Genesis 47:28
And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The text ends by stating Jacob's total age, emphasizing that his final seventeen years were lived in Egypt, a stark contrast to his lifelong hope and spiritual identity as a pilgrim longing for the promised land. This detail underscores the bittersweet reality of God's provision: while He sustained Jacob through immense hardship, it was in a foreign land, a testament to both His faithfulness and the ongoing journey of His people.
After Jacob and his family settled in Goshen, the text shifts to Jacob's final years. He lived a significant seventeen years in Egypt, finding comfort and sustenance under Joseph's care, before eventually making arrangements for his burial.
Jacob lived 17 years in Egypt, a land that was not his own, a stranger and sojourner. Yet, in these final years, God's faithfulness shone brightly.
Jacob's life spanned 147 years, with the last 17 spent in Egypt. This wasn't just a footnote in his biography; it was a testament to God's enduring covenant promises, even when His people were far from their promised land.
Jacob famously described his life as 'pilgrimage.' Even in the comfortable settlement of Egypt, his ultimate hope remained fixed on God's eternal promises.
The number 147 is more than just an age; it represents a life lived with a distinct perspective. Jacob understood his existence on earth as temporary, a journey towards a heavenly home.
This verse marks the end of Jacob's remarkable life, a life spent in faith and pilgrimage, ultimately finding refuge in Egypt during a time of severe famine thanks to his son Joseph's elevated position.
c. 1800 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Jacob's son Joseph is betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt.
c. 1777 BC
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams
Joseph, after a long period of hardship and imprisonment, interprets Pharaoh's dreams, predicting a severe famine.
c. 1770 BC
Joseph placed in authority
Pharaoh appoints Joseph as governor of Egypt, second only to himself, to manage the nation's resources during the predicted famine.
c. 1763 BC
Jacob's family moves to Egypt
Driven by severe famine in Canaan, Jacob and his entire family migrate to Egypt, settling in the land of Goshen.
c. 1763 BC
Jacob meets Pharaoh
This passage shows Joseph's foresight and provision for his family during the famine, mirroring the care he extended to Jacob in his final years.
Genesis 50:12-13These verses describe Jacob's burial in Canaan as he requested, fulfilling the promise made by Joseph and highlighting the importance of the ancestral land even after a long sojourn in Egypt.
Exodus 1:7This verse shows the continued fruitfulness of the Israelites in Egypt, a direct consequence of their settlement there and the lineage that began with Jacob's final years.
Job 42:16-17Similar to Jacob, Job lived a long life after a period of suffering, receiving restoration and blessing in his later years, emphasizing God's faithfulness.
calvinGenesis 47:1-31: "Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen."
- Et dixerunt ad Pharaonem, Ut peregrinaremur in hac terra, venimus, quia non est pascuum pecudibus, quae sunt servis tuis: gravis enim fames est in terra Chenaan: nunc igitur habitent quaeso servi tui in terra Gosen.
5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy fat…
bensonGenesis 47:28: "And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years."
Genesis 47:28 . Jacob lived seventeen years after he came into Egypt, far beyond his own expectation: seventeen years he had nourished Joseph, for so old he was when he was sold from him, and now, seventeen years Joseph nourished him. Observe how kindly Providence ordered Jacob’s affairs; that when he was old, and least able to bear care and fatigue, he had leas…
The text ends by stating Jacob's total age, emphasizing that his final seventeen years were lived in Egypt, a stark contrast to his lifelong hope and spiritual identity as a pilgrim longing for the promised land. This detail underscores the bittersweet reality of God's provision: while He sustained Jacob through immense hardship, it was in a foreign land, a testament to both His faithfulness and the ongoing journey of His people.
After Jacob and his family settled in Goshen, the text shifts to Jacob's final years. He lived a significant seventeen years in Egypt, finding comfort and sustenance under Joseph's care, before eventually making arrangements for his burial.
After Jacob and his family settled in Goshen, the text shifts to Jacob's final years. He lived a significant seventeen years in Egypt, finding comfort and sustenance under Joseph's care, before eventually making arrangements for his burial.
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Jacob, now 130 years old, is presented to Pharaoh and blesses him, marking the beginning of his family's settlement in Egypt.
c. 1746 BC— this verse
Jacob's death approaches
After living 17 years in Egypt, Jacob, now 147 years old, senses his approaching death and calls for Joseph.
"And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years." — The text ends by stating Jacob's total age, emphasizing that his final seventeen years were lived in Egypt, a stark contrast to his lifelong hope and spiritual identity as a pilgrim longing for the p…
