After living in Egypt for 17 years, Jacob, feeling that his time was limited, asked Joseph to bury him in Canaan, with his family.

Joseph brought his two sons, Menashe and Ephraim to see Jacob, and receive a blessing from him, but when they did so, Jacob insisted that he place his right had on Ephraim and recite his name first, even though he was not the first born.

Later, Jacob gathered the rest of his sons to tell what was to come for each of them, saying that Reuben was unstable like water and that Shimeon and Levi were instruments of anger and would be scattered.

He said that Judah, like a lion, would be a leader in the future, Zebulun would live near the sea, Yissakhar would be a tiller of the soil and Dan would be a serpent of the highway.

He added that Gad would be a great warrior, Naphtali a messenger of brilliant speeches, Joseph a calm and outstanding leader in God’s eyes, and that Benjamin would tear the wolf to pieces and divide it as spoil.

These are the twelve tribes of Israel.

Soon Jacob died, and as instructed, Joseph embalmed his father and brought him to the Cave of Makhpelah, in the land of Canaan, to be buried near Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca and Leah.

After burying their father, Jacobs sons were concerned that Joseph might hold a grudge against them for what they had done in the past, and punish them.

However, after confronting and apologizing to Joseph, he told them not to be afraid, since God meant for their actions to bring them to the present.

Joseph continued to live in Egypt with his brothers, and before dying at the age of 110, he told his brothers that he wished to be buried in Egypt and have his body moved to Canaan if they ever returned to that land.