Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 47:27
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.
27. and they gat them, &c.] This clause concludes P’s narrative of the settlement of Jacob and his sons in Egypt.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 47:27-28
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen
The children of Israel in Goshen
I.
THEIR QUIET POSSESSION OF THE LAND.
1. They had the means and appliances of prosperity,
2. They enjoyed their freedom by a firm and honourable tenure.
II. THEIR PROSPERITY, (T. H. Leale.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
They had possessions, i.e. lands, not for the dominion or propriety of them, for that rested in Pharaoh, but for the use and profit of them for their present subsistence.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen,…. The historian returns to the account of the Israelites, having before observed the placing of them in Goshen by Joseph, at the direction of Pharaoh, in compliance with their own request; and here they continued until they were grown more numerous, when they were obliged to spread themselves further in this same country:
and they had possessions therein; fields and vineyards, as the Targum of Jonathan; all the land was Pharaoh’s, and they rented of him as his people did, it may be supposed:
and grew, and multiplied exceedingly; even in Jacob’s lifetime they grew rich and numerous.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Jacob’s Charge Concerning His Burial. | B. C. 1706. |
27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was a hundred forty and seven years. 29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: 30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. 31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.
Observe, 1. The comfort Jacob lived in (Gen 47:27; Gen 47:28); while the Egyptians were impoverished in their own land, Jacob was replenished in a strange land. He lived seventeen years after he came into Egypt, far beyond his own expectation. Seventeen years he had nourished Joseph (for so old he was when he was sold from him, ch. xxxvii. 2), and now, by way of requital, seventeen years Joseph nourished him. Observe how kindly Providence ordered Jacob’s affairs, that when he was old, and least able to bear care or fatigue, he had least occasion for it, being well provided for by his son without his own forecast. Thus God considers the frame of his people. 2. The care Jacob died in. At last the time drew nigh that Israel must die, v. 29. Israel, a prince with God, that had power over the angel and prevailed, yet must yield to death. There is no remedy, he must die: it is appointed for all men, therefore for him; and there is no discharge in that war. Joseph supplied him with bread, that he might not die by famine; but this did not secure him from dying by age or sickness. He died by degrees; his candle was not blown out, but gradually burnt down to the socket, so that he saw, at some distance, the time drawing nigh. Note, It is an improvable advantage to see the approach of death before we feel its arrests, that we may be quickened to do what our hand finds to do with all our might: however, it is not far from any of us. Now Jacob’s care, as he saw the day approaching, was about his burial, not the pomp of it (he was no way solicitous about that), but the place of it. (1.) He would be buried in Canaan. This he resolved on, not from mere humour, because Canaan was the land of his nativity, but in faith, because it was the land of promise (which he desired thus, as it were, to keep possession of, till the time should come when his posterity should be masters of it), and because it was a type of heaven, that better country which he that said these things declared plainly that he was in expectation of, Heb. xi. 14. He aimed at a good land, which would be his rest and bliss on the other side death. (2.) He would have Joseph sworn to bring him thither to be buried (Gen 47:29; Gen 47:31), that Joseph, being under such a solemn obligation to do it, might have that to answer to the objections which otherwise might have been made against it, and for the greater satisfaction of Jacob now in his dying minutes. Nothing will better help to make a death-bed easy than the certain prospect of a rest in Canaan after death. (3.) When this was done Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head, yielding himself, as it were, to the stroke of death (“Now let it come, and it shall be welcome”), or worshipping God, as it is explained, Heb. xi. 21, giving God thanks for all his favours, and particularly for this, that Joseph was ready, not only to put his hand upon his eyes to close them, but under his thigh to give him the satisfaction he desired concerning his burial. Thus those that go down to the dust should, with humble thankfulness, bow before God, the God of their mercies, Ps. xxii. 29.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 27-31:
The people of Israel prospered in the land of Goshen. They acquired extensive holdings in the land. Their herds and flocks were very fruitful. Their number “multiplied exceedingly.” This was the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s promise (see chapter 46:3). God was moving according to His plan to develop the Chosen Family into the Chosen Nation.
