Genesis 50:24-25
And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Joseph doesn't just offer a comforting prediction of God's future actions, but he frames it as an active "visitation," highlighting that God's promise isn't passive waiting, but an imminent, personal intervention to bring them home. This "visitation" is the divine catalyst that will finally move them from their comfortable but temporary Egyptian life toward the covenant land.
Joseph's father, Jacob, has just died, and his brothers, fearing Joseph's revenge, send a plea for forgiveness. Joseph, after weeping and assuring them of his love and forgiveness, now faces his own death. He looks to the future, reminding his brothers of God's faithfulness to the promises made to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Joseph is facing his own death, but his final words aren't about his legacy or earthly achievements. Instead, he points his brothers forward, not backward.
Even as his life ends, Joseph’s focus is on God’s faithfulness. He declares, 'God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land.' This isn't just wishful thinking; it's an act of faith.
Anchored in the Covenant
Joseph reminds his brothers of God's sworn promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This covenant is the bedrock of their hope. Even though they are living in a foreign land, and Joseph, their protector, is dying, the unbreakable promise of God remains.
A Glimpse of Future Hope
This declaration is a powerful testament to Joseph's unwavering belief in God’s plan, even when things look bleak. It's a reminder that our hope isn't found in people or circumstances, but in the God who keeps His word.
Joseph’s life was a masterclass in seeing God’s hand even in the darkest moments. Now, facing his end, he passes this perspective on.
Joseph understood that his brothers' fear stemmed from their past actions and their current dependence on him. When they saw their father was dead, they worried, 'Joseph will perhaps hate us and will certainly repay us for all the evil which we did to him' (Genesis 50:15). Joseph’s response throughout this period, and especially here, reveals a deeper truth.
From Evil Intent to Divine Purpose
Joseph had previously told his brothers, 'You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good' (Genesis 50:20). His impending death doesn't negate this truth. It reinforces it. God’s plan doesn’t depend on Joseph’s presence but on His own sovereign will.
God's Continued Work
Joseph’s final words assure his brothers that God’s work among them will continue. God’s 'visitation' is not tied to Joseph's life but is an ongoing act of deliverance and fulfillment of His promises. This should bring immense comfort: God's faithfulness is steadfast, even beyond the lives of His most beloved servants.
Understand the original words
shaba' · Hebrew Verb
The act of making a solemn oath or calling upon God to witness the truth of a statement or the commitment to fulfill a promise. It invokes the divine name as a guarantee of integrity and future action.
paqad · Hebrew Verb
In a biblical context, a divine intervention where God draws near to His people, either to judge or—as is the case here—to deliver and redeem. It signifies that God has not forgotten His covenant promises and is actively working on behalf of His people.
shaba' · Hebrew Verb
A solemn, binding agreement established by God with His people, often involving promises of land, descendants, and divine presence. It is an act of sovereign grace that defines the identity and future destiny of the recipients.
etsem · Hebrew Noun
Joseph's final words are a powerful anchor of faith, looking beyond his own life and the comforts of Egypt to the enduring promise of God's faithfulness to bring His people to the land He swore to their ancestors.
c. 1805 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph is betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery, eventually rising to a position of power in Egypt.
c. 1760 BC
Jacob and family move to Egypt
Due to a severe famine, Jacob and his entire family relocate to Egypt, settling in the land of Goshen under Joseph's protection.
c. 1710 BC
Death of Jacob
Jacob dies after blessing his sons and prophesying their future. Joseph leads a solemn funeral procession to Canaan for burial.
c. 1710 BC
Joseph reassures his brothers
After their father's death, Joseph's brothers fear retribution. Joseph forgives them, emphasizing God's providence and his role in saving lives.
c. 1710 BC— this verse
This passage echoes Joseph's dying words by describing God's awareness of His people's suffering in Egypt and His plan to deliver them to the promised land.
Hebrews 11:22This verse explicitly highlights Joseph's act of faith in commanding his bones to be carried out of Egypt, directly linking his dying words to a future deliverance grounded in his belief in God's promises.
Deuteronomy 31:1-6Similar to Joseph, Moses encourages the Israelites before his death, assuring them that God will go with them and not forsake them, underscoring the theme of God's faithfulness even after leaders pass away.
Joshua 24:32This verse shows the fulfillment of Joseph's dying command, as the Israelites indeed carried his bones out of Egypt and buried them in the promised land, demonstrating the enduring power of God's promises and Joseph's faith.
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 50:24: "And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die,.... Some time before his death he called them together, and observed to them, that he expected to die in a little time, as all must: and God will surely visit you; not in a way of wrath and vindictive justice, as he sometimes does, but in a way of love, grace, and mercy:…
Joseph doesn't just offer a comforting prediction of God's future actions, but he frames it as an active "visitation," highlighting that God's promise isn't passive waiting, but an imminent, personal intervention to bring them home. This "visitation" is the divine catalyst that will finally move them from their comfortable but temporary Egyptian life toward the covenant land.
Joseph's father, Jacob, has just died, and his brothers, fearing Joseph's revenge, send a plea for forgiveness. Joseph, after weeping and assuring them of his love and forgiveness, now faces his own death. He looks to the future, reminding his brothers of God's faithfulness to the promises made to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Joseph's father, Jacob, has just died, and his brothers, fearing Joseph's revenge, send a plea for forgiveness. Joseph, after weeping and assuring them of his love and forgiveness, now faces his own death. He looks to the future, reminding his brothers of God's faithfulness to the promises made to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Genesis 50:24-25 is available in the Sola app.
The anatomical structure representing the physical person; in death, the bones are often associated with the hope of resurrection or, as in this case, the expectation of occupying the promised land, symbolizing a final resting place within the covenantal inheritance.
Joseph's deathbed prophecy
As Joseph faces his own death, he assures his brothers that God will remember them and lead them out of Egypt to the Promised Land.
c. 1710 BC
Joseph's bones are carried out of Egypt
Joseph makes his family swear to carry his bones with them when they eventually leave Egypt, a testament to his faith in God's promise.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
After 400 years of sojourning in Egypt, Moses leads the Israelites out of slavery and into the wilderness, fulfilling God's promise.
"And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surel…" — Joseph doesn't just offer a comforting prediction of God's future actions, but he frames it as an active "visitation," highlighting that God's promise isn't passive waiting, but an imminent, personal…
