Genesis 50:1-14
Q.1. How much did Joseph love his father? How was the patriarch’s passing observed? Did they bury Jacob in the Promised Land according to his wishes? How? – (Gen.49:1-6)
What Genesis recorded is significant: – Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him (Gen.50:1). Joseph shared a deep bond with his father, probably because his mother, Rachel, was Jacob’s first love. In Jacob’s eyes, Joseph was the firstborn. He had acted with great integrity to honour his father, so was given the firstborn’s double blessing (Jacob passed on the birthrights from Reuben to Judah but gave the double blessing to Joseph –Gen. 48:5 & 22 c.f. Dt.21:15-17). Jacob recognized that Joseph had the power, as prime minister in Egypt, to fulfill his request to be buried in Canaan (Gen.47:29-31). As a faithful son – 2 Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father … 3 Now forty days were required for it, for such is the period required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days (Gen.50:2-3). Joseph then sought Pharaoh’s permission to bury Jacob’s body in the Promised Land. He was encouraged by Pharaoh to keep his promise to his father (Gen.50:5-6).
Q.2. How greatly was Joseph respected by the Egyptians? Did all the families of his brothers join them? What impact did the mourning for Jacob have on the Canaanites? – (Gen.49:7-14)
So greatly was Joseph respected, that – Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt (Gen.50:7). All Jacob’s families went, apart from their children who were spared the arduous journey (Gen.50:8). The sons of Jacob were united in grief as they descended on the field of Machpelah near Mamre. The procession was huge – There also went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company … When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and sorrowful lamentation; and he observed seven days mourning for his father (Gen.50:9-10). The Canaanites concluded that Jacob must have been a very great man, to be buried like royalty, and attract such a time of mourning (Gen.50:11). Jacob was both the inheritor of the unconditional Covenant made with Abraham, as well the father of the Israelites.