What oath about his bones did Joseph require from the children of Israel?
Joseph required the children of Israel to swear an oath that when God surely visited them, they would carry his bones up from Egypt and back to Canaan, the land God swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, rather than leaving them in Egypt.
Les explains that Joseph, living in Egypt and reaching 110 years, told his brethren that he was dying, but God would surely visit Israel and bring them out of Egypt to the land He swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In verse 25, Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying God would surely visit them, and they were to carry his bones up from thence—back to Canaan. Though Joseph died at 110, was embalmed, and placed in a coffin in Egypt, the oath assured his bones would not stay there. Les notes that Genesis, the book of beginnings that opens with “In the beginning God created,” ends with a coffin and death, yet God buries His servants but never His program; great men of God come and go, but God’s program keeps moving on.
And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
More Questions
Why did Moses take Joseph's bones with him out of Egypt?
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the children of Israel swear that God would surely visit them and that they should carry his bones up with them.