Genesis 49:28-33

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

The Death of Jacob

29 Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.
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 in it were bought from the Hittites.[a]
33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Genesis 49:28-33 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 49

This chapter contains a prophecy of future things, relating to the twelve sons of Jacob, and to the twelve tribes, as descending from them, and which he delivered to his sons on his death bed, having called them together for that purpose, Ge 49:1,2, he begins with Reuben his firstborn, whose incest he takes notice of, on which account he should not excel, Ge 49:3,4, next Simeon and Levi have a curse denounced on them for their cruelty at Shechem, Ge 49:5,6, but Judah is praised, and good things prophesied of him; and particularly that Shiloh, or the Messiah, should spring from him, the time of whose coming is pointed at, Ge 49:7-12, the predictions concerning Zebulun, Issachar, and Dan, follow, at the close of which Jacob expresses his longing expectation of God's salvation, Ge 49:13-18 and after foretelling what should befall Gad, Asher, and Naphtali, Ge 49:19-21, a large account is given of Joseph, his troubles, his trials, and his blessings, Ge 49:22-26, and Benjamin the youngest son is taken notice of last of all, all the tribes being blessed in their order according to the nature of their blessing, Ge 49:27,28, and the chapter is closed with a charge of Jacob's to his sons to bury him in Canaan, which having delivered, he died, Ge 49:29-33.

Cross References 16

  • 1. S ver 2
  • 2. S Genesis 27:4
  • 3. Genesis 50:16
  • 4. S Genesis 25:8
  • 5. S Genesis 15:15; Genesis 47:30; Genesis 50:13; Genesis 50:25; 2 Samuel 2:32; 2 Samuel 19:37
  • 6. S Genesis 25:9
  • 7. S Genesis 23:9
  • 8. S Genesis 13:18
  • 9. S Genesis 23:4
  • 10. S Genesis 23:20
  • 11. Genesis 25:9
  • 12. Genesis 23:19
  • 13. S Genesis 24:67; Genesis 35:29
  • 14. S Genesis 23:20; S Genesis 29:16
  • 15. S Genesis 10:15
  • 16. ver 29; S Genesis 25:8; Acts 7:15

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "the descendants of Heth"
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