leaders mourning.
  • The first period of mourning in Egypt is presented as customary in Egypt; while the second period of mourning expresses more intense grief.
    • The Canaanites in the land seemed to recognize the difference in 50:11 when they expressed, “this is grievous mourning for the Egyptians,” suggesting that they were used to the first period of professional mourning, but his personal grieving was unlike what they had witnessed before.
  • As prominent as Joseph was in Egypt, Pharaoh was still the king. Joseph follows customary lines of authority and presents his request to Pharaoh’s “household” rather than to Pharaoh directly.
    • Joseph explained to Pharaoh that Jacob “made me swear” to bury him in Canaan thus, accentuating the impact of Joseph’s request.
  • The entourage with Joseph included:
    • The senior leadership of Pharaoh’s household (demonstrating great respect for both Jacob and Joseph)
    • The families of Joseph and his brothers (everyone except the youngest, who presumably were left with Egyptian caretakers). They did not take their flocks, which in 46:1-4 represented their intention to remain in Egypt. This was not a ruse by Joseph and his family to return to Canaan, it was only a temporary journey.
      • The leaving of flocks behind was a deceptive suggestion by the Pharaoh of the Exodus in Exod. 10:24, which would have allowed them to temporarily leave to offer sacrifices to God, but would provide incentive for them to return.
    • 50:9 – An Egyptian military escort accompanied the procession
    • 50:10-11 – The name of the location was changed to reflect the significance of the mourning that took place there.
      • The intensity of the grief is expressed by the three-fold mention of mourning as well as the recognition by the local Canaanites of their grief.
      • The place was called, “Abel Mizraim,” which means, “the mourning of the Egyptians.”
    • 50:12-13 – These verses summarize the obedience of Joseph and his brothers to the command of their father to bury him in Canaan.

50:14-29

• 50:14 – Everyone who made the journey to Canaan returned to Egypt. Previously, Joseph had assured Pharaoh that he would return (50:5 – “I will return”). Here, the text gives no indication that any of Joseph’s family had a thought of remaining behind in Canaan.
  • The two-fold mention in 50:14 of the burial of his father (lit. “and all who had gone with him to bury his father, after they buried his father”) emphasizes the purposefulness of the trip and the return of everyone who made the journey.
• 50:15 – Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead
  • Soon after Jacob’s death fear set in with Joseph’s brothers that Jacob’s death would cause Joseph to take revenge against them for their mistreatment of him
    • Despite Joseph’s earlier assurance to them (45:5), the brothers feared that Joseph would “bear a grudge” (Hb. “satam”) against them. This is the word used in 27:41 of the grudge that Esau bore against Jacob. It is also the word Jacob used in 49:23 in his blessing of Joseph to describe those who had attacked Joseph (they held a grudge against Joseph), which would include Joseph’s brothers. It is also the word Job used of God in Job 16:9, fearing that God bore a grudge against him.
    • They feared that Joseph would “pay them back in full.” This phrase renders the two-fold Hebrew repetition of the word, “return,” or “bring back” – as in “he will surely bring back on us!”
  • In the same way that Joseph sent word to Pharaoh in 50:4, the brothers send word to Joseph. This was perhaps out of fear of facing Joseph themselves or perhaps out of recognition of Joseph’s position of authority.
  • This is a picture of how guilt works in our lives. The brothers are still plagued with the guilt of how they had treated Joseph and the fear of his retaliation.
• 50:16-17 – The text gives no indication of any such message from Jacob to Joseph
  • It is not clear if the brothers lied regarding a message from Jacob, but are clearly invoking Jacob’s plea (much like Joseph did to Pharaoh in 50:5) to add pressure on Joseph to respond favorably towards them.
    • The brothers hoped that Joseph would not deny a death-bed plea by Jacob to Joseph.
  • Their plea (through the “message” from Jacob) was for Joseph to forgive
    • Three words are used to describe what they did to Joseph: their transgression (Hb. “pasha”), their sin (Hb. “chattat”), and the wrong (Hb. “ra’ah” – lit. “evil; bad”) done to Joseph.
    • No excuses are given. Here is the first clear admission of wrong by the brothers and plea for forgiveness.
    • Their plea brought Joseph to tears.
  • Their plea also invoked Joseph’s faith in God as they identified themselves as “servants of the God of your father.”
• 50:18 – The brothers offering of themselves as Joseph’s slaves is the third strand of the brother’s appeal to Joseph (in addition to the references to Jacob and to God).
  • They offer to become what they forced Joseph to be—slaves.
    • The brothers, after bowing before Joseph, offer themselves as his servants (much like Jacob earlier offered himself in place of Benjamin in 44:18-34).
    • The brothers no longer resort to scheming, but merely throw themselves upon the mercy of the court.
  • This represents the final completion of Joseph’s childhood dreams as his brothers bow before him
    • However, Joseph’s dreams didn’t record a reconciliation with his brothers. His dreams were not contingent on Joseph’s response.
    • But the fact that he was given them suggests what God already knew about Joseph’s character.
• 50:19-21 – Joseph reassures his brothers
  • Joseph’s first responds explains that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Cf. Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30).
    • See Gen. 30:2 for the almost exact phrase said by Jacob to Rachel’s complaint regarding her inability to bear children.
  • Joseph’s second response demonstrates his mature understanding of the sovereignty of the Lord
    • God took what the brothers meant for evil and turned it into good
    • “You devised with regards to evil; God devised for good.”
    • This affirms that God not only can use evil for good, He can take what others intend for evil and turn it into good. He can transform evil intentions into outcomes that accomplish His purposes.
    • Joseph recognized that the good outcome was the preservation of lives.
    • The “good” that God produced did not mean that Joseph did not suffer because of his brothers’ evil. It meant that God used it for a higher purpose.
  • Joseph’s third response to his brothers was one of assurance. He promised his continued care for them and their families.
• 50:22-26 – Joseph prepares for his death
  • Joseph lived the remainder of his life in Egypt until age 110.
  • 50:23 accentuates the Divine blessing on Joseph’s life as the Lord allowed him to see him grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren.
  • 50:24 – Just as Jacob was aware of his impending death, so Joseph was keenly aware that his death was eminent. The text does not record if Joseph was sick or merely that the Lord revealed to him that he was about to die.
    • Joseph called his brothers (all but one of him older than him). This reference does not necessarily require that all were still alive.
  • Joseph assured his brother of two things:
    • God will visit them. This was an assurance that God would provide for them.
    • Joseph twice assured his brothers (50:24, 25) using Hebrew repetition, “God will surely visit you.” (lit. “visiting He will visit you”).
    • God will bring them back to Canaan. Joseph, at his death, clung to the same promise that Jacob did at his death—God would be faithful to His promise to bring the people of Israel back to Canaan.
  • 50:25 – Joseph reiterates his assurance of God’s faithful provision for his brothers and made his brothers swear to take his bones with them when they returned to Canaan.
    • This was the same promise Jacob required of Joseph. This difference was that Jacob requested to be buried in Canaan, while Joseph merely wanted his bones to accompany their eventual return.
    • Just as Joseph’s brothers were responsible for his coming to Egypt and they were responsible for seeing that he would be returned to the land God promised to their family.
    • Joseph’s final words reflected on the assurance of God’s promise to His people
    • The final words of Genesis focus not on Israel’s circumstances, but on God. Joseph’s assurance should resonate across the pages of time—“God will surely visit you to fulfill what He promised!”
  • 50:26 – Joseph was embalmed
    • Joseph was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt. The coffin in Egypt would not be Joseph’s final resting place.
    • The text doesn’t record any mourning period for Joseph, though one would be anticipated in the process of embalming.
    • Joseph, like Joshua who would eventually participate in the carrying of his bones from Egypt (Exod. 13:19), died at age 110.
• The book of Genesis ends in anticipation of what God would do next
  • This is not the end of the story, it is merely the end of the beginning of the story.
  • The promise of God would be realized and the assurance of Jacob and Joseph would be vindicated.
• Thus, the book of Genesis ends with the full reconciliation of Jacob’s family, the blessing of God on the fledgling nation of Israel, the assurance of God’s provision for his people, and the anticipation of what God’s salvation of His people.

