³³ And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

Jacob’s Death and Burial

²⁹ Then he charged them and said to them: “I ^(A)am to be gathered to my people; ^(B)bury me with my fathers ^(C)in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

⁸ Then Abraham breathed his last and ^(A)died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and ^(B)was gathered to his people.

²³ to the ^[a]general assembly and church of ^(A)the firstborn ^(B)who are registered in heaven, to God ^(C)the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men ^(D)made perfect,

²² By faith ^(A)Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

The Heavenly Hope

¹³ These all died in faith, ^(A)not having received the ^(B)promises, but ^(C)having seen them afar off ^[a]were assured of them, embraced them and ^(D)confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things ^(E)declare plainly that they seek a homeland. ¹⁵ And truly if they had called to mind ^(F)that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed ^(G)to be called their God, for He has ^(H)prepared a city for them.

^15 (A)So Jacob went down to Egypt; ^(B)and he died, he and our fathers.

Israel’s Futile Idolatry