Genesis 47:9
And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jacob's assessment of his life as "few and evil" isn't just a complaint about hardship; it highlights his constant focus on his heavenly home. He measures his life not by its length, but by its transient nature, seeing himself as a foreigner on Earth and anticipating a true, eternal dwelling place.
Pharaoh has just offered Joseph's family the best of Egypt's land in Goshen, and Joseph has brought his father, Jacob, before the king. Pharaoh asks Jacob his age, prompting Jacob to reflect on his life's journey. Jacob describes his 130 years as a "pilgrimage," marked by hardship and brevity compared to his ancestors.
Why did Jacob, a man who had just experienced incredible reunion and provision, describe his life as 'few and evil'? Discover the profound theological lens through which he viewed his existence.
Jacob's answer to Pharaoh isn't just a statement of age; it's a theological declaration.
A Life Defined by Sojourning
Jacob uses the word 'sojourning' (or 'pilgrimage') to describe his entire life. This isn't just about moving from place to place. The biblical concept of a 'sojourner' or 'pilgrim' speaks to a deeper reality:
Few and Evil: A Realistic Assessment
Jacob calls his days 'few and evil'. This isn't a complaint about God's unfairness, but a frank assessment.
Jacob's perspective is one of profound humility and unwavering trust. He sees his life not as a series of isolated events, but as a journey towards a promised, eternal home.
Understand the original words
megurim · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting a period of temporary residence in a foreign land. Biblically, it emphasizes the transient nature of life on earth and the status of believers as strangers and pilgrims who look toward a heavenly city.
ra‘ah · Hebrew Adjective
A state of being characterized by adversity, hardship, or moral failing. When describing life, it reflects the fallen human experience where toil, suffering, and the consequences of sin are prevalent.
Jacob's reflection on his 130 years highlights a life marked by constant movement and hardship, underscoring the nomadic, 'sojourner' identity of the patriarchs. His 'few and evil' days contrast sharply with the promised future and the eternal perspective of God's people, a reminder that even in difficult seasons, God's faithfulness endures.
c. 1800 BC
Abraham settles in Canaan
Abraham, Jacob's grandfather, is called by God to leave his homeland and settle in Canaan, establishing a covenant with God that his descendants will inherit the land.
c. 1770 BC
Isaac lives in Canaan
Jacob's father, Isaac, continues the patriarchal tradition of living as a sojourner in the land of Canaan, experiencing God's faithfulness.
c. 1730 BC - 1717 BC
Jacob's sojourn in Haran
Jacob flees Canaan after deceiving his brother Esau, living in Haran for many years where he works for his uncle Laban and fathers twelve sons and one daughter.
c. 1717 BC
Jacob returns to Canaan
After years in Haran, Jacob returns to Canaan with his large family and possessions, encountering Esau and settling in various locations before facing famine.
This verse echoes Jacob's sentiment by describing humanity as 'few of days and full of trouble,' highlighting the brevity and hardship common to human life across different biblical narratives.
Hebrews 11:9This passage directly connects to Jacob's self-description as a 'sojourner,' emphasizing the faith of the patriarchs who lived as foreigners in the land God promised them, looking for a heavenly city.
Psalm 39:12This psalm expresses a similar feeling of life's transience, pleading with God, 'Hear my prayer, O Lord... for I am a sojourner with you, like all my fathers,' mirroring Jacob's perspective on his own life.
Philippians 3:20Paul's statement that 'our citizenship is in heaven' resonates with Jacob's understanding of his life as a pilgrimage, suggesting that true belonging is not in earthly lands but in God's eternal kingdom.
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…
gillGenesis 47:9: "And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage."
Jacob said unto Pharaoh, the days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years,.... He calls his life a "pilgrimage"; as every good man's is; they are not at home in their own country, they are seekin…
Jacob's assessment of his life as "few and evil" isn't just a complaint about hardship; it highlights his constant focus on his heavenly home. He measures his life not by its length, but by its transient nature, seeing himself as a foreigner on Earth and anticipating a true, eternal dwelling place.
Pharaoh has just offered Joseph's family the best of Egypt's land in Goshen, and Joseph has brought his father, Jacob, before the king. Pharaoh asks Jacob his age, prompting Jacob to reflect on his life's journey. Jacob describes his 130 years as a "pilgrimage," marked by hardship and brevity compared to his ancestors.
Pharaoh has just offered Joseph's family the best of Egypt's land in Goshen, and Joseph has brought his father, Jacob, before the king. Pharaoh asks Jacob his age, prompting Jacob to reflect on his life's journey. Jacob describes his 130 years as a "pilgrimage," marked by hardship and brevity compared to his ancestors.
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Pharaoh asks Jacob his age, a simple question. But Jacob's answer reveals a man who measured life differently. What does it mean to live a life that feels 'few and evil' even at 130 years?
Jacob's response to Pharaoh's question about his age is incredibly insightful. It shows a man who doesn't just count years, but understands the quality and meaning of those years.
More Than Just Years
Jacob's assessment isn't self-pity; it's a testament to a life lived through significant suffering, yet grounded in the hope of something greater. His 'few and evil' days were preparing him, and his family, for the faithfulness of God.
c. 1710 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Jacob's beloved son Joseph is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt, where he eventually rises to a position of great power.
c. 1709 BC - 1702 BC
Severe famine in Canaan and Egypt
A devastating famine grips the region, prompting Jacob to send his sons to Egypt to buy food, leading to their reunion with Joseph.
c. 1702 BC— this verse
Jacob and his family move to Egypt
Jacob, now 130 years old, leads his entire household of about 70 people to settle in the land of Goshen in Egypt under Pharaoh's provision, fulfilling Joseph's dreams.
"And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their s…" — Jacob's assessment of his life as "few and evil" isn't just a complaint about hardship; it highlights his constant focus on his heavenly home. He measures his life not by its length, but by its trans…
