Genesis 50:22 kjv

And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.

Genesis 50:22 nkjv

So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years.

Genesis 50:22 niv

Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father's family. He lived a hundred and ten years

Genesis 50:22 esv

So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father's house. Joseph lived 110 years.

Genesis 50:22 nlt

So Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt. Joseph lived to the age of 110.

Genesis 50 verses

Genesis 50 22 Meaning

Genesis 50:22 states that Joseph remained settled in Egypt, alongside his entire paternal household, for the entirety of his life, which spanned one hundred and ten years. This verse marks the ongoing preservation and establishment of the covenant family within Egypt, concluding Joseph’s pivotal narrative and the book of Genesis, while setting the stage for the growth of Israel as a distinct nation.

Genesis 50 22 Context

Genesis 50 concludes the life story of Joseph and, indeed, the entire book of Genesis. The preceding verses detail Jacob's death, his solemn funeral procession from Egypt back to Canaan for burial in the cave of Machpelah (Gen 50:7-14), and the reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers, who feared retribution after Jacob's death (Gen 50:15-21). Joseph assures them that though they meant evil, God intended it for good to preserve many lives. Verse 22 then establishes Joseph's continued life and leadership in Egypt, securing the family's presence there. The longevity of Joseph and his "father's house" signifies a period of stability and growth for the nascent nation of Israel within the protected environment of Egypt, prior to the difficult period of bondage. It directly leads to Joseph's final prophetic words and instructions regarding his bones, looking forward to the Exodus (Gen 50:24-26).

Genesis 50 22 Word analysis

• So Joseph: Refers to the main figure of the latter part of Genesis, Joseph, the son of Jacob. His name, Yosef (יוסף) in Hebrew, means "He adds" or "May he add," prophetically indicating the future growth of Israel in Egypt.
• lived (Hebrew: wayyēṣebh וישב): From the verb yāshaḇ (ישׁב), meaning "to dwell," "settle," or "remain." This implies not just existence but a secure, established dwelling, highlighting a period of stability and relative prosperity for the family. It contrasts with the transient nature of previous patriarchs who were primarily "sojourners" (Heb 11:9).
• in Egypt: The land where Joseph became viceroy and preserved his family from famine. It represents both a place of preservation and later, bondage. This statement firmly places the patriarch Joseph's continued life and influence in a foreign land, vital for the nation of Israel to develop from a family to a multitude (Ex 1:7).
• he and his father's house: This phrase emphasizes that not just Joseph but the entire family of Jacob—the twelve tribes in formation—dwelled and settled together. It underscores their unity and collective experience under Joseph's leadership. This entire family became the "house of Israel," solidifying their presence and identity in Egypt before their Exodus.
• And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years: This specific lifespan is significant. In ancient Egyptian culture, 110 years was considered the ideal, blessed, or complete lifespan, often attributed to revered officials and pharaohs as a sign of wisdom and divine favor. Joseph's life span in an Egyptian context aligns him, in a way, with this ideal, signaling his highly regarded status and the completeness of his earthly mission in God's providence. It is also a round, numerically pleasing number that concludes his earthly service fittingly. This stands in contrast to the longer lives of Abraham (175), Isaac (180), and Jacob (147), but signals a fully lived life according to God's purpose.

Genesis 50 22 Bonus section

The seemingly precise detail of Joseph living exactly 110 years holds deeper significance than a mere factual statement. This number often appears in Egyptian wisdom literature as the lifespan of an ideal sage or blessed individual, such as the famous vizier Ptahhotep who, in his "Instructions," mentions the hope of living 110 years. By attributing this lifespan to Joseph, the biblical text might implicitly resonate with an Egyptian audience, portraying Joseph as having fulfilled a wise and blessed life according to their cultural understanding of a successful and complete existence. This bridges the narrative's two primary audiences (Israelite and, potentially, those familiar with Egyptian culture), emphasizing God's favor on Joseph even in a pagan land, ensuring his well-being and influence until the very end of his life. The duration of Joseph's life also sets the tone for the subsequent long period of Israel's sojourn in Egypt before the dramatic events of the Exodus begin.

Genesis 50 22 Commentary

Genesis 50:22 succinctly marks the final status of Joseph and his family within Egypt, closing the Genesis narrative. Joseph's extended life, specifically 110 years, signifies God's prolonged blessing upon him and through him, upon the entire family of Israel. This was not a short stay, but a generation-long establishment. The dwelling of "his father's house" under Joseph's protection confirms God's covenant promise of multiplying Abraham's descendants. Egypt, a foreign land, paradoxically becomes the crucible where the nascent nation of Israel multiplies exponentially from a small family, prepared by God's providence, through Joseph, for its eventual exodus and the establishment of its own identity and land. This verse highlights divine faithfulness, showing that despite famine and family strife, God's plan to grow a people for Himself continued steadfastly through Joseph's leadership and the family's prolonged, secure residence in Egypt.