Genesis 47:28-29
And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years. And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Though Jacob lived in Egypt for 17 years, the verse emphasizes his entire life's span, totaling 147 years, underscoring that his entire existence, not just his final chapter, was ultimately under God's sovereign hand. This precise accounting highlights God's meticulous care for Jacob's life journey from beginning to end.
Following Joseph's masterful management of Egypt through the famine, this verse marks the end of Jacob's life and his seventeen years of settlement in Egypt. It brings closure to his incredible journey, from his wrestling with God at Peniel to his final days in a foreign land, emphasizing the full span of his 147 years.
Jacob lived 130 years before coming to Egypt, a life marked by struggle and wandering. Yet, he spent his final 17 years in a surprising season of peace and provision. How did this unexpected stillness shape his end?
Jacob's arrival in Egypt wasn't just about survival; it was a divine appointment for a final season of rest and security.
A Gift of Time
Nourished and Secure
Jacob's life spanned 147 years, a considerable length of time even by today's standards. But was it just a number, or does this total hold a deeper significance in the story of God's people?
The specific number of Jacob's years serves as a testament to God's faithfulness and the unfolding of His redemptive plan.
A Completeness in God's Plan
Understand the original words
chen · Hebrew Noun
Grace or acceptance shown to someone, often by a superior to an inferior. It implies a sense of goodwill that results in the granting of a request or favor.
yarek · Hebrew Noun
A solemn gesture in the Old Testament symbolizing an oath sworn upon the covenantal line or the promise of future generations. It invokes the sanctity of the family line and the weight of the pledge being made.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
Often translated as 'hesed,' this encompasses loyal love, covenant faithfulness, and kindness. It describes God's character and the expected response of those within a covenant relationship.
emeth · Hebrew Noun
Truth, reliability, or faithfulness. It signifies a commitment that is firm, dependable, and aligned with reality, reflecting the character of God who is Truth.
This verse marks the final years of Jacob's life, spent in Egypt under Joseph's protection. It highlights the fulfillment of God's promise for Jacob to be reunited with his son and for his descendants to be preserved through a devastating famine, albeit in a foreign land.
c. 1800 BC
Jacob's Family Migrates to Egypt
Fleeing a severe famine in Canaan, Jacob and his entire family, numbering about 70 people, migrate to Egypt at the invitation of Joseph, who had risen to power there. They settle in the region of Goshen.
c. 1800-1783 BC— this verse
Jacob's Sojourn in Egypt
Jacob and his descendants live in Egypt for 17 years. During this time, they prosper and multiply, becoming a distinct community within the land of Goshen.
c. 1783 BC
Jacob's Death and Burial
As Jacob approaches death, he makes Joseph promise to bury him in the ancestral tomb in Canaan, not in Egypt, signifying his faith in God's promise of the land.
This passage highlights Joseph's care and provision for his family during the famine, mirroring the sustenance Jacob's family received in Egypt.
Genesis 50:24-26This shows the fulfillment of Jacob's (and Joseph's) faith, as his descendants are eventually led out of Egypt, fulfilling the promise of return to the promised land.
Psalm 105:16-22This psalm recounts God's favor towards Joseph and Jacob's family in Egypt, emphasizing God's sovereignty in their difficult circumstances and Joseph's rise to power for their protection.
Hebrews 11:9This verse speaks of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as sojourners in the promised land, highlighting the 'pilgrimage' aspect of their lives, which Jacob himself reflects on in Genesis 47:9.
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…
Though Jacob lived in Egypt for 17 years, the verse emphasizes his entire life's span, totaling 147 years, underscoring that his entire existence, not just his final chapter, was ultimately under God's sovereign hand. This precise accounting highlights God's meticulous care for Jacob's life journey from beginning to end.
Following Joseph's masterful management of Egypt through the famine, this verse marks the end of Jacob's life and his seventeen years of settlement in Egypt. It brings closure to his incredible journey, from his wrestling with God at Peniel to his final days in a foreign land, emphasizing the full span of his 147 years.
Following Joseph's masterful management of Egypt through the famine, this verse marks the end of Jacob's life and his seventeen years of settlement in Egypt. It brings closure to his incredible journey, from his wrestling with God at Peniel to his final days in a foreign land, emphasizing the full span of his 147 years.
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From Struggle to Fulfillment
"And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years. And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in yo…" — Though Jacob lived in Egypt for 17 years, the verse emphasizes his entire life's span, totaling 147 years, underscoring that his entire existence, not just his final chapter, was ultimately under G…
