Genesis 49:29 kjv
And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
Genesis 49:29 nkjv
Then he charged them and said to them: "I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
Genesis 49:29 niv
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,
Genesis 49:29 esv
Then he commanded them and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
Genesis 49:29 nlt
Then Jacob instructed them, "Soon I will die and join my ancestors. Bury me with my father and grandfather in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.
Genesis 49 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 13:14-15 | The LORD said to Abram... "all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever." | Covenant promise of land. |
| Gen 15:18 | On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land..." | Affirmation of the covenant land. |
| Gen 23:3-4 | Abraham stood up from beside his dead and spoke to the Hittites, “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” | Abraham's original purchase of Machpelah for burial. |
| Gen 23:19-20 | After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah... | First burial in the Machpelah cave. |
| Gen 25:8 | Abraham breathed his last and died... and was gathered to his people. | Abraham's death, using the phrase "gathered to his people." |
| Gen 25:9-10 | Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah... where Abraham had buried Sarah his wife. | Abraham buried with Sarah in Machpelah. |
| Gen 35:28-29 | Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people... And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. | Isaac's death, using "gathered to his people," and buried. |
| Gen 47:29-31 | When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said... "bury me not in Egypt... but when I lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place." | Jacob's earlier, similar request to Joseph specifically. |
| Gen 50:1-14 | Joseph fell on his father's face and wept... he commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father... and Joseph went up to bury his father. | Fulfillment of Jacob's burial request. |
| Exo 13:19 | Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had solemnly sworn the people of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here." | Joseph's desire for burial in Canaan, echoing patriarchal belief. |
| Num 20:24 | Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land... | Example of "gathered to his people" in a different context. |
| Deut 32:50 | You shall die on the mountain where you go up and be gathered to your people... | Moses instructed to be "gathered to his people." |
| Josh 24:32 | As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel had brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem... | Joseph's bones ultimately buried in Canaan. |
| Acts 7:16 | And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. | Stephen's sermon linking ancestral burial to the covenant (though specific burial site details here might relate to another transaction not Machpelah, it emphasizes the importance of burial in the land). |
| Heb 11:13 | These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | Patriarchs' faith in the promise despite not fully inheriting it. |
| Heb 11:22 | By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | Joseph's faith in the promise of the land shown by his burial request. |
| Rom 4:16 | That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace... | Emphasizes faith as the basis for receiving God's promises, exemplified by patriarchs. |
| 1 Cor 15:20 | But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. | Hope beyond death, foreshadowed by patriarchal desire to rest with their kin. |
| Gen 26:3 | Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you... for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands... | Reiterates the land promise to Isaac. |
| Gen 35:10-12 | God said to him, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel shall be your name"... "The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and to your offspring after you I will give the land." | Renewal of the covenant and land promise to Jacob/Israel. |
Genesis 49 verses
Genesis 49 29 Meaning
Jacob, in his final instructions before his passing, explicitly commanded his sons regarding his burial place. He desired to be buried alongside his revered ancestors—Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah—in the Cave of Machpelah, located in the field purchased from Ephron the Hittite near Mamre. This instruction reveals his profound connection to his lineage, his belief in a post-mortem existence alongside his kin, and his enduring faith in God's covenant promise of the land of Canaan, even in death.
Genesis 49 29 Context
Genesis chapter 49 records Jacob's final prophetic blessings and pronouncements over his twelve sons before his death. These pronouncements often reflect their character, destiny, and the future of their tribes within Israel. Verse 29 marks a significant transition: from prophecy and blessing, Jacob shifts to his personal, solemn final wishes regarding his death and burial. This command emphasizes his profound attachment to the land promised by God, reaffirming his faith in the covenant beyond his mortal life. It serves as a concluding personal request after imparting crucial spiritual guidance and foresight to his descendants.
Genesis 49 29 Word analysis
- And he charged them: וַיְצַו אֹתָם (vay'tzav otam). The verb צָוָה (tsavah) signifies a strong command or solemn instruction. It's not a mere suggestion but a binding directive, highlighting the gravity of Jacob's request and his authority as patriarch. This command echoes Abraham's initial charge regarding Machpelah.
