Transcendence

Twenty-four: A Time to Mourn

Joseph had a feeling the time he had spent with his father was drawing to an end. It was confirmed that time was running out when he was told that his father was ill. He took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim out to where his father had settled to visit their grandfather.

Israel gathered his strength and sat up in bed. He said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. There he told me I would be fruitful and increase in number. He told me he would give me land in Canaan as an everlasting possession to all my descendants. Now, your two sons born here in Egypt before I came will be reckoned as mine. Just as Reuben and Simon are mine, so are they considered mine as far as their inheritance is concerned. Any sons you have after them will be considered yours and will share the land allotted under Manasseh and Ephraim's names. Your mother died near Ephrath near Bethlehem, and I buried her there near the road. Now bring your sons in here to me so that I may bless them."

Joseph was thankful that his father had decided to include his sons in the inheritance of land in Canaan. He brought his sons close to his father, as his eyes were failing and he wasn't able to see very far away. He put the oldest grandson at his father's right hand and his youngest son at his father's left hand. When they were close Israel kissed them and hugged them. He was overcome with joy that in his last years he was allowed to not only see his son again but to also get to see his grandsons as well. Israel then crossed his arms and put his right hand on the head of Ephraim and his left hand went on Manasseh's head though he was the firstborn. Joseph was not pleased with this and reached out to take his father's hand to move it saying, "No my father this one is the youngest, and this one here is the oldest."

But Israel refused saying, "I know, my son, I know. And your oldest too will become a people and will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he and his descendants will become a group of nations. He then blessed the boys saying, "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm -may he bless these boys may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and may they increase greatly upon the earth. In your mane will Israel pronounce this blessing, May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh." And there Israel gave both boys a blessing, but he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

(Israel gave the blessings normally meant for the firstborn to the younger of Joseph's boys just as had been done for Isaac over Ishmael, for Jacob over Esau and for Joseph over Reuben. In adopting both Manasseh and Ephraim as his own sons, Israel was also giving Joseph's family a double share in the inheritance - these two grandsons would each receive a full share along with Jacob's other 11 sons. The 12 tribes of Israel were the offspring of Israel's sons, substituting Manasseh and Ephraim for Joseph made a total of 13.)

Israel then said to his son Joseph, "I am about to die but God will be with you as you take me back to the land of your fathers. And to you, the one who is over your brothers, I give the ridge of land I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow." (This very special section of land was very important to Israel and he was honored to be able to give it to his favorite son.)

Israel then called all of his sons to gather around so that he would be able to explain what he wanted to happen in the days to come. He told them, "Assemble and listen. Reuben, my firstborn, my might and strength, you excel in power and honor. From here you will no longer excel, as turbulent as the waters, for you went up to my bed and defiled it.(It was never mentioned at the time when Reuben slept with his father's wife what Israel thought about it, but here he announces the punishment his son would endure because of it.) Simeon and Levi, brothers with swords as weapons of violence, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce and cruel with fury.( Israel was remembering times when Simeon and Levi let their anger get the entire family into big trouble.) Judah, your brothers will praise you, your hand will be on the neck of your enemy, you are a lion's cub, the scepter will not depart from you. You will tether your donkey to a vine, you hold to the choicest branch and wash your garments in wine, your robes in the blood of grapes, eyes be darker than wine and teeth whiter than milk. (Judah was a honest, hardworking man and Israel blessed him for it.) Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships, your border extended toward Sidon. Issachar will bend to forced labor. Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel, he will be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path that bites the horse heels so that the rider tumbles backward. Asher's food will be rich, he will provide delicacies fit for a king. Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns. Joseph is a fruitful vine, whose branches climb over a wall. His arms remain steady and limber, because of the Almighty God who helps him and blesses him with the blessings from heaven above. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph on the brow of the prince among his brothers. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning he devours his prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.

All of these are the twelve tribes of Israel.

Then Israel told them, "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me in the cave of the field of Ephron the Hittite, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place. There Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah were all buried and there is where I buried Leah.

Then Israel (Jacob) drew his feet up into the bed, drew his last breath and was gathered to his people.

Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him. 

After some time he had his father embalmed, the physicians taking a full 40 days which was the normal time to take to embalm in those days. Then the Egyptians mourned him for seventy days. ( a mourning period only two days shorter than that given for a Pharaoh - signifying Joseph's importance in Egypt)

When the days of mourning had passed Joseph asked for Pharaoh's permission to go back to the land of Canaan and bury his father. Pharaoh not only allowed him to go, he sent with him all of his officials to accompany and protect him. They took chariots and horsemen and all of Joseph's brothers went as well. It was a very large company.

On their journey, when they reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly. There Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father.

Israel's sons carried out the promise they made to their father and carried him on to the land of Canaan. There they buried him in the cave near Mamre just as he requested. 

 After the burial, they all returned to Egypt.

(Life Question: Why do you think God chose Israel? Why did He choose you? )