Dispossession
(1-minute read)
After the revered Jacob’s passing, grief sweeps over Egypt and Canaan alike, as Joseph and his family, clad in sackcloth, mourn their patriarch with elaborate honors, transforming his funeral into a royal procession. Their journey back to Canaan is marked by a dramatic clash, with Esau and his descendants defying Jacob’s burial wishes, igniting fierce conflict. In a stunning twist, Chushim, the deaf and mute grandson, slays Esau in the heat of battle, clearing the way for Jacob’s burial in the ancestral cave. With Esau’s sons defeated and forced to retreat, Joseph and his brothers lay their father to rest, while Joseph reconciles with his own brothers, vowing to care for them as he reflects on divine purpose in their turbulent history.
Major Characters
Minor Characters
Insignificant Characters
GENESIS
29%
JASHER
70%
JUBILEES
1%
Exposition
J: 47 | Y: 2259 | Joseph weeps over Jacob
Genesis 50:1, Jasher 56:23-24
The sons of Jacob begin mourning
Jasher 56:25
People from Egypt and the land of Canaan mourn
Jasher 56:26-28
Joseph has his servants embalm Jacob
Genesis 50:2, Jasher 56:29
The mourning lasted for 70 days
Genesis 50:3, Jasher 56:30
Rising Action
Joseph asks Pharaoh if he can bury Jacob and he agrees
Genesis 50:4-6, Jasher 56:31-33
Joseph begins the journey of taking his father to be buried
Genesis 50:7-9, Jasher 56:34-41
Upon arriving at the threshing floor of Atad they mourn for 7 days
Genesis 50:10, Jasher 56:42
The inhabitants of the land of Canaan join in mourning for Jacob
Genesis 50:11, Jasher 56:43-45
Esau and his family join in mourning for Jacob
Jasher 56:46-48
Climax
They arrive in Kirjath-Arba and Esau prevents them from burying Jacob in the cave
Jasher 56:49-54
Joseph has a record of purchase in Egypt and sends Naphtali to retrieve it
Jasher 56:55-59
Esau and his people battle against Joseph and his people
Jasher 56:60-61
Chushim kills Esau
Jasher 56:62-65
Jacob is buried and they mourn for 7 days
Genesis 50:12-13, Jasher 56:66-68, Jubilees 45:15b
The sons of Esau battle the sons of Jacob
Jasher 57:1-2a
Joseph takes Zepho and 50 men captive
Jasher 57:2b
Falling Action
The remaining sons of Esau retreat and bury Esau
Jasher 57:3-4
The sons of Jacob pursue them but don’t attack and then return back to Hebron
Jasher 57:5
Resolution
Joseph and his people return to Egypt
Genesis 50:14
The sons of Jacob fear Joseph so he comforts them
Genesis 50:15-21
Jubilee: 47
Year: 2259
Joseph weeps over Jacob
Genesis 50:1
1 And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.
Jasher 56:23
23 And Joseph fell upon his father and he cried out and wept over him and he kissed him, and he called out in a bitter voice, and he said, O my father, my father.
Jasher 56:24
24 And his son’s wives and all his household came and fell upon Jacob, and they wept over him, and cried in a very loud voice concerning Jacob.
The sons of Jacob begin mourning
Jasher 56:25
25 And all the sons of Jacob rose up together, and they tore their garments, and they all put sackcloth upon their loins, and they fell upon their faces, and they cast dust upon their heads toward the heavens.
People from Egypt and the land of Canaan mourn
Jasher 56:26-28
26 And the thing was told unto Osnath Joseph’s wife, and she rose up and put on a sack and she with all the Egyptian women with her came and mourned and wept for Jacob.
27 And also all the people of Egypt who knew Jacob came all on that day when they heard this thing, and all Egypt wept for many days.
28 And also from the land of Canaan did the women come unto Egypt when they heard that Jacob was dead, and they wept for him in Egypt for seventy days.
Joseph has his servants embalm Jacob
Genesis 50:2
2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.
Jasher 56:29
29 And it came to pass after this that Joseph commanded his servants the doctors to embalm his father with myrrh and frankincense and all manner of incense and perfume, and the doctors embalmed Jacob as Joseph had commanded them.
