I will go down with thee thither, and will bring thee back again from thence: Joseph also shall put his hands upon thy eyes.
אָנֹכִ֗י אֵרֵ֤ד עִמְּךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וְאָנֹכִ֖י אַֽעַלְךָ֣ גַם־עָלֹ֑ה וְיוֹסֵ֕ף יָשִׁ֥ית יָד֖וֹ עַל־עֵינֶֽיךָ׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Observe the gracious humility in the statement, "I will go with thee into Egypt." What could be more fortunate than having the Almighty as your companion? Following this assurance, the aged patriarch received the comfort he particularly required: "Joseph will close thy eyes with his hand." Your beloved son will himself prepare your body for interment and gently lay his hands upon your eyes. Thus, embark on this journey with joy and without fear.
Jacob worried that his sons, due to the wealth of Egypt, would settle there permanently, leaving the divine promise unfulfilled. To reassure him, God reassured him once more, saying, “And I will come down with thee... and I will raise thee up from there.” Ultimately, in response to Jacob's fear of losing Joseph, God declared, “And Joseph your son will lay his hands on your eyes.”
Our Lord Himself inspires him through His own prophecy, announcing to him the blessings of faith, the outcome of His gracious gift, stating: Joseph shall put his hand over your eyes. The revered patriarch was not troubled about who would close his eyes, though there is also a deeper moral understanding inherent in this concept. Indeed, as we often desire to embrace those dear to us, how much more are we comforted by the final touches of our beloved children: as we leave this earthly existence, we find peace, having gathered such sustenance for the journey ahead. However, we must comprehend the profound significance of the Jewish people ultimately coming to recognize God.
For it is a holy mystery that the true Joseph places his hand over his eyes, enabling those who were once blind to gain sight. Turn to the Gospel and see how the blind man was restored, to whom Jesus applied His hand and lifted the darkness (John 9:6-7). Christ does not lay His hand upon those destined for death, but upon those who are meant to live; or even upon those who must first die to attain true life, for we cannot truly live for God unless we have first died to sin (cf. Rom. 6:1-11).
I will accompany you into Egypt. God, having bound the patriarchs with a promise concerning the land of Canaan, now manifests His presence there chiefly. To dispel any uncertainties regarding the ongoing support and favor He extends to Jacob as he departs, He assures Jacob of His companionship. I shall also lead your descendants out of it. This signifies that I will guide your lineage from Egypt, in addition to leading them personally. Joseph will close your eyes with his hand. This clarifies the previous revelation, indicating that the return from Egypt will occur after Jacob's passing. Two comforts are provided to him: his cherished son will be by his side in his final moments, and he will know that his family will thrive even after his death.
Jacob's longing to discern God's purpose for his journey was realized. In the night, the Lord manifested Himself to him, awakening him from sleep with the words: ‘O Jacob, Jacob, said unto him, I am the God of thy fathers,’ which means I extend the same grace to you as I granted to your ancestors. ‘Do not be afraid to go down into Egypt.’ Jacob may have had concerns about the future of his descendants in Egypt, questioning whether relocating would impede the growth of his family. He might have feared that the Egyptians, who showed kindness to him and his family during Joseph’s life, would turn against the Israelites after Joseph's passing.
The Lord comforts Jacob with the assurance: ‘into a great nation I will establish you there.’ The historical unfolding of events demonstrated that Jacob's move to Egypt would not hinder the promise of a large lineage. The Hebrews entered Egypt as 75 individuals (Genesis 46:27), yet by the time of their exodus, their numbers had grown to 600,000, not counting women, children, the elderly, and foreigners. The more the Egyptians afflicted them after Joseph's death, the more they flourished under God’s blessing (Ex. 1:12).
Additionally, Jacob might have worried about hardships or even his own demise during the arduous journey, particularly given his advanced age. The Lord reassured him by promising His presence throughout the journey: ‘I will go with thee into Egypt.’ Jacob may have felt uncertainty about how God’s pledge that his offspring would inherit the land of Canaan (Genesis 28:13-14) could materialize while he was leaving that territory for another. The Lord offered reassurance with the promise: ‘I will bring you up again,’ indicating that just as He would accompany Jacob to Egypt, He would ultimately lead his descendants back from Egypt to the land that was promised to him and to his forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Concerning Jacob personally, the Lord said, “Joseph shall put his hands upon your eyes,” meaning that although Jacob would pass away in Egypt alongside his son Joseph, he would find comfort in knowing that not a stranger, but his beloved son, whom he believed dead, would be there to care for him in his final moments and close his eyes at death.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS