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Genesis 50:22
And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.

Genesis 47:9,28
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimageare an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage…

Joshua 24:29
And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died,being an hundred and ten years old.

they embalmed.

Genesis 50:2,3
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel…

CONCLUDING REMARKS.

And they embalmed his body
The embalming of Joseph's body indicates his high status in Egyptian society, as embalming was typically reserved for royalty and the elite. This process, which involved preserving the body for the afterlife, aligns with Egyptian customs and beliefs about death and the afterlife. Joseph's embalming signifies his integration into Egyptian culture while maintaining his Hebrew identity, as he requested to be eventually buried in Canaan, the land promised to his ancestors.

and placed it in a coffin in Egypt.
The placement of Joseph's body in a coffin is another indication of Egyptian influence, as coffins were commonly used in Egyptian burial practices. This act also foreshadows the future Exodus, as Joseph's remains would later be carried out of Egypt by the Israelites, fulfilling his request to be buried in the Promised Land. This connects to the broader biblical theme of God's faithfulness to His promises, as Joseph's burial in Canaan would symbolize the eventual return of the Israelites to their ancestral land. Joseph's life and death serve as a type of Christ, prefiguring Jesus' role as a savior and leader who, though integrated into the world, ultimately fulfills God's redemptive plan.

• The narrative closes Joseph’s remarkable life with a simple, factual statement (Genesis 50:26).

• Scripture treats death as a real event in history, not myth or allegory. Joseph’s passing fulfills the pattern of “these are the generations” endings found earlier (Genesis 25:8; 35:29).

• God’s promise-keeping character shines through: every dream Joseph received (Genesis 37:5–11) had come to pass before his death, confirmingRomans 8:28 long before Paul penned it.

• Like his father Jacob, Joseph finishes the race still trusting God’s covenant (Genesis 48:21).Hebrews 11:22 looks back to this scene to commend his faith.

• In Egyptian culture 110 symbolized an ideal, complete lifespan; Scripture records it as literal fact. Joseph’s longevity echoes God’s blessing of “long life” promised to the righteous (Psalm 91:16).

• He lived long enough to see “Ephraim’s children of the third generation” (Genesis 50:23), a tangible sign of fruitfulness (Psalm 128:6).

• Comparison: Jacob lived 147 years (Genesis 47:28); Moses 120 years (Deuteronomy 34:7). Each life span underscores that God numbers our days (Job 14:5).

• Embalming was the highest honor in Egypt (Genesis 50:2–3 for Jacob). Joseph, once a Hebrew slave, receives royal treatment—proof of God’s exaltation (Genesis 41:41).

• Preserving the body ensured future transport. Joseph had sworn, “God will surely come to your aid, and you must carry my bones up from this place” (Genesis 50:25).Exodus 13:19 records Moses doing exactly that.

• The practice foreshadows later care for bodies of the faithful—from the spices prepared for Jesus (John 19:40) to the honor shown to Stephen (Acts 8:2).

• The only coffin mentioned in the Old Testament, indicating permanence yet also expectation—Joseph’s bones awaited the Exodus.

• Coffins represent waiting, not finality, for believers (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14).

• Joseph’s coffin likely rested in a place of prominence, reminding Israel that God had more for them than Egypt offered.

• The location highlights the tension: blessing enjoyed in Egypt, destiny anchored in Canaan.

• Joseph’s coffin became a silent sermon for four centuries, urging Israel to look beyond present comfort (Hebrews 11:13–16).

• Later,Joshua 24:32 notes the bones finally buried at Shechem—the land God promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:7), completing a journey of faith.

Genesis 50:26 records, in straightforward detail, the historical death of Joseph, his honored embalming, and his placement in an Egyptian coffin. Each phrase underscores God’s faithfulness: a life fully blessed, a body preserved for future redemption, and a resting place that kept hope alive until the promise of the land was fulfilled.

With the death of Joseph ends the preparation for the formation of a chosen race. Summoned from a remote city upon the Persian Gulf to Palestine, Abraham had wandered there as a stranger, and Isaac and Jacob had followed in his steps. But in Palestine the race could never have multiplied largely; for there were races already there too powerful to permit of their rapid increase. Abraham and Lot, Esau and Jacob had been compelled to separate; but now, under Joseph, they had been placed in a large, fertile, and well-nigh uninhabited region. The few who dwelt there were, as far as we can judge, of the Semitic stock, and whatever immigrants came from time to time were also of the same race, and were soon enrolled in the "taf"of some noble or chief. And thus all was ready for their growth into a nation; and when we next read of them they had multiplied into a people so vast that Egypt was afraid of them.

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