Finally, the climax of Jacob’s life is coming, very soon, as he was preparing to set for the journey to see Joseph.
God appeared to him in Bersheeba to encourage him. Note that this is the first time again this encounter with God mentioned, after a long time, which were happened quite often when he was younger. Bersheeba is a historical place, where Abraham had dealings with Abimelekh, where God affirmed His promise to Isaac.
God said, that it is safe for Jacob to go to Egypt and that he would see Joseph and he would bring him back.
Now, I used to ponder about that verse. We know that God brought Jacob back, but not he personally, but as a nation later, and Jacob were bones.
Did Jacob misunderstand God’s promise?
I think, not. In some translation, it is written, that ‘you will die there and Joseph will close your eyes’.
However in Tanakh, it is not literally said like that but in below points, hence however I think it is safe to interpret as follow, that Jacob understood, because it is mentioned that,
– God will make Jacob into nation
– God will bring him back (referring to the previous sentence, as a nation)
– Jacob will die the best way, Joseph will close Jacob’s eyes, and it would be logical to understand that that means he would die in Egypt as Jacob brought all he had to Egypt.
When Jacob met Joseph, both cried – and finally, Jacob said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen your face again and know you are still alive.”
Take note, the crying moment when both met, the writer used Israel instead of Jacob.
Certainly the writer did not anyhow do it !
This one statement describes how heavy was his suffering for the last > 17 years and how much he loved Joseph.
So they settled in Goshen (meaning near, nearness) – and the chapter is closed with Joseph’s advice: “When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation, you must tell him, ‘We, your servants, have raised livestock all our lives, as our ancestors have always done.’ When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the region of Goshen, for the Egyptians despise shepherds.”
It kind of depicts that the world despise us, as we live in the nearness to God, and that’s okay.
We cannot be nearer anymore to Christ, for He is in us and we are in Him. And with that mindset, it is okay as well, if we are despised by the world, because it is just different realm. We ought to love the people of the world, and not the world, and if we cannot be nearer to God anymore, we are safe to (and should) be near (include) with anyone to shine the love of Christ to anyone in the world.
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trivias: Judah’s son’s name Er and Onan were still registered despite of they have deceased before – this resembles Chinese cultures 
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