Seventeen years of prosperity passed for Israel. It is likely that Joseph spent much time with his father during these years. But eventually the time came for Jacob to go the way of all flesh. He was old, and realized that he must soon die. In preparation for this, he sent for Joseph to request a last token of his love. Joseph must swear that he would not bury Jacob in Egypt, but would return him to the family burial plot, the Cave of Machpelah in the plains of Mamre. This was the testimony of Jacob’s conviction that Israel would one day return to the land, to take up their rightful and permanent possession of it.
Joseph agreed to this request. The oath was taken, and Jacob was content. In the sunset years of his life, Jacob was more firmly than ever convinced of the certainty of God’s promises.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
27. And Israel dwelt in the land. Moses does not mean that Jacob and his sons were proprietors of that land which Pharaoh had granted them as a dwelling-place, in the same manner in which the other parts of Egypt were given to the inhabitants for a perpetual possession: but that they dwelt there commodiously for a time, and thus were in possession by favor, provided they continued to be peaceable. Hence the cause that they so greatly increased, in a very short space of time. Therefore, what is here related by Moses belongs to the history of the following period; and he now returns to the proper thread of his narrative, in which he purposed to show how God protected his Church from many deaths; and not that only, but wonderfully exalted it by his own secret power.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Gen. 47:27-28
THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN GOSHEN
I. Their quiet possession of the land.
1. They had the means and appliances of prosperity. They were saved from great privations, and they dwelt in a fertile land, most favourably suited to their industry.
2. They enjoyed their freedom by a firm and honourable tenure. They were hampered by no relations of dependence upon Pharaoh that would be irksome to them.
II. Their prosperity. By the peculiar blessing of God, this people grew into the promise of a great nation. Several things contributed to this. They had a definite territory exactly suited to their calling. They were free from moral contamination by intermarriages with an idolatrous nation. But above all, God bestowed upon them the blessing of an extraordinary fruitfulness. Old Jacob lived with them for seventeen years, and saw the commencement of this wonderful history. Thus he survived the famine by twelve years, and saw prosperity with his children.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Gen. 47:27-28. It is a remarkable circumstance that until now we read of only two daughters in the family of Jacob. The brothers could not marry their sisters, and it was not desirable that the females should form affinity with the heathen, as they had in general to follow the faith of their husbands.(Murphy.)
Seventeen years. So long he had nourished Joseph; and so long Joseph nourished him. These were the sweetest days that ever Jacob saw. God reserved his best to the last. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, forbe his beginning, and his middle never so troublesomethe end of that man is peace. (Psa. 37:37). A Goshen he shall have, either here or in heaven.(Trapp.)
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
The Family Tribe Prosper – Jacob’s Plea ( Gen 47:27-31 )
Gen 47:27
‘And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they obtained possessions in it and were fruitful, and multiplied greatly.’
This summary states what happened after the famine was over and covers many years. Jacob and the Family Tribe prosper greatly (by now the name ‘Israel’ is beginning to be attached to the tribe – note the plural, ‘they obtained’) and become even wealthier. Furthermore they continue expansion, with nothing to hinder them, and many children are born to the tribe. They ‘multiply greatly.’ Their move appears to be a success. They see no reason to return to Canaan. But Jacob’s heart is still there.
Gen 47:28-31
‘And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred and forty seven years, and the time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favour in your sight put, I pray you, your hand under my thigh and deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me, I beg of you, in Egypt, but when I sleep with my fathers you will carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.” And he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. And Israel bowed himself on the bed’s head.’
Jacob lives another seventeen years, reaching one hundred and thirty seven. It is probable that we are not to see this as too literal. It is doubtful if account was kept of age so accurately and there are grounds for thinking that the patriarchal ages are to be seen as round symbolic numbers. For this see The Use of Numbers in the Ancient Near East and in Genesis. But he is clearly of a great age (compare Gen 47:9).
Now, with death approaching, he is concerned that he should be buried with his fathers in the land of Canaan. He therefore calls Joseph to come to him privately for he has a favour to ask him which only Joseph can guarantee, for what he will ask may well conflict with recognised Egyptian protocol.
