What does Genesis 49:30 mean?
Jacob is on his death bed (Genesis 48:1), speaking his last words. Those words take the form of an urgent command to his sons: bury his body in the family tomb in Canaan (Genesis 47:29–30). Jacob does not want to be buried in Egypt. He knows that is not where his body belongs. It belongs with that of his father and grandfather and their wives.Jacob provides very specific directions to the burial cave beginning in the previous verse. It is located in the field of Ephron the Hittite at Machpelah, east of Mamre. He reminds his sons—who have undoubtedly heard this before—that the cave was purchased by their great grandfather Abraham. It is one of the few places in Canaan that the family already owns, in this case by legal contract (Genesis 23:17–20).
Genesis 49:28–33 contains Jacob's last words before his death. He commands his sons to see that his body is buried in Canaan in the family tomb. It is one of the few pieces of property the family owns outright in the Promised Land. Abraham bought it from the Hittites. He and Sarah are buried there, as are Jacob's parents Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob's first wife Leah. His sons must take his body there to lay it to rest with the others. After saying this, the man God renamed "Israel" (Genesis 35:10–1) dies in the presence of his extended family.
Genesis 49 contains Jacob's dying prophetic remarks. In the form of poetry, Jacob pronounces positive and negative "blessings" about each of his 12 sons and the people who will come from them. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are each held to account for their past sins. Judah is described as a lion; the kingly line will come from his people. Joseph and his descendants are lavished with blessings. Once the oracle is completed, Jacob commands his sons to bury him with his fathers in Canaan. Then, the man God named "Israel" (Genesis 35:10–11) dies.
