Genesis 50

CHAPTER 50

The Burial of Jacob (50:1–14)

1–9 In these verses we are given a detailed description of the events immediately following Jacob’s death: his embalming,¹⁴⁸ the period of mourning, and the transport of his body back to Canaan, accompanied by a great procession of all the officials of Egypt together with chariots and horsemen.

The reader is reminded of God’s promise to Jacob when he left Canaan to go down to Egypt: “I will surely bring you back again” (Genesis 46:4). Here once again we see the fulfillment of God’s promise. But beyond that, the great procession described here is a hint, a foreshadowing of an even greater procession that would take place four hundred years later: the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt and their forty-year journey to the promised land. Even the roundabout routes of the two processions were similar: in both cases Canaan was entered from the east.

10–11 As the procession approached Canaan, another period of mourning was observed, this time on a threshing floor¹⁴⁹ near the Jordan River. The place thereafter was called Abel Mizraim, which means mourning of the Egyptians.

12–14 Jacob was finally buried in the family burial plot, the cave near Mamre, which Abraham bought from the Hittites many years before (Genesis 23:17–20).

Joseph Reassures His Brothers (50:15–21)

15–17 Joseph’s brothers were not convinced he had fully forgiven them for selling him into slavery in Egypt. As long as their father Jacob lived, they felt protected from any revenge Joseph tried to take. But now, after their father’s death, the brothers were afraid of what Joseph might do.

So they sent word to Joseph that his father had instructed him to forgive his brothers. It’s possible that they were simply making up the “instructions,” and that Jacob had never spoken such words. In any case, Joseph was grieved that his brothers still mistrusted him and that he had failed to persuade them of his forgiveness.

18 Then the brothers came to Joseph and threw themselves down before him, thus fulfilling for the final time Joseph’s boyhood dreams of his brothers bowing down to him (Genesis 37:5–7,9).

19 Joseph said to them, “Am I in the place of God? There is no need to worship me or fear me.”

Only God should be worshiped and feared. We humans, beginning with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:5–6), are always being tempted to take the place of God, to attribute to ourselves or to others the things that should be attributed only to God. Just as Jacob knew that the source of all blessing was God alone (see Genesis 30:2), so Joseph knew that he must not accept the worship and honor that belonged only to God.

20 Then, in order to convince his brothers that he bore them no ill will, Joseph repeated to them what he had said before (see Genesis 45:4–7 and comment): although they had intended to harm him, God intended it for good. God’s ultimate purposes are always for good (Romans 8:28), and He uses all circumstances—whether easy or difficult—to accomplish His purposes. In the end, man’s evil actions cannot thwart God’s will.

Therefore, the brothers had no reason to fear retribution from Joseph; they had unknowingly been carrying out God’s plan. They themselves had been fulfilling God’s purpose when they sold Joseph into slavery.

What was God’s purpose? First, it was to save many lives during the seven-year famine—including the lives of Jacob’s family. Second, and more important, it was to form Jacob’s family into a nation and to make that nation a blessing to the world, in fulfillment of God’s original promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:2–3). That purpose was partially fulfilled by Joseph’s management of the famine and by the later multiplication of the Hebrews in Egypt. The purpose was further fulfilled during the reigns of King David and King Solomon. It was supremely fulfilled by the coming of the Messiah, Jesus. And it will be eternally fulfilled when Jesus comes again.

It was this hope in the ultimate fulfillment of God’s purpose, of God’s promises, that motivated the Hebrew patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance . . . they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one (Hebrews 11:13,16). Thus death was not the end for these patriarchs. For them there is something better yet to come—both for them and also for us (Hebrews 11:40).

21 Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them; he had indeed totally forgiven them. But the question remains: How could Joseph forgive them after the terrible wrong they had done to him?

There are several reasons—which apply to us as well as to Joseph. First, God’s grace helped him to forgive; without the help of God’s Holy Spirit, none of us could truly forgive those who wrong us. Through the Spirit, we can understand that sin hurts the sinner far more than the one sinned against.

Second, Joseph could see his brothers wrongdoing from God’s perspective: God had planned it from the beginning. Not to forgive his brothers would be the same as not forgiving God.

Third, Joseph realized that his forgiving was much more important to him than to his brothers: by forgiving his brothers, he wasn’t so much doing them a favor as he was doing himself a favor. To refuse to forgive poisons our soul, kills our joy, and deprives us of the blessings God would otherwise give us. As we forgive others, so God will forgive us (see Matthew 6:12,14–15).

