Chapter Fifty
Jacob’s Burial
50:1 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.
Joseph did as one would expect after reading his life’s story, especially after being separated from his father for so long, falling on Jacob weeping and kissing him. One might ask, what about the other brothers, what was their response? We are not told, but there is no doubt that they loved their father dearly, perhaps not as intensely as Joseph did.
History informs us that it was customary to embalm the dead in Egypt, variations of this process have preserved bodies through thousands of years. Joseph had his personal physicians begin this process immediately, which according to the text required forty days to complete.
The art of embalming, by which the greater part of the mummies now existing were prepared, was practiced by the Assyrians, Persians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, and to some extent also by the Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, and on this continent by the Mexicans and Peruvians. But with greatest skill it was practiced by the inhabitants of ancient Egypt, of whom whole generations still remain preserved from decay in the vast hypogæa or catacombs in the neighborhood of Thebes and the other great cities of that country. It has been estimated that more than 400,000,000 human mummies were made in Egypt from the beginning of embalming until its discontinuance in the 7th century.[1]
Depending on culture and background, the periods of mourning vary. In the Bible we can find several periods ranging from 30 days to just a few days. It is believed that Jacob was mourned similarly to an Egyptian royalty for a total of seventy days (possibly 40 days for embalming plus 30 days of mourning). Seeing the list of people that participated in Jacob’s burial certainly demonstrates the respect the Egyptians had for him (see Genesis 50:7-9).
50:4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.” Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.’ ” 6 And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.”
After the period of mourning was over, Joseph approached the house of Pharaoh. For some unexplained reason Joseph approached intermediaries (Pharaoh’s household) to forward his request to Pharaoh. As he was appointed “second-in-command” during the famine, Joseph undoubtedly was still a valuable and respected member of the Egyptian government. Since Joseph saved Egypt from collapse, it would not be hard to believe that Pharaoh still considered Joseph indispensable. Plus, the Israelites were, without question, productive and contributing members of the Egyptian economy. So, Joseph asked that he and his brothers be allowed to leave Egypt to bury their father, as Jacob made him swear to do, and then return to Egypt.
Since by this time the famine would have come and gone, many Bible readers wonder why Joseph and his brothers did not take this opportunity to move back to Canaan. The simplest and most important answer to that question is that it wasn’t part of God’s plan and for the time being, the Israelites were to remain in Egypt.
Recognizing Joseph’s request as being reasonable and well-intentioned, especially considering Jacob’s insistence and demand for the oath, Pharaoh allowed them to go.
50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company.
As pointed out above, the respect for Jacob can be seen here through the people involved in his funeral procession. Not only did all of the Israelites participate (with the exception of their children and those that watched over the livestock), but the lengthy procession also (nearly 300 miles) included the servants and elders of Pharaoh as well as the elders from all of Egypt. The procession also included chariots and horses making it one very impressive caravan, just as the text states, “It was a very great company.”
50:10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim; it is beyond the Jordan.
The caravan stopped at the threshing floor of Atad, there is no explanation as to why this location was chosen. The text twice uses the phrase, “beyond the Jordan,” which will later refer to the east side of the river. However, in this context, especially since history places the threshing floor of Atad (which will be later recognized as Abel-mizraim) on the west bank of the Jordan River, the reference of being beyond the Jordan here would then mean that they were approaching the river from the east.
Here they stopped to mourn Jacob’s death. Since this does not appear to be a God-ordained procedure, this may have been a formal Egyptian mourning ceremony, which probably received a lot of attention from the local Canaanites, who recognized the grievous nature of the mourning by the Egyptians, so they later referred to the location, Abel-mizraim, meaning “Meadow of the Egyptians.” Since there is no mention of any of the sons objecting to this ceremony, they either accepted this mourning as a show of respect or they did not participate. Some even suggest that Joseph and his brothers continued to the cave of the field at Machpelah as referenced in the next verse, however, that would only be speculation. More than likely they participated in or observed this apparent Egyptian ceremony, otherwise why would it be told here?
50:12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them, 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
After the seven-day period of mourning of Jacob’s death was over, his sons continued the journey to the cave of the field at Machpelah that was bought for this purpose. There is no discussion or reference to the burial process, just a quick note saying that he was buried. Then Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt. Once again, no details given regarding the lengthy journeys (from Egypt to the cave and back, approximately 600 miles). It would be several more years before any of the Israelites would return to live in Canaan (see Genesis 15:13-16).
God Meant it for Good...So Do Not Fear
50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph’s brothers suddenly became concerned that since Jacob was no longer around to buffer any potential anger of Joseph towards them, they thought that he might retaliate. So, they sent a message to remind Joseph of their father’s request to forgive his brothers. This undoubtedly hurt Joseph emotionally, especially since he had already assured them that he had forgiven them and that he would take care of them and their families (see Genesis 45:4-11). It is interesting to note that even though we never see the brothers offering a full confession regarding what they did to Joseph, their guilt-driven concern here and other past actions appear to express their deep and sincere sorrow. Even though this request of Jacob to Joseph to have him forgive his brothers was not previously recorded in Scripture, there is no reason to question that he had not made that request.
When Joseph came to talk to his brothers it quickly became an emotional gathering. Joseph’s words are some of the more profound words expressed anywhere in the Bible. Joseph had long ago recognized that God was grooming him to become a great leader. The pain of his brothers abandoning him, and the many years of imprisonment was all part of that maturing process. He first tells them not to fear as he, even though in a position of power, is not God. Then he reminds them that what they did to him was motivated by their evil intentions against him, but then comforted them by saying, “God meant it for good.” God used him to save many people from dying in the famine. He concludes by once again saying they should not fear and again promises that he will provide for them and their families.
Death of Joseph
50:22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own.
Using several verses to perform “date math,” we can calculate the age Joseph when Jacob died to be 56 years old. Joseph lived in Egypt for another 54 years, dying there at the age of 110 (see Genesis 41:46, 53; 45:6; 47:28). He lived long enough to know some of his great-grandchildren in Ephraim’s family (there is a debate whether the phrase, “children of the third generation” refers to Ephraim’s children or to his grandchildren). According to other genealogies in the Bible, Manasseh had at least two sons, Machir and Asriel (see Numbers 26:29-31; 1 Chronicles 7:14), but only Machir’s children, “were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.” (Genesis 30:23b, NIV) Many suggest that this is a reference to these children were born while Joseph was still able to enjoy them. There is no reference to any process of adoption here.
50:24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
The text does not state how many of Joseph’s brothers were still alive when he made this proclamation. It is likely that Benjamin was still living, and it is possible that others were still alive too. After stating that he was about to die, he then reminded them that God will visit them and bring them out of Egypt into the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then he made the sons of Israel swear that at that time they were to take and carry his bones with them to the Promised Land. Since the term ‘sons’ in the Hebrew (‘ben’), is not limited to a person’s immediate descendant, there may have been several generations present. The oath was indeed fulfilled by their offspring (see Exodus 13:9; Joshua 24:32). This act of faith by Joseph was later recognized in Scripture in the book of Hebrews. “By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.” (Hebrews 11:22). Joseph then died at 110 years old. He was embalmed and then placed in a coffin.
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[1] M’Clintock, J., & Strong, J. (1894). Mummy. In Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Vol. 6, p. 730). New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers.