Here we find the record of Jacob’s (Israel) death. Joseph weeps and kisses his father. He then gives his physicians the directive to embalmed Israel. The timeframe was fulfilled for mourning.
Joseph sought permission to go to the land of Canaan to bury his father, and assured Pharoah that he would return. He told Pharoah that he made an oath to his father that he would bury him as he requested.
Joseph secured permission and took Israel up along with all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, all the elder of the land of Egypt, all the house of Joseph, his brethren, his father’s house. Only their little ones, the flocks, and herds were left in Goshen. So, there was a large company traveling to the land of Canaan.
Upon arriving at the threshing floor of Atad, they mourned greatly for seven days. The Canaanites saw this and called the place of mourning – Abelmizraim.
Israel’s sons did unto him according as he commanded them (v. 12), and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah; which Abraham had bought (v. 13). Joseph and the great company returned to Egypt.
Joseph’s brothers thought now that their father is dead that he will take revenge upon them. So, they sent a messenger to Joseph saying, “Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him” (Vs. 16-27).
Joseph’s brothers then came and fell down before his face; and told him they would be his servants. Joseph told them to ‘fear not’ and asked them basically is he to be in God’s place? He went on and told them even though they meant to do evil to him, God meant it for good and that by it many lives would be saved. Joseph sent them away to be with their families and to comfort them.
Joseph and his family continued to live in Egypt. He lived to see Ephraim’s children to the third generation, and the children of his grandson Machir (Manasseh’s son). He said to his family that when he dies, God will surely come and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (v. 24).
Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel (Jacob) telling them that God will surely visit you and they will carry his bones from Egypt. He died at 110 years of age, was embalmed, and put in a coffin in Egypt.
The conclusion of Genesis is made of three events that are filled with hope.
- First, it is the hope that Israel will return to the Promised Land. Moses, the author of Genesis, describes Jacob’s and Joseph’s deaths and burial as events pointing to the Promised Land. Immediately after his blessing and prophecy on the “twelve tribes of Israel” (Gen. 49:28) Jacob thinks of his death and charges his sons to bury him in Canaan, at the cave of Machpelah, where Sarah was buried (Gen. 49:29-31). The narrative describing the funeral procession toward Canaan becomes a precursor to, several centuries later, the Exodus from Egypt.
- Second, it is the hope that God will turn evil into good. After Jacob’s death and burial, Joseph’s brothers are worried about their future. They are afraid that Joseph will now take his revenge. They come to Joseph and prostrate themselves before him, ready to become his servants (Gen. 50:18), a scenario that is reminiscent of Joseph’s prophetic dreams. Joseph reassures them and tells them to “not be afraid” (Gen. 50:19), a phrase that refers to the future (Gen. 15:1); because what was “meant evil” against him, “God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20), and turned the course of events toward salvation (Gen. 50:19-20; compare with Genesis 45:5, 7-9.. That is, even despite so many human failures, God’s providence will overrule.
- Third, it is the hope that God will save fallen humankind. The story of Joseph’s death in this last verse of Genesis is broader than just about Joseph’s death. Strangely, Joseph does not command to have his bones buried. Instead he points to the time “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here” (Gen. 50:25), which they did, years later, in direct obedience to those words (see Exodus 13:19). Ultimately, the hope of the Promised Land, Canaan, is a symbol, a precursor, to the ultimate hope of salvation, of restoration, of a new Jerusalem in a new heaven and a new earth — the ultimate hope of all of us, a hope made certain by the death of Shiloh (Jesus Christ).
Read Revelation 21:1-4 represents the grandest hope that we have. Without this promise, there is no hope other than death alone as the end of all our problems.