- and said to them: וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם (vayomer aleihem). Reinforces the verbal communication of the command to his sons, ensuring they understood and would carry out his wishes.
- I am about to be gathered: אֲנִי נֶאֱסָף (ani ne'esaph). This phrase is a common euphemism for dying in the Hebrew Bible, literally "I am being gathered." It carries a rich theological meaning beyond mere physical cessation of life. It implies joining a community or fellowship of those who have passed before, suggesting an understanding of continuity and presence beyond the grave with ancestors, rather than annihilation. This highlights an ancient Israelite belief in some form of afterlife, specifically a family/community realm.
- to my people: אֶל-עַמִּי (el-ammi). This refers specifically to his ancestors and their kin who had already died and were laid to rest. It speaks of reunion and spiritual communion within the ancestral line, deeply rooted in Israelite identity and lineage. It implies shared destiny and legacy.
- bury me: קִבְרוּ אֹתִי (kivru oti). A direct, imperative command, making his desire unambiguous.
- with my fathers: אֶל-אֲבֹתָי (el-avotay). Literally "to my fathers." This specifies the location within the context of his family lineage. Jacob's fathers are Abraham and Isaac. Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah were also buried there, demonstrating the continuity of the patriarchal family.
- in the cave: בַּמְּעָרָה (bame'arah). Refers to the specific burial site, the Cave of Machpelah. Its particular mention underlines its established importance and identity as the family sepulcher.
- that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite: אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׂדֵה עֶפְרוֹן הַחִתִּי (asher bisdeh Ephron ha-Chitti). This precise detail grounds the instruction historically and legally. It refers back to Abraham's meticulously negotiated purchase of the field and cave from Ephron the Hittite in Gen 23. This not only confirms legal ownership but also the significance of this small piece of the promised land as the first permanent land acquisition by the patriarchs, serving as a physical anchor for the covenant promise. It signifies a profound act of faith, possessing a piece of the promised land, even if only for burial.
Genesis 49 29 Bonus section
The Cave of Machpelah, mentioned here, is unique as the resting place for three patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and four matriarchs (Sarah, Rebekah, Leah) of Israel. Only Rachel, who died en route to Bethlehem (Gen 35:19), was buried separately. The significance of Machpelah lies not just in being a family tomb, but in being the first piece of the Promised Land legally acquired by the Israelites (Gen 23), long before the nation entered Canaan. Jacob's strong insistence on being buried there, alongside his earlier making Joseph swear to take him from Egypt (Gen 47:29-31), demonstrates a consistent patriarchal belief that their ultimate resting place in the land symbolized an enduring claim on God's covenant promises, emphasizing that even in death, they belonged to the land promised by God to their descendants. This desire showcases a profound anticipation of the full inheritance of the land by the Israelites, despite their current sojourning status.
Genesis 49 29 Commentary
Genesis 49:29 serves as Jacob's ultimate act of faith and identity declaration. After delivering prophetic words for the future of Israel, his final personal wish is to be buried in the Cave of Machpelah, a site not only purchased by Abraham as the family sepulcher but also serving as the first tangible possession of the Promised Land by the patriarchs. His insistence on this burial highlights several key themes. Firstly, his deep identification with his lineage and the Abrahamic covenant, underscoring that his life, death, and destiny were inextricably linked to his forefathers and the promises made to them. Secondly, the phrase "gathered to my people" reveals an ancient Israelite belief in some form of afterlife where communion with one's ancestors continued, affirming continuity beyond physical death within the ancestral community. Finally, by desiring burial in Canaan, Jacob expresses unwavering faith in God's promise to give that land to his descendants. This physical resting place in the land signifies an eternal claim, an assurance that the divine promise would ultimately be fulfilled through his lineage, providing comfort and conviction for the generations to follow regarding their heritage and future.