What Does Genesis 47:27-31 Mean?
Genesis 47:27-31 describes how the people of Israel settled in Egypt's land of Goshen, where they thrived and multiplied. Though they found comfort and provision in a foreign land, Jacob - now called Israel - knew his time was short and made a final request concerning his burial, showing where his true hope lay.
Genesis 47:27-31
Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years. And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place." He answered, "I will do as you have said." Then he said, "Swear to me"; and he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.
Key Facts
Book
Author
Moses
Genre
Narrative
Date
Approximately 1440 BC (traditional date)
Key People
Key Takeaways
- True faith looks beyond comfort to God's eternal promises.
- Jacob’s burial request was an act of covenant faith.
- We’re called to live as pilgrims, not permanent settlers.
Context of Israel's Settlement and Jacob's Final Request
After years of famine and uncertainty, Jacob and his family have been safely reunited and settled in Goshen, a fertile region of Egypt, where they begin to rebuild their lives under Joseph’s protection.
Jacob, now called Israel, has lived in Egypt for seventeen years and is nearing the end of his 147-year life. Though he has found temporary peace in Egypt, he makes Joseph promise not to bury him there, asking instead to be taken back to Canaan to rest with his ancestors.
This request shows that Jacob’s true hope isn’t in Egypt’s comfort but in God’s promise to give the land of Canaan to his descendants - a hope passed down from Abraham and Isaac.
Jacob's Oath and the Hope of the Promised Land
Jacob’s insistence on a solemn oath and his burial request reveal deep cultural values and a lasting faith in God’s covenant.
By asking Joseph to place his hand under his thigh - a sacred gesture tied to the covenant of circumcision and the lineage of Abraham - Jacob underscores the seriousness of the promise, invoking the very core of Israel’s identity. This oath was a public act of faith, binding Joseph to honor his father and the promises God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The act echoes throughout Genesis as a symbol of covenant responsibility, much like when Abraham made his servant swear by the same ritual in Genesis 24:2 to find a wife for Isaac from his own people.
Jacob’s request wasn’t about tradition - it was a statement of faith in God’s unfulfilled promise.
Jacob doesn’t want to be buried in Egypt because Egypt represents temporary survival, not God’s eternal plan. He wants to be laid to rest in the cave of Machpelah, the burial site of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and later Leah (Genesis 23:19, 35:29, 49:31), a small piece of Canaan that Abraham bought as a sign of hope. That plot of land, purchased in a foreign country, was a physical down payment on God’s promise - proof that he believed God would one day give the whole land to his descendants.
Living as Pilgrims: Trusting God's Future Promise
Jacob’s final act of faith teaches us that even when life is comfortable, we’re called to live as pilgrims - people who don’t fully belong to this world but look ahead to what God has promised.
He didn’t settle in Egypt and forget about Canaan. He held on to the hope that God would fulfill His promise to give the land to his descendants, as Hebrews 11:13 says: '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.' In the same way, we’re reminded to live with our hope set on God’s future rather than our present comfort.
This story points to a greater inheritance: a heavenly home prepared for all who trust in God’s promises through Christ.
Jacob's Burial Hope and the Exodus Promise
Jacob’s insistence on being buried in Canaan not only expressed faith in God’s land promise but also foreshadowed the future Exodus, when his descendants would leave Egypt just as he left his burial in their care.
Hebrews 11:22 says, 'By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones' - showing that Jacob’s act inspired a generations-long hope. Like his father, Joseph believed God would bring the people back to the promised land, so he made the Israelites swear to carry his bones with them (Genesis 50:25), turning a burial request into a living prophecy of deliverance.
Jacob’s final request points forward to deliverance - not just from a burial place, but from bondage itself.
This hope for return and resurrection of a people prefigures how Jesus leads us out of spiritual slavery into a promised inheritance that never fades away.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
I once met a woman who, after years of chasing success and comfort, found herself emotionally empty despite having everything in order - great job, nice home, loving family. She said reading Jacob’s final request hit her like a thunderclap: 'He didn’t die in Canaan, but he still wanted to be buried there.' That small act reminded her that this life isn’t the final destination. Like Jacob, she realized her hope wasn’t in stability or comfort, but in God’s promises yet to come. It changed how she handled stress, loss, and even daily decisions - she began living not for what she could gain now, but for what God had promised later. That shift didn’t remove her struggles, but it gave them meaning.
Personal Reflection
- Where in my life am I settling for temporary comfort while forgetting God’s bigger promises?
- What small choices today reflect whether I’m living as a pilgrim with hope in God’s future, or as a permanent citizen of this world?
- Like Jacob, I wonder if there is something I need to pass on to the next generation that points them toward God’s faithfulness rather than my own preferences.
A Challenge For You
This week, identify one area where you’ve been living for temporary security - maybe in your finances, relationships, or goals - and intentionally redirect your focus toward God’s eternal promises. Then, share Jacob’s story with someone you care about, and talk about what it means to live with hope beyond the present.
A Prayer of Response
Father, thank you for Jacob’s example of faith at the end of his life. Help me not to get so comfortable in this world that I forget the promises you’ve made. Teach me to live each day with my heart set on what you’re preparing for those who love you. Give me courage to make choices now that reflect my hope in you rather than my need for peace today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Genesis 47:26
Joseph’s establishment of a statute in Egypt sets the stage for Israel’s settled life before Jacob’s final request.
Genesis 48:1
Jacob’s blessing of Joseph’s sons follows his burial request, showing his focus on covenant continuity before death.
Connections Across Scripture
Hebrews 11:22
Joseph’s faith in the exodus echoes Jacob’s hope, showing how one generation’s faith inspires the next toward God’s promise.
Genesis 23:19
Abraham’s burial in Machpelah establishes the family tomb Jacob desires, linking the patriarchs’ shared hope in the promised land.
Joshua 24:32
Jacob’s bones are finally buried in Shechem, fulfilling his request and showing God’s faithfulness across generations.