Joseph’s long and fruitful life in Egypt exemplifies God’s gracious provision and the sustaining of His people.
As the book of Genesis concludes the story of Joseph, we learn that “Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived one hundred and ten years.” (v.22). This statement reminds us that Joseph, an important leader among the descendants of Abraham, remained in the land where he had risen to prominence through God’s providence. Egypt, located in northeastern Africa and dominated by the fertile Nile River, became Joseph’s home after he was sold into slavery and subsequently elevated to second-in-command under Pharaoh (Genesis 37, 41:39-44). According to many biblical chronologies, Joseph lived from around 1914 BC to 1804 BC, making him a key figure near the end of the patriarchal age, long before the Exodus in Exodus 12:40.
The verse states specifically that Joseph lived one hundred and ten years (v.22). Such a lifespan was considered a blessing from God, emphasizing His ongoing favor toward Joseph and his family. Joseph’s faithfulness to God is highlighted in Hebrews 11:22, where he is commemorated for his belief in the promises given to his great-grandfather Abraham, passed down through Isaac and then Jacob. Joseph’s life stands as a foreshadowing of how later generations would wait upon the Lord’s promises of deliverance and sovereignty, culminating in the ultimate deliverance through Jesus Christ.
By mentioning “he and his father’s household” (v.22), the text underscores that Joseph did not live apart from or above his family but continued to care for them, embodying unity and familial love. This final phase of Joseph’s life saw him preparing Israel (Jacob’s descendants) for their future in Egypt, a land that would later become a place of enslavement and eventual Exodus. Yet in Joseph’s final years, the land of Egypt provided a haven from famine and a chance for the family to thrive and grow, setting the stage for the events that would unfold centuries later.
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Genesis 50:22 meaning
As the book of Genesis concludes the story of Joseph, we learn that “Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived one hundred and ten years.” (v.22). This statement reminds us that Joseph, an important leader among the descendants of Abraham, remained in the land where he had risen to prominence through God’s providence. Egypt, located in northeastern Africa and dominated by the fertile Nile River, became Joseph’s home after he was sold into slavery and subsequently elevated to second-in-command under Pharaoh (Genesis 37, 41:39-44). According to many biblical chronologies, Joseph lived from around 1914 BC to 1804 BC, making him a key figure near the end of the patriarchal age, long before the Exodus in Exodus 12:40.
The verse states specifically that Joseph lived one hundred and ten years (v.22). Such a lifespan was considered a blessing from God, emphasizing His ongoing favor toward Joseph and his family. Joseph’s faithfulness to God is highlighted in Hebrews 11:22, where he is commemorated for his belief in the promises given to his great-grandfather Abraham, passed down through Isaac and then Jacob. Joseph’s life stands as a foreshadowing of how later generations would wait upon the Lord’s promises of deliverance and sovereignty, culminating in the ultimate deliverance through Jesus Christ.
By mentioning “he and his father’s household” (v.22), the text underscores that Joseph did not live apart from or above his family but continued to care for them, embodying unity and familial love. This final phase of Joseph’s life saw him preparing Israel (Jacob’s descendants) for their future in Egypt, a land that would later become a place of enslavement and eventual Exodus. Yet in Joseph’s final years, the land of Egypt provided a haven from famine and a chance for the family to thrive and grow, setting the stage for the events that would unfold centuries later.