“If I have found favour in your sight.” He remembers the high position occupied by his son. ‘Put your hand under my thigh’ – a typical type of oath, possibly seen as swearing on his life producing functions (compare Gen 24:2). ‘Swear to me.’ This will not only put Joseph under obligation but will enable him to thwart any other plans by anyone else. No one would dispute an oath to a dying man and it will give him leverage with Pharaoh whose permission will have to be sought (see Gen 50:4-6).
“And Israel bowed himself on the bed” s head.’ This probably represents the weak old man bowing to his son, assisted by the bedhead, partly because of who he is, but also in gratitude at his firm promise. It stresses how weak he is. But it may be partly because of his blindness (Gen 48:10). The end was not to be long in coming.
Jacob Adopts Ephraim and Manasseh and Gives Them His Dying Blessing (Gen 48:1-22)
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joseph’s Promise to Jacob
v. 27. And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew and multiplied exceedingly. v. 28. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, v. 29. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die; and he called his son Joseph and said unto him, if now I have found grace in thy sight, v. 30. but I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying-place, v. 31. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
XXXII
THE LAST DAYS OF JACOB AND JOSEPH
Gen 47:27-31
We may thus compare Jacob and Solomon: The sun of Solomon’s life rose in a blaze of light and glory, and set in the darkest clouds. The sun of Jacob’s life rose in clouds, which lingered long, but set in joy and glory. Joseph and Daniel may thus be compared: These are the two basal personal lives of history, and the most important in beneficent political administration known to the annals of time. We may search in vain among the records of men to find two other prime ministers of nations that may rank with them.
How very few old men, after a hale and strong career, are permitted to enjoy the last seventeen years of declining age in peace, nourished by a favorite son, with tranquility in the family and prosperity in business. But age lives much in the past, exercising memory more than hope. Jacob now remembers, as death approaches, the cave of Machpelah in the Promised Land, where side by side repose the bodies of his ancestors, and exacts a solemn promise from Joseph that he be buried there. And in his farewell request to his sons he repeats this dying charge (read chapter Gen 49:29-33 ), as follows: “And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying-place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth. And when Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.”
The remaining incidents of the book of Genesis come under these heads:
1. Jacob blesses Joseph’s children.
2. Prophecy concerning his children.
3. The burial of Jacob.
4. The fear of Joseph’s brethren that he would punish them for their sins after their father’s death.
5. The death of Joseph.
Taking them up in order, we have:
THE BLESSING OF THE SONS OF JOSEPH (Gen 48:1-20 ) Hearing of his father’s extreme illness, Joseph visits him and takes his two children with him. The old man is so feeble that he has to sit up in bed supported on his staff, and he is so nearly blind that the children must be brought close to him that he may see their faces and kiss them. Joseph purposes in his heart that Manasseh, his firstborn, should receive the greater blessing, and so places him before Jacob in such a way that Jacob’s right hand might rest on Manasseh’s head. But Jacob crosses his hands, and puts his right hand upon Ephraim’s head, and the left one on Manasseh. He commences his benediction on Joseph himself, and announces that his name must be the name of the two boys; in other words, that both of these sons must be counted as if they were the sons of Jacob, that is, that each one of them should become the head of a tribe of Israel; and this is what is meant by the explanation of Jacob to Joseph: “I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren,” and immediately he designates the location of Ephraim in the Promised Land. That is the portion that came to him, and is described as that which came through the destruction of the Shechemites. Here an explanation is needed of Heb 11:21 : “By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped leaning upon the top of his staff.” We do not find this last clause in the Hebrew, but the Septuagint uses these words, only it puts them in Gen 47:31 , as a substitute for the words of the Hebrew: “And Israel bore himself upon the bed’s head.” It will be observed that the author of the letter to the Hebrews corrects the Septuagint’s misapplication of these words. The Septuagint confines them to the occasion when Jacob exacts the oath from Joseph to bury him in the cave of Machpelah, as related in Gen 47 , but the author of the letter to the Hebrews applies them to the occasion when Jacob blesses the children of Joseph, as related in Gen 48 . We can well see how the words, “and he worshipped, leaning upon the head of his staff,” fit the occasion of Jacob’s blessing the children of Joseph. The old man was too feeble to sit up in bed, unless he was supported by his staff; and with his feet resting on the floor, the children of Joseph were put between his knees, that he might see their faces and kiss them, while he steadied himself resting on his staff. When this was over we have these words: “and he bowed his face to the earth”; that is, it was at this juncture that Jacob worshiped, leaning upon the head of his staff. This New Testament usage of a Septuagint passage shows that the writers of the New Testament always quoted intelligently from that version, and whenever necessary, they corrected it.