The Death of Joseph (50:22–26)

22–26 On his deathbed Joseph once more expressed his faith that God would in due time take Jacob’s family up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (verse 24). So strong was Joseph’s faith that twice he repeated: “God will surely come to your aid” (verses 24–25). So strong was Joseph’s faith that he asked to be left unburied until the descendants of Jacob returned to the promised land. And he asked his brothers to swear an oath that they (or their descendants) would carry his bones to Canaan.

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¹ The term “election” means “choice”; in the Old Testament it means God’s choosing of certain individuals or nations to carry out His purposes.

² In the Greek language (the language in which the New Testament was written), the word “Christ” means “anointed one.” “Messiah” is the Jewish or Hebrew word for “anointed one.” The Old Testament was originally written in the Hebrew language.

³ Although Moses was the primary author of the Pentateuch, it is almost certain that the text was edited and put into a final form by one or more contemporaries of Moses, probably after his death. Certain sections, such as the record of Moses death, would not have been written by Moses himself.

⁴ In Hebrew, the word for man is “Adam.”

⁵ In the beginning, it was not God’s intention for humans to kill other living creatures for food. But after the Flood, God allowed it (see Genesis 9:3).

⁶ It is generally true in Scripture that when a blessing is expressed as an imperative, it is not meant as a command but rather as a wish (Genesis 35:9,11).

⁷ In verses 4–8, we are given the general setting in which man’s creation took place, not an exact chronological order of events.

⁸ In the Old Testament, when the word “Lord” is spelled in capital letters, it signifies the Hebrew name for God, “Yahweh” (see Exodus 3:14–15); this is God’s personal name, which He gave to the Israelites, His covenant people. In Hebrew, “Yahweh” means “he is” or “he will be.”

The word “God” (in Hebrew, “Elohim”) signifies the majestic Creator of the universe. Thus the term “LORD God” combines the majestic and the personal aspects of God. Throughout the Old Testament, God is called by all three names: LORD, God, and LORD God.

⁹ The name Eden means “delight.” No one knows exactly where the Garden of Eden was located. Of the four rivers mentioned in verses 10–14, only the Tigris and Euphrates can be identified; they arise in modern Turkey and flow into the Persian Gulf. In the Bible, Cush is identified as modern Sudan and Ethiopia; the land of Havilah is unknown. We can presume that Eden was somewhere in the present-day Middle East. It is also possible that many geographic changes occurred following the Flood (Genesis 7:11–12), which may have changed the course of rivers and turned fertile land into desert.

¹⁰ It wasn’t that God didn’t want the man to have any knowledge of good and evil; He just didn’t want him to get it by eating from that tree. Indeed, the man already had all the knowledge he needed. One gains knowledge by obeying God (see John 7:17). If we are willing to obey God, we shall receive all the knowledge and wisdom we need.

¹¹ In Scripture, the act of naming implies authority and rule over that which is named.

¹² This doesn’t mean that we should abandon or neglect our parents; we are commanded to honor our parents and to meet their needs (Exodus 20:12). It merely means that our relationship to our spouse takes priority over all other human relationships.

¹³ Traditionally the serpent has been identified with Satan. But it is equally true to say that the serpent represents sin itself, in a figurative sense. Originally there was no sin in the woman, but the serpent insinuated itself into the woman’s mind, first by questioning God’s word (verse 1) and then by contradicting it (verse 4). When full-blown sin entered the man and the woman because of their disobedience, its effects remained and have been passed on to their descendants ever since.

¹⁴ The term sinful nature is used throughout the New Testament to refer to this basic sinful disposition with which all humans are born.

¹⁵ The “death” resulting from sin occurs on different levels. First, we experience physical death; the seeds of decay and death are built into our physical bodies. (Originally this was not the case with our first parents.) Second, we experience a kind of psychological “death”; instead of joy and freedom, we experience guilt and shame. Third, we experience social “death”; accusations, conflict—even murder (Genesis 4:8) affect our relationships. And fourth, we experience spiritual death, the result of alienation from God. For further discussion on the subject of death, see General Articles: The Fall into Sin; What Happens After Death?

¹⁶ The sound may have been God’s “footsteps“, or His “voice.” The point is that the man and the woman experienced a manifestation of God Himself.

