Genesis 50

Genesis 50:1

12. Death of Jacob and Then of Joseph in Egypt (Chap. 50)50:1-14 Even the Egyptians mourned for . . . seventy days when Jacob died. His body was embalmed by the palace physicians. Then Pharaoh gave Joseph permission to accompany the body back to Canaan, with a great procession of officials, relatives, and servants. They stopped east of the Jordan and mourned for seven days so deeply that the Canaanites . . . called the place Abel Mizraim, the meadow (or mourning) of Egypt. Following the burial in the cave . . . of Machpelah at Hebron, Joseph and his entourage returned to Egypt. 50:15-21 Now that Jacob was dead, Joseph’s brothers feared that he might seek vengeance on them, They sent word to him, claiming that their father Jacob had left word that Joseph should forgive them. Joseph disclaimed any intent to seek revenge or to judge, since that was God’s prerogative. He further relieved their fears with the memorable words, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good . . .“50:22-26 Joseph was apparently the first of the twelve sons of Jacob to die. This was fifty-four years after his father’s death. His faith that God would take the people of Israel back to Canaan is eulogized in Heb_11:22. He gave instructions that his bones be buried in that land. It has been pointed out that Genesis opens with God’s perfect creation and closes with a coffin in Egypt. It is a book of biographies. Whereas two chapters are devoted to an account of the creation of the heavens and earth, forty-eight chapters are largely concerned with the lives of men and women. God is interested primarily in people. What a comfort and challenge to those who know Him!