Berean Study Bible Mourning and Burial for JacobJoseph’s immediate response to Jacob’s death reveals the depth of their restored relationship. Though years of separation and suffering had marked their lives, Joseph had remained devoted to his father and now grieved at his bedside. Gen 46:29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went there… wept over him, His tears were the sorrow of a son who had lost the father through whom God had preserved the covenant family. Jacob’s death also marked the passing of the last patriarch who had personally carried the promises given to Abraham and Isaac. 2Ki 13:14 When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness… and kissed him. Joseph’s final embrace expressed love, honor, and farewell. As Jacob’s favored son and the ruler responsible for the family’s protection in Egypt, Joseph mourned not only as a public leader but as a devoted son. Act 20:37 They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him. And Joseph directed the physicians in his service Joseph’s authority in Egypt extended to the royal physicians, whose skills included the preparation of bodies for burial. His position enabled him to provide for his father with the resources of the Egyptian court. 2Ch 16:12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased… to embalm his father Israel. Jacob’s body was preserved so it could be carried safely to Canaan and buried in the family tomb, according to his expressed request. Though embalming followed Egyptian custom, Joseph used it to honor his father’s commitment to burial in the land promised to Abraham. Gen 49:29-33 Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered… So they embalmed him, The process prepared Jacob’s body for the long journey and the extended mourning that followed. Even in Egypt, Jacob’s burial would testify that his family’s lasting inheritance lay in Canaan. Jhn 19:39-40 Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night… taking the forty days required to complete the embalming. Egyptian embalming involved drying the body with natron and preparing it for burial, a process that commonly required about forty days. Jacob received this treatment because of Joseph’s position and the honor Egypt extended to his family. Jhn 19:39-40 Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night… And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. The seventy days of mourning were comparable to the honors given for prominent Egyptian officials and royal figures. Egypt’s grief for Jacob reflected Joseph’s great authority and the nation’s gratitude for his service during the famine. Num 20:29 When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died,… When the days of mourning had passed, Egypt observed seventy days of mourning for Jacob, an honor normally associated with royalty. The national participation shows the esteem Joseph held in Egypt and the honor extended to his father. Deu 34:8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab… Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, Having completed the public mourning rites, Joseph addressed Pharaoh’s household to request permission for Jacob’s burial in Canaan. He followed the established order of the royal court while acting on the oath he had made to his father. Gen 47:1 So Joseph went and told Pharaoh: My father and my brothers…… “If I have found favor in your eyes, Joseph appealed respectfully to those who could bring his request before Pharaoh, trusting the goodwill earned through his faithful service to Egypt. Gen 39:4 Joseph found favor in his sight and became his attendant.… please tell Pharaoh that Joseph sought Pharaoh’s approval before leaving Egypt, since his position and responsibilities required royal permission for the journey. Est 4:8 Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree… my father made me swear an oath Jacob had bound Joseph by a solemn promise to carry out his burial instructions. Such an oath carried great weight, especially within the family, and Joseph treated it as an obligation that could not be set aside. Gen 47:29-31 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called… when he said, ‘I am about to die. Knowing his death was near, Jacob gave final directions concerning his burial. His concern was not Egypt, where he had spent his last years, but the land God had promised to his descendants. Gen 48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die,… You must bury me in the tomb that I dug for myself Jacob had prepared a burial place in the family tomb at Machpelah, where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah were buried. He desired to rest among his fathers as a testimony to his identity and to God’s covenant with his family. Gen 49:29-31 Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered… in the land of Canaan.’ Canaan was the inheritance promised to Abraham’s descendants. Though Jacob’s family was living in Egypt, his burial there affirmed that Egypt was temporary and that God’s promise concerning the land remained sure. Gen 17:8 And to you and your descendants I will give the land… Now let me go and bury my father, Joseph respectfully asked Pharaoh for permission to fulfill the oath he had made. Though he held high authority in Egypt, he remained devoted to his father and to the responsibilities of his family. Mat 8:21-22 Another of His disciples requested, “Lord, first let me go… and then return.” Joseph assured Pharaoh that he would return to Egypt after the burial. His request showed both loyalty to Pharaoh and faithfulness to Jacob’s final command. Gen 22:5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants… Pharaoh replied, Joseph’s request received Pharaoh’s immediate