The Sons of Isaac(115)

Epilogue


Jacob’s troubles were not over. Jealousy and hatred led the brothers to sell Joseph to some traders going down to Egypt. Jacob was told he had been killed. This was the final cruel trick that was played on Jacob.

In an amazing turnaround, Joseph was richly blessed in Egypt and saved his whole family from starvation. We read that he brought his father down to Egypt, where he was presented to the pharaoh and where he actually pronounced a blessing on the pharaoh.

Jacob gave each of his sons a word of blessing before he died, and as Joseph requested, gave a special blessing to Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Ephraim was the younger, and when Jacob placed his right hand on his head, Joseph thought he was mistaken. “No,” Jacob said, “I know what I am doing. Manasseh too shall become a great nation but Ephraim, the younger, shall become greater.”

Jacob then instructed his sons to take his body back to Canaan and bury it in the cave with his ancestors. Joseph had his father’s body embalmed, and then with a great number of Pharaoh’s counselors and senior officers of the land, a great number of chariots and cavalry as well as all of Joseph’s family went to Atad—meaning the place of brambles—beyond the Jordan. Here they held a great and splendid funeral. Then his family went the rest of the way to the cave of Mach-pelah and buried him beside Leah and his ancestors.

At Joseph’s death he predicted that at some time in the future the family would return to Canaan. “When you return,” he said, “you must take my body back with you so that I may be buried in Canaan.”

This was done. In Joshua 24:32 we read that Joseph was buried in the parcel of land that Jacob had purchased so long before from the sons of Hamor at Shechem.

At this same place, on the West Bank near the site of the ancient city of Shechem, and on this same parcel of land, is the well that Jacob dug. Today many tourists come here to drink of the clear, cool water of this well. At one time a large church was built over this spot, but now there is only a small edifice protecting the well.

Tourists can still see the tomb of Rachel on the road to Bethlehem. It has had many exterior changes over the years, but the place has always been noted.

Then there is the site of the Oaks of Mamre, which until recently had a few ancient oak trees that were reported to be, if not the original oaks, at least oaks that grew from seedlings of those oaks. Not far from this place, a mosque has been built over the cave of Mach-pelah, where all the patriarchs are buried with their wives.

If you are wondering who received the birthright, you will have to turn to 1 Chronicles 5:1, which tells us that though Israel’s firstborn son was Reuben, he dishonored his father by sleeping with one of his wives, and his birthright went to his half brother Joseph by being given to Joseph’s sons.

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The Moody Publishers Team





Character List


(In Order of Appearance)





Nahor: Brother to Abraham, father to Bethuel, grandfather to Rebekah and Laban

Rebekah: Nahor’s granddaughter, Laban’s sister, youngest daughter to Bethuel and Milcah

Laban: Nahor and Milcah’s grandson, Rebekah’s brother, youngest son to Bethuel and Milcah

Bethuel: Rebekah and Laban’s father, Nahor’s son, Milcah’s husband

Terah: An ancestor (Abraham and Nahor’s father)

Deborah: Rebekah’s nurse

Abraham: Rebekah and Laban’s great-uncle, Sarah’s husband

Milcah: Nahor’s wife

Reumah: Nahor’s concubine

Barida: Laban’s wife

Nazzim: Barida’s father

Isaac: Abraham and Sarah’s son

Keturah: Abraham’s concubine

Eleazar: Abraham’s old friend and chief steward

Ishmael: Abraham’s son by Hagar

Zimran: Abraham and Keturah’s son

Anatah: One of the king’s daughters, attracted to Isaac

Zeb: A young goatherd from the family of Urim

Judith: Esau’s first wife who eventually returns to her family

Bashemath: Esau’s second wife who also returns

Adah: Esau’s third wife, sister to Bashemath

Elon: Adah and Bashemath’s father

Beeri: Judith’s father

Zibeon: Esau’s friend

Ahoolibama: Zibeon’s daughter, Esau’s fourth wife

Reuel: Esau’s first son with Adah

Eliphaz: Another son of Esau

Rachel: Laban’s younger daughter

Leah: Laban’s older daughter

Reuben: Leah’s first son with Jacob

Simeon: Leah’s second son with Jacob

Levi: Leah’s third son with Jacob