¹⁷ Only through confession of sin can humans be cleansed and freed from their guilt (1 John 1:9).

¹⁸ It is not stated whether the serpent originally walked on legs; what is emphasized here is that from then on the serpent and its offspring would eat dust.

¹⁹ The wounding in the heel signifies Christ’s temporary suffering and death on the cross. It was Satan, after all, who led Judas to betray Christ, the priests to prosecute Him, and Pilate to condemn Him—all in an effort to destroy Him and cause His death. But instead, the opposite happened: it was through His death that Christ ended up destroying Satan (Hebrews 2:14).

²⁰ The Savior is Jesus Christ, who saves from condemnation all those who put their faith in Him. The word “Christ” in the Greek language means “anointed one.” In the Hebrew language (the language in which the Old Testament was first written), the word “Messiah” means “anointed one.” Therefore the words “Christ” and “Messiah” mean the same thing.

²¹ The name Adam means “man”.

²² That part of man which was formed from dust will return to dust, but that part of man which came directly from God—the soul, the spirit, the “image”—does not end with physical death. For further discussion on the subject of death, see General Articles: The Fall into Sin; What Happens After Death?

²³ For further discussion of the contrast between Adam, who brought death, and Christ, who brings life, see Romans 5:15–19.

²⁴ To feel remorse is to have regrets, to be distressed by a bad outcome. Remorse can even include an awareness of having sinned (Matthew 27:3–4). But it does not include humbly confessing that sin to God and resolving to turn from it—which is true repentance.

²⁵ Some Bible scholars suggest that the mark was, in fact, the city Cain later built (verse 17), which would provide him with protection.

²⁶ In the Bible, seven is considered a “complete” or “full” number. Therefore the numbers seven and seventy-seven are not meant to be taken literally: they indicate “full” vengeance and “ten times full” vengeance (see Matthew 18:21–22).

²⁷ The prophet Elijah also did not die, but was carried up to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11). Likewise, Jesus was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:9).

²⁸ Walking with God is what the Christian life is all about. Enoch and Noah were righteous, but they didn’t walk with God because of their righteousness; rather, they were righteous because they walked with God. Our righteousness comes from our relationship with God. The Apostle John wrote: But if we walk in the light, as [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

²⁹ Other Bible scholars believe that the Sons of God were angels; however, according to the New Testament, angels do not marry (Mark 12:25).

³⁰ This doesn’t mean that Noah never sinned. (Only Christ was without sin.) It means that Noah had faith in God and sought to do His will (Hebrews 11:7). Noah’s life of faith and obedience is a model for our own.

³¹ Many centuries later when Moses was setting up the tabernacle in the wilderness, he also did everything just as the LORD commanded him (Exodus 40:16).

³² Some Bible scholars believe that the flood was only regional, limited to the Middle East. But the plain wording of the flood descriptions in both the Old and New Testaments indicates that it was a universal flood, not a local one.

³³ For further discussion on the subject of clean and unclean animals, see Leviticus Chapter 11.

³⁴ Estimates of the Flood’s date vary between 10,000 B.C. and 3,000 B.C.

³⁵ The Hebrew word for wind used in verse 1 can also mean “Spirit,” as in Genesis 1:2. This suggests that, as in the original creation, the Holy Spirit was also active in the earth’s “re-creation.”

³⁶ In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus during His baptism is likened to a dove (Mark 1:10). In modern times, a dove holding an olive branch is considered a symbol of peace.

³⁷ Beginning with Abel (Genesis 4:4) and all through Old Testament history, the offering of sacrifices was a central part of the worship of God. The offering of sacrifices was a tangible way of expressing gratitude to God for His blessings, for His provision of everything necessary to sustain life.

³⁸ Throughout the Old Testament, God’s actions and feelings are described in human terms. After all, these are the only terms we readily understand. But we must always keep in mind that God is infinitely greater than we are. When we say that God feels anger and jealousy and pleasure, we must remember that those feelings are of a higher order than human feelings. However, because we are made in God’s “image,” we are able—in a very limited way—to understand God’s feelings. For further discussion, see footnote to comment on Exodus 3:7–9.

³⁹ God’s promise here will last only as long as the earth lasts. According to the New Testament, there will be a final judgment at the end of history, and at that time the earth itself will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:7,10–13).

