Genesis 47:30

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Rather, when I sleep with my fathers, you are to carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried." He replied, "I will do as you have said."

Berean Standard Bible:

but when I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me with them.” Joseph answered, “I will do as you have requested.”

American Standard Version:

but when I sleep with my fathers, thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying-place. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

But I will lie{H7901} with my fathers{H1}, and thou shalt carry{H5375} me out of Egypt{H4714}, and bury{H6912} me in their buryingplace{H6900}. And he said{H559}, I will do{H6213} as thou hast said{H1697}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Genesis 49:29

  • And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that [is] in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

Genesis 49:32

  • The purchase of the field and of the cave that [is] therein [was] from the children of Heth.

Genesis 25:9

  • And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which [is] before Mamre;

Genesis 23:19

  • And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same [is] Hebron in the land of Canaan.

Nehemiah 2:5

  • And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

Genesis 50:5

  • My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.

Genesis 50:14

  • And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:


Commentary for Genesis 47:30

Genesis 47:30 is part of the narrative concerning the life of Joseph, one of the patriarchs in the Book of Genesis. This verse is set towards the end of Joseph's life, during the time when he is reunited with his father, Jacob, in Egypt. Jacob, also known as Israel, has moved his entire family to Egypt to escape a severe famine in Canaan.

**Themes:**

1. **Mortality and Burial Customs:** The verse reflects the theme of mortality, as Jacob is nearing the end of his life and is concerned with his burial place. It highlights the importance of ancestral burial sites, which was a significant aspect of ancient Near Eastern culture, indicating a connection to one's ancestors and the promise of land that was central to the covenant between God and the patriarchs.

2. **Fulfillment of Promises:** Jacob's request to be buried in the ancestral tomb in Canaan (the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham had purchased) is a testament to his faith in the promises of God regarding the land. This theme of divine promise and its fulfillment is a recurrent motif in the Genesis narrative.

3. **Father-Son Relationship:** The interaction between Jacob and Joseph showcases the strong bond between father and son. Joseph's agreement to fulfill his father's wishes demonstrates filial piety and respect, which was highly valued in ancient societies.

**Historical Context:**

The historical context of this verse is set during the latter part of the patriarchal period, which is traditionally dated around the 2nd millennium BCE. At this time, the Hebrews were a semi-nomadic people who eventually settled in Egypt due to the famine. The narrative reflects the historical reality of burial practices and the significance of lineage and ancestral heritage in the ancient Near East.

The verse also reflects the broader historical context of the Israelites' sojourn in Egypt, which would later lead to their enslavement and the eventual Exodus, a pivotal event in Jewish history and identity. Joseph's high position in Egypt and the integration of his family into Egyptian society would have been notable exceptions to the usual experience of foreigners in ancient Egypt, highlighting the unique circumstances of the patriarchs' lives.

In summary, Genesis 47:30 encapsulates themes of mortality, the importance of ancestral burial places, the fulfillment of divine promises, and strong family bonds, all set against the backdrop of the Israelites' migration to and settlement in Egypt during the patriarchal age.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H7901
    There are 194 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁכַב
    Transliteration: shâkab
    Pronunciation: shaw-kab'
    Description: a primitive root; to lie down (for rest, sexual connection, decease or any other purpose); [idiom] at all, cast down, (lover-)lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.
  2. Strong's Number: H1
    There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָב
    Transliteration: ʼâb
    Pronunciation: awb
    Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.
  3. Strong's Number: H5375
    There are 611 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָשָׂא
    Transliteration: nâsâʼ
    Pronunciation: naw-saw'
    Description: or נָסָה; (Psalm 4:6 (אֲבַד)), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative; accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ([phrase] man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, [idiom] needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, [phrase] swear, take (away, up), [idiom] utterly, wear, yield.
  4. Strong's Number: H4714
    There are 602 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מִצְרַיִם
    Transliteration: Mitsrayim
    Pronunciation: mits-rah'-yim
    Description: dual of מָצוֹר; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt; Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.
  5. Strong's Number: H6912
    There are 122 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: קָבַר
    Transliteration: qâbar
    Pronunciation: kaw-bar'
    Description: a primitive root; to inter; [idiom] in any wise, bury(-ier).
  6. Strong's Number: H6900
    There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: קְבוּרָה
    Transliteration: qᵉbûwrâh
    Pronunciation: keb-oo-raw'
    Description: or קְבֻרָה; feminine passive participle of קָבַר; sepulture; (concretely) a sepulchre; burial, burying place, grave, sepulchre.
  7. Strong's Number: H559
    There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָמַר
    Transliteration: ʼâmar
    Pronunciation: aw-mar'
    Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
  8. Strong's Number: H6213
    There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עָשָׂה
    Transliteration: ʻâsâh
    Pronunciation: aw-saw'
    Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.
  9. Strong's Number: H1697
    There are 1290 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: דָּבָר
    Transliteration: dâbâr
    Pronunciation: daw-baw'
    Description: from דָבַר; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause; act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work.