Joseph's Last Words

How would Joseph's last words to his brothers reinforce the program God gave Moses to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land?

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Answer

The last words of Joseph to his brothers, in the book of Genesis, in chapter 50, are very important for understanding the emphasis of the story of Joseph and his brothers. But often, when people think about the last words that Joseph spoke, their minds go to 50:20-21 where Joseph says, Now, I know all of you; you did these things for your own evil purposes, but God meant this for good, so don't worry about it. It's okay. We naturally gravitate toward that passage, verses 20-21, because they are easily applied to the Christian life, like in passages like Romans 8:28 that God works all things together for good to those who love him. And that's fine, and that is what Joseph was saying. But those are not the last words that Joseph speaks to his brothers. Actually, the last words are found in 50:24-25, and in those verses, this is what Joseph says. He says, Now, God is going to bring you up out of this land, and I want you to be sure to bring my bones up out of this land with you. And, in fact, in verse 25, he makes the brothers swear that they will do this. And so, the focus of the last words of Joseph in the book of Genesis are not so much on God meant this for good, the goodness of God's providence, but rather on the hope that Israel is going to one day leave Egypt and go to the Promised Land. In fact, Joseph has his brothers swear that they will do this together, bringing even his body, his bones with them to the Promised Land. And what this emphasizes, of course, is that Joseph is looking at his brothers and saying, Now, you're going to do this. You're going to leave this land of Egypt and go to the Promised Land together. Swear that that is the case. And they do. Those are the last words of Joseph, and they emphasize the main theme in the story of Joseph and his brothers: the unity of the patriarchs of Israel as they leave Egypt and go to the Promised Land.

Answer by Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr.

Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr. is Co-Founder and President of Third Millennium Ministries who served as Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary and has authored numerous books.