Genesis 49-50

What I Noticed Today (Genesis 49-50)

Genesis 49

Chapter 49 includes Jacobs's final words of blessing and prophecies to his children.

In verses 1-2, Jacob calls all his sons together to issue his final prophecies regarding their future.

In verses 3-15, the prophecies regarding the sons of Leah:

• Reuben, the firstborn of Leah, excelling in prominence and power, you will excel no more because you defiled your father’s bed (when he slept with Bilhah, the concubine, Genesis 35:22).
• Simeon and Levi, may I never enter their council or join their assembly. Their anger is cursed, for it is cruel. (They conspired to kill the men of Shechem after the rape of Dinah, Genesis 34:2).
• Judah, your brothers will praise you, you will defeat your enemies, your brothers will bow down to you. The scepter and staff (signs of kingship) will not depart from you until He (the Messiah) comes.
• Zebulun, you will live by the seashore, a harbor for ships, and his territory next to Sidon.
• Issachar, like a strong donkey, will be forced to work for others.

In verses 16-21, the sons of the concubines Bilhah and Zilpah:

• Dan, you will judge people as one of the tribes of Israel but will be like a snake in the road who bites from behind.
• Gad, you will be attacked by raiders, but you will attack their heels.
• Asher, your food will be rich, and you will produce royal delicacies.
• Naphtali, you are like a doe set free.

In verses 22-27, the sons of Rachel:

• Joseph, the fruitful vine, he was made agile by the hands of the Mighty One, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, the God of your father, the Almighty who blesses you. May the blessing of your father and your ancestors rest upon you. You are the crown prince of your brothers.

• Benjamin, you are a wolf who tears at his prey and divides his plunder in the evening.

In verses 29-33, Jacob issues his burial instructions to his sons:

• Jacob gathered his sons together and told them he was about to die.
• He instructed them to bury him in the cave at Machpelah near Mamre in the land of Canaan that Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site.
• Abraham and Sarah are buried there. Isaac and Rebekah are buried there. And Jacob had buried Leah there.
• When he finished giving his instructions, Jacob died and was gathered to his people.

Genesis 50

Chapter 50 describes Jacob’s burial, Joseph’s kindness to his brothers, and Joseph’s death.

In verses 1-14, Joseph prepares Jacob for burial, and takes him to Canaan for burial:

• Joseph commanded the Egyptian physicians to embalm Jacob (Israel). That process took 40 days. The Egyptians mourned Jacob for 70 days.

• When the days of mourning were over, Joseph told Pharaoh of the oath he had taken to bury Jacob in Canaan, and asked permission to bury him there.
• Joseph led a procession of Egyptian leaders and elders from Egypt along with his own household (except for children and the flocks) to Canaan.

• When they reached the threshing floor of Atad across the Jordan River, they stopped and mourned for seven days.

• The Canaanites who witnessed the mourning renamed the place Abel-mizraim (“The Meadow of Egyptians”).
• After the 7-day period of Hebrew mourning, they carried Jacob to Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah.
• After Joseph buried his father, they all returned to Egypt.

In verses 15-21, Joseph shows kindness to his brothers:

• Now that Jacob was dead, Joseph’s brothers feared he would take revenge on them for the suffering he endured because of them.
• They sent a messenger to Joseph, stating his father Jacob had asked Joseph to forgive his sons their trespasses and suffering they caused.
• Then his brothers came and bowed down before him, saying they were his slaves.
• But Joseph reassured them, saying he was not in the place of God. The brothers had planned evil against him, but God planned it for good, the survival of their people.
• Joseph promised to care for them and their children and spoke kindly to them.

In verses 22-26, Joseph died:

• Joseph and his father’s household remained in Egypt, and he lived 110 years and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children.
• The sons of Manasseh’s son Machir were recognized by Joseph (meaning they were ritually adopted by Joseph).
• Joseph told his brothers he was about to die, but God will certainly come to you and bring you up from this land as He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• So Joseph made his brothers, the sons of Israel, swear an oath that when God comes to their aid, they will carry his bones out of Egypt.
• Joseph died at 110 years old, was embalmed, and was buried in a coffin in Egypt.

Some thoughts for additional consideration:

• Looking back over the history from Abraham to Joseph, we see generation after generation of lies and deceit, and the consequences sin brings. And these are God’s chosen people! In one way, it’s depressing, but it gives me comfort to know that despite their sin, God chose them and was with them through every difficulty.
• God is with us today as well, despite our lies, deceit, and sins He has chosen us and will be with us always!

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.

Tomorrow: Exodus 1-4