Joseph Part 22: Jacob's Last Request

On the outer ends, we have the parallel deaths of a father and a son, Yaaqov and Yoseph. Yaaqov asks for a burial in Canaan. And after his death, the narrative focuses on the elaborate funeral procession. On the other end comes Yoseph’s request for a burial in Canaan, and the narrative focuses on the future “ascent” out of Egypt into Canaan, followed by his death.

This brings the themes of the Eden story in Genesis 2-3 toward their resolution: The exile of Adam and Eve from Eden resulted in death for all their descendants. Here, the deaths of Yaaqov and Yoseph end with a hope for a “going up” of their bones and bodies to reside in the “cave of Makpelah.”

In the center is a story of Yoseph’s final act of reconciliation and forgiveness toward his brothers.

This brings the themes of Genesis 1-4 to their resolution: The older snake was not chosen for rule, but the humans were. Parallel to this, the older Cain was not chosen for the blessing, but his younger brother Abel was. But in this story, instead of that chosen-status evoking anger and murder, Yoseph uses his special status to become an image of divine forgiveness.

Genesis 49:29–50:14 CJB

29 Then he charged them as follows: “I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my ancestors in the cave that is in the field of ‘Efron the Hitti, 30 the cave in the field of Makhpelah, by Mamre, in the land of Kena‘an, which Avraham bought together with the field from ‘Efron the Hitti as a burial-place belonging to him—31 there they buried Avraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Yitz’chak and his wife Rivkah, and there I buried Le’ah—32 the field and the cave in it, which was purchased from the sons of Het.” 33 When Ya‘akov had finished charging his sons, he drew his legs up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people. 1 Yosef fell on his father’s face, wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Yosef ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Isra’el. 3 Forty days were spent at this, the normal amount of time for embalming. Then the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. 4 When the period of mourning was over, Yosef addressed to the household of Pharaoh: “I would like to ask a favor. Tell Pharaoh, 5 ‘My father had me swear an oath. He said, “I am going to die. You are to bury me in my grave, which I dug for myself in the land of Kena‘an.” Therefore, I beg you, let me go up and bury my father; I will return.’ ” 6 Pharaoh responded, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.” 7 So Yosef went up to bury his father. With him went all Pharaoh’s servants, the leaders of his household and the leaders of the land of Egypt, 8 along with the entire household of Yosef, his brothers and his father’s household; only their little ones, their flocks and their cattle did they leave in the land of Goshen. 9 Moreover, there went up with him both chariots and horsemen—it was a very large caravan. 10 When they arrived at the threshing-floor in Atad, beyond the Yarden, they raised a loud and bitter lamentation, mourning for his father seven days. 11 When the local inhabitants, the Kena‘ani, saw the mourning on the floor of Atad they said, “How bitterly the Egyptians are mourning!” This is why the place was given the name Avel-Mitzrayim [mourning of Egypt], there beyond the Yarden. 12 His sons did to him as he had ordered them to do—13 they carried him into the land of Kena‘an and buried him in the cave in the field of Makhpelah, which Avraham had bought, along with the field, as a burial-place belonging to him, from ‘Efron the Hitti, by Mamre. 14 Then, after burying his father, Yosef returned to Egypt, he, his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

Gathered With the Ancestors in the Cave of Makpelah

"So he, that is Yaaqov, commanded them, that is his sons, saying to them, 'I'm about to be gathered to my people.'" it's not that common. It's what Abraham says when he dies. It's what Yitskhaq says when he dies, and now it's here with Yaaqov. So he's going to be gathered to his people. His people are somewhere, and he's gonna go be with them.

"Bury me with my fathers in the cave that's in the field of Ephron the Hittite in the cave, which is in the field Makpelah," which means a couple or a doubling, "which is opposite the face of Mamre in the land of Canaan. Which field Avraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite for a burial possession. You know, that's where they buried Avraham and Sarah, his wife. That's where they buried Yitskhaq and Rivqah his wife. That's where I buried Leah,"

"You know, the field purchased along with the cave, which is in it, you know, from the sons of Heth," which is Hittites.

"And Yaaqov finished commanding his sons, and he gathered his feet unto his bed and he expired and was gathered to his people."

You get a whole paragraph, verses 1-11, about them doing what he asked them to do. "And his sons did for him as he commanded.

They carried him to the land of Canaan. They buried him in the cave of the field of Makpelah. You know, the one that Abraham purchased for a burial possession. You know, from Ephron, the Hittite opposite Mamre." You're like, "Yeah, I know." It was very clear from the first paragraph. "Yoseph returned to his brother, returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, all those who went to bury the father after he buried his father." Okay, so among the most repeated words are bury, cave, field, Makpelah, and the Hittites.

it's clear what's going on. I want to be buried up in Canaan at the family burial plot.