approval, showing the trust and authority Joseph held in Egypt. Gen 45:17-20 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers,… “Go up Joseph was permitted to leave Egypt and travel to Canaan, the land promised to his family. Gen 45:25-28 So the brothers went up out of Egypt and came… and bury your father, Jacob had died in Egypt but had required Joseph to bury him in the family tomb at Machpelah, near Hebron. His burial there identified him with Abraham, Isaac, and the promised land rather than with Egypt. Gen 49:29-31 Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered… as he made you swear to do.” Pharaoh recognized the binding obligation Jacob had placed on Joseph. Joseph’s return to Canaan fulfilled his father’s final command and honored the oath he had made. Gen 47:29-31 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called… Then Joseph went to bury his father, Joseph faithfully carried out Jacob’s command to bury him in the family tomb in Canaan. Though Joseph held great authority in Egypt, he remained committed to his father’s final request and to the covenant heritage of his family. Jacob’s burial in the land promised to Abraham affirmed that the family’s future rested not in Egypt but in God’s promise. Mat 8:21 Another of His disciples requested, “Lord, first let me go… and all the servants of Pharaoh accompanied him— Pharaoh permitted and honored Joseph’s journey, sending members of his court with the procession. Their presence showed the esteem Joseph had earned through his service to Egypt and gave public recognition to the death of his father. Gen 41:43-44 He had Joseph ride in his second chariot,… the elders of Pharaoh’s household Egypt’s leading court officials joined Joseph, marking the funeral as an event of national importance. Their participation reflected Pharaoh’s respect for Joseph and his family. Gen 41:40-41 You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people… and all the elders of the land of Egypt— Prominent leaders from across Egypt accompanied the mourning party to Canaan. The large Egyptian delegation testified to Joseph’s influence and to the gratitude Egypt owed him for preserving the land during the famine. Isa 19:11 The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors… along with all of Joseph’s household, Joseph’s position in Egypt meant that his household included servants and attendants who accompanied him in honoring Jacob. Gen 41:45-52 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah,… and his brothers, The sons of Jacob traveled together, showing the family’s unity as they carried out their father’s burial instructions. Gen 45:4-7 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.”… and his father’s household. Jacob’s wider household joined the procession, reflecting the importance of the patriarch whose descendants would become the tribes of Israel. Gen 47:11-12 So Joseph settled his father and brothers… Only their children and flocks and herds were left in Goshen. The families and livestock remained in the land Pharaoh had assigned them, confirming that the journey to Canaan was for Jacob’s burial and not a permanent departure from Egypt. Gen 45:10 You shall settle in the land of Goshen and be near me… Chariots and horsemen alike went up with him, Joseph’s journey to bury Jacob was accompanied by an Egyptian military escort, reflecting his high rank under Pharaoh and the honor extended to his father. Chariots and horsemen displayed Egypt’s strength and marked the occasion as one of national importance. 2Ki 23:30 From Megiddo his servants carried his body in a chariot… and it was an exceedingly large procession. Jacob’s burial drew Joseph’s household, his brothers, Egyptian officials, and a substantial escort. The gathering publicly honored Jacob and demonstrated the favor Joseph possessed in Egypt, even as his family remained distinct from the Egyptians. Luk 7:12 As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man… When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, The funeral procession paused at a well-known threshing floor, an open area suitable for a large gathering. Its location provided space for the Egyptians, Joseph’s family, and the accompanying officials to mourn Jacob publicly. 2Sa 24:18 And that day Gad came to David and said to him,… which is across the Jordan, The site lay in the region beyond the Jordan River, marking the approach to Canaan. Jacob’s body was being returned from Egypt to the land where Abraham and Isaac had been buried. Deu 3:20 until the LORD gives rest to your brothers… they lamented and wailed loudly, The mourners expressed their grief openly according to the customs of the day. The scale of the lament reflected Jacob’s standing as the patriarch of the family and the respect shown him by Joseph and the Egyptian delegation. 2Sa 3:31-32 Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him,… and Joseph mourned for his father seven days. Joseph observed a full period of mourning before continuing to Machpelah for Jacob’s burial. His grief showed both his love for his father and his determination to honor Jacob’s final request. Job 2:13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days… When the Canaanites of the land saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, The Canaanites, inhabitants of the land promised to Abraham’s descendants, witnessed an unusually large and public display of grief. A threshing floor provided an open gathering place, allowing the Egyptian procession and its mourning rites to be seen by the surrounding population. The scale of the event showed the honor given to Jacob and reflected Joseph’s authority in Egypt. Gen 23:2 She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron)… they