JACOB’S BLESSING ON HIS SONS (Gen 49 ) In commenting on the forty-ninth chapter of Genesis, which contains the blessings pronounced by Jacob on his twelve sons, four distinct things need to be borne in mind. First, what was in the mother’s mind when the boy was named; second, what the boys turned out to be, as set forth in this chapter; third, what the tribe descending from them turned out to be, as set forth in Deu 34 ; fourth, the final reference to the tribes in Rev 7 . These four scriptures should be studied together. For example, I will take up what it says about Reuben first: “And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the latter days.” Reuben, the eldest, under usual conditions, would have had all the rights of primogeniture, the head of the family and the tribe and the priest, the one in whom the promised Messiah should come. “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; the pre-eminence of dignity and the pre-eminence of power. Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence.” That means that Reuben should not have the primogeniture. “Boiling over as water” refers to a pot on a fire, which, when it gets hot, runs over the pot and into the fire. That is the picture of one whose passions and appetites are not restrained, but when excited boil over. Because of that characteristic Reuben loses the birthright. In the common version it says, “unstable as water.” The same idea is involved; that water may seem to be perfectly level, but when you put fire to it, it bubbles over. Now compare that with what Moses said in Deu 33 , and you will see that for Reuben as a tribe the prospect brightens. Moses said, “Let Reuben live, and not die; nor let his men be few.” You would have inferred from what Jacob said that the tribe would pass away on account of the sin and instability of the father. We go to the next case:
Simeon and Levi he puts together, because they were united in that great piece of cruelty and deception practiced upon the Shechemites, and the barbarous massacre of the men and the enslavement of the women and children and the robbing of the flocks. Jacob says:
Simeon and Levi are brethren;
Weapons of violence are their swords.
Here is a proverb which I have preached from:
O my soul, come not thou into their council;
Unto their assembly, my glory, be not thou united;
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their self-will they hocked an ox.
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce;
And their wrath, for it was cruel:
I will divide them in Jacob,
And scatter them in Israel.
One of your examination questions will be: When was that fulfilled? Ans.: When Joshua made the allotments. Simeon and Levi received no allotments. Simeon was scattered about in Judah and other territory. So, as a matter of fact, these two tribes were scattered. Now, let us see when we come to Moses what change has taken place (Deu 33:8 ) :
And of Levi he said,
Thy Thummirn and thy Urim are with thy godly one,
Whom thou didst prove at Massah,
With whom thou didst strive at the water of Meribah;
Who said of his father, and of his mother, I have not seen him;
Neither did he acknowledge his brethren,
Nor knew he his own children:
For they have observed thy word,
And keep thy covenant.
They shall teach Jacob thine ordinances,
And Israel thy law:
They shall put incense before thee,
And whole burnt-offering upon thine altar.
Bless, Jehovah, his substance,
And accept the work of his hands:
Smite through the loins of them that rise up against him,
And of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
So far as Levi is concerned, then, the prospects are very wonderfully brightened when you come to Moses. There you begin to get an idea of the answer to another one of the general questions: How were the elements of the rights of primogeniture, which Reuben lost, distributed among the others? You see Levi gets a part, and becomes the priest of the family and the tribe, and as the priest he is the religious instructor. Moses tells us by what act Levi obtained that revision of the original sentence against him. The instance is when Israel worshiped the golden calf; Levi stood by Moses when he said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side, let him come and stand over here,” and the whole tribe of Levi came and stood by him. And in smiting the idolaters, they had no regard of men. In the final division of the rights of primogeniture, Levi received the priesthood, Joseph became the head of the tribe and Judah became the one through whom the promised Messiah should come.
We find that Moses does not mention Simeon at all, but he reappears in the Revelation list, and that Dan disappears from that list. Jacob says about Judah:
Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise:
Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies;
Thy father’s son shall bow down before thee.
