Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 11:22

"By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones." — Hebrews 11:22 (ASV)

By faith Joseph, when he died. This means when he was about to die. See Genesis 50:24-25.

Made mention of the departing of the children of Israel. The marginal note says, "remembered." The meaning is that he called this to their mind; he spoke of it.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die; and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. This prediction of Joseph could have rested only on faith in the promise of God.

There were no events then occurring that would be likely to lead to this, and nothing that could be a basis of calculation that it would be so, except what God had spoken. The faith of Joseph, then, was simple confidence in God. Its strength was seen in his firm conviction that what had been promised would be fulfilled, even when there were no appearances that, from a human perspective, justified it.

And gave commandment concerning his bones (Genesis 50:25–26). 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.

He had such a firm belief that they would possess the land of promise that he exacted an oath from them that they would remove his remains with them, so that he might be buried in the land of his fathers. He could not have exacted this oath, nor could they have taken it, unless both he and they had a sure confidence that what God had spoken would be performed.