B'resheet (Gen) 50
50
1Yosef fell on his father’s face, wept over him and kissed him. 2Then Yosef ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Isra’el. 3Forty days were spent at this, the normal amount of time for embalming. Then the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
4When the period of mourning was over, Yosef addressed to the household of Pharaoh: “I would like to ask a favor. Tell Pharaoh, 5‘My father had me swear an oath. He said, “I am going to die. You are to bury me in my grave, which I dug for myself in the land of Kena‘an.” Therefore, I beg you, let me go up and bury my father; I will return.’” 6Pharaoh responded, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”
7So Yosef went up to bury his father. With him went all Pharaoh’s servants, the leaders of his household and the leaders of the land of Egypt, 8along with the entire household of Yosef, his brothers and his father’s household; only their little ones, their flocks and their cattle did they leave in the land of Goshen. 9Moreover, there went up with him both chariots and horsemen — it was a very large caravan.
10When they arrived at the threshing-floor in Atad, beyond the Yarden, they raised a loud and bitter lamentation, mourning for his father seven days. 11When the local inhabitants, the Kena‘ani, saw the mourning on the floor of Atad they said, “How bitterly the Egyptians are mourning!” This is why the place was given the name Avel-Mitzrayim [mourning of Egypt], there beyond the Yarden.
12His sons did to him as he had ordered them to do — 13they carried him into the land of Kena‘an and buried him in the cave in the field of Makhpelah, which Avraham had bought, along with the field, as a burial-place belonging to him, from ‘Efron the Hitti, by Mamre.
14Then, after burying his father, Yosef returned to Egypt, he, his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
15Realizing that their father was dead, Yosef’s brothers said, “Yosef may hate us now and pay us back in full for all the suffering we caused him.” 16So they sent a message to Yosef which said, “Your father gave this order before he died: 17‘Say to Yosef, “I beg you now, please forgive your brothers’ crime and wickedness in doing you harm.”’ So now, we beg of you, forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Yosef wept when they spoke to him; 18and his brothers too came, prostrated themselves before him and said, “Here, we are your slaves.” 19But Yosef said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Am I in the place of God? 20You meant to do me harm, but God meant it for good — so that it would come about as it is today, with many people’s lives being saved. (vii) 21So don’t be afraid — I will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he comforted them, speaking kindly to them.
22Yosef continued living in Egypt, he and his father’s household. Yosef lived 110 years. (Maftir) 23Yosef lived to see Efrayim’s great-grandchildren, and the children of M’nasheh’s son Makhir were born on Yosef’s knees.
24Yosef said to his brothers, “I am dying. But God will surely remember you and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov.” 25Then Yosef took an oath from the sons of Isra’el: “God will surely remember you, and you are to carry my bones up from here.” 26So Yosef died at the age of 110, and they embalmed him and put him in a coffin in Egypt.
Haftarah Vayechi: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 2:1–12
B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Vayechi: Acts 7:9–16 (specifically vv. 15–16); Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 11:21–22; 1 Kefa (1 Peter) 1:3–9; 2:11–17
Hazak, hazak, v’nit’chazek!
Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened!
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1And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. 2And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. And the physicians embalmed Israel. 3And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those who are embalmed. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. 4And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found favour in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5My father made me swear, saying, Behold, I die; in my grave which I have dug myself in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. And now, let me go up, I pray thee, that I may bury my father; and I will come again. 6And Pharaoh said, Go up and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.
7And Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the bondmen of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8and all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house; only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. 9And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and the camp was very great. 10And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan; and there they lamented with a great and very grievous lamentation; and he made a mourning for his father of seven days. 11And the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing-floor of Atad, and they said, This is a grievous mourning of the Egyptians. Therefore the name of it was called Abel-Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. 12And his sons did to him according as he had commanded them; 13and his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah which Abraham had bought along with the field, for a possession of a sepulchre, of Ephron the Hittite, opposite to Mamre. 14And, after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brethren, and all that had gone up with him to bury his father.
15And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, If now Joseph should be hostile to us, and should indeed requite us all the evil that we did to him! 16And they sent a messenger to Joseph, saying, Thy father commanded before he died, saying, 17Thus shall ye speak to Joseph: Oh forgive, I pray thee, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin! for they did evil to thee. And now, we pray thee, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God#GodHebrew: Elohim of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18And his brethren also went and fell down before his face, and said, Behold, we are thy bondmen. 19And Joseph said to them, Fear not: am I then in the place of God#GodHebrew: Elohim 20Ye indeed meant evil against me: God#GodHebrew: Elohim meant it for good, in order that he might do as it is this day, to save a great people alive. 21And now, fear not: I will maintain you and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke consolingly to them.
22And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. 23And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation; the sons also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born on Joseph's knees. 24And Joseph said to his brethren, I die; and God#GodHebrew: Elohim will certainly visit you, and bring you up out of this land, into the land that he swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 25And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God#GodHebrew: Elohim will certainly visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones hence. 26And Joseph died, a hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him; and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.