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.
Parallel translations
- WEB When Jacob finished charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to his people.
- KJV 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.
- BSB When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he pulled his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and he was gathered to his people.
- NASB When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
- NLT When Jacob had finished this charge to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and joined his ancestors in death.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Having blessed his sons, Jacob lies back, breathes his last, and is gathered to his people.
Overview
Jacob dies in peace and faith, his work of blessing complete and his hope fixed on God's promises. 'Gathered to his people' hints at a continuing existence beyond death, joining the covenant fathers. His faith-filled death points forward to the resurrection hope secured in Christ, who has conquered the grave (Hebrews 11:21-22; 2 Timothy 1:10).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Gen 49:29He instructed 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,
- Gen 25:8Abraham gave up his spirit, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
- Gen 35:29Isaac gave up the spirit, and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.
- Heb 11:13–16These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
- Job 30:23For I know that you will bring me to death, To the house appointed for all living.
- Heb 11:22By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave instructions concerning his bones.
- Isa 57:1–2The righteous perish, and no one lays it to heart. Merciful men are taken away, and no one considers that the righteous is taken away from the evil.
- Gen 25:17These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up his spirit and died, and was gathered to his people.
- Eccl 12:7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
- Josh 24:27–29Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all Yahweh’s words which he spoke to us. It shall be therefore a witness against you, lest you deny your God.”
- Gen 15:5Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So will your offspring be.”
- Gen 49:1Jacob called to his sons, and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the days to come.
- Heb 12:23to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
- Luke 2:29“Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;
- Gen 49:24–26But his bow remained strong. The arms of his hands were made strong, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),
- Job 5:26You shall come to your grave in a full age, like a shock of grain comes in its season.
- Acts 7:15Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, himself and our fathers,
- Job 14:10But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 49:33 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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