The mourning lasted for 70 days
Genesis 50:3
3 And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.
Jasher 56:30
30 And all the people of Egypt and the elders and all the inhabitants of the land of Goshen wept and mourned over Jacob, and all his sons and the children of his household lamented and mourned over their father Jacob many days.
Joseph asks Pharaoh if he can bury Jacob and he agrees
Genesis 50:4-6
4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,
5 My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.
Jasher 56:31-32
31 And after the days of his weeping had passed away, at the end of seventy days, Joseph said unto Pharaoh, I will go up and bury my father in the land of Canaan as he made me swear, and then I will return.
32 And Pharaoh sent Joseph, saying, Go up and bury thy father as he said, and as he made thee swear; and Joseph rose up with all his brethren to go to the land of Canaan to bury their father Jacob as he had commanded them.
Jasher 56:33
33 And Pharaoh commanded that it should be proclaimed throughout Egypt, saying, Whoever goeth not up with Joseph and his brethren to the land of Canaan to bury Jacob, shall die.
Joseph begins the journey of taking his father to be buried
Genesis 50:7
7 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,
Jasher 56:34
34 And all Egypt heard of Pharaoh’s proclamation, and they all rose up together, and all the servants of Pharaoh, and the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt went up with Joseph, and all the officers and nobles of Pharaoh went up as the servants of Joseph, and they went to bury Jacob in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 50:8-9
8 And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.
9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.
Jasher 56:35-41
35 And the sons of Jacob carried the bier upon which he lay; according to all that their father commanded them, so did his sons unto him.
36 And the bier was of pure gold, and it was inlaid round about with onyx stones and bdellium; and the covering of the bier was gold woven work, joined with threads, and over them were hooks of onyx stones and bdellium.
37 And Joseph placed upon the head of his father Jacob a large golden crown, and he put a golden scepter in his hand, and they surrounded the bier as was the custom of kings during their lives.
38 And all the troops of Egypt went before him in this array, at first all the mighty men of Pharaoh, and the mighty men of Joseph, and after them the rest of the inhabitants of Egypt, and they were all girded with swords and equipped with coats of mail, and the trappings of war were upon them.
39 And all the weepers and mourners went at a distance opposite to the bier, going and weeping and lamenting, and the rest of the people went after the bier.
40 And Joseph and his household went together near the bier barefooted and weeping, and the rest of Joseph’s servants went around him; each man had his ornaments upon him, and they were all armed with their weapons of war.
41 And fifty of Jacob’s servants went in front of the bier, and they strewed along the road myrrh and aloes, and all manner of perfume, and all the sons of Jacob that carried the bier walked upon the perfumery, and the servants of Jacob went before them strewing the perfume along the road.
Upon arriving at the threshing floor of Atad they mourn for 7 days
Genesis 50:10
10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
Jasher 56:42
42 And Joseph went up with a heavy camp, and they did after this manner every day until they reached the land of Canaan, and they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which was on the other side of Jordan, and they mourned an exceeding great and heavy mourning in that place.
The inhabitants of the land of Canaan join in mourning for Jacob
Genesis 50:11
11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.
Jasher 56:43-45
43 And all the kings of Canaan heard of this thing and they all went forth, each man from his house, thirty-one kings of Canaan, and they all came with their men to mourn and weep over Jacob.
44 And all these kings beheld Jacob’s bier, and behold Joseph’s crown was upon it, and they also put their crowns upon the bier, and encircled it with crowns.
45 And all these kings made in that place a great and heavy mourning with the sons of Jacob and Egypt over Jacob, for all the kings of Canaan knew the valor of Jacob and his sons.
Esau and his family join in mourning for Jacob
Jasher 56:46-48
46 And the report reached Esau, saying, Jacob died in Egypt, and his sons and all Egypt are conveying him to the land of Canaan to bury him.
47 And Esau heard this thing, and he was dwelling in mount Seir, and he rose up with his sons and all his people and all his household, a people exceedingly great, and they came to mourn and weep over Jacob.
48 And it came to pass, when Esau came he mourned for his brother Jacob, and all Egypt and all Canaan again rose up and mourned a great mourning with Esau over Jacob in that place.
They arrive in Kirjath-Arba and Esau prevents them from burying Jacob in the cavei
Jasher 56:49-54
49 And Joseph and his brethren brought their father Jacob from that place, and they went to Hebron to bury Jacob in the cave by his fathers.
50 And they came unto Kireath-arba, to the cave, and as they came Esau stood with his sons against Joseph and his brethren as a hindrance in the cave, saying, Jacob shall not be buried therein, for it belongeth to us and to our father.
51 And Joseph and his brethren heard the words of Esau’s sons, and they were exceedingly wroth, and Joseph approached unto Esau, saying, What is this thing which they have spoken? surely my father Jacob bought it from thee for great riches after the death of Isaac, now five and twenty years ago, and also all the land of Canaan he bought from thee and from thy sons, and thy seed after thee.
52 And Jacob bought it for his sons and his seed after him for an inheritance for ever, and why speakest thou these things this day?
53 And Esau answered, saying, Thou speakest falsely and utterest lies, for I sold not anything belonging to me in all this land, as thou sayest, neither did my brother Jacob buy aught belonging to me in this land.
54 And Esau spoke these things in order to deceive Joseph with his words, for Esau knew that Joseph was not present in those days when Esau sold all belonging to him in the land of Canaan to Jacob.
Joseph has a record of purchase in Egypt and sends Naphtali to retrieve it
Jasher 56:55-59
55 And Joseph said unto Esau, Surely my father inserted these things with thee in the record of purchase, and testified the record with witnesses, and behold it is with us in Egypt.
56 And Esau answered, saying unto him, Bring the record, all that thou wilt find in the record, so will we do.
57 And Joseph called unto Naphtali his brother, and he said, Hasten quickly, stay not, and run I pray thee to Egypt and bring all the records; the record of the purchase, the sealed record and the open record, and also all the first records in which all the transactions of the birth-right are written, fetch thou.
58 And thou shalt bring them unto us hither, that we may know from them all the words of Esau and his sons which they spoke this day.
59 And Naphtali hearkened to the voice of Joseph and he hastened and ran to go down to Egypt, and Naphtali was lighter on foot than any of the stags that were upon the wilderness, for he would go upon ears of corn without crushing them.
Esau and his people battle against Joseph and his people
Jasher 56:60-61
60 And when Esau saw that Naphtali had gone to fetch the records, he and his sons increased their resistance against the cave, and Esau and all his people rose up against Joseph and his brethren to battle.
61 And all the sons of Jacob and the people of Egypt fought with Esau and his men, and the sons of Esau and his people were smitten before the sons of Jacob, and the sons of Jacob slew of Esau’s people forty men.
Chushim kills Esau
Jasher 56:62-65
62 And Chushim the son of Dan, the son of Jacob, was at that time with Jacob’s sons, but he was about a hundred cubits distant from the place of battle, for he remained with the children of Jacob’s sons by Jacob’s bier to guard it.
63 And Chushim was dumb and deaf, still he understood the voice of consternation amongst men.
64 And he asked, saying, Why do you not bury the dead, and what is this great consternation? and they answered him the words of Esau and his sons; and he ran to Esau in the midst of the battle, and he slew Esau with a sword, and he cut off his head, and it sprang to a distance, and Esau fell amongst the people of the battle.
65 And when Chushim did this thing the sons of Jacob prevailed over the sons of Esau, and the sons of Jacob buried their father Jacob by force in the cave, and the sons of Esau beheld it.
Jacob is buried and they mourn for 7 days
Genesis 50:12
12 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:
Genesis 50:13
13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.
Jasher 56:66
66 And Jacob was buried in Hebron, in the cave of Machpelah which Abraham had bought from the sons of Heth for the possession of a burial place, and he was buried in very costly garments.
Jubilees 45:15b
15b and he was buried in the double cave in the land of Canaan, near Abraham his father in the grave which he dug for himself in the double cave in the land of Hebron.
Jasher 56:67-68
67 And no king had such honor paid him as Joseph paid unto his father at his death, for he buried him with great honor like unto the burial of kings.
