Genesis 50:25 kjv

And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

Genesis 50:25 nkjv

Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."

Genesis 50:25 niv

And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place."

Genesis 50:25 esv

Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."

Genesis 50:25 nlt

Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, "When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you."

Genesis 50 verses

Genesis 50 25 Meaning

Genesis 50:25 records Joseph's final instruction to his brothers, expressing his unwavering faith in God's future fulfillment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He extracted an oath from them that when God would inevitably bring them out of Egypt to the Promised Land, they would carry his embalmed bones with them for burial there. This act symbolized not only Joseph's personal desire to rest in the land of his forefathers but also served as a tangible reminder to the generations of Israelites of God's covenant faithfulness and their future inheritance. It was a prophetic declaration of the Exodus and the eventual possession of Canaan.

Genesis 50 25 Context

Genesis 50 concludes the book of Genesis, focusing on the resolution of the patriarchal narratives. Prior to verse 25, Joseph reassures his brothers of God's sovereign hand in their lives, even in the midst of their past wrongs (vv. 15-21). Joseph lived a full life of 110 years (v. 22) and saw his great-grandchildren. As he approaches his death, his thoughts turn to the future of his people. Despite his high status and burial in Egypt, he expresses a profound spiritual connection to the land God promised his forefathers. This verse, therefore, serves as Joseph's final testament, a solemn charge to the new generation, bridging the patriarchal era with the impending formation of the nation of Israel in Egypt and their eventual liberation. It stands as a pivotal point, connecting the promises given to Abraham to their ultimate realization.

Genesis 50 25 Word analysis

• And Joseph took an oath (וַיַּשְׁבַּע יוֹסֵף - vayyashba' Yosef):
  • יַשְׁבַּע (yashba'): From the Hebrew root שׁבע (shava') meaning "to swear, to take an oath." In the Hiphil stem, it means "to make swear," or "to put under oath." Joseph, the powerful vice-regent of Egypt, does not simply request but makes them swear, signifying the profound seriousness and binding nature of this covenantal request. It indicates a solemn religious act invoking God as witness, ensuring compliance, and linking it to their spiritual heritage.
• of the children of Israel (אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - 'et-b'ney Yisra'el):
  • בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (b'ney Yisra'el): Literally "sons of Israel." This term already implies a collective identity and a nascent nation. Joseph is not addressing individuals but the entire progeny of Jacob (Israel), highlighting the national and communal responsibility for fulfilling this oath. This collective identity underscores the theological understanding of Israel as God's chosen people with a shared destiny and covenant obligations.
• saying, God will surely visit you (לֵאמֹר פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶתְכֶם - le'mor paqod yifqod 'Elohim 'etkhem):
  • פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד (paqod yifqod): This is an emphatic construction (infinitive absolute followed by imperfect verb of the same root פָּקַד, paqad). It means "He will surely visit," "He will indeed remember," "He will certainly attend to you." The verb paqad encompasses meanings of visiting for inspection, remembering a promise, counting, or appointing. In this context, it unequivocally signals God's decisive, benevolent, and certain intervention to deliver His people and fulfill His covenant promises of land and nationhood. This highlights divine faithfulness as an absolute certainty.
  • אֱלֹהִים ('Elohim): The generic Hebrew word for God, often used for the Creator God. Joseph's reference to "God" emphasizes His ultimate sovereignty and faithfulness over human circumstances, reinforcing that this visitation is a divine guarantee.
• and ye shall carry up (וְהַעֲלִתֶם - v'ha'aliytem):
  • וְהַעֲלִתֶם (v'ha'aliytem): From the Hebrew root עלה ('alah) meaning "to go up, ascend, bring up." In the Hiphil stem, it means "to cause to go up, to bring up." This term anticipates the great Exodus journey, physically moving out of Egypt and ascending towards the higher elevation of the land of Canaan. It directly implies the impending future journey and emphasizes their active role in bringing about this aspect of the divine plan.
• my bones (אֶת־עַצְמֹתַי - 'et-atzmotay):
  • עַצְמֹתַי ('atzmotay): "My bones." This refers to his remains after death. For the ancient Hebrews, proper burial was extremely important, especially in the land of their ancestors. Bones were seen as the enduring part of the physical body. This was not a mere sentimental request but a profound act of faith, asserting his right to rest in the Promised Land and making his future descendants tangibly carry the covenant hope with them. It implies Joseph's faith in the physical resurrection, at least symbolically.
• from hence (מִזֶּה - mizzeh):
  • מִזֶּה (mizzeh): "From this place," referring to Egypt. This is the starting point of the physical exodus. The emphasis on leaving Egypt signifies deliverance from servitude and the beginning of their journey toward freedom and the land of inheritance.

