seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 49:29 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, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[p]”
33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
p. Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth
I think it's sad that Jacob [Israel] wasn't buried with Rachel. He worked so very hard to gain her hand. He loved her so. I know he must have had a good relationship with Leah. After all, they had several sons together so they must have been close.
I only found one commentary that had anything to say about these final verses of Chapter 49. Here's what bible-commentaries.org offers.
The chapter ends with Jacob's instructions about his burial and his actual death. Jacob's last charge to his sons is the same as the one he had given to Joseph in ch. 47: 29-31. There he had said: "Do not bury me in Egypt, But when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried." Here he is more specific, giving details about the purchase of the cave of Machpelah. We find the reference in ch. 23. His sons must have been aware of the facts, since Lea had been buried there already. The main impact of the charge, besides being a last wish regarding funeral arrangements, was the reminder that there existed a place in the land which God had promised to them, to which they had legal rights. This reminder plays an important role during the whole period of Israel's presence in Egypt and at the exodus. At the death of Joseph it would be reinforced.
The way in which Jacob left this world is very impressive. He must have been sitting up during his last conversation with his sons. He was very much in command of the situation. Having finished his task he lay back down on his bed and breathed his last breath. We do not read about any death struggle. The KJV reports the moment even more impressively than the other versions: "And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people." The yielding up of the ghost reminds us of the authoritative way Jesus died on the cross. The KJV says: "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." (Luke 23:46) Jacob left this world in a regal way, as behooves a prince of God.
Jacob was one hundred forty-seven years old when he died. He started his life as a tripper-up of people, according to the meaning of his name. Of all the patriarchs he had the most personal encounters with God. Yet, somehow the supernatural did not seem to influence his character very deeply. There was little of the daring faith of Abraham and of Abraham's deep love for God in his life. There were no fragrant traces of surrender, as we find in Isaac's life. Jacob remained a rather self-centered individual till the very end. His scheming diminished because his energy went down. There was the presence of God with him, which overawed him and broke him to the point where he limped through life after his victory in Peniel. But the love of God had never struck a deep resounding cord in his life.
Yet, God calls Himself the God of Jacob, the God of Israel. Looking at this life, that was maimed by sin, we still stand in awe.
The way in which Jacob left this world is very impressive. He must have been sitting up during his last conversation with his sons. He was very much in command of the situation. Having finished his task he lay back down on his bed and breathed his last breath. We do not read about any death struggle. The KJV reports the moment even more impressively than the other versions: "And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people." The yielding up of the ghost reminds us of the authoritative way Jesus died on the cross. The KJV says: "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." (Luke 23:46) Jacob left this world in a regal way, as behooves a prince of God.
Jacob was one hundred forty-seven years old when he died. He started his life as a tripper-up of people, according to the meaning of his name. Of all the patriarchs he had the most personal encounters with God. Yet, somehow the supernatural did not seem to influence his character very deeply. There was little of the daring faith of Abraham and of Abraham's deep love for God in his life. There were no fragrant traces of surrender, as we find in Isaac's life. Jacob remained a rather self-centered individual till the very end. His scheming diminished because his energy went down. There was the presence of God with him, which overawed him and broke him to the point where he limped through life after his victory in Peniel. But the love of God had never struck a deep resounding cord in his life.
Yet, God calls Himself the God of Jacob, the God of Israel. Looking at this life, that was maimed by sin, we still stand in awe.
That's quite an obituary.