⁴⁰ For further discussion on the subject of covenants, see Exodus 24:4–8 and comment; General Article: Covenants and Dispensations.

⁴¹ Ancient people believed that blood contained a magical “life—force” that would pass on to whoever drank it. We know today that every cell in the body contains “life,” not just the blood. However, the circulation of oxygenated blood—more than any other physiological function—is necessary to keep a body alive. Thus the statement, the life . . . is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11), is broadly true.

⁴² The covenant with Noah doesn’t say that the earth will last forever or that wicked people will escape punishment; it only guarantees that God will not send another flood.

⁴³ From the name Shem comes the modern word “Semite,” a person of the Middle Eastern race that includes both Jews and Arabs.

⁴⁴ The name Peleg means “division.” Peleg was given this name because in his time the earth was divided (verse 25). This could mean that the earth was divided between the two sons of Eber: Joktan’s line leading to Babylon (the tower of Babel in the next chapter), and Peleg’s line leading to Abraham and God’s chosen people. It could also simply mean that the earth’s people were divided (scattered) following the attempt to build the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9).

⁴⁵ Shinar was the location of Babylon, the city founded by Nimrod, Noah’s great-grandson (Genesis 10:10). Shinar was an early name for the kingdom of Babylonia.

⁴⁶ Towers were common in the ancient Middle East; the tower of Babel was probably the first such tower to be built. It was built with bricks, because stones were scarce in the desert of Babylonia.

⁴⁷ This recalls the serpent’s words to Eve: “. . . you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).

⁴⁸ The confusing of the people’s language at Babel is the origin of the thousands of languages that exist in the world today.

⁴⁹ Babel is the Hebrew word for Babylon. It originally meant “gateway to a god.” But God brought confusion to the people’s imagined “gateway.” This is the origin of the English word “babble,” which means “confused chatter.”

⁵⁰ Later God would change the name Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5).

⁵¹ Ur was a city located in the southern part of present-day Iraq; its ruins were excavated in the 1920s. The Chaldeans were the original Babylonians.

⁵² According to Acts 7:2–3, Abram first received his call in Mesopotamia, the ancient name for the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, where Ur was located.

⁵³ The men of Babel had tried to make a name for themselves by building a tower (Genesis 11:4). Abram received a great name simply by believing God.

⁵⁴ Faith itself is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8); if God had not first called Abram, Abram would not have had anything to respond to. With the call, God gave Abram the faith he needed to respond and obey.

⁵⁵ The kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh, a royal title.

⁵⁶ According to verse 4, Abram was seventy-five when he left Haran, and Sarai was ten years younger (Genesis 17:17).

⁵⁷ This was technically true: Sarai was also Abram’s half-sister (Genesis 20:12). But this was a half-truth intended to deceive; surely God was not pleased with Abram’s deceptiveness and lack of faith.

⁵⁸ Centuries later, God would again send plagues on Egypt, and another Pharaoh would again let Abraham’s “great nation” go, richer than when they came (Exodus 12:29–36).

⁵⁹ The Negev is a large desert region occupying the southern part of Canaan.

⁶⁰ Lot didn’t sin in choosing the better land; after all, Abram had given him his choice. But Lot’s choice illustrates the saying: “The good is the enemy of the best.” When we seek for that which seems good to us but neglect to ask if it seems good to God, then we will miss the best that God wanted to give us. In that sense, then, the “good” becomes the enemy of the “best.”

According to 2 Peter 2:6–9, Lot was ultimately judged to be a righteous and godly man. The trials he endured were used by God to refine and purify his faith (1 Peter 1:6–7).

⁶¹ The word Hebrew is derived from Eber, the great-grandson of Shem (Genesis 10:21–24). Abram was a direct descendant of Eber. Modern Jews are descended from the original Hebrews. The Hebrews were also called Israelites, after the name of Abraham’s grandson Israel (Jacob).

⁶² The large size of Abram’s household indicates that he was a very wealthy man.

⁶³ The name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness” (Hebrews 7:2).

⁶⁴ Later God commanded the Hebrews to offer to Him each year a tithe (a tenth) of the produce of their land and a tenth of their animals (Leviticus 27:30–32). These tithes were used to maintain God’s sanctuary and those who served in it (Numbers 18:21).

