READ: Gen. 49:29-33: Then he charged them and said to them: ‘I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 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 as a possession for a burial place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.’ And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
Jacob has fulfilled his life’s purpose after addressing his sons. He is nearly ready to die but takes a moment to reaffirm his explicit wish to be buried alongside his ancestors in the land promised by God. He had previously expressed this desire to Joseph, even requesting an oath to ensure it would happen, underscoring the depth of his longing.
Here, Jacob gives his sons a direct command, providing precise details about the burial site where his grandparents, parents, and wife Leah are interred. This burial location, a property purchased by Abraham in the promised land of Canaan, serves as a testament to Jacob’s faith in God’s promise that the land will one day be inhabited by his descendants.
Jacob’s instructions are meant to impress upon his sons, the tribal patriarchs, the importance of preserving this longing for the promised land and passing it down to future generations. It is a call for continual prayer and faith in God’s promise.
Furthermore, the shared burial site signifies the union of the patriarchs in their eternal fellowship with the living God (see Luke 20:37-38). The repetition of this request highlights Jacob’s strong desire and his intent to foster unity among his sons in fulfilling his final wish. Then Jacob dies.
What significance do these words hold for us?
Sing: Ps. 106:2