Judah is a lion’s whelp;
From the prey, my son, thou art gone up:
He stooped down, he couched as a lion,
And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,
Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
Until Shiloh come;
And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.
Binding his foal unto the vine,
And his ass’s colt unto the choice vine;
He hath washed his garments in wine,
And his vesture in the blood of grapes:
His eyes shall be red with wine,
And his teeth white with milk.
The first line of the above prophecy was a reference to the Messiah who shall come from him. In Gen 49:10 is a remarkable messianic prophecy: “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh come.” Shiloh is the Saviour. And so we find that the kingdom remain-ed (that Judah remained a kingdom) until it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Then, subordinated to Persia, civil government was restored under Zerubbabel of the line of David, and a hierarchy under Joshua, the high priest. The restoration was accomplished by Ezra and Nehemiah, aided by the prophets Haggai and Malachi. Under Greek rule Antiochus Epiphanes sought to destroy the whole Jewish polity and religion, but was defeated by the Maccabees, who became kings. Under Roman rule, Herod the Great, who married the last of the Maccabees) became king. Then just before Herod died Shiloh, the Messiah, came. As Herod was an ldumean, “the sceptre had departed from Judah.” While Herod’s descendants, at the will of Rome, ruled under some subordinate title over parts of the Holy Land, yet all semblance of autonomous government perished at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, A.D. 70, since which time the Jews, though existing as a dispersed race, have had no settled home, nor nationality, nor temple, nor altar, nor sacrifice, nor priesthood. If therefore Shiloh has not come, He can never come.
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea;
And he shall be for a haven of ships;
And his border shall be upon Sidon.
We find Zebulun and Sidon located that way all through their history. Moses said (Deu 33:18 ):
Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out;
And, Issachar, in thy tents.
They shall call the peoples unto the mountains;
There shall they offer sacrifices of righteousness.
So that brightens for Issachar and Zebulun. When we come to Judges we find some illustrious people coming out of these tribes. We shall come to Dr. Burleson’s great text: “The sons of Issachar were wise, and had understanding of what Israel ought to do.” Therefore, he said, whenever you see a leader of the people, he is a son of Issachar, who knows how, in great conventions, to tell Israel what policy to adopt. Look at Issachar as Jacob describes him (Gen 49:14 ) :
Issachar is a strong ass,
Crouching down between the sheepfolds:
And he saw a resting place that it was good,
And the land that it was pleasant;
And he bowed his shoulder to bear,
And became a servant under taskwork.
So Issachar becomes a burden-bearing beast. Just so he could get fodder to eat and a good shed in the winter, he did not mind having a master and paying a tribute to him. But, as we have seen, it brightens for Issachar in the account by Moses. Jacob says of Dan:
Dan shall judge his people,
As one of the tribes of Israel.
There he refers to what the name “Dan” means. I have known several boys named Dan; and their nickname in the family is always “Judge.” Doubtless there was an anticipation in this case of the time when an illustrious member of the tribe of Dan should be a judge of Israel. Our friend Samson was that man. Now comes a reference not so good (Gen 49:17 ):
Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
An adder in the path,
That biteth the horse’s heels,
So that his rider falleth backward.
I have waited for thy salvation, O Jehovah.
That meant that Dan should not be an open enemy, but would lie in ambush. He was a snake in the grass. When we come to read the history in the book of Judges, we find that Dan got very much dissatisfied with the territory assigned to him, and slips out and steals some idols and goes up into the northern part of the country, and there becomes an idolater. There was an organization in the United States history called the Danites. After Joe Smith was killed at Nauvoo the Mormons moved to Salt Lake City, and organized this secret society to combat their enemies; and these Danites perpetrated that infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre, of which so much has been said. Just as Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, had much to do with stirring up the North, and Thomas Dixon’s Clansman has had to do with reversing the effect of that book, so a book entitled The Danites, a dramatized story, brought such a storm of indignation that the whole United States was set on fire against the Mormons, and finally General Albert Sidney Johnston, at that time colonel, was detached there with a force to put down the Mormon Rebellion. I can just remember the indignation created in the public mind by the horrors revealed in The Danites. Dan is not mentioned in Revelation.