said, “This is a solemn ceremony of mourning by the Egyptians.” The observers recognized the distinctive character of Egyptian mourning. Egyptian officials and attendants had joined Joseph in honoring his father, demonstrating both their respect for Joseph and the prominence Jacob’s death received beyond his own family. Exo 12:29-30 Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male… Thus the place across the Jordan is called Abel-mizraim. Abel-mizraim, meaning “mourning of the Egyptians,” preserved the memory of the event. The name marked the place where the Egyptians’ grief for Jacob made a lasting impression on the people of Canaan. Gen 28:19 and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city… So Jacob’s sons did Jacob’s sons carried out their father’s final instructions, honoring him by acting together in obedience. Their unity at his death stands in contrast to the division that had marked earlier years of their lives. Gen 49:29-32 Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered… as he had charged them. They buried Jacob in the cave of Machpelah near Hebron, the family tomb where Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Leah were buried. By returning him to Canaan, they affirmed their family’s connection to the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. Pro 6:20 My son, keep your father’s commandment,… They carried him to the land of Canaan Joseph and his brothers honored Jacob’s command to be buried in the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. Their journey affirmed the family’s confidence that Canaan remained their true inheritance despite their long residence in Egypt. Gen 47:30 but when I lie down with my fathers, carry me out… and buried him in the cave at Machpelah Jacob was laid beside Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah in the family tomb, linking his death to the covenant line and its enduring promise. Gen 35:29 Then he breathed his last and died, and was gathered… in the field near Mamre, Near Hebron, this area was closely associated with Abraham’s life and worship in Canaan. Gen 23:17 So Ephron’s field at Machpelah near Mamre,… which Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite Abraham’s purchase of the field provided the patriarchs with a lawful and permanent burial place in the land, a tangible possession within the territory God had promised. Gen 23:16 Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out…… as a burial site. Jacob’s burial in Canaan anticipated the future return of Israel from Egypt and testified that God’s covenant purposes extended beyond the family’s present circumstances. Gen 23:9 sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him;… After Joseph had buried his father, Jacob was laid in the cave of Machpelah, the family burial place Abraham had purchased in Canaan. His burial there honored his final request and affirmed the family’s enduring claim to the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Gen 47:29-31 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called… he returned to Egypt Joseph resumed his position under Pharaoh after the mourning period and burial journey. Egypt remained the place where Jacob’s household had found provision during the famine, though their stay there would later lead to Israel’s oppression and deliverance. Gen 45:25-28 So the brothers went up out of Egypt and came… with his brothers The brothers returned together, showing the reconciliation that had replaced the hostility and betrayal of Joseph’s youth. As the sons of Jacob, they stood as the heads of the families from which the tribes of Israel would come. Gen 45:14-15 Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin… and all who had gone with him to bury his father. The returning company included Joseph’s family, servants, and Egyptian officials who had accompanied the funeral procession. Their presence reflected Joseph’s authority in Egypt and the honor given to Jacob at his death. Gen 25:9-10 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave…
Joseph Comforts His BrothersJacob’s death removed the family’s aging patriarch and left the brothers fearful that Joseph’s restraint had depended on respect for their father. Though the family had been reunited in Egypt, the memory of their betrayal remained unsettled in their consciences. Gen 27:41 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing… they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Years had passed since Joseph forgave them, yet they still expected retaliation. Their fear showed that they understood the seriousness of selling Joseph into slavery and deceiving their father. Lev 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your… Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.” The brothers rightly called their actions evil. They expected Joseph to answer wrong with punishment, but Joseph had come to see that God had sovereignly used their sin to preserve the family during the famine. Gen 37:28 So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers… So they sent word to Joseph, saying, Jacob’s death stirred renewed fear in Joseph’s brothers. Though Joseph had forgiven them, they feared he might now seek revenge. Rather than approach him directly, they sent a message intended to appeal to his loyalty to their father and preserve peace within the family. Gen 45:25-28 So the brothers went up out of Egypt and came… “Before he died, They presented their request as Jacob’s final concern, knowing that a father’s last instructions carried great authority within the family. Gen 47:29-30 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called… your father commanded, By stressing Joseph’s relationship to Jacob, the brothers sought to remind him of his father’s desire for reconciliation and to restrain any thought of retaliation. Gen 49:29-33 Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered… ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: Jacob’s sons send their appeal through messengers, reflecting their fear after their father’s death and their uncertainty about Joseph’s intentions. Gen 32:3-5 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau… I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, They openly acknowledge the seriousness of what they had done when they sold Joseph into slavery. Their request recognizes that reconciliation requires confession and forgiveness. Exo 32:31-32 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great… for they did you wrong.’ The brothers do not deny the injury they caused. Though many years had passed, the consequences of their betrayal remained present in their minds. Gen 37:18-28 Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance,… So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” By identifying themselves as servants of their father’s God, they appeal to the covenant faith shared by Joseph and their family. Their words reflect a desire to preserve the family God had chosen and sustained. 2Sa 19:19-23 said, “My lord, do not hold me guilty”… When their message came to him, Joseph wept. Joseph’s tears reveal the pain of the past and his compassion for his brothers. Their continued fear showed that they had not fully understood the forgiveness he had already extended to them. Gen 45:1-2 Then Joseph could no longer control himself… His brothers also came to him, After Jacob’s death, Joseph’s brothers feared that he might repay them for selling him into slavery. Their approach reveals that they still carried the weight of their earlier sin and doubted the permanence of Joseph’s forgiveness. Gen 42:6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; … bowed down before him, Their bowing fulfilled the dreams Joseph had received in his youth, when his brothers’ sheaves bowed before his own. What they had once resented came to pass under God’s providence, as Joseph’s exalted position in Egypt became the means of preserving their family. Gen 43:28 “Your servant our father is well,” they answered.… and said, “We are your slaves!” The brothers offered themselves as servants in recognition of Joseph’s authority and their guilt against him. Their words also underscore the reversal brought about through Joseph’s suffering: the brother they had sold as a slave now held power over them, yet he responded with mercy rather than revenge. Gen 44:9 If any of your servants is found to have it,… But Joseph replied, After Jacob’s death, Joseph’s brothers feared he would repay them for selling him into slavery. Joseph had already forgiven them and recognized that their betrayal had not overturned God’s purpose for his life or for Israel’s preservation during the famine. Gen 45:4-5 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.”… “Do not be afraid. He addressed their fear directly, refusing to reopen the offense or use his authority in Egypt against them. His response assured them that they remained under his care. Gen 43:23 “It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid.… Am I in the place of God? Joseph would not assume God’s role as judge and avenger. Though his brothers had sinned against him, he left judgment to God and chose mercy, understanding that God had used their evil actions to preserve many lives. Gen 30:2 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said,… As for you, Joseph spoke directly to the brothers who had betrayed him years earlier, holding their actions plainly before them without denying the wrong they had done. Gen 45:8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God,… what you intended against me for evil, Their jealousy of Joseph and resentment over their father’s favor led them to sell him into slavery, intending to remove him from their lives. Gen 37:18-20 Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance,… God intended for good, God did not approve of their sin, yet He directed Joseph’s suffering and years in Egypt toward His saving purpose. Rom 8:28 And we know that God works all things together for good… in order to accomplish a day like this— Joseph’s exaltation under Pharaoh had prepared him to administer Egypt’s food supply during the famine. Est 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief… to preserve the lives of many people. Through Joseph, God preserved Jacob’s family and countless others from starvation, keeping alive the family through whom He would fulfill His covenant promises. Gen 45:7 God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant… Therefore do not be afraid. After Jacob’s death, Joseph’s brothers feared that he might retaliate for selling him into slavery. Though Joseph held great authority in Egypt, he refused to use his position for revenge. Gen 15:1 After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram… I will provide for you and your little ones.” Joseph pledged to supply food and protection for his brothers’ households during the continuing hardship in the land. His promise secured the family through whom God’s covenant purposes would continue. Gen 45:11 And there I will provide for you, because there will be… So Joseph reassured his brothers Joseph’s forgiveness was not merely spoken but demonstrated through his continued care for those who had wronged him. He recognized that God had preserved the family through the suffering they intended for evil. Gen 45:5-8 And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves… and spoke kindly to them. Joseph addressed them with gentleness, removing their fear and restoring peace within the family. Rut 2:13 “My lord,” she said, “may I continue to find favor”…
