Genesis 50:5

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

'My father had me swear an oath. He said, "I am going to die. You are to bury me in my grave, which I dug for myself in the land of Kena'an."Therefore, I beg you, let me go up and bury my father; I will return.'"

Berean Standard Bible:

my father made me swear an oath when he said, ‘I am about to die. You must bury me in the tomb that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.’ Now let me go and bury my father, and then return.”

American Standard Version:

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.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

My father^{H1} made me swear^{H7650}, saying^{H559}, Lo^{H2009}, I die^{H4191}: in my grave^{H6913} which I have digged^{H3738} for me in the land^{H776} of Canaan^{H3667}, there shalt thou bury me^{H6912}. Now therefore let me go up^{H5927}, I pray thee, and bury^{H6912} my father^{H1}, and I will come again^{H7725}.

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Commentary for Genesis 50:5

Genesis 50:5 is part of the narrative concerning the death of Jacob, also known as Israel, and the events that follow. The verse is set within the broader context of the Patriarchal narratives in the Book of Genesis, which detail the lives and journeys of the ancestors of the Israelite people.

**Themes:**
1. **Fulfillment of a Promise:** The verse reflects the theme of promise-keeping, as Joseph is determined to fulfill the oath he made to his father, Jacob, to bury him in Canaan, the land promised to their ancestors by God.
2. **Respect for the Dead:** It underscores the cultural and religious importance of proper burial rites, which was a significant aspect of ancient Near Eastern societies, including the Israelites.
3. **Family Loyalty:** The verse highlights the theme of family loyalty and duty, as Joseph seeks to honor his father's wishes despite any potential political or personal risks involved in leaving Egypt.
4. **Canaan as a Promised Land:** The request to be buried in Canaan reiterates the importance of the land as a central theme in the Genesis narrative, representing both a physical and spiritual inheritance for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

**Historical Context:**
- **Time Period:** The events described in Genesis, including this verse, are traditionally dated to the late Bronze Age, around the second millennium BCE.
- **Patriarchal Narratives:** Genesis 50:5 is part of the concluding chapters of the stories of the patriarchs, which include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. These narratives serve to trace the origins of the Israelite people and their special relationship with God.
- **Egyptian-Canaanite Relations:** At this time, there was significant interaction between Egypt and Canaan, with the latter often coming under the influence or control of the Egyptian empire. Joseph's presence in Egypt, his rise to power, and the subsequent migration of his family to Egypt reflect this historical dynamic.
- **Burial Customs:** The practice of burying the dead in family tombs was common in the ancient Near East. Jacob's insistence on being buried in the family tomb in Canaan, rather than in Egypt where he lived out his days, emphasizes the connection to the land that was central to Israelite identity.

In summary, Genesis 50:5 encapsulates themes of promise-keeping, the sanctity of burial rites, family loyalty, and the significance of Canaan as a promised land, all set within the historical context of the Patriarchal narratives and the ancient Near Eastern customs of the time.

*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: 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-'.
   
2. Strong's Number: H7650
   There are 175 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁבַע
   Transliteration: shâbaʻ
   Pronunciation: shaw-bah'
   Description: a primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as a denominative from שֶׁבַע; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times); adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for שָׂבַע), take an oath, [idiom] straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.
   
3. 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.
   
4. Strong's Number: H2009
   There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: הִנֵּה
   Transliteration: hinnêh
   Pronunciation: hin-nay'
   Description: prolongation for הֵן; lo!; behold, lo, see.
   
5. Strong's Number: H4191
   There are 694 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מוּת
   Transliteration: mûwth
   Pronunciation: mooth
   Description: a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill; [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) wise.
   
6. Strong's Number: H6913
   There are 62 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קֶבֶר
   Transliteration: qeber
   Pronunciation: keh'-ber
   Description: or (feminine) קִבְרָה; from קָבַר; a sepulchre; burying place, grave, sepulchre.
   
7. Strong's Number: H3738
   There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כָּרָה
   Transliteration: kârâh
   Pronunciation: kaw-raw'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to dig; figuratively, to plot; generally, to bore or open; dig, [idiom] make (a banquet), open.
   
8. Strong's Number: H776
   There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶרֶץ
   Transliteration: ʼerets
   Pronunciation: eh'-rets
   Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
   
9. Strong's Number: H3667
   There are 91 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כְּנַעַן
   Transliteration: Kᵉnaʻan
   Pronunciation: ken-ah'-an
   Description: from כָּנַע; humiliated; Kenaan, a son a Ham; also the country inhabited by him; Canaan, merchant, traffick.
   
10. 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).
    
11. Strong's Number: H5927
    There are 817 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עָלָה
    Transliteration: ʻâlâh
    Pronunciation: aw-law'
    Description: a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.
    
12. Strong's Number: H7725
    There are 952 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שׁוּב
    Transliteration: shûwb
    Pronunciation: shoob
    Description: a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again; ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.