for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about burying a body; it highlights how Abraham's purchase of the burial cave over a century earlier was still a significant, tangible connection to the promises God made to his family. It underscores that this family's destiny was deeply rooted in the land of Canaan, a truth reinforced by the very ground where their patriarch was laid to rest.
for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following Jacob's death and the extended mourning period in Egypt, Joseph, along with his brothers and a grand procession of Egyptian officials, traveled back to Canaan. This journey fulfilled Jacob's dying wish to be buried with his fathers in the ancestral burial ground.
Why did Abraham's purchase of a burial plot matter so much? It wasn't just about real estate; it was about a promise.
The Field of Machpelah: More Than Just Land
This verse highlights the specific location of Jacob's burial: the cave of Machpelah. What's significant here is that this was not just any plot of land; it was purchased by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite.
Jacob’s burial wasn’t just a somber duty; it was a testament to his family’s obedience and a profound act of faith that echoed through generations.
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The Final Journey Home
Jacob’s burial in Machpelah, as commanded by him and carried out by his sons, speaks volumes about their respect for him and their commitment to God's promises.
Understand the original words
qabar · Hebrew Verb
In a biblical context, it refers to the act of laying a body to rest in the earth, symbolizing the return of the body to dust and expressing honor for the deceased while asserting a claim to the land of promise.
me‘arah · Hebrew Noun
A natural cavern used for internment, holding theological significance as a testament to the patriarchs' faith in God’s promise to give them the land of Canaan as an eternal possession.
Mamre · Hebrew Proper Noun
An ancient city or region associated with Abraham, serving as a site of divine revelation and a central geographical marker for the inheritance of the patriarchs.
The burial of Jacob in Machpelah is not just a personal family event, but a significant act that underscores the Abrahamic covenant and the promise of the land to Abraham's descendants, even while they are still living as sojourners in Egypt.
c. 1800 BC
Abraham purchases Machpelah
Abraham buys the cave of Machpelah and the surrounding field from Ephron the Hittite, establishing it as a family burial site.
c. 1750 BC
Isaac and Rebekah buried in Machpelah
Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried in the cave of Machpelah, following Abraham's precedent.
c. 1710 BC
Rebekah and Leah buried in Machpelah
Rebekah and Jacob's wife Leah are also buried in the cave of Machpelah, reinforcing its status as the ancestral tomb.
c. 1689 BC
Jacob dies in Egypt
Jacob dies in Egypt after a period of famine, and Joseph requests to bury him in Canaan according to Jacob's wishes.
c. 1689 BC— this verse
Jacob's funeral procession to Canaan
Joseph, accompanied by Pharaoh's officials and a great company from Egypt, leads a solemn procession to Canaan for Jacob's burial.
c. 1689 BC
Jacob buried in Machpelah
Jacob is buried in the cave of Machpelah, fulfilling his dying wish and bringing the patriarchs together in death.
This passage shows Jacob's strong desire to be buried with his ancestors, a wish that Joseph faithfully honors, setting the stage for this burial scene.
Genesis 23:16-18This text details Abraham's purchase of the same burial cave from Ephron the Hittite, highlighting the historical significance and established ownership of this specific plot for the patriarchs.
Genesis 49:29-32Here, Jacob explicitly commands his sons to bury him in the cave of Machpelah, demonstrating that this act of burial is the fulfillment of a direct paternal instruction.
Exodus 13:19This verse shows that Joseph's bones were eventually carried out of Egypt by the Israelites during their exodus, fulfilling Joseph's own dying wish and connecting his burial to their future redemption.
Joshua 24:32This passage confirms that Joseph's bones were indeed brought into the promised land and buried in Shechem, completing the journey foreshadowed by his own burial instructions.
calvinGenesis 50:1-26: "And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him."
- Et viderunt habitatores terrae Chenaaneaei luctum in area Atad, et dixerunt, Luctus gravis est iste Aegyptiis: idcirco vocatum fuit nomen ejus Abel -- Misraim, (id est luctus Aegyptorum,) qui est trand Jordanem.
12 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:
- Fecerunt ergo filii ejus ei sic, quemadmodum praeceperat eis.
13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and bu…
gillGenesis 50:13: "For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre."
For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan,.... That is, they took care that he was carried there, as he desired to be; for it cannot be thought that they carried him on their shoulders thither, in like manner as the devout men carried Stephen to his burial, Acts…
This verse isn't just about burying a body; it highlights how Abraham's purchase of the burial cave over a century earlier was still a significant, tangible connection to the promises God made to his family. It underscores that this family's destiny was deeply rooted in the land of Canaan, a truth reinforced by the very ground where their patriarch was laid to rest.
Following Jacob's death and the extended mourning period in Egypt, Joseph, along with his brothers and a grand procession of Egyptian officials, traveled back to Canaan. This journey fulfilled Jacob's dying wish to be buried with his fathers in the ancestral burial ground.
Following Jacob's death and the extended mourning period in Egypt, Joseph, along with his brothers and a grand procession of Egyptian officials, traveled back to Canaan. This journey fulfilled Jacob's dying wish to be buried with his fathers in the ancestral burial ground.
"for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place." — This verse isn't just about burying a body; it highlights how Abraham's purchase of the burial cave over a century earlier was still a significant, tangible connection to the promises God made to his…
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Last reviewed October 2026