The Death of JosephJoseph used the authority God had given him to preserve Jacob’s family during the famine. Their settlement in Egypt fulfilled God’s earlier warning that Abraham’s descendants would live as foreigners in another land. What began as refuge from famine would become the setting for Israel’s growth into a great nation and, later, their oppression and deliverance. Gen 47:11-12 So Joseph settled his father and brothers… and Joseph lived to the age of 110 Joseph died after a full and honored life in Egypt. His years included betrayal, slavery, imprisonment, exaltation, and the rescue of his family, yet God’s purpose continued through every stage. He lived long enough to see his family established in Egypt and the covenant line preserved. Jos 24:29 Some time later, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD,… He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, Joseph lived to see his great-grandchildren through Ephraim, a mark of long life and the flourishing of the family God had preserved in Egypt. Jacob’s blessing upon Ephraim was already being fulfilled as Joseph’s descendants increased. Gen 48:19-20 But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!”… and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh Manasseh’s line also continued through Machir, his firstborn. Joseph’s family was firmly established through both of his sons, preserving the future tribal lines of Ephraim and Manasseh. Num 26:29 These were the descendants of Manasseh:… were brought up on Joseph’s knees. Joseph received these children as members of his household and shared in their care during his final years. Surrounded by his descendants, he witnessed God’s faithfulness to the family He had promised would become a great nation. Gen 30:3 Then she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah.”… Then Joseph said to his brothers, Joseph speaks to the sons of Jacob, the fathers of Israel’s tribes, near the end of his life. Though they had once betrayed him, God had brought reconciliation to the family and preserved them through the famine. Gen 45:4-5 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.”… “I am about to die, Joseph recognizes that his life and authority in Egypt are ending, but he does not view Israel’s future as dependent on him. Gen 47:29-30 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called… but God will surely visit you He expresses confidence that God remains committed to His covenant people and will act on their behalf. Exo 13:19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him.… and bring you up from this land Israel’s settlement in Egypt was temporary. Joseph looks ahead to the time when God will deliver their descendants from Egypt and lead them out. Gen 46:4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely… to the land He promised on oath Canaan was the land God had pledged to give Israel through the covenant made with their fathers. God’s promise stood secure despite the generations that would pass before its fulfillment. Exo 6:8 And I will bring you into the land that I swore to give… to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Joseph grounds Israel’s future in the covenant promises given to the patriarchs, linking the family in Egypt to the land and inheritance God had appointed for them. Exo 3:6 Then He said, “I am the God of your father,”… And Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath Joseph bound Israel’s descendants to preserve his burial request across generations. The oath marked the obligation as sacred and ensured that his hope in God’s covenant would not be forgotten in Egypt. Gen 47:29-31 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called… and said, “God will surely attend to you, Joseph trusted that God would intervene for His people and bring them out of Egypt at the appointed time. Though he died in Egypt, he looked beyond the present security of his family to God’s promised future. Exo 3:16 Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them,… and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” Joseph wanted his remains buried in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His bones were later carried from Egypt during the Exodus and buried in Canaan, bearing witness to his confidence that God would fulfill His promise. Exo 13:19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him.… So Joseph died at the age of 110 In Egypt, 110 years was regarded as an especially full and honored lifespan. Joseph’s long life reflects the favor of God upon him and closes the patriarchal account with the family preserved in Egypt, awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promise to bring them back to Canaan. Jos 24:29 Some time later, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD,… And they embalmed his body Joseph received the burial treatment given to prominent Egyptians, reflecting the authority and honor he had received under Pharaoh. Yet his final instructions showed that his true inheritance remained with the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jhn 19:39-40 Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night… and placed it in a coffin in Egypt. Joseph’s coffin remained in Egypt as a continuing witness that Israel’s stay there was not permanent. When God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, Joseph’s bones would be carried with them toward the land of promise. Exo 13:19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him.… This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. 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