Genesis 49:29
in Genesis 49Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
KJV
And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
⋯
This verse in Genesis 49
Commentary
5 notes on this verseBury me with my fathers, etc. - From this it appears that the cave at Machpelah was a common burying-place for Hebrews of distinction; and indeed the first public burying-place mentioned in history. From Gen 49:31 we find that Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah, had been already deposited there, and among them Jacob wished to have his bones laid; and he left his dying charge with his children to bury him in this place, and this they conscientiously performed. See Gen 50:13.
This site's exposition
I am about to be gathered to my people
on Genesis 49:29-30
The poetry stops and the last order Jacob gives is about a grave. He names the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite. Genesis 23 records that purchase in front of witnesses at the gate. He asks to be buried with his fathers.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Note, It is good to represent death to ourselves under the most desirable images, that the terror of it may be taken off. Though it separates us from our children and our people in this world, it gathers us to our fathers and to our people in the other world.
And he charged them, and said unto them,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he charged them--The charge had already been given and solemnly undertaken (Ge 47:31). But in mentioning his wishes now and rehearsing all the circumstances connected with the purchase of Machpelah, he wished to declare, with his latest breath, before all his family, that he died in the same faith as Abraham.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְצַ֣ו | vaytzav | and he commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| אוֹתָ֗ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲלֵהֶם֙ | ʾalehem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֲנִי֙ | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| נֶאֱסָ֣ף | neesaf | [am] about to be gathered | H622 → | 200 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עַמִּ֔י | ʾami | people my | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| קִבְר֥וּ | kivru | bury | H6912 → | 133 times |
| אֹתִ֖י | ʾoti | <obj.> me | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | with | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֲבֹתָ֑י | ʾavotai | fathers my | H1 → | 1212 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַ֨מְּעָרָ֔ה | hamearah | the cave | H4631 → | 37 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בִּשְׂדֵ֖ה | bisdeh | [is] in [the] field of | H7704 → | 334 times |
| עֶפְר֥וֹן | efron | Ephron | H6085 → | 14 times |
| הַֽחִתִּֽי׃ | hachiti | the Hittite | H2850 → | 48 times |
וַיְצַ֣וand he commanded
vaytzavH6680 →494 times
אוֹתָ֗ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֲלֵהֶם֙to them
ʾalehemH413 →5510 times
אֲנִי֙I
ʾaniH589 →874 times
נֶאֱסָ֣ף[am] about to be gathered
neesafH622 →200 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
עַמִּ֔יpeople my
ʾamiH5971 →1873 times
קִבְר֥וּbury
kivruH6912 →133 times
אֹתִ֖י<obj.> me
ʾotiH853 →10935 times
אֶל־with
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֲבֹתָ֑יfathers my
ʾavotaiH1 →1212 times
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַ֨מְּעָרָ֔הthe cave
hamearahH4631 →37 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בִּשְׂדֵ֖ה[is] in [the] field of
bisdehH7704 →334 times
עֶפְר֥וֹןEphron
efronH6085 →14 times
הַֽחִתִּֽי׃the Hittite
hachitiH2850 →48 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 15:15You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.
it leads to
- Job 5:26
You will come to the grave in full vigor, like a sheaf of grain gathered in season.
- Genesis 25:7–9
Abraham lived a total of 175 years.
- 2 Chronicles 34:28
‘Now I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place…
- Numbers 27:13
After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was;
- Daniel 12:13
But as for you, go on your way until the end. You will rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
- Job 5:26
Through
2 Samuel 19:37Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 2:7
But show loving devotion to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, because they stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
- Jeremiah 41:17
And they went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, near Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt
- 1 Kings 2:7
Through
Genesis 47:30but when I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me with them.” Joseph answered, “I will do as you have requested.”
it leads to
- Genesis 49:29–32
Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.
- Genesis 49:29–32
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