⁶⁵ God’s promise of numerous offspring is still being fulfilled. It first began to be fulfilled when the Hebrews (descendants of Abram) were in Egypt (Exodus 1:6–7). It continued being fulfilled after their deliverance from Egypt (Deuteronomy 1:10). And the promise continues being fulfilled today: all who believe in Christ are Abram’s (Abraham’s) spiritual offspring (Galatians 3:6–9,14,29).

⁶⁶ Although faith, not works, is the basis of our salvation and our acceptance by God, true faith is always accompanied by works pleasing to God. If our lives are not characterized by love and good works, then our faith is not true faith (Galatians 5:5–6; James 2:14–26).

For further discussion on the subjects of faith, righteousness and salvation, see Word List: Faith, Righteousness, Salvation. Also see comments on Romans 3:21–31; Galatians 2:15–21; Ephesians 2:1–10; General Article: The Way of Salvation, in The Applied New Testament Commentary.

⁶⁷ In verse 13, four hundred is a round number. According to Exodus 12:40, the Hebrews spent 430 years in Egypt.

⁶⁸ In Abram’s time, a generation was considered to last one hundred years.

⁶⁹ Abram was not guiltless in the matter; like Sarai, he also displayed a lack of faith. But Abram did believe that Hagar’s child was the one God had promised.

⁷⁰ An angel is a spiritual being in human form. The Hebrew word for angel means “messenger.” It is uncertain whether the Lord was actually present in the angel or whether the Lord only sent the angel. In either case, the Lord spoke through the angel, and Hagar recognized that it was the Lord speaking (verse 13). Some Christians believe that the angel was a pre-incarnate manifestation of Jesus Christ. For further discussion, see comment on Genesis 18:1–8 and footnote to comment.

⁷¹ The Hebrew word for God Almighty is “El-Shaddai.” This is one of several names God used for Himself in the Old Testament. It expresses His power and all-sufficiency.

⁷² In the Bible, God’s future actions are often described in the past tense. When God says He will do something in the future, His word is so certain that we can look on it as if it had already happened. Whatever God says, He always accomplishes.

⁷³ “Gentile” is the Jewish term for anyone who is not a Jew. Note that the terms “Jew,” “Hebrew” and “Israelite” all refer to members of the same race: the descendants of Abram through his grandson Jacob (also called Israel).

⁷⁴ Circumcision is the cutting off of the excess skin at the tip of the penis. All male descendants of Abraham were required to be circumcised; newborns were to be circumcised on the eighth day of life (verse 12). Circumcision was the outward sign of being a Jew. Today most people undergo circumcision for health reasons, not religious reasons.

Circumcision was practiced by other ancient people in Abraham’s day; usually it was performed at puberty as an initiation rite. But no other people practiced circumcision as a sign of a covenant with God.

⁷⁵ The names Sarai and Sarah both mean “princess.”

⁷⁶ The name Isaac means “he laughs.”

⁷⁷ Those bought from a foreigner (verse 27) were slaves or bond servants of other nationalities; they may have been captured in battle, or they may have sold themselves into slavery to pay off debts. Wealthy people like Abraham usually possessed a number of slaves and servants of this sort.

⁷⁸ The three men may have been three angels, or they may have been two angels plus the angel of the LORD (Genesis 16:7)—that is, the Lord Himself. The Lord can appear in any form He chooses—including a smoking firepot with a blazing torch (Genesis 15:17) or even a burning bush (Exodus 3:2). The Lord can appear as one man, two men, or three men. The point is that when Abraham saw the three men, he recognized that the Lord was appearing before him.

⁷⁹ Some Christians believe that this third visitor was a manifestation of the pre-incarnate Christ. See footnote to comment on Genesis 16:7–10.

⁸⁰ Homosexual behavior was prevalent in Sodom; from Sodom comes the English word “sodomy.”

⁸¹ In Abraham’s time, adultery was punishable by death; so no one-even a king-wanted to commit adultery. It was safer to simply murder the husband; then adultery would not be an issue.

⁸² Dreams were a common means of receiving divine revelation in biblical times, and this continues to be true today, especially in areas where people have less access to God’s written word.

⁸³ The term fear of God (verse 11) is often used to signify a sincere religious belief that leads one to act rightly. Such “fear” indicates an openness to the Lord’s leading. It is often the first manifestation of a beginning faith.