Gad, a troop shall press upon him;
But he shall press upon their heel.
There Jacob goes back to the name the mother had in mind. Let us see how Gad enlarges in the writings of Moses (Deu 33:20-21 ):
Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad:
He dwelleth as a lioness,
And feareth the arm, yea, the crown of the head.
And he provided the first part for himself,
For there was the lawgiver’s portion reserved;
And he came with the heads of the people;
He executed the righteousness of Jehovah,
And his ordinances with Israel. We come to Asher (Gen 49:20 ) :
Out of Asher his bread shall be fat,
And he shall yield royal dainties. Moses says (Deu 33:24 ) :
Blessed be Asher with children;
Let him be acceptable unto his brethren,
And let him dip his foot in oil. This last clause means that he will have a prosperous time as to this world’s goods. Moses says of Naphtali:
O Naphtali, satisfied with favour,
And full with the blessing of Jehovah,
Possess thou the west and the south. Whenever a boy is delivering his commencement address and scrapes star dust, we call him a “son of Naphtali.” Now Jacob says (Gen 49:21 ):
Naphtali is a hind let loose:
He giveth goodly words. That means that Naphtali is to furnish the orators. And we now come to the richest blessing of all, the blessing on Joseph. I read that to my little boy the other night, as the occasion of the service in the family prayer. I wanted him to see what a great thing it is when a father comes to die that he can look into the face of children sad say only good things (Gen 49:22 ):
Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A fruitful bough by a fountain;
His branches run over the wall.
The archers have sorely grieved him,
And shot at him, and persecuted him:
But his bow abode in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob.
THE BURIAL OF JACOB By the consent of Pharaoh, Joseph went up to bury his father, accompanied by a great caravan, including distinguished Egyptians, and the whole family, and all the family of Jacob’s sons. It was an immense train, and when they came to the threshing floor of Atad they mourned for their father seven days. It was such an imposing funeral as to impress itself upon the minds of the inhabitants of the land. And then the body of the aged patriarch was put into the family burying place, in the cave of Machpelah.
THE FEARS OF JOSEPH’S BRETHREN It was quite natural that Joseph’s brethren would suspect, now that the father was out of the way, that Joseph’s conduct toward them would change, and so they sought to conciliate him; but with great magnanimity he thus addresses them (Gen 50:19-21 ): “Fear not, for am I in the place of God? And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to have much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.” And the Genesis record closes with:
THE DEATH OF JOSEPH He lives to see the children of his sons to the third generation. Being about to die he gave this charge to them (Gen 50:24-26 ): “God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.” He told them that they should bury his bones in the Promised Land.
A noted Scotch preacher, Melville, preached a great sermon on “The Bones of Joseph,” well making this point: “There can be no sufficient reason for the preservation of the bodies or bones of the dead, if there be no resurrection of the dead.” When we take up the later history we will find that when the Israelites did leave Egypt, they took the body of Joseph, i.e., his bones (Exo 15:19 ). They put his bones, not in the cave of Machpelah, but according to the promise made to Joshua (Jos 24:32 ): “And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money.”
QUESTIONS 1. Compare the beginning and end of Jacob’s life with Solomon’s.
2. Compare Joseph and Daniel.
3. What characteristic of old age was exemplified in Jacob?
4. What was his request to Joseph which was repeated in his dying charge to his sons?
5. What now are the remaining incidents of the book?
6. How did Jacob thwart the purpose of Joseph to give Manasseh the greater blessing?
7. What did Jacob mean by saying that these sons should be called by his name?
8. What is meant by Jacob in this expression: “I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren”?
9. Explain in this connection Heb 11:21 .
10. Of what does the forty-ninth chapter of Genesis consist?
11. What 4 things should be borne in mind in the study of this chapter?
12. What wag the element of weakness in Reuben’s character which lost him the birthright?
13. What striking New Testament illustrations are employed concerning preachers who partake of Reuben’s weakness of character? (2Pe 2:17 ; Jud 1:12-13 .)
