Genesis 50: Joseph and Brothers Bury Israel

Genesis 50: Joseph and Brothers Bury Israel, their father: Jacob passed away and his sons buried him next to Leah as he requested; here is how it went down. Joseph wept and kissed his father Jacob and commanded his servants and physicians to embalm his father.

He was embalmed for forty days as traditionally noted and they mourned seventy days. When the days of mourning were finished, Joseph made arrangements to return to Canaan and bury his father.

Amenemhet the II, the then pharaoh, granted Joseph permission to return to Canaan and bury his father Israel. It was a large company that returned to Canaan; as they came to the cornfields of Atad over the Jordan, they made service to the deceased.

The Egyptians Called Abel-Mizraim

It was a great lamentation for Jacob another seven days. The Canaanites saw the service at Atad and reported it was grievous mourning to the Egyptians that they called Abel-Mizraim. Israel was buried in the cave of the field of Machpelah that Abraham purchased and afterward, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and family.

With Jacob gone, the brothers were concerned that Joseph would now turn his back on them. But he didn’t, he simply told them to relax, what they did in the past was thought to be evil against him, but the ALMIGHTY meant it for good to save lives.

They all lived comfortably in Egypt; Joseph died at age 110 and was able to see his son Ephraim’s children to the third generation. He commanded his sons to take his bones out of Egypt when GOD would visit them and bring them out of this land (Genesis 50).

Takeaways:

Principle: Keeping one’s word and forgiveness. The trials of life make us better, they purify us if we take everything as a lesson for growth. This is what Joseph did; his trials led him to the viceroy of Egypt. The evil his brothers meant for him was really GOD saving much life, and Joseph recognized that and forgave his brothers knowing it was the works of the LORD. Keep your word as Joseph did towards Israel, burying him in Canaan.

History: Amenemhet II was the sitting Pharaoh at the time. He co-ruled with his son, Sensuret II during the 12th Dynasty of Egypt. Joseph began to rule in 1913 BCE second to Amenemhet II; stone tablets revealed this as the official period of Joseph’s time in Egypt (see the Negro Question Part 5 Joseph and the 12th Dynasty of Egypt).

Prophecy: Joseph and Israel in Egypt would harness a unique relationship over the years, BUT it would go sour as time goes on.

More 5 Minute Studies

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The disciples asked, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

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