Introduction: The end of any project, whether a report, book manuscript, or even messages like these are always bittersweet, in my opinion. There’s always the question of did I add too much or not enough; did I really think this through; perhaps other things as well.
Through this look at Jacob’s life, I’ve learned a number of things and honestly I hope you have too! Please let me encourage you to keep on reading the Bible for yourself. With the Holy Spirit teaching and guiding you, there is no limit on what any of us can learn—if we’re willing.
This last look, then, attempts to cover Jacob’s last words and deeds, but ends with a hope that none of us have encountered as of yet. As I write this in June 2022, it seems plenty of bad things are happening but our Lord is in control. He even said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Amen!
1 Jacob’s biography
Various texts, Genesis 25-35
Isaac married Rebekah when he was 40 years old (Gen. 25:20) but they did not have any children until 20 years later (Gen 25:26). They were blessed with twin boys, Esau who was born first, and then Jacob. And then things began to get interesting.
Even though these boys were (fraternal?) twins—Esau was “hairy” but Jacob was smooth—they both began to follow different interests. Esau loved the outdoors, hunting wild game and the like but Jacob lived in tents and even worse, father Isaac loved Esau but mother Rebekah loved Jacob. Needless to say, the potential for conflict was right there.
Sure enough, Jacob took advantage of his brother’s weakness, namely hunger, one evening. Esau was apparently not successful going hunting and came back to camp very hungry. Jacob refused to give Esau anything to eat unless Esau traded a birthright for a bowl of stew and, for whatever reason, Esau gave in and made the trade. Was Jacob right to do this? Only he and God can settle that issue. This story is found in Genesis 25:29-34.
Jacob wasn’t done yet, however. Rebekah, his mother, came up with a plan where Jacob could steal the paternal blessing which Isaac had planned to give Esau, not Jacob. Sure enough, Jacob cheated his way to get the blessing; but Esau didn’t get much of anything, becoming so angry with Jacob that he began to plan a way to kill Jacob. Rebekah got word of this and arranged, with Isaac, for Jacob to leave for “a few days” in order to find a wife from Rebekah’s relatives. Jacob left, probably running for dear life lest Esau find him! This episode is found in Genesis 27-28.
That first night, Jacob made it all the way from Hebron to Bethel (estimates of mileage vary). Bethel was the place where Jacob saw the LORD plus angels ascending and descending a ladder between earth and Heaven. Jacob made a vow to God at that place and later kept it (Gen 28).
Later, Jacob arrived at Padanaram, home of his uncle, Laban. While there he married sisters Leah and Rachel. Each sister was also given a female servant, Zilpah and Bilhah respectively. Leah had at least seven children (six sons and one daughter), with each of the other women bearing two of Jacob’s sons. Genesis 29-30 tells how each child was born, with the exception of Benjamin, the youngest of the family. Benjamin was born years later, as the family returned to Hebron, where Isaac was living. Rachel, Benjamin’s mother, died while giving birth to him (see Genesis 35:16-21). We’re never told who helped raise Benjamin but whoever did this deserves mention as a true unsung heroine.
Yet, there were a lot of things which took place between chapters 30 and 35. Jacob wound up working 20 years for uncle Laban in exchange for Leah, Rachel, and an assortment of livestock. They left Laban, but he caught up with them at Mount Gilead and they had a very agitated conversation. Eventually each party left in peace (Gen. 31). Other events took place in chapters 32-34
2 Jacob’s final blessing
Text: Genesis 49:1-2, KJV: 1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. 2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
Word had already come to Joseph that Jacob was sick. This turned out to be his final, fatal illness but he was still able to pronounce his final blessing. He had already spoken a blessing to Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and in one of the most gracious things ever, he elevated these two grandsons to the same status as his eleven other sons—to be heads of a tribe.
But now it seems Jacob’s life is fading away and he wanted to give a final word to each of his sons. He called them together and gave a message to each one. I find it interesting that even though Jacob had at least 13 children of his own, he was able to analyze and know each one personally and knowingly.
And it’s anybody’s guess what each of the sons might have been thinking as they knew Dad wasn’t going to be around much longer. Most of them, in fact, might have feared what Jacob was going to say. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi had all committed some serious sins (see Gen 35 and 34 respectively). Judah had left the family for nearly 20 years, moving to another city in Canaan, and wound up having children with his own daughter-in-law (Gen. 38). He was also the one who suggested they sell Joseph to the Midianite caravan, so they could take Joseph to Egypt (Gen. 37:26-28). Oddly enough, Judah was also the one who spoke up before they returned to Egypt the second time to buy food, and the one who pled the case before Joseph when Joseph threatened to keep Benjamin with him (Gen. 44:14-34). That makes four of the ten (Benjamin of course was not involved with much, if anything, with any of this) who had reason to fear.
In addition, the sons of Zilpah (Gad and Asher) and Bilhah (Dan and Naphtali) had done something so that Joseph brought “an evil report”. Moses did not record what happened but, whatever happened, Joseph felt it necessary to report their deeds or actions. With these four brothers, now it’s up to eight of the twelve who had reason to wonder what Jacob might say. Only Leah’s two youngest sons, Issachar and Zebulun, did nothing to warrant Jacob’s wrath, excepting their involvement in getting rid of Joseph.
Certainly Joseph and Benjamin might be wondering what their father might say, as well. So, all of these men came to where Jacob was staying in order to hear what he had to tell them.
Verses 3-28 (omitted for space) contain Jacob’s blessings or final words to each of his sons. Starting with Reuben, the oldest, Jacob concludes with Benjamin, the youngest, but doesn’t necessarily speak to each in birth order. Other Bible teachers have gone through this passage in great detail (e.g., John Phillips’ book “Exploring the Future”) but for this message, it’s enough to say Jacob spoke to each son’s strengths or weakness as appropriate. Some of these messages are clear, others less so, but there’s no doubt each son knew exactly what Jacob was saying.
The reactions of each son are not given. Some of them may have been stunned; others happy, still others may have been reduced to tears. But even with all of this, Jacob wasn’t yet finished.
He had one more, one final message, for his sons.
3 Jacob’s final words
Text, Genesis 49:29-33, KJV: 29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. 32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth. 33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
After Jacob spoke directly to each of his sons, he then knew his journey on this earth was just about done. He now gives his final words to all of them, who had come together just a short time before this. Besides a glimpse of the future for each son, and the tribes to be descended from them, he tells them what he wants them to do after he dies.
Actually, he only makes one request: “bury me (my body) where my grandparents, parents, and wife are buried.” That was the Cave of Machpelah, close to Hebron, which Abraham had purchased many years before (Gen 23). Sarah, Abraham’s wife was buried there first, then Abraham. Isaac was buried there years later but it is not stated when Rebekah or Leah died and were buried there. Jacob didn’t say he wanted to be buried near Rachel; part of that may be because Bethlehem was a good ways away from Hebron.
And now, Jacob has finished speaking. He’s given his last speech to his sons, and he has given his final instructions, namely, where he wants to be buried once he dies. After these last words, Jacob “gathered up his feet into the bed (he was probably sitting on his bed when he gave his last speech), and yielded up the ghost (spirit) and was gathered unto his people”. Note how tenderly the translators render this last verse.
Jacob’s life on this earth is now over. His life could be divided into a few major sections: his life with his parents, his life with his uncle, his years at Hebron, and his years in Egypt. Many things happened in each of these eras; some caused by Jacob himself, others did or tried to do something to him. None of that matters now. He has left this earth, and went to be “unto his people”. We now know he went to Paradise or Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16) until he and all the other Old Testament saints ascended to Heaven with Jesus (Ephesians 4).
Now, you may be wondering why this message says this is Jacob’s “almost” final journey. There’s a reason: his journey still isn’t complete! Jacob lived under the Promises (some say the Dispensation of Promise) God made with Abraham (see Genesis 12:7) and one of those promises, maybe the most important, was that Abraham and his descendants would live in Canaan. The writer of Hebrews (Paul, in my opinion) wrote they “died in faith” even though they had not yet received the promises (Heb. 11:13). One day, though, they will. Then, his journey will be complete: he and all the dead saints will come back to life, they’ll live again on this earth, and they will never suffer nor have any problems to face. Forever! God guaranteed this!
Jacob’s life, then, has much to study. We can learn it’s never right to cheat, for one thing, or try to take advantage of others when they’re weak. We can also learn to trust our Lord in everything, in every situation. He took care of Jacob and He will take care of us.
Thank you, Jacob, for discovering the true and straight path, and leaving examples for us to follow even today!
Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV).