To “fear the Lord” doesn’t just mean to be afraid of Him. The fear of the Lord is the foundation of human intelligence; it is the beginning of knowledge and of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). For further discussion, see Deuteronomy 6:1–3; Proverbs 1:7 and comments.

⁸⁴ Included among the gifts were a thousand shekels of silver. Originally a shekel was a unit of weight (about 12 grams); later it became the name of the main Jewish coin.

⁸⁵ See footnote to comment on Genesis 16:7–10.

⁸⁶ The name Ishmael means “God hears.”

⁸⁷ The land of the Philistines was located along the Mediterranean Sea in the western part of Canaan.

⁸⁸ “Testing” is not the same as “tempting.” God tests us in order to prove whether our faith and commitment are real. Satan tempts us in order to lead us into sin. God never tempts us (James 1:13); rather, by testing us, God strengthens our faith and helps keep us from sinning (Exodus 20:20).

⁸⁹ After Ishmael was sent away, Isaac was Abraham’s only son.

⁹⁰ The burnt offering was a common type of offering in Old Testament times, in which a sacrificed animal was burned on an altar.

⁹¹ The name Moriah means the Lord will provide (see verses 8,14).

⁹² In the Hebrew language, The LORD Will Provide is “Jehovah-Jireh.” This is one of the names for God used in the Old Testament; it highlights His role as the provider of all our needs.

⁹³ “I swear by myself,” said the Lord (verse 16), there being no one greater that one could swear by (Hebrews 6:13).

⁹⁴ In the cities of the ancient Middle East, business and legal transactions were usually carried out in a special meeting place near the main city gate.

⁹⁵ Because the servant’s mission had to do with ensuring the continuation of Abraham’s line through Isaac, the servant was told to place his hand near Abraham’s organ of procreation while taking the oath.

⁹⁶ We have noted earlier that a similar struggle was going to take place between the descendants of Canaan and Shem, sons of Noah, and between the descendants of Ishmael and Isaac, sons of Abraham. All this struggling came about because of man’s sinful nature. However, as the book of Genesis reveals, this human struggling would not prevent God’s purposes from being fulfilled.

⁹⁷ “Grasping the heel” became a saying that signified deceiving or cheating, because later Jacob would cheat Esau out of his birthright (verse 33) and also out of his father’s blessing (Genesis 27:35–36).

⁹⁸ According to ancient custom, the younger of two sons remained subservient to the older; since Jacob now possessed the birthright of eldest son, Esau would have to be subservient to him. This subservience continued into future generations: for much of Old Testament history the descendants of Esau (the Edomites) lived in subjection to the descendants of Jacob (the Israelites).

⁹⁹ See comment on Genesis 25:26–28 and footnote to comment.

¹⁰⁰ See comment on Genesis 4:13–16 and first footnote to comment.

¹⁰¹ Jesus may have had Jacob’s dream in mind when He referred to Himself as a stairway between earth and heaven on which angels were ascending and descending (John 1:51). Indeed Jesus is the one “stairway,” the one mediator between men on earth and God in heaven (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5).

¹⁰² It is important to emphasize that the covenant promises were not given only for the benefit of Abraham and his flesh-and-blood descendants; the covenant promises were given so that all people on earth might be blessed. Later on, the Jews began to lose sight of their calling to be a blessing to non-Jews; partly as a result of this, they forfeited the covenant blessings. Today we Christians are in danger of losing sight of our own missionary calling to bring to the whole world the good news of Jesus Christ, the offspring of Abraham, through whom all peoples are to be blessed.

¹⁰³ Bethel was located twelve miles north of Jerusalem; it would later become an important place in Israel’s history.

¹⁰⁴ God never approved of a man having more than one wife, and He approved even less of a man keeping a concubine—an “unofficial wife”—which was what Bilhah was. God’s ideal from the beginning was that a man have only one wife (Genesis 2:24). Anything more than that comes from man’s sinful desires and schemings.

¹⁰⁵ God hadn’t forgotten Rachel. When God is said to “remember” someone, it means that He has decided to act on that person’s behalf (see Genesis 8:1).

¹⁰⁶ God did give Rachel a second son, but it was at the cost of her life: she died in childbirth (Genesis 35:16–18).

¹⁰⁷ For a discussion of the various manifestations of God, see comments on Genesis 16:7–10; 18:1–8 and footnotes to comments.

