Genesis 49:33

33 And when the behests were ended, by which he taught his sons, he gathered together his feet on the bed, and died, and he was put to his people. (And when Jacob had finished giving these prophesies to his sons, he drew his feet up onto the bed, and died, and he joined his ancestors.)

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 they buried him, and Sarah his wife; also Isaac was buried there, with Rebecca his wife; there also Leah lieth buried. (They buried him there, with his wife Sarah; Isaac was also buried there, with his wife Rebecca; and Leah also lieth buried there.)
32 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
33 And when the behests were ended, by which he taught his sons, he gathered together his feet on the bed, and died, and he was put to his people. (And when Jacob had finished giving these prophesies to his sons, he drew his feet up onto the bed, and died, and he joined his ancestors.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.