Genesis 50:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them,

NIV: So Jacob's sons did as he had commanded them:

NASB: And so his sons did for him as he had commanded them;

CSB: So Jacob's sons did for him what he had commanded them.

NLT: So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them.

KJV: And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:

NKJV: So his sons did for him just as he had commanded them.

In the moments before his death, Jacob gave his twelve sons an order: to return his body to Canaan (Genesis 49:29–32). He wanted to be buried with his ancestors in family tomb (Genesis 23:17–20). Earlier, Jacob even insisted Joseph take a solemn oath not to bury him in Egypt, but to lay him to rest with his fathers. Joseph had sworn to do exactly that (Genesis 47:29–31). Now Jacob's sons have fulfilled their father's wishes, as the following verses will describe in detail. They have carried him from Egypt to the cave in the field at Machpelah (Genesis 50:7–10).

The large procession of Egyptians and Hebrews grieved Jacob for seven days, in the same location. Using wordplay—similarity between the words for "mourning" and "meadow"—locals came to call that place "Mourning / Meadow of Egypt" (Genesis 50:11).

Genesis 50:1–14 begins with Joseph weeping by his father's deathbed. Jacob is embalmed and an official period of mourning is observed in Egypt. With Pharaoh's blessing and a large company of Egyptian mourners, Jacob's sons travel to Canaan. There, as requested, they bury their father in the family tomb, alongside Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob's wife Leah. Then they all return to Egypt.

Genesis 50 begins with Joseph's weeping over his father's body, followed by the embalming of Jacob, a 70–day period of state mourning, and a trip to Canaan to bury Jacob with his fathers. Joseph's brothers, worried that he would take his revenge on them for selling him into slavery, seek Joseph's forgiveness. He assures them he will not harm them. The chapter skips to the end of Joseph's life. After assuring his people that God will return them to Canaan one day, Joseph dies and is embalmed.

After settling in Egypt, under his son's protection (Genesis 47—49), Jacob dies (Genesis 49:33). He is embalmed and all of Egypt mourns. Joseph buries his father in the family tomb in Canaan, then returns to Egypt. He asks that his body be taken back to Canaan someday. This sets up the events of the book of Exodus. Over centuries, Israel will grow into a prosperous people, only to be enslaved by a jealous Egyptian monarchy. This provides a context for God to rescue Israel and demonstrate His power.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 5/1/2024 2:35:54 PM