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)
While it simply states Jacob lived 17 years in Egypt, this detail underscores the divine faithfulness in providing comfort and sustenance in his final years, a stark contrast to the famine raging outside their Goshen settlement. It also highlights how God's plans often unfold with unexpected duration, allowing for extended seasons of provision and rest even in a foreign land.
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)
The preceding verses detail Joseph's shrewd management of Egypt during a devastating famine, leading to Pharaoh owning all the land and its people, with the Israelites settled in Goshen and thriving. This verse marks the end of Jacob's life, summarizing his final years in Egypt and his total lifespan, immediately before he calls Joseph to his side to discuss his burial arrangements.
Jacob spent his life as a wanderer, a 'pilgrim' as he called it. Yet, in his final years, he found an unexpected season of rest in Egypt.
Jacob famously told Pharaoh, 'The days of the years of my pilgrimage are 130 years' (Genesis 47:9). His life was marked by constant movement, hardship, and uncertainty, from fleeing Esau to wrestling with God. Yet, in Egypt, he lived for 17 years in relative peace, provided for by his son Joseph.
This final chapter highlights God's faithfulness, even after a life filled with struggles. It's a reminder that our journey of faith often includes seasons of hardship and seasons of surprising rest and provision. God doesn't promise an easy life, but He does promise to be with us through it all, bringing us to seasons of peace when He deems it best.
Jacob's life is summarized with a precise number: 147 years. What does this final tally reveal about his journey?
The verse concludes with 'So the whole age of Jacob was 147 years.' This isn't just a biographical detail; it's a testament to the completeness of God's plan for Jacob's life. Even with its hardships, Jacob lived out the full span God ordained for him.
This number represents a life that began with immense struggle and deception, navigated through deep personal loss and spiritual wrestling, and ended in a foreign land, yet under the care of his beloved son. It's a reminder that God’s purposes unfold across an entire lifetime, and every year, every season, has its place in His sovereign design.
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c. 1877 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph's brothers sell him to traders heading to Egypt, initiating his journey that would eventually save their entire family.
c. 1868 BC
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams
Joseph accurately predicts a severe famine and is appointed second-in-command over Egypt to manage the crisis.
c. 1861 BC
Jacob's family travels to Egypt
Fleeing the famine in Canaan, Jacob and his family settle in Goshen, Egypt, under Joseph's protection and Pharaoh's decree.
c. 1861 BC
Jacob meets Pharaoh
Jacob, now 130 years old, blesses Pharaoh, marking his family's official settlement in Egypt.
c. 1844 BC— this verse
Jacob's death and burial arrangements
Jacob, at 147 years old, asks Joseph to swear he will bury him in the ancestral tomb in Canaan, not in Egypt, a significant act of faith and hope for future deliverance.
This verse highlights Enoch's close walk with God, implying a life lived in close communion, much like Jacob's final years in Egypt, which were marked by a profound reliance on God's provision through Joseph.
Genesis 28:20-22This passage records Jacob's vow to God to give a tenth of all He provided if God would be with him and bring him back safely. The 17 years of provision in Egypt show God fulfilling this vow, underscoring the faithfulness to such promises.
Genesis 48:15-16This passage shows Jacob, in his old age, reflecting on his life's journey and acknowledging God as his shepherd and redeemer. It mirrors the sentiment of Genesis 47:28, where the completion of his life is noted alongside his reliance on divine care.
Psalm 37:25This psalm speaks to the righteous never being forsaken, nor their children begging for bread. Jacob's final years, where he and his family were sustained by Joseph, exemplify this divine provision for the faithful.
Philippians 4:19Paul's assurance that God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory reflects the reality of Jacob's situation in Egypt, where his needs were met abundantly through God's providence, culminating in the summing up of his life's years.
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…
While it simply states Jacob lived 17 years in Egypt, this detail underscores the divine faithfulness in providing comfort and sustenance in his final years, a stark contrast to the famine raging outside their Goshen settlement. It also highlights how God's plans often unfold with unexpected duration, allowing for extended seasons of provision and rest even in a foreign land.
The preceding verses detail Joseph's shrewd management of Egypt during a devastating famine, leading to Pharaoh owning all the land and its people, with the Israelites settled in Goshen and thriving. This verse marks the end of Jacob's life, summarizing his final years in Egypt and his total lifespan, immediately before he calls Joseph to his side to discuss his burial arrangements.
The preceding verses detail Joseph's shrewd management of Egypt during a devastating famine, leading to Pharaoh owning all the land and its people, with the Israelites settled in Goshen and thriving. This verse marks the end of Jacob's life, summarizing his final years in Egypt and his total lifespan, immediately before he calls Joseph to his side to discuss his burial arrangements.
"And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years." — While it simply states Jacob lived 17 years in Egypt, this detail underscores the divine faithfulness in providing comfort and sustenance in his final years, a stark contrast to the famine raging out…
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Last reviewed October 2026