68 And Joseph and his brethren made a mourning of seven days for their father.
The sons of Esau battle the sons of Jacob
Jasher 57:1-2a
1 And it was after this that the sons of Esau waged war with the sons of Jacob, and the sons of Esau fought with the sons of Jacob in Hebron, and Esau was still lying dead, and not buried.
2a And the battle was heavy between them, and the sons of Esau were smitten before the sons of Jacob, and the sons of Jacob slew of the sons of Esau eighty men, and not one died of the people of the sons of Jacob;
Joseph takes Zepho and 50 men captive
Jasher 57:2b
2b and the hand of Joseph prevailed over all the people of the sons of Esau, and he took Zepho, the son of Eliphaz, the son of Esau, and fifty of his men captive, and he bound them with chains of iron, and gave them into the hand of his servants to bring them to Egypt.
The remaining sons of Esau retreat and bury Esau
Jasher 57:3-4
3 And it came to pass when the sons of Jacob had taken Zepho and his people captive, all those that remained were greatly afraid of their lives from the house of Esau, lest they should also be taken captive, and they all fled with Eliphaz the son of Esau and his people, with Esau’s body, and they went on their road to Mount Seir.
4 And they came unto Mount Seir and they buried Esau in Seir, but they had not brought his head with them to Seir, for it was buried in that place where the battle had been in Hebron.
The sons of Jacob pursue them but don’t attack and then return back to Hebron
Jasher 57:5
5 And it came to pass when the sons of Esau had fled from before the sons of Jacob, the sons of Jacob pursued them unto the borders of Seir, but they did not slay a single man from amongst them when they pursued them, for Esau’s body which they carried with them excited their confusion, so they fled and the sons of Jacob turned back from them and came up to the place where their brethren were in Hebron, and they remained there on that day, and on the next day until they rested from the battle.
Joseph and his people return to Egypt
Genesis 50:14
14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
The sons of Jacob fear Joseph so he comforts them
Genesis 50:15-21
15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
i. In Jasher 56:51, Joseph says Esau sold the cave to Jacob 25 years ago which is in reference to Jasher 47:15-30.
(21-minute read)
Exposition
J: 47 | Y: 2259 | Joseph weeps over Jacob
Genesis 50:1, Jasher 56:23-24
Joseph threw himself onto his father, crying out and weeping over him. He kissed him and cried out with deep sorrow, saying, “O my father, my father.”
His sons’ wives and everyone in his household came and fell upon Jacob. They wept over him and cried out with loud voices in mourning for Jacob.
The sons of Jacob begin mourning
Jasher 56:25
All of Jacob’s sons stood up together. They tore their garments, put sackcloth around their waists, fell on their faces, and threw dust on their heads toward the sky.
People from Egypt and the land of Canaan mourn
Jasher 56:26-28
When Osnath, Joseph’s wife, heard what had happened, she put on sackcloth and, along with the Egyptian women who were with her, came to mourn and weep for Jacob.
Everyone in Egypt who had known Jacob came that same day when they heard the news. All Egypt mourned for many days. Even women from Canaan came to Egypt when they heard of Jacob’s death, and they also wept for him there for 70 days.
Joseph has his servants embalm Jacob
Genesis 50:2, Jasher 56:29
Afterward, Joseph ordered his servant doctors to embalm his father using myrrh, frankincense, and all kinds of incense and perfumes. The doctors embalmed Jacob just as Joseph had instructed.
The mourning lasted for 70 days
Genesis 50:3, Jasher 56:30
Everyone in Egypt, including the elders and all the people living in Goshen, mourned and wept for Jacob. The embalming process lasted 40 days, as is the custom for the embalmed, and the Egyptians continued mourning him for 70 days in total.
Rising Action
Joseph asks Pharaoh if he can bury Jacob and he agrees
Genesis 50:4-6, Jasher 56:31-33
When the mourning period ended, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s household, saying, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please speak to Pharaoh for me and say, ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die. Bury me in the grave I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” So let me go up and bury my father, and I’ll return.’”
Pharaoh replied, “Go up and bury your father, just as he made you swear.”
Then Joseph got up with all his brothers to go to Canaan and bury their father Jacob, just as he had commanded.
