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And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.

Genesis 47:29-31

 

By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

Hebrews 11:21

 

The Claim: Genesis 47:29-31 says that Jacob’s last act was to ask to be burying in Egypt, because Jacob died at the end of verse 31. However, Hebrews 11:21 says that Jacob’s last act was blessing the sons of Joseph.

 

The Explanation: Hebrews 11:21 doesn’t explicitly say it was Jacob’s last act. The passage only says that Jacob did this when he was dying. However, as we will see in a moment when we look at Genesis, Jacob’s last recorded acts did involve blessing Joseph’s sons.

 

Genesis 47:31 is not where Jacob died. The phrase “bowed himself upon the head of his bed” does not mean he died. He simply bowed his head as a form of worship or reverence. The clearest way to know that Jacob didn’t die in Genesis 47:31 is to read the Bible. Genesis chapters 48 and 49 have Jacob blessing Joseph’s sons, something that couldn’t be done if Jacob died at the end of Genesis 47. Jacob’s actual point of death comes at the end of Genesis 49.

 

When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Genesis 49:33

 

This verse also indicates that Jacob’s last act was to finish blessing Joseph’s sons. There is no contradiction here.