Honoring the Promise
Genesis 50:7–14 (NASB95)
7So Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8and all the household of Joseph and his brothers and his father’s household; they left only their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. 9There also went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company. 10When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and sorrowful lamentation; and he observed seven days mourning for his father. 11Now when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning for the Egyptians.” Therefore it was named Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. 12Thus his sons did for him as he had charged them; 13for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field for a burial site from Ephron the Hittite. 14After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
Commentary – Honoring the Promise
The final journey to bury Jacob is a profound moment of faithfulness and fulfillment of promises. Joseph honors his father with great respect, including embalming according to Egyptian custom and organizing an elaborate funeral procession. This procession is notable not only for its size but also for the high honor it shows Jacob. Pharaoh’s officials, Egyptian dignitaries, and Joseph’s own family all accompany the body to Canaan. The presence of Egyptian chariots and horsemen underscores the importance given to Jacob, reflecting both Joseph’s elevated position and the significance of the patriarch in the unfolding story of God’s covenant people.
The seven-day mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, witnessed by the local Canaanites, highlights the deep respect and solemnity of the occasion. The place’s naming as “Abel-mizraim” (“mourning of the Egyptians”) marks a unique cultural intersection: Egyptians mourning a Hebrew patriarch in the land of Canaan. This event foreshadows the ongoing tension and eventual clash between the native inhabitants and the descendants of Jacob.
Joseph’s sons and brothers faithfully carry out Jacob’s instructions, burying him in the cave Joseph had prepared long before. This burial honors the ancestral promises made to Abraham and Isaac and affirms the enduring claim of God’s people to the Promised Land. After the burial, Joseph and his family return to Egypt, signaling that while the patriarch is laid to rest in Canaan, the sojourn of Israel in Egypt continues. But the story is not over. God’s plan has not failed. This is all part of God’s plan for His people. These final verses are setting the stage for the Exodus to come.
This narrative reminds us that God’s promises transcend time and geography. Though Jacob died in a foreign land, his heart and hope remained fixed on the inheritance God had promised. The faithfulness of Joseph and his brothers in honoring these final wishes underscores the importance of obedience and trust in God’s covenant.
The church today is called to live in the tension between “already” and “not yet.” Like Jacob, we are pilgrims on a journey, holding fast to God’s promises even when we live in places that feel temporary or foreign. Honoring God’s promises means faithfully stewarding what He has entrusted to us—our family, our faith, and our heritage—while trusting that He will bring His plans to completion. Just as Joseph led the way in fulfilling his father’s wishes, we are called to lead by example, honoring God’s Word and legacy through our actions and faithfulness. May we encourage one another to remain faithful in every season, confident that God’s promises endure forever.
In His Service,
Ryan Goodnight