C. F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch on Genesis 50:24-26

Gen 50:24-26

When Joseph saw his death approaching, he expressed to his brethren his firm belief in the fulfilment of the divine promise (Gen 46:4-5, cf. Gen 15:16, Gen 15:18.), and made them take an oath, that if God should bring them into the promised land, they would carry his bones with them from Egypt. This last desire of his was carried out. When he died, they embalmed him, and laid him (ויּישׂם from ישׂם, like Gen 24:33 in the chethib) “in the coffin,” i.e., the ordinary coffin, constructed of sycamore-wood (see Hengstenberg, pp. 71, 72), which was then deposited in a room, according to Egyptian custom (Herod. 2, 86), and remained in Egypt for 360 years, until they carried it away with them at the time of the Exodus, when it was eventually buried in Shechem, in the piece of land which had been bought by Jacob there (Gen 33:19; Jos 24:32).

Thus the account of the pilgrim-life of the patriarchs terminates with an act of faith on the part of the dying Joseph; and after his death, in consequence of his instructions, the coffin with his bones became a standing exhortation to Israel, to turn its eyes away from Egypt to Canaan, the land promised to its fathers, and to wait in the patience of faith for the fulfilment of the promise.

Chronological Survey of the Leading Events of the Patriarchal HistoryArranged according to the Hebrew Text, as a continuation of the Chronological Tables at p. 77, with an additional calculation of the year before Christ. The EventsYear of Migration to EgyptYear of Entrance into CanaanYear from the CreationYear Before Christ Abram’s entrance into Canaan120212137 Birth of Ishmael1120322126 Institution of Circumcision2420452113 Birth of Isaac2520462112 Death of Sarah6220832075 Marriage of Isaac6520862072 Birth of Esau and Jacob8521062052 Death of Abraham10021212037 Marriage of Esau12521462012 Death of Ishmael14821691989 Flight of Jacob to Padan Aram16221831975 Jacob’s Marriage16921901968 Birth of Joseph17621971961 Jacob’s return from Padan Aram18222031951 Jacob’s arrival at Shechem in Canaan? 187? 2208? 1950 Jacob’s return home to Hebron19222131945 Sale of Joseph19322141944 Death of Isaac20522261932 Promotion of Joseph in Egypt20622271931 Removal of Israel to Egypt121522361922 Death of Jacob1723222531905 Death of Joseph7128623071851 Birth of Moses35056525861572 Exodus of Israel from Egypt43064526661492 The calculation of the years b.c. is based upon the fact, that the termination of the 70 years’ captivity coincided with the first year of the sole government of Cyrus, and fell in the year 536 b.c.; consequently the captivity commenced in the year 606 B. C.