¹⁰⁸ The dietary restriction mentioned in verse 32 is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. It is not certain exactly which tendon is referred to.

¹⁰⁹ To be “broken” by God is one of the deepest experiences of our Christian faith. We cannot be the kind of people God wants us to be without having been broken. God has to break us before we will surrender to Him; He has to break us before He can mold us and fill us with His Spirit. As self-centered human beings, we naturally resist such breaking; this was what Jacob was doing when he struggled with the angel. But God in His mercy did not let Jacob keep on struggling; He touched Jacob’s hip (verse 25). Suddenly all the things in Jacob’s earthly life were no longer so important: he had been touched by God. Instead of struggling for earthly blessings, Jacob now sought the highest blessing of all, God Himself: “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (verse 26). Each of us needs to pass through our own Peniel, where we can meet Jesus face to face and be transformed from self-willed strugglers to Spirit-filled channels of blessing to the world.

¹¹⁰ In verse 11, the Hebrew word for present used here can also mean blessing.

¹¹¹ Seir is also known as Edom. It is the desert land in which Esau settled after he left Canaan. Seir is situated southeast of Canaan.

¹¹² According to Old Testament law, if premarital intercourse occurred, the man had to pay a bride-price to the girl’s father; then the marriage could take place (Exodus 22:16–17).

¹¹³ Public decisions were made at the city gate in biblical times (Genesis 23:10).

¹¹⁴ In Hebrew, the word “beth” means “house” and the word “El” means “God.” Therefore, Bethel means “house of God” (Genesis 28:19). Here Jacob renamed the place El Bethel, the God of “Bethel.”

¹¹⁵ Though the preeminence passed to Judah, the legal rights of the firstborn passed to Joseph, the elder son of Rachel (1 Chronicles 5:1–2).

¹¹⁶ Joseph himself would become a victim of slander later on (Genesis 39:7–20). It commonly happens that the very sin we commit against others—such as slander—will later on be used against us.

¹¹⁷ The Ishmaelites were descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s eldest son. But included among them were other tribes also, such as the Midianites (verse 36), who were descended from Midian, another of Abraham’s sons (Genesis 25:1–2).

¹¹⁸ Wearing coarse, scratchy sackcloth was a sign of mourning.

¹¹⁹ The Hebrew word for grave is “Sheol.” For further discussion, see Word List: Grave; General Article: What Happens After Death?

¹²⁰ The seal was a stamp used for placing one’s personal mark on a document or clay tablet.

¹²¹ Some Old Testament figures, such as Joseph, are considered “types” or forerunners of Christ, because their lives share some of the characteristics of His life. For further discussion on the subject of types, see General Article: “Types” and Predictive Events.

¹²² All kings of Egypt went by the title Pharaoh.

¹²³ Some people today believe that God speaks directly to them through their dreams and gives them guidance. But to act solely on the basis of such a dream is dangerous. Confirmation of the guidance is always necessary. One or more godly people are needed who can interpret the dream. Furthermore, such guidance must always be in accordance with Scripture. Only after such confirmation is obtained would it be safe to act on guidance from dreams.

¹²⁴ In verse 38, the word spirit is not capitalized, because a pagan such as Pharaoh would not have recognized the Holy Spirit. However, Pharaoh certainly did recognize something special in Joseph, a divine presence. It is well to ask ourselves: can others recognize the divine presence in us?

¹²⁵ The name Manasseh sounds like the Hebrew word for “forget.” Joseph chose that name because God had made him forget his troubles and the cruelty of his brothers.

¹²⁶ The name Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew word for “twice fruitful”; the name reflects the fact that Joseph now had two sons.

¹²⁷ In verse 32, it is said that the Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews—the descendants of Abraham. The word “Hebrew” comes from the name Eber, one of Abraham’s ancestors (Genesis 10:21). But it wasn’t only Hebrews who were the problem; the Egyptians disliked eating with any foreigners.

¹²⁸ Nowhere in this chapter are we told that Joseph actually practiced divination (see verse 15); the steward suggested the cup might be used for that purpose only in order to further alarm and frighten the brothers. Divination was expressly prohibited in the Jewish law (Deuteronomy 18:10–12), because it involved relying on spirits and idols instead of on the one true God.

¹²⁹ Repentance isn’t just feeling sorry for doing something wrong; it is turning from that wrong and, as far as possible, making things right. Repentance is proved by one’s deeds (Acts 26:20).