Pharaoh issued a proclamation throughout Egypt: “Whoever does not go up with Joseph and his brothers to bury Jacob in Canaan will be put to death.”
Joseph begins the journey of taking his father to be buried
Genesis 50:7-9, Jasher 56:34-41
All of Egypt heard Pharaoh’s proclamation, and they all rose together. Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his household, the elders of Egypt, Joseph’s officers, and Pharaoh’s nobles—all went up with Joseph to bury Jacob in the land of Canaan.
Joseph’s entire household, his brothers, and his father’s household went with him. Only their children, flocks, and herds were left behind in Goshen. Chariots and horsemen also went with them, forming a massive procession.
Jacob’s sons carried the bier he lay on, exactly as their father had instructed them. The bier was made of pure gold, decorated all around with onyx stones and bdellium. The covering was woven gold, joined with threads, with onyx and bdellium hooks fastened to it.
Joseph placed a large golden crown on Jacob’s head and a golden scepter in his hand. They surrounded the bier like kings are honored while alive. Ahead of him went all Pharaoh’s warriors, then Joseph’s mighty men, and behind them came the rest of Egypt’s people. All were equipped with swords, armor, and full military gear. The mourners and weepers walked opposite the bier, crying and lamenting, while the rest followed behind. Joseph and his household walked barefoot near the bier, weeping. Joseph’s servants surrounded him, each wearing his ornaments and carrying his weapons.
Fifty of Jacob’s servants walked ahead of the bier, scattering myrrh, aloes, and all kinds of perfume along the road. Jacob’s sons walked on this perfumed path as they carried the bier, while the servants continued spreading fragrance in front of them.
Upon arriving at the threshing floor of Atad they mourn for 7 days
Genesis 50:10, Jasher 56:42
Joseph traveled with a large caravan, and they continued in this way each day until they reached the land of Canaan. They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan River, and there they held an intense and heavy mourning for 7 days.
The inhabitants of the land of Canaan join in mourning for Jacob
Genesis 50:11, Jasher 56:43-45
When the Canaanites saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a serious mourning for the Egyptians,” so the place was named Abelmizraim, which is across the Jordan.
All the kings of Canaan heard what was happening. Each of the 31 kings left his home and came with his men to mourn for Jacob. They saw Jacob’s bier and noticed Joseph’s crown on it. They placed their own crowns on the bier too, encircling it with their crowns.
The kings and the sons of Jacob, along with Egypt, held a grand and intense mourning there for Jacob, because all the kings of Canaan respected the bravery of Jacob and his sons.
Esau and his family join in mourning for Jacob
Jasher 56:46-48
News reached Esau: “Jacob has died in Egypt, and his sons and all of Egypt are taking him to Canaan to be buried.”
Esau, who was living in Mount Seir, got up with his sons, his household, and all his people—a very large group—and came to mourn and weep for Jacob.
When Esau arrived, he mourned his brother Jacob. Then everyone—Egypt and Canaan alike—rose again to mourn with Esau, and they held a great and solemn mourning for Jacob in that place.
Climax
They arrive in Kirjath-Arba and Esau prevents them from burying Jacob in the cave
Jasher 56:49-54
Joseph and his brothers brought their father Jacob from that place and traveled to Hebron to bury him in the cave alongside his ancestors. When they arrived at Kirjath-Arba, at the cave, Esau and his sons stood against Joseph and his brothers to block them, saying, “Jacob will not be buried here, for it belongs to us and to our father.”
When Joseph and his brothers heard what Esau’s sons said, they became very angry. Joseph stepped forward and said to Esau, “What is this you’re saying? My father Jacob bought this cave from you for a great sum after Isaac died—25 years ago. He also purchased all the land of Canaan from you, your sons, and your descendants. Jacob bought it for his children and their descendants as a lasting inheritance. So why are you saying this now?”
Esau replied, “You’re lying. I didn’t sell anything that belonged to me in this land, and Jacob didn’t buy anything from me either.”
Esau said this to try and deceive Joseph because he knew that Joseph wasn’t there when Esau sold all his property in Canaan to Jacob.