14. How does the dying prophecy of Moses brighten the fate of Reuben’s posterity?
15. Why did Jacob take Simeon and Levi together?
16. What was the penalty for their sin and when fulfilled?
17. How does Moses brighten the prospects of Levi?
18. How were the several elements of the birthright forfeited by Reuben distributed among his brethren?
19. How did Levi’s descendants, by a great act of merit, regain a distinction greater than Levi forfeited?
20. What important messianic prophecy is a part of the blessing of Judah?
21. What was its bearing on the claim of Jesus to be the Messiah?
22. According to Jacob’s prophecy, where was Zebulun located?
23. In Jacob’s prophecy to what is Issachar likened?
24. How in Moses’ prophecy do the prospects of Zebulun and Issachar brighten?
25. Cite the text used by Dr. Burleson.
26. What is the meaning of “Dan” and what illustrious member of the tribe exemplified the name?
28. What do we learn of Dan in later history that justifies the prophecy?
29. What deadly secret organization in American history was based on the prophecy about Dan?
30. Whose dramatized story, The Danites, stirred the popular indignation against the Mormons?
31. How does Moses enlarge Gad over Jacob’s prophecy?
32. How do Moses’ and Jacob’s blessings on Asher compare?
33. What special gift should characterize the sons of Naphtali?
34. On which son came the richest blessing?
35. Which tribe is not mentioned in the blessing of Moses?
36. Which is omitted in the sealing of Revelation?
37. Describe the funeral of Jacob.
38. What was the fear of Joseph’s brethren after the death of Jacob?
39. What prophecy did Joseph give at his death?
40. What oath did he take of the children of Israel?
41. Who preached a great sermon on “The Bones of Joseph,” and what was the main point?
42. When was the prophecy of Joseph fulfilled and where did they bury him?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Gen 47:27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.
Ver. 27. Grew and multiplied exceedingly. ] Here that promise in Gen 46:3 began to be accomplished. God dies not in any man’s debt.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 47:27-28
27Now Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in Goshen, and they acquired property in it and were fruitful and became very numerous. 28Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years.
Gen 47:27 This sets the stage for the next Egyptian administration which would fear the Israelites.
Gen 47:28 “the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years” This is one of several verses throughout Genesis used to date certain major events. It is interesting that Jacob thought he was going to die long before he actually did, just as his father, Isaac, had in Gen 27:2. This shows that although these were great men of God, they still had physical problems associated with old age as well as psychological doubts. To know God does not exempt one from the problems of aging.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Israel. Used here, for the first time, of the nation. grew, and multiplied, &c. Fulfilling Gen 46:3, and preparing for Exo 1:7 with Exo 12:37.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joseph Visits His Dying Father
Gen 47:27-31; Gen 48:1-7
How inexorable is the must of death! For many years Jacob had exceeded the ordinary span of human life, and now, like the last apple on the tree, he must be gathered. For seventeen years he had been familiar with Egypts splendid temples, obelisks and pyramids; he had been surrounded with all the comforts that filial love could devise; but nothing could make him forget that distant cave in the land of Canaan. In his judgment Egypts most splendid pyramid was not to be compared with that humble sepulcher where the mortal remains of Abraham and Sarah, of Isaac and Rebekah, and of the faithful Leah awaited his. On Josephs second visit he was weaker, and with an effort nerved himself for the interview. The angel-ladder and Rachels death stood prominently out before the dying eyes. When he returned from this pathetic reverie he turned to the two boys who stood awestruck beside him and adopted them, for their beloved fathers sake.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
dwelt: Gen 47:11
grew: Gen 8:7, Gen 8:9, Gen 13:16, Gen 26:4, Gen 28:14, Gen 46:3, Exo 1:7, Exo 1:12, Deu 10:22, Deu 26:5, Neh 9:23, Psa 105:24, Psa 107:38, Zec 10:8, Act 7:17
Reciprocal: Gen 34:10 – and the land Gen 48:4 – Behold I Deu 23:7 – because thou
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jacob’s Final Days The writer gives a brief record of the rest of Jacob’s life before he gives details of the events surrounding the time of his death. Jacob lived seventeen more years in Egypt and saw his descendants multiply. Before his death, he made Joseph promise to take his body back to be buried with Abraham and Isaac.