¹³⁰ Years earlier, God had revealed to Joseph that he would indeed be a ruler (Genesis 37:6–8).

¹³¹ There are various explanations for the numbers used in verses 8–27; the totals vary according to which individuals are included in the different calculations. For example, sometimes Jacob and Joseph are included, sometimes not. The same is true for Er and Onan (verse 12), who died before the family went to Egypt (Genesis 38:7,9–10). Furthermore, the name Ohad (verse 10) is a scribal duplication of the name Zohar in the same verse (see Numbers 26:12–13) and should be omitted in order to bring the total of Leah’s descendants to thirty-three (verse 15). Numbers and names in the Old Testament are sometimes difficult to interpret and reconcile, because of incomplete information.

¹³² In Acts 7:14, Stephen says that seventy-five people were in Jacob’s family at that time. He was basing his number on the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint), which adds to the total five grandsons and great-grandsons of Joseph.

¹³³ God can create something out of nothing, but He can’t “multiply” something that does not exist. We may think that our labor or our offering is insignificant, but it is not insignificant to God; He will multiply it. But He will not multiply what we do not offer Him.

¹³⁴ Today in many parts of the world, tenant farmers get to keep only half the produce for themselves.

¹³⁵ Manasseh and Ephraim would be just like Reuben and Simeon (verse 5), Jacob’s two oldest sons. Indeed, because of earlier sins, Reuben and Simeon had lost their position as “oldest sons.” Now Manasseh and Ephraim—through Joseph—would have the privilege of being “oldest.” Generations later, the descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim would become two of Israel’s most important tribes.

¹³⁶ Jacob’s father Isaac had also been blind when he was deceived into giving Jacob the blessing that had been meant for Jacob’s older brother Esau (Genesis 27:1,21–24).

¹³⁷ In biblical times, to be at the right hand was to be in the position of honor and blessing (Matthew 25:32–33).

¹³⁸ In giving the primary blessing to Ephraim, Jacob was acknowledging that Ephraim’s descendants would become greater than Manasseh’s descendants (verse 19). And this indeed proved true. The tribe of Ephraim became the major tribe of the northern kingdom after Israel was divided following the reign of King Solomon.

¹³⁹ Seth was chosen over Cain, Shem over Japheth, Isaac over Ishmael, and Jacob over Esau.

¹⁴⁰ In verse 21, the Hebrew words you and your are plural, indicating that these words were directed not only to Joseph but also to Manasseh and Ephraim and their descendants.

¹⁴¹ Jacob said, “Cursed be their anger . . . and their fury” (verse 7). He didn’t pronounce a curse on Simeon and Levi directly; he cursed their sinful nature. This is a reminder for us that we are to hate the sin but love the sinner. Yet at the same time, the sinner must bear his punishment, as did Simeon and Levi.

¹⁴² The name Judah means praise.

¹⁴³ People in Old Testament times, of course, did not recognize that verse 10 was a prophecy regarding Jesus; they assumed it referred to King David, Israel’s greatest king, also a descendant of Judah and forerunner of Jesus. During his reign, David subdued many of the nations surrounding Israel; thus it could be said that the obedience of the nations was his.

¹⁴⁴ In the blessing given to Judah (verses 8–12), the name Judah stands mainly for the descendants of Judah. The same is true of the other blessings that follow.

¹⁴⁵ An example of the treachery of the Danites is found in Judges 18:27–28.

¹⁴⁶ After Israel was divided into northern and southern kingdoms following Solomon’s reign, the northern kingdom was commonly referred to as “Ephraim.”

¹⁴⁷ The twelve tribes were derived from Jacob’s twelve sons. But the “tribe of Joseph” was really two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, making a total of thirteen. However, the Levites were not considered an ordinary tribe ; they had no territory allotted to them because they were the priests of Israel. So the total number of tribes remained twelve.

¹⁴⁸ Embalming was an Egyptian custom. It was carried out in Jacob’s case in order to prevent his body from putrefying during the long journey to Canaan. Later, Joseph’s own body would be embalmed so that it could be transported to Canaan (verses 25–26).

¹⁴⁹ Threshing “floors” were flat, open areas of hard earth or rock where the harvested wheat or barley was threshed and winnowed. The best-known threshing floor in the Bible was the one bought by King David, which later became the site of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 24:18–25).