Joseph has a record of purchase in Egypt and sends Naphtali to retrieve it
Jasher 56:55-59
Joseph said to Esau, “My father made a written agreement with you and included witnesses. That record is still with us in Egypt.”
Esau replied, “Then bring the record. Whatever is in it, we’ll go by that.”
So Joseph called to Naphtali and said, “Hurry, don’t delay. Run quickly to Egypt and bring back all the records—the deed of purchase, both the sealed and the open copies, and also all the earlier documents that record the birthright transactions. Bring them here so we can confirm everything Esau and his sons are claiming today.”
Naphtali obeyed Joseph, running swiftly toward Egypt. He was faster on foot than any stag in the wilderness—he could run over stalks of grain without crushing them.
Esau and his people battle against Joseph and his people
Jasher 56:60-61
When Esau saw that Naphtali had gone to fetch the documents, he and his sons grew more determined to block the cave. Esau and his people rose up against Joseph and his brothers to fight. The sons of Jacob and the Egyptians fought back, and Esau’s people were defeated. The sons of Jacob killed 40 of Esau’s men.
Chushim kills Esau
Jasher 56:62-65
At that time, Chushim—the son of Dan, son of Jacob—was with the other sons of Jacob, about 100 cubits away from the fight. He had stayed behind with the children of Jacob’s sons to guard Jacob’s bier. Though Chushim was deaf and mute, he sensed the commotion and asked, “Why haven’t you buried the dead? What’s causing all this uproar?”
They explained what Esau and his sons were doing. Chushim rushed into the middle of the battle, struck Esau with a sword, and cut off his head, which flew some distance away. Esau fell among the others fighting. After Chushim did this, the sons of Jacob overpowered Esau’s people, and they buried Jacob in the cave by force while Esau’s sons looked on.
Jacob is buried and they mourn for 7 days
Genesis 50:12-13, Jasher 56:66-68, Jubilees 45:15b
Jacob’s sons did everything he had instructed. They carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, which Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site near Mamre. No king was ever honored the way Joseph honored his father—he buried him with the dignity of a royal funeral. Joseph and his brothers mourned for Jacob for 7 days.
The sons of Esau battle the sons of Jacob
Jasher 57:1-2a
Afterward, Esau’s sons declared war on Jacob’s sons. The two sides fought in Hebron, even though Esau’s body was still lying unburied. The battle was intense, but Esau’s sons were defeated. Jacob’s sons killed 80 of them, and not a single man from Jacob’s side was lost.
Joseph takes Zepho and 50 men captive
Jasher 57:2b
Joseph led the charge and defeated all the people of Esau’s household. He captured Zepho, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau, along with 50 of his men. He bound them in iron chains and gave them to his servants to take back to Egypt.
Falling Action
The remaining sons of Esau retreat and bury Esau
Jasher 57:3-4
After Zepho and his men were captured, the rest of Esau’s household panicked, afraid they’d be taken too. They fled with Eliphaz and Esau’s body, heading toward Mount Seir. They buried Esau there, but they hadn’t brought his head—it had been buried at the site of the battle in Hebron.
The sons of Jacob pursue them but don’t attack and then return back to Hebron
Jasher 57:5
Jacob’s sons pursued Esau’s people as far as the border of Seir, but didn’t kill anyone. The sight of Esau’s body among them caused confusion, so they turned back. They rejoined their brothers in Hebron and stayed there that day and the next, resting from the battle.
Resolution
Joseph and his people return to Egypt
Genesis 50:14
After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and everyone who had gone with him.
The sons of Jacob fear Joseph so he comforts them
Genesis 50:15-21
When Joseph’s brothers realized their father was gone, they said, “Maybe Joseph still hates us and will take revenge for all the wrong we did to him.”
So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father told us to say to you, ‘Please forgive your brothers for the wrong they did to you.’ So now, please forgive the servants of the God of your father.”
When Joseph heard this, he wept. His brothers came in person and bowed before him, saying, “We are your servants.”
But Joseph said, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in God’s place? You meant to harm me, but God intended it for good—to accomplish what is now being done: saving many lives. So don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.”
And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
This chart shows who was alive in the year 2259-2259.