Genesis 49:31 kjv

There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

Genesis 49:31 nkjv

There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah.

Genesis 49:31 niv

There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah.

Genesis 49:31 esv

There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah ?

Genesis 49:31 nlt

There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried. There Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, are buried. And there I buried Leah.

Genesis 49 verses

Genesis 49 31 Meaning

This verse recounts the successive burials of the patriarchal family in the Cave of Machpelah. Jacob, on his deathbed, reminds his sons of the sacred burial place where Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and then he himself buried Leah. It underscores the profound significance of this location as the family's eternal resting place, intimately tied to the covenant promises of God concerning land and lineage.

Genesis 49 31 Context

Genesis 49 is Jacob's final discourse, primarily a series of prophecies and blessings for each of his twelve sons, delivered just before his death. After concluding these pronouncements (v. 28), Jacob issues his final, explicit instructions regarding his burial. He expresses a fervent desire not to be buried in Egypt but "with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite" (v. 29-30), which is the Cave of Machpelah. Verse 31 then serves as Jacob's personal justification and explanation for this directive, recounting the family history of burials in that very cave. It reinforces the sanctity and established tradition of the Cave of Machpelah as the permanent resting place for the covenant family, linking generations through their burial site in the Promised Land. Historically, family tombs were crucial, and being buried with one's ancestors signified belonging and a share in their heritage. The Cave of Machpelah was Abraham's first real property in Canaan, marking a tangible foothold in the land God promised him, long before the nation of Israel fully possessed it.

Genesis 49 31 Word analysis

• There (Hebrew: שָׁם, sham): Refers directly to "the cave that is in the field of Machpelah" (v. 30). This deictic term repeatedly points to the precise, divinely significant location of the ancestral burial site. Its repetition emphasizes the specific place where the family's destiny is tied.
• they buried (Hebrew: קָבְרוּ, qavru, perfect verb, plural subject): This form highlights a completed action by multiple unidentified parties (likely the immediate family members present at the time). The repetition across the couples underscores the consistent family practice of burying their patriarchs and matriarchs in this particular cave.
• Abraham (Hebrew: אַבְרָהָם, ʾAvraham): The patriarch of the covenant, through whom God's promises were initiated (Gen 12:1-3, 15:18). His burial here signifies the foundational establishment of the covenant line in the land.
• and Sarah his wife (Hebrew: וְשָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ, v'Sara ʾishto): Sarah, the first matriarch and mother of Isaac, was the first to be buried in the purchased cave, confirming its use (Gen 23:19). Her inclusion underscores her integral role in the covenant and the purity of the lineage.
• Isaac (Hebrew: יִצְחָק, Yitzchaq): The promised son and second patriarch, through whom the covenant passed (Gen 26:3-4). His burial alongside his parents reinforces the uninterrupted succession of the covenant.
• and Rebekah his wife (Hebrew: וְרִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ, v'Rivqah ʾishto): The second matriarch, mother of Jacob and Esau, instrumental in ensuring the patriarchal line continued through Jacob. Although Rebekah's specific burial in Machpelah isn't explicitly detailed elsewhere, Jacob's statement here definitively places her there, underscoring her important role.
• and there I buried (Hebrew: וְשָׁם קָבַרְתִּי, v'sham qāvartī, perfect verb, 1st person singular): This shift from "they buried" to "I buried" (Jacob speaking) is crucial. It highlights Jacob's direct, personal involvement in Leah's burial, elevating her status within the patriarchal narrative and ensuring her place in the hallowed ground alongside the other matriarchs, even though she was not Jacob's initially favored wife.
• Leah (Hebrew: לֵאָה, Leʾah): The mother of six of Jacob's sons, including Judah (the lineage of kingship) and Levi (the lineage of priesthood), as well as Dinah. Jacob's explicit mention of burying Leah signifies her fundamental importance to the twelve tribes and to the fulfillment of the covenant, affirming her status as a legitimate and essential matriarch, perhaps implicitly elevating her even above Rachel in the spiritual-lineage sense in his final reckoning.

Word Group Analysis:

• "There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife": This repetitive structure ("There they buried X and Y his wife") creates a strong sense of continuity, tradition, and established lineage. It emphasizes that the Cave of Machpelah is the consistent and designated burial site for the core patriarchal family, providing historical precedence for Jacob's own burial wish. The anonymity of "they" (unspecified family members) also points to a communal, generations-spanning act.
• "and there I buried Leah": This shift from a generalized "they" to a specific "I" (Jacob himself) regarding Leah's burial carries profound emotional and theological weight. It signifies Jacob's direct and personal agency in securing Leah's place in the holy ancestral ground. This unique phrasing for Leah underlines her significance in Jacob's final thoughts, particularly as the mother of so many tribes, implicitly affirming her as the co-patriarchal spouse destined for this sacred space.

Genesis 49 31 Bonus section

The Cave of Machpelah, known today as the Tomb of the Patriarchs/Matriarchs in Hebron, remains a highly significant site in Abrahamic faiths. Its repeated mention throughout Genesis, from its purchase by Abraham to Jacob's final instructions, anchors the physical inheritance to the spiritual promises. The very act of patriarchs wanting to be buried in this specific spot within the promised land, even when dwelling in other regions (like Jacob in Egypt), testifies to their enduring faith in God's word and their hope for their descendants to inherit and thrive in that land. It implicitly points to a future resurrection, where they might awaken on the very soil God promised to their offspring.

Genesis 49 31 Commentary

Genesis 49:31 is Jacob's final will regarding his earthly resting place, underscoring the spiritual significance of the land of Canaan for the covenant people. By recounting the internment of his predecessors in the Cave of Machpelah, Jacob connects his personal desire for burial to the collective identity and divine promise tied to his family's earliest possession in the Promised Land. The repeated phrase "there they buried" creates a chain of continuity, illustrating the unbroken lineage of the Abrahamic covenant passing through Abraham, Isaac, and now to Jacob himself. This specific cave, purchased by Abraham in Gen 23, represented not just real estate, but a tangible claim to the land promised by God.

The distinct statement "and there I buried Leah" stands out. Unlike the general "they" for the previous burials, Jacob personally identifies his role in Leah's burial. This is highly significant. While Rachel was initially Jacob's beloved wife, Leah bore him the majority of his sons, including Judah (from whom kingship would descend, Gen 49:10) and Levi (from whom the priesthood would emerge). Jacob's personal act of burying Leah in this revered ancestral tomb, along with the matriarchs Sarah and Rebekah, solidifies her essential role in the foundational lineage of the twelve tribes. It highlights the importance of the collective, divinely appointed family, transcending individual preferences and demonstrating a deep respect for Leah's place in the covenant family, acknowledging her vital contribution to the perpetuation of God's chosen people. Ultimately, Jacob's request and this verse reflect a profound faith in God's covenant, even in death, connecting his end to the promised land and the continuation of his spiritual heritage.