Bible Strands
Genesis 50:7
Then Joseph went to bury his father, and all the servants of Pharaoh accompanied him—the elders of Pharaoh’s household and all the elders of the land of Egypt—
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joseph acts immediately after Pharaoh grants permission, leading a funeral procession from Egypt toward Canaan to inter Jacob.
The words — The verb וַ/יַּ֥עַל (va/i.Ya.'al) literally means "he went up," describing the geographic ascent from the Nile Delta to the hill country of Canaan. The phrase אִתּ֜/וֹ ('i.T/o) literally translates "with him," marking the accompanying retinue.
The thread — The movement is framed by Pharaoh’s command in Genesis 50:6 and the expanded company listed in Genesis 50:8. The retrieval motif parallels the gathering and transport of displaced persons and goods in Genesis 14:16.
Why it lands — The text records a historical diplomatic display that demands recognition of Joseph’s political authority and the tangible cost of patriarchal covenant burial. Readers must observe how Egyptian state protocol validates the burial request without altering the covenant promise.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
Cross-references
- Genesis 14:16 He retrieved all the goods, as well as his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the rest of the people.