• Word Group Analysis:
• "took an oath... saying, God will surely visit you": This phrase encapsulates Joseph's unwavering conviction in God's covenant faithfulness. It transitions from a human-imposed, solemn commitment to a divine promise of intervention. Joseph understood that God's plan of bringing His people back to the land was irreversible and would surely happen. This emphasis on "surely visit" acts as a prophecy of the Exodus and a divine guarantee.
• "carry up my bones from hence": This entire clause is an act of profound faith. By requesting his bones to be carried up, Joseph demonstrated his belief not only in the literal physical Exodus from Egypt but also in the spiritual and covenantal significance of being buried in the Promised Land. His request served as a constant, tangible reminder for the Israelites throughout their bondage that their true home and inheritance lay outside of Egypt, guaranteed by God. This acted as a visible monument of hope.

Genesis 50 25 Bonus section

• Theology of "Bones": In ancient Near Eastern cultures, where proper burial was crucial for the deceased's destiny, Joseph's emphasis on his bones reinforces the theological truth that even in death, his identity and destiny were tied to God's covenant land, not the foreign land of Egypt. It demonstrates that his faith extended beyond life itself, anticipating a corporate future for his people.
• A "Walking" Prophecy: For the generations that followed Joseph, his preserved bones were a living, silent prophecy. They were a concrete, undeniable reminder that God had a future for His people, a future that involved deliverance from Egypt and entrance into the promised inheritance. Every Israelite who knew of the bones' existence knew of the pending fulfillment.
• Counter-Cultural Act: Joseph, despite his power in Egypt, rejected permanent burial there, even after being honored by Pharaoh. This implicitly countered the Egyptian cultural veneration of their homeland as the final resting place and affirmed that Israel's identity and hope were rooted in the covenant promises of a distinct God and land, not in Egyptian permanence.
• Faith in Action: This single verse is quoted in Heb 11:22 as an example of Joseph's faith, placing him among the great heroes of faith. It shows that true faith involves not only belief in God's word but also tangible actions that reflect that belief, even concerning one's final arrangements.
• Journey and Identity: The long journey of Joseph's bones from Egypt to Shechem symbolizes Israel's journey through trials to their inheritance. It was a tangible piece of their history and identity, linking them directly to the patriarchal covenant.

Genesis 50 25 Commentary

Joseph's final words in Genesis 50:25 serve as a testament to his profound faith and prophetic insight, bridging the patriarchal narrative with the future national history of Israel. He commands his family, binding them by an oath, to ensure his remains would be taken from Egypt when God surely delivers them to the Promised Land. This solemn charge is more than a sentimental desire for burial; it embodies the essence of the Abrahamic covenant. "God will surely visit you" speaks of divine faithfulness and intervention, specifically anticipating the Exodus where God indeed "visited" Israel in Egypt to redeem them from bondage. Joseph's foresight demonstrates a spiritual understanding beyond his privileged position in Egypt, identifying his ultimate resting place with God's promise rather than the world's power. His embalmed bones, carried by Moses and the Israelites for 40 years through the wilderness, stood as a constant, physical reminder of God's covenant pledge and their eventual inheritance. This act served as a powerful sign that Egypt, despite its grandeur, was not their ultimate destination, but a temporary sojourn on the path to the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan in the land of promise. This act foreshadows God's promise to carry His people through the journey of life to their heavenly inheritance.