But, like, what is all of this repetition about? So the repetition, you know, provides a nice structure just to kind of note the literary style. You get a request for burial here, you get a description of the cave and the field. You get another request for burial, but the burial is now linked to the ancestors. That wasn't what he said here, he just said, "Bury me with my ancestors." And then the second repetition fills it out more.

You get the first repetition all about the cave that Abraham purchased.

And it's from Ephron the Hittite.

The second mention connects it to the whole clan of the Hittites. So this is how repetition works in this style is when you repeat things, it's never identical, always a little different with a little bit of a different emphasis. And that's happening here. But we've seen it happen in these macro parallels too, right? Between father and son and all that.

The field of Makpelah, Why is he so obsessed with this cave?

And on the narrative level, you could just say, well, you know, it's the cave his dad bought. So it's meaningful, the same way, like, a family heirloom from your grandma is meaningful. But of course there's more. There's always more to it.

In this story, Yaaqov approaches his own death and requests that he be buried in the land of his ancestors in a specific cave in the field of Makpelah. This refers back to the only piece of land that Abraham ever purchased and owned, as recounted in Genesis 23.

This story assumes a knowledge of the Eden hyperlinks in that story.

The story of Sarah’s burial is a full-scale replay of the core themes at work in the garden of Eden story. Through wordplays, hyperlinks, and narrative analogies, Abraham’s loss of Sarah is compared to both the loss of eternal life in Eden and to the hope of God’s promise to restore life.

After Abraham’s great act of faithfulness, we’re told that his beloved wife dies near the sacred tree that Abraham had encamped by all the way back in chapter 14. The design of this story emphasizes the special importance of this location, by repeating the mention of Hebron in the opening and closing of the chapter.

So Abraham migrates nearly his whole life around the land, never owning any of it. And so this is the only piece of land that he ever owns. Ephron, whose name is built with the letters of the word "dust." So Dusty would be the equivalent in English. So Dusty wants to give it to him and they barter back and forth. And he's like, "No, I need to have paid it. I don't want anybody to be able to say that they owe me this piece of land. This needs to be our little plot." When you dive into the description of this plot of land in the narrative where Abraham purchases it, that's what the hyperlink goes to here, you learn through a lot of, it's a lot of verbatim repetition to what we just read.

But we're told something we weren't told here, which is that the field is right next to Mamre, which is the town Hebron.

Now, that's significant, 'cause that town and that field and the trees played a really big role in the Abraham story.

When Abraham first came and really set up his most permanent camp, it was by the oaks of Mamre. And there he had his tent and an altar, and the Lord appeared to him by these trees.

A tent by a tree with an altar, and Yahweh appeared to him there. this is temple, this is Eden, tabernacle imagery.

So throughout the Abraham story, he, by the oaks of Mamre is where he's sitting when the kings of Babylon and the coalition is down, like, ransacking everybody. And he's just chilling, having lunch with some covenant friends up by the tree of Mamre. So it's a refuge. It's a refuge. And more than that, it's where he's sitting when the three men appear to him, and the three men are Yahweh and two other spiritual beings. And he is at the door of the tent by the tree. He makes a meal, and he sits down and eats with Yahweh under the tree by the door of the tent.

Throughout the Abraham story, this is a special spot.

This is where Yahweh promises that next year Sarah will be pregnant.

This is where, this is the plot of land, and these are the trees that are mentioned in this plot of land where he buys a cave.

Now the cave is called the cave of Makpelah.

The word "cave" is built with similar letters to the root "nakedness." It also is built from the root "to expose" or "to uncover something." So it's weird 'cause it's a cave, which means an enclosure, but the word is built from the root exposure, maybe, like, a place where you get refuge from being exposed. So the word means to be exposed or naked.

And Makpelah means a couple or a pair.

So by the oaks of Mamre is this enclosure called "Nakedness of the Couple."

And that's where they're buried.

When you think of a garden with a tree, with a tent and a altar where you meet God and eat by the tree, you're thinking, this is Eden.

But then sadly, that is also the place where the couple's nakedness was exposed, which was the symbol of their loss of access to eternal life. And that's the name of the cave where Sarah's buried, where all these people are buried.

So that's all built into Genesis 23.

So let's come back to Jacob's request. So think about where he is.

You can see why he is obsessed with this place.

He, the way he talks about it is as if he's going to see people. I'm gonna be gathered to my people.

So we have here emerging this image that these,

You know, what actually did Jacob believe about the afterlife? That would be an interesting question. And there's a lot of scholars who are interested in that question, and they do archeology of ancient Israelite tombs, and so that is interesting.