5. Let the structure of the text drive the sermon

The book of Genesis ends with Israel enjoying the provision and relying on the protection of God. But, the two nations would not be able to coexist in the same land forever. There would come a time when the memory of Joseph would fade (Exod. 1:8) and Israel would no longer be welcome guests in Egypt.

The same God who led Israel to Egypt would fulfill His promise to bring them back. Why God allowed the circumstances which brought Israel to Egypt is reserved for Divine apprehension. Though appreciation of God’s salvation begins with the belief in God and the recognition of our need for His deliverance. In other words, before we can understand our need to be saved, we must first accept that we need a Savior.

Thus, the book of beginnings ends with a new beginning.

The death-bed testimonies of Jacob and Joseph serve as vivid examples for all believers that you can take God’s promises to the grave. When the time of our departure arrives, we will discover that God is still faithful. His promises are sure and His grace becomes even more tangible.

God intends for the believer’s journey of faith to be:

• The Celebration of God’s Provision

Exp. Sometimes God’s provision comes in unusual packages
Exp. God used a famine, a dream, a Hebrew slave, and an Egyptian king to provide for His people
Exp. Wherever God leads you on the journey of faith, He will be faithful to provide

• The Realization of God’s Perspective
  Exp. This passage affirms that God’s sovereign plan which is good outweighs human disruptions that appear evil
  Exp. Joseph recognizes that his brothers’ meant evil against him …
  • But, God took their evil and used it for His good!App.

• His brothers pled with him, “Please forgive?!”
  • Maybe they had never really apologized – this is the first apology recorded in the text …
  • But Joseph knew that He was not in God’s place! His assurance to his brothers affirmed that he would not presume to usurp God’s authority. You and I must never attempt to arrogate God’s authority or presume to claim God’s place in our lives. God alone has authority for vengeance. But, we have the opportunity to demonstrate His grace—the same grace that He has extended to us in Christ.
• Joseph responded, “You meant evil; God meant good”
  • God took what you intended for evil and turned it into good
  • Joseph still suffered the consequences, but God worked good through them
    • He came to understand his circumstances from God’s perspective
    • God may not remove every hurt, but He can accomplish His purpose (good) through them!
  • I will provide for you (forgiveness complete)

• The Anticipation of God’s Promise
  Exp. Death does not have the final word!
  Exp. The book ends with an unfulfilled promise. But, Jacob and Joseph remind us that believers can have confidence in God’s yet unfulfilled promises
  Exp. This includes the assurance of God’s grace
  Exp. All the promises of God are sure
  App. Changes in my life don’t undermine the certainty of God’s Promise

Application:

1. This passage models for us how to forgive the hurt that others may have caused us and trust that God can use the evil done to us to accomplish the good He has for us.
2. This passage teaches us how to finish the journey in faith. Death is not the end. Believers have hope in God’s promise. We are reminded that there is a place God is preparing for us. He will surely visit us and bring us home!
   • How can my life, or even my death, point my family to the Lord?

So,

• I can be faithful to my word, because God is always faithful to His
• I can forgive others, because God in Christ has forgiven me
• I can live in hope, because the promise of God is sufficient
• I can die in faith, because God offers eternal life in Christ