THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
I am obligated to carry out the commands of my Father. Once I have accomplished His purpose, I will come back.
Genesis 50:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
For my father made me swear to him, saying: Behold I die; thou shalt bury me in my sepulchre which I have digged for myself in the land of Chanaan. So I will go up and bury my father, and return.
אָבִ֞י הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣נִי לֵאמֹ֗ר הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִי֮ מֵת֒ בְּקִבְרִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן שָׁ֖מָּה תִּקְבְּרֵ֑נִי וְעַתָּ֗ה אֶֽעֱלֶה־נָּ֛א וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה אֶת־אָבִ֖י וְאָשֽׁוּבָה׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Vissarion (Nechaev)
Joseph instructed Pharaoh's nobles to speak on his behalf to Pharaoh. After the period of mourning for Jacob ended, Joseph felt it was essential to grieve for his father until he could bury him in Canaan. His appearance was marked by disheveled hair, sorrowful attire, and a lack of cleanliness, which made him think it inappropriate to approach Pharaoh in such a condition. Therefore, he chose to communicate through intermediaries for this request. Pharaoh, in turn, relayed his approval to Joseph through others, allowing the transport of Jacob's body to Canaan for burial in the family tomb where Jacob had previously prepared a resting place for himself.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Isa 22:16What dost thou here, or as if thou wert somebody here? for thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, thou hast hewed out a monument carefully in a high place, a dwelling for thyself in a rock.
- 2 Chr 16:14And they buried him in his own sepulchre, which he had made for himself in the city of David: and they laid him on his bed full of spices and odoriferous ointments, which were made by the art of the perfumers, and they burnt them over him with very great pomp.
- Matt 27:60And laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument and went his way.
- Gen 47:29And when he saw that the day of his death drew nigh, he called his son Joseph, and said to him: If I have found favour in thy sight, put thy hand under my thigh; and thou shalt shew me this kindness and truth, not to bury me in Egypt.
- Gen 47:31And he said: Swear then to me. And as he was swearing, Israel adored God, turning to the bed's head.
- Gen 48:21And he said to Joseph, his son: Behold I die, and God will be with you, and will bring you back into the land of your fathers.
- Ps 79 (78):3
- Gen 3:19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth out of which thou wast taken: for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return.