Some time prior to Jacob’s death, Joseph took his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh to be blessed by him. Jacob adopted them as sons who might have been born to Rachel. Woods says, “The act of placing the sons beside Jacob’s knees had symbolized their adoption by him.” By placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head, Jacob designated which son was to receive the greater blessing from him. To Joseph, Jacob said, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
Jacob then called all of his sons to him and blessed each one. With God’s help, these blessings were prophetic. Reuben lost the right of the birthright because he went into his father’s bed with Bilhah (35:22). Simeon and Levi were scattered among the tribes with no real inheritance of their own because of their angry sin at Shechem (34:25-26). The Levites had cities throughout the land. Simeon’s inheritance was in the middle of Judah’s land and eventually caused his descendants to be absorbed ( Jos 19:1 ).
Of Judah Jacob said, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” Of course, this was fulfilled in Christ. Zebulun was located in the perfect spot for commerce ( Deu 33:18-19 ; Jos 19:10-16 ). Issachar received a beautiful piece of land but ended up serving the surrounding nations. Dan was the smallest of the tribes but would, by guerilla warfare, prove a difficulty to any enemy entering Israel. Gad was troubled with raiders but defended herself very well.
Asher received a plot of land that was among the most fertile in the promised land ( Jos 19:24-31 ). Rich foods came out of this region which were fit for kings. Naphtali is described as a hind, or gazelle, which Keil and Delitzsch say “is a simile of a warrior who is skilful and swift in his movements.” The men of this tribe helped Deborah and Barak defeat the armies of Jabin, who was a king of Canaan ( Jdg 4:1-24 ; Jdg 5:1-31 ).
Joseph, as Jacob’s firstborn by Rachel, received the double portion through the adoption of his two sons by his father. A fruit tree by a spring grew especially well in Israel. Joseph’s descendants faced strong opposition but overcame with God’s help. When the blessings were complete, Jacob died ( Gen 47:27-31 ; Gen 48:1-22 ; Gen 49:1-33 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Gen 47:27 to Gen 48:22. Jacob Extracts an Oath that Joseph will Bury him in Canaan, and Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh.
Gen 47:22 f., Gen 48:3-6 belong to P. To J Gen 47:29-31 may be assigned. Gen 48:1 f., Gen 48:8-22 was formerly attributed to E, recent critics assign it to JE. The analysis is somewhat as follows: E, Gen 48:1-2 a, Gen 48:8-9 a, Gen 48:10 b, Gen 48:11 f., Gen 48:15 f., Gen 48:20 (from In thee), Gen 48:21 f. J, Gen 48:2 b, Gen 48:9 b, Gen 48:10 a, Gen 48:3 f., Gen 48:17-19, Gen 48:20 a (to day). The origin of Gen 47:7 is uncertain, it is out of place here. It may have led up to a request for burial in Rachels tomb, which had to be suppressed as it was in conflict with Ps statement that he was buried in Machpelah (Gen 50:13). But if so, the tomb would hardly have been called Rachels sepulchre (1Sa 10:2) but Jacobs. From Gen 50:5, however, it would seem that J represented Jacob as buried in a grave he had himself digged, rather than in the family grave. The blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh explains how it is that the two sons of Joseph ranked as two independent tribes; Jacob had adopted them by the ceremony of taking them between his knees (Gen 48:12); also why Ephraim the younger was a mightier tribe than Manasseh the firstborn.
Gen 47:29. Cf. Gen 24:2*.
Gen 48:7. Cf. Gen 35:16-20*.by me: read mg
Gen 47:8. Here Jacob can see, whereas in Gen 47:10 a he is blind, like Isaac. In this story Jacob seems not to have seen them previously, so his death happened soon after his arrival in Egypt.
Gen 47:22. cf. mg. The reference is to Shechem, where Joseph was buried (Jos 24:32). We have no other account of any such capture by Jacob, who is nowhere represented as a warrior. Moreover the passage implies that Jacob had distributed their territory to all the tribes.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Under Joseph’s administration Israel prospered, in contrast to Egypt, and increased in number without suffering deprivation or loss of independence. The fulfillment of God’s promise to increase the seed of the patriarchs was advancing under Joseph’s rule.
A wise leader knows that prosperity comes only from God, so he makes decisions in harmony with what God has revealed about how He has promised to bless.