Hello and welcome to today’s bible study on Genesis 50 where we will read about Jacob’s death and burial, Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers, his life, and subsequent death in Egypt. According to Bible scholars, the events of Genesis 50 took place in 1859 B.C. – 1806 B.C. approximately. This is the last chapter in the book of Genesis. Reflecting on all the Bible studies I’ve written about Genesis 50, there is so much history to cover, highlighting how and where everything began. All Glory be to God!
As usual, I encourage you to turn to Genesis 50 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Genesis 50. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is only through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. No one else can teach you better than the Holy Spirit Himself. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 48 and Genesis 49, we read about Jacob’s blessing on Ephraim and Manasseh and Jacob’s final blessing to his twelve sons. In this Bible study on Genesis 50, we will read about Jacob’s burial and Joseph’s story and death.
Backstory on Genesis 48 and Genesis 49
In Genesis 48, Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to Jacob because Jacob was about to die. Jacob adopted both Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons in the inheritance and blessed the younger to be greater than the elder. In Genesis 49, Jacob gives his final blessings to his twelve sons.
Without any further delay, let us study together Genesis Chapter 50, shall we?
Genesis 50 Summary
Joseph fell weeping and kissing Jacob, his father, after his death. He then commanded his servants, the doctors, to embalm his father’s body for burial which took forty days. The Egyptians mourned for him for seventy days.
Joseph with Pharaoh’s permission traveled with his family, servants, and a large group of chariots and horsemen, to Canaan to bury Jacob. At the threshing floor of Atad, they mourned deeply for seven days, prompting the Canaanites to name the site Abel Mizraim.
Jacob’s sons buried their father as he had commanded them in the cave of Machpelah. After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him.
Now, Joseph’s brothers feared he would seek revenge for their past wrongs in the absence of their father. Therefore, they sent messengers to him, claiming their father had asked Joseph to forgive them. Joseph wept upon hearing their words.
His brothers further offered to be his servants but Joseph didn’t agree and instead treated them well. He said that even though they intended to harm him God turned it around for good to save many lives. He comforted them and spoke kindly to them that he would provide for them and their children.
Joseph lived in Egypt, along with his father’s household, for one hundred and ten years. He saw the children of Ephraim to the third generation. He also raised Manasseh’s grandchildren.
Joseph told his brethren that he was dying and assured them that God would eventually bring them out of Egypt to the promised land. He made them swear to take his bones with them when they left Egypt. Joseph died at the age of 110 and was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Genesis 50 Commentary
1. Genesis 50:7
Jacob must have been highly esteemed and respected in Egypt for the Pharaoh’s servants to accompany Joseph to Canaan to mourn for him. Canaan was not a nearby location, and traveling there with horses, chariots, and a large group would have certainly attracted attention from other communities. Jacob would have been an important figure in Egypt since he was Joseph’s father.
The Egyptians embalmed their dead, while the Jews did not. For instance, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah, who were already buried in the Cave of Machpelah, were not embalmed. Jacob was the last patriarch to be buried there, and he was the only one among them who was embalmed.
2. Genesis 50:15-19
Joseph’s brothers may have believed that he was kind to them only because of their father, Jacob. However, these verses reveal that this was not true. Joseph fully forgave them and also provided for their needs. This exemplifies a remarkable level of maturity and character, especially considering all the wrongs they had inflicted upon him and the hardships he faced in Egypt as a consequence of their actions.
3. Genesis 50:22-26
Jacob lived a prosperous life in Egypt after he rose to power. He saved the Egyptian people from the famine and also his family. He not only saw his grandchildren but also raised his great-grandchildren. He didn’t start off prosperous though because he was sold to Egypt as a slave by his brothers. God blessed him with a long life, and he died at the age of 110. Before his death, he made his brethren swear to bury him in Canaan. He upheld his forefathers’ covenant with God because Canaan was the promised land and not Egypt. Like Jacob, he too was embalmed after his death as is customary in Egypt.
Genesis 50 Lessons
1. Forgive your enemies and walk in love
Joseph had the power to hurt his brothers and take revenge for being sold into slavery in Egypt and the suffering he endured there. The enemy was within his family. However, he not only forgave them but also cared for them and their households. If he had wished them harm, he could have invited only Jacob to Egypt to escape the famine. Instead, he chose to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in forgiveness.
We can all learn from Joseph’s example: to forgive those who have wronged us and sought our downfall, and to go further by walking in love. When we forgive those who hurt us, God will take care of the rest. If it’s difficult to forgive someone, we can approach the Lord and ask for His help in doing so. Holding onto unforgiveness in our hearts can hinder our prayers from being answered.
2. God satisfied His covenant people with a long life
The story of Joseph and his long life also reminds us of his father, Jacob, his grandfather, Isaac, and great-grandfather, Abraham. They were prosperous in everything they did, lived long lives, and raised children and grandchildren. They were not perfect but they trusted God. The Lord truly satisfied them with longevity and took care of them because they were a covenant people. The same God who cared for our forefathers will also take care of you.
3. Valuing our covenant with God
Joseph walked in the footsteps of his father, Jacob. He commanded his brethren to take his bones with them to Canaan and not leave him behind in Egypt. He knew that he was about to die, but he did not want his remains to stay in Egypt when God delivered the Jewish people from the Egyptians and brought them out of the land which would be many generations after his (Joseph’s) death.
Joseph valued his covenant with God not only during his life but even after death. He cared deeply about his covenant with God. He did not want to be left behind when God brought His people out of the land of Egypt. In saying these things, Joseph was prophesying about the Exodus of the Jewish people from the land of Egypt otherwise he wouldn’t have implored them to carry his remains with them when they left the land.
When we understand covenant, we will truly understand our relationship with the Lord. It is more than just a mere relationship.
Conclusion
This concludes the bible study lesson on Genesis 50, the last chapter in the book of Genesis. I hope you enjoyed this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. Feel free to share it with your friends and family. Also, share your thoughts and what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you about Genesis 50. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
The upcoming Bible studies will be on the book of Exodus. Stay tuned for more details!
Until next time!