But we're not quite asking that question. We're asking, how are the people who shaped this in light of the whole Hebrew Bible, what do they want us to hear in Jacob's request? And it's a patriarch saying, I'm gonna go be with my ancestors in Eden.

And he's gathered to his people here.

But it's a tragic picture.

It's a image that there is more that God wants and has for his world and for these people. But for the moment, it's a return to the dust. But it's a hopeful return to the dust.

Because the return to Eden is about the hope for the restoration of eternal life.

Luke 23:32–43 NASB95

32 Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him. 33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. 35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” 38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

In Luke's account where we're told that he was crucified along with two others, evildoers. "And one of the criminals was hurling abuse at him.

But another one said, 'Listen, we are getting what we deserve. This guy did nothing wrong.' And as he was saying this, he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.' And he said, Jesus said, 'Truly, I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise.'"

It's the Greek word "paradeisos." So it's the translation is a transliteration.

This comes up 3 times in the New Testament

2 Corinthians 12:4 CSB

4 was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak.

2 Corinthians where Paul talks about how he, in a vision, was caught up into paradise, where he heard inexpressible words.

Revelation 2:7 CSB

7 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

In Revelation 2, it's a promise of the resurrected Jesus to one of the churches saying, "To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

Genesis 2:8 LES2

8 The Lord God planted a paradise in Eden toward the east and there he placed the human that he formed.

If you search for the word "paradise" in the Old Testament Greek translation of the Septuagint, what you discover is paradise is the translation of the word "garden." So what Jesus is saying is, "Then I'll meet you in Eden later today. In a few hours we'll reconvene in Eden. We will be gathered to our people."

Luke 16:22 LEB

22 Now it happened that the poor man died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.

There developed out of this in Second Temple Judaism, a number of metaphors, so paradise-Eden is one of them. But in the Gospel of Luke, also, Luke 16, Lazarus is hanging out in the lap of Abraham. But where's Abraham? He's buried in the cave.

He's in paradise.

So it is most likely that this image of sitting in Abraham's lap is connected to this network of images that, in other words, this represents somebody who understands the symbolism of the cave of Makpelah. And so if you are part of the covenant family, then when you die, your life is protected in paradise.

when Jesus says, "Hey, today we're gonna be in paradise," but in three days he's gonna be showing up with his friends and he'll be there and not be there. You are like, where is he?

Or when Paul can say, "I was sitting in my house the other day, but I had a vision. I was in prayer and was caught up in a vision, and all of a sudden I was in paradise and in my living room."

It’s where Heaven and Earth Meet, other dimension like

Revelation 21:1–22:3 CSB

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. 5 Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7 The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8 But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” 9 Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 He then carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 arrayed with God’s glory. Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 The city had a massive high wall, with twelve gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed on the gates. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 The city wall had twelve foundations, and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations. 15 The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. 18 The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of jewel: the first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates are twelve pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. 22 I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will never close by day because it will never be night there. 26 They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 27 Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life. 1 Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, 3 and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him.

In Revelation, you know, when he talks about the tree of life, the tree of life appears one other time in The Revelation. He sees a new sky and a new land. And what he sees is a holy city coming down out of the skies made ready as a bride for her husband. And it's the temple, and it's God dwelling with his people. So it's Heaven coming fully to Earth. And it's for those who overcome, that is, those who follow after this slain lamb. Outside are those who don't wanna participate and give their allegiance to the lamb.

all of a sudden we're in this Eden imagery of Heaven coming to Earth. Y

ou have outside the garden, then you have the inside, and then, you know, you describe the whole city and its dimensions and so on. And then you got the river, and then you've got the tree, and there's no longer any curse.

Eden is the primary image for the reality, the dimension that one can enter into upon when we die to this age. But at the same time, that is a temporary, it's a temporary form, because the ultimate goal is for Heaven to rejoin completely with Earth to transform material reality.

And so Jesus says, "Today, you'll be with me in paradise." But the ultimate conclusion of the biblical story is for paradise to remake the material universe as we know it.

It's both.

Heaven isn't the primary image. the garden, hanging out in the garden and being gathered to your people, is the primary image.

I don't have any hope that the word "Heaven" will get dislodged from our vocabulary anytime soon. Going to Heaven after you die. But what it means is going to Eden to be with God's people until Heaven meets Earth one day, then that's the imagery here.

when I'm separated, when the me that is alive to God, that's more than my dusty form, when this thing gives out, there is a part of, there is a part of our human identities that God can sustain and apparently will in the garden until we're all reborn along with the universe.

it's less about humans being inherently immortal, and it's more about God having a dream for a reborn cosmos, and he'll sustain the existence of his beloved ones to participate in that.

And the holding place is called Eden or the garden or the cave or paradise

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