Genesis 49:33

33 When Jacob ended his charge to his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

Genesis 49:33 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 49:33

And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons
Had given all the proper directions and instructions concerning his interment in the land of Canaan: he gathered up his feet into the bed; on which he sat while he blessed his sons, and gave orders to them about his burial; but now he gathered up his feet into the bed, laid himself along, and composed himself in a proper posture to die. What authority the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem on ( Genesis 49:21 ) had for saying this bed was a bed of gold, I know not:

and he yielded up the ghost;
he expired, he died an easy death, without any pain or sickness: which Ben Melech says this phrase is expressive of. He died in the year of his age one hundred and forty seven, and not one hundred and forty four, as a Jewish chronologer F20 wrongly puts it, and in the year of the world 2315, and before Christ 1689, according to Bishop Usher F21: and was gathered unto his people: (See Gill on Genesis 49:29).


FOOTNOTES:

F20 Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 6. 2.
F21 Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 2315.

Genesis 49:33 In-Context

31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried; there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried; and there I buried Leah—
32 the field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites."
33 When Jacob ended his charge to his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.