Jacob's Blessing and Death, Joseph's End (Genesis 48-50)

Let’s conclude the fascinating story of Genesis by exploring chapters 48 to 50. These chapters focus on Jacob’s blessings, his passing, and the legacy he leaves behind through his sons.

Genesis 48: Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

As Jacob’s life neared its end, Joseph brought his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to be blessed by their grandfather. Despite Joseph positioning Manasseh, the elder, for the primary blessing, Jacob crossed his arms and placed his right hand on Ephraim, the younger. Jacob prophesied that Ephraim would become greater than Manasseh.

Jacob blessed Joseph, reminding him of God’s promises to Abraham and Isaac, and declared that God would bring them back to the land of their ancestors.

Genesis 49: Jacob Blesses His Sons

Jacob gathered his twelve sons to tell them what would happen in the days to come. He gave each son a prophetic blessing or, in some cases, a reprimand, based on their characters and actions.

Some notable blessings included Judah being likened to a lion and foretold to produce kings, including the Messiah, while Joseph received a particularly rich blessing, signifying fruitfulness and strength.

Genesis 50: The Death and Burial of Jacob

After blessing his sons, Jacob passed away. Joseph ordered the Egyptian physicians to embalm his father, a process taking forty days. The Egyptians mourned Jacob for seventy days.

Joseph sought Pharaoh’s permission to bury Jacob in the family tomb in Canaan. Pharaoh agreed, and a grand funeral procession, including Egyptian dignitaries, accompanied Joseph and his brothers to Canaan.

Jacob was buried in the Cave of Machpelah, the same place where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah were buried. After the burial, Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt.

Joseph’s Final Days

After Jacob’s death, Joseph’s brothers feared he might seek revenge for their past wrongs. They approached Joseph, pleading for forgiveness. Joseph reassured them, saying, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Joseph lived to be 110 years old and saw his great-grandchildren. Before his death, he told his brothers that God would surely come to their aid and take them out of Egypt to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Joseph made them swear to carry his bones up from Egypt when that time came.

These chapters beautifully conclude the book of Genesis, highlighting themes of forgiveness, legacy, and the fulfillment of God’s promises.