Genesis 47:29 kjv

And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:

Genesis 47:29 nkjv

When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt,

Genesis 47:29 niv

When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt,

Genesis 47:29 esv

And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt,

Genesis 47:29 nlt

As the time of his death drew near, Jacob called for his son Joseph and said to him, "Please do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honoring this last request: Do not bury me in Egypt.

Genesis 47 verses

Genesis 47 29 Meaning

As his life neared its end, Israel (Jacob) called his most influential son, Joseph, to make a profound request. He pleaded with Joseph to take a solemn oath, marked by the ancient custom of placing his hand under Jacob's thigh. The core of Jacob's dying wish was that he not be buried in Egypt but instead carried to the promised land of Canaan to be interred with his ancestors. This request highlights Jacob's unwavering faith in God's covenant promises, particularly concerning the land and the future of his descendants.

Genesis 47 29 Context

Genesis chapter 47 recounts Jacob and his family's resettlement in the land of Goshen, where they thrive under Joseph's provision during the famine. The patriarch Jacob lives there for seventeen years, witnessing the expansion and prosperity of his family. The chapter transitions from their physical well-being and establishment in Egypt to the impending end of Jacob's earthly life. Verse 29 marks a crucial pivot, as Jacob senses his approaching death and begins to prepare his family for the next phase of God's redemptive plan. It reorients the family's gaze away from the temporary comfort of Egypt toward the promised future and the covenant land. Historically, oath-taking was a serious matter, binding the participants deeply within ancient Near Eastern societies, and the specific gesture of placing the hand under the thigh denoted the utmost solemnity, often invoking one's descendants and the sanctity of lineage. Burial in the ancestral land was a common cultural practice and a spiritual statement of belonging and belief in a future.

Genesis 47 29 Word analysis

• And the time drew near (וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי - vayyiqrevu yemei): Literally, "and the days of [death] drew near." This phrasing signifies an appointed time, an inevitability that affects all humans, including patriarchs of great faith.

• that Israel must die: Refers to Jacob by his covenant name, "Israel," highlighting his spiritual identity and the lineage of God's chosen people, not just his personal demise. It underscores that even covenant bearers are subject to mortal bounds.

• and he called his son Joseph: Joseph, as Pharaoh's prime minister, held the authority, resources, and influence to fulfill this extraordinary and politically complex request for his father's burial.

• and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight (אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ - im-na matzati chen b'eyneykha): A polite, deferential, and humble form of address, commonly used in biblical appeals, expressing the urgency and depth of the request, and appealing to the recipient's good will and affection.

• put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh (שִׂים־נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יֶרְכִי - sim-na yadkha takhat yerkhî): This ancient and potent gesture symbolized a most binding and sacred oath. The "thigh" or "loins" (yerakh) was understood as the seat of procreative power, representing lineage, offspring, and the covenant continuation, invoking solemnity and severe consequences for breaking the oath.

• and deal kindly and truly with me (וְעָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת - ve'asita immadi chesed ve'emet): This foundational Hebrew phrase involves Hesed (steadfast love, covenant loyalty, unfailing kindness) and Emet (truth, faithfulness, reliability). Together, they signify a commitment to unwavering loyalty, integrity, and devoted service that transcends simple duty.

• bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt (אַל־נָא תִקְבְּרֵנִי בְמִצְרָיִם - al-na tiqberenî b'mitsrayim): The central and urgent command. "Bury me not" is an impassioned negative plea. Jacob's explicit rejection of burial in Egypt reflects his faith that his true belonging, identity, and the destiny of his descendants were intertwined with God's promise concerning the land of Canaan.

• "time drew near that Israel must die": This phrase emphasizes the appointed and unavoidable nature of death for all, highlighting the limited tenure even of the patriarchs. The use of "Israel" instead of "Jacob" elevates the request to a covenantal level, signifying the patriarch's final act related to God's broader plan for His people.

• "put... thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me": This combination outlines the solemn oath. The physical act grounds the commitment, while the invocation of Hesed and Emet imbues it with profound ethical and theological weight, requiring absolute faithfulness and devoted loyalty from Joseph. This sacred covenant language assures Jacob of Joseph's genuine intent and devotion.

• "bury me not... in Egypt": More than a mere last wish, this expresses Jacob's steadfast faith and theological conviction. It is a powerful affirmation that, despite current prosperity in Egypt, the covenant promise and future inheritance of his descendants lay irrevocably in the promised land. His burial there symbolized continuity with God's covenant and hope in the future resurrection.

Genesis 47 29 Bonus section

Jacob’s lifespan of 147 years made him the second longest-lived of the patriarchs (after Isaac at 180 and Abraham at 175). His choice of Joseph for this crucial request, overlooking his elder sons, reflects Joseph's standing and capabilities, not only as a civil ruler but as a faithful son who would honor his father's final wishes. Jacob's request prefigures a theological theme evident throughout the Old Testament: the temporary nature of foreign dwellings for God's people and the ultimate destiny in the promised land. This verse sets the stage for the intense longing for Canaan that would develop during the Israelites' later oppression in Egypt, ensuring that even in prosperity, they never lost sight of their true inheritance and divine calling. The commitment demonstrated by Joseph to fulfill this solemn promise, despite the practical difficulties and the grand procession required (Gen 50), highlights the deep respect for such ancient and sacred vows, and reinforces the fidelity between the patriarch and his son.

Genesis 47 29 Commentary

Genesis 47:29 serves as a pivotal moment, shifting the focus from the temporary well-being of Jacob's family in Egypt to their future identity and inheritance. Jacob's solemn instruction to Joseph concerning his burial is a profound act of faith and spiritual leadership. It's not a superstitious concern about his physical resting place, but a declaration of his belief in the eternal validity of God's covenant promise for the land of Canaan, given to Abraham, Isaac, and reiterated to himself. The act of swearing "under the thigh" was the most binding form of oath in that culture, signifying a commitment involving one's very essence and future lineage. By asking Joseph to take such an oath and demanding burial outside Egypt, Jacob subtly guides his family to understand their time in Egypt as transient, reinforcing their identity as pilgrims and strangers, heirs to a divine promise that transcends immediate circumstances. This action prophetically points toward the eventual exodus and their inheritance of the land.

• Example for practical usage: When facing circumstances that seem long-term, remember Jacob's perspective. Despite comfort in Egypt, his faith focused on God's future promise, reminding us that earthly blessings should not deter our focus from spiritual inheritance.
• Example for practical usage: Understanding Jacob's "kindly and truly" plea can prompt believers to consider the steadfast loyalty and integrity expected in all covenant relationships, whether with God or within the believing community.