Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Genesis 50
Genesis 50:19-20But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
This is the defining statement of Joseph's story. He removes himself from the role of judge and points to God's ability to turn his brothers' malicious act into a means of saving countless lives.Genesis 50:21So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph forgives his brothers. He actively reassures them and promises to provide for their families. This demonstrates a forgiveness that is complete, moving from pardon to provision.Genesis 50:25Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."
Even at the end of his life in Egypt, Joseph's ultimate hope is in the Promised Land. This oath serves as a crucial bridge to the book of Exodus, keeping the hope of God's covenant alive for the next generation.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Father's Royal Farewell
The chapter opens in the immediate aftermath of Jacob's death. Joseph, now a powerful Egyptian official, expresses his deep, personal grief for his father. He then leverages his influence to command an elaborate, state-level mourning period and embalming, a process that honors Jacob in the Egyptian style. This grand display not only shows Joseph's love but also the immense respect the nation of Egypt had for Jacob, the father of its great vizier.
Old Fears and Lingering Guilt
With Jacob, the family patriarch, gone, the fragile peace between the brothers is shaken. Their old guilt, which they had carried for decades since selling Joseph into slavery, resurfaces with a vengeance. Fearing that Joseph was only being kind for their father's sake, they approach him in terror, expecting retribution. This moment reveals that while Joseph had forgiven them long ago, they had not yet forgiven themselves or fully accepted his grace.
From Mourning to a Final Promise
Genesis 50 unfolds in two major acts. The first, detailed in verses 1-14, is a grand funeral procession that travels from Egypt to Canaan, fulfilling Jacob's final wish to be buried with his ancestors. The second act, in verses 15-26, shifts from public ceremony to a private, emotional confrontation. This confrontation leads to a powerful declaration of faith in the entire Bible, before concluding with Joseph's own death and final instructions.
Honoring a Father's Last Wish (Genesis 50:1-14)
1 Then Joseph fell on his father's face and wept over him and kissed him.
2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.
3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.
4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,
5 My father made me swear, saying, 'I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.' Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return."
6 And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father.
8 and all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father's household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen.
9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company.
10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, "This is a grievous mourning for the Egyptians." Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim; it is beyond the Jordan.
12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them,
13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place.
14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
Commentary:
Joseph leads a massive, state-sponsored funeral procession from Egypt to Canaan to bury his father Jacob as promised.
The Ultimate Test of Forgiveness (Genesis 50:15-21)
15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him."
16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died,
17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.”
18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."
19 But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Commentary:
Fearing revenge, the brothers beg for mercy, but Joseph reassures them with his famous declaration that God turned their evil into good.
A Patriarch's Hopeful Death (Genesis 50:22-26)
22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father's house. Joseph lived 110 years.
23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph's own.
24 And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."
25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."
26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Commentary:
Joseph dies at a ripe old age, making his sons swear to take his bones to the Promised Land, ending Genesis with a note of future hope.
God's Redemptive Plan in Focus
God's Sovereignty Over Human Evil
This chapter's core message is that God is in control, even when people act wickedly. Joseph's statement in verse 20, 'you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good,' shows that God can take the worst of human intentions - betrayal, jealousy, and hatred - and use them to accomplish His purpose of saving people.
The Nature of True Forgiveness
Joseph's forgiveness involves more than letting go of a grudge. He weeps for his brothers' fear, comforts them, and promises to provide for them. This shows that biblical forgiveness is an active, restorative process that seeks the well-being of the offender and works to heal the relationship.
Living by Faith in Future Promises
Both Jacob and Joseph die in Egypt, a foreign land. Yet, their final instructions are about being buried in Canaan, the land God promised to their family. Their actions demonstrate a deep faith that looks beyond their present circumstances to the future fulfillment of God's covenant promises.
Lessons from the End of an Era
Joseph's story encourages you to look for God's hand even in painful situations. While it doesn't erase the hurt, recognizing as Joseph did that 'God meant it for good' (Genesis 50:20) can help you see a larger, redemptive purpose at work. It shifts your focus from the 'why' of the pain to the 'what' God might be doing through it.
This chapter shows forgiveness is an action, not a feeling. Joseph said the words. He also 'comforted them and spoke kindly to them' and promised to provide for them (Genesis 50:21). It challenges you to ask if your forgiveness is active - does it seek to reassure, restore, and care for the person you are forgiving, releasing them from fear?
Like Joseph, you can live a full and faithful life right where you are, while keeping your ultimate hope fixed on God's promises. Joseph served Pharaoh faithfully in Egypt, but his heart longed for the Promised Land (Genesis 50:25). This teaches you to be fully present and engaged in your daily life, all while letting the hope of God's future for you shape your decisions and priorities.
God's Purpose Prevails Over Pain
Genesis closes its epic narrative by declaring that God's plan is always the final word. Through Joseph's story, we see that no amount of human sin or brokenness can derail God's redemptive purpose. The message is that our pain is never pointless in God's hands. He can transform the deepest wounds into sources of life and salvation for many. This final chapter invites us to trust in a God who is powerful and good.
What This Means for Us Today
The story of Joseph invites us to see our own lives through the lens of God's sovereignty. It calls us to offer radical forgiveness, knowing that God can redeem the wrongs done to us. We are encouraged to live with hope, trusting that God's promises for the future are secure, even when we are still waiting for them.
- Who in your life needs the reassurance of active, comforting forgiveness?
- Where do you need to trust that God is working for good in a situation that feels evil or painful?
- How can you, like Joseph, point others toward God's future promises?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This preceding chapter contains Jacob's final blessings to his sons, setting the stage for the future of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The following chapter jumps forward in time, showing what happened to the Israelites in Egypt after Joseph's generation passed away.
Connections Across Scripture
This verse is a New Testament echo of Genesis 50:20, affirming that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him.
This passage highlights Joseph's final act of faith, mentioning his instructions about his bones as evidence of his belief in the future exodus.
In his speech before the Sanhedrin, Stephen recounts the story of Joseph and his brothers, emphasizing God's guiding hand throughout these events.
Discussion Questions
- Joseph says, 'Am I in the place of God?' when his brothers fear him. In what areas of your life might you be trying to take the place of God, perhaps by holding onto unforgiveness or trying to control outcomes?
- The brothers were forgiven by Joseph long before they seemed to truly accept it. Why do you think it's sometimes harder to accept forgiveness than to offer it?
- Genesis ends with Joseph's bones in a coffin in Egypt, waiting for a future promise. What 'promises' from God are you waiting for, and how does Joseph's example encourage you to wait with faith?
Glossary
places
Canaan
The land God promised to Abraham and his descendants, which became the nation of Israel.
Goshen
A fertile region in northern Egypt where Jacob and his family settled.
Cave of Machpelah
The ancestral burial plot purchased by Abraham in Hebron, where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob were buried.