Genesis 50
50
Jacob’s Burial
1Then Joseph, leaning over his father’s face, wept and kissed him. 2He commanded his servants who were physicians to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel. 3They took forty days to complete this, for embalming takes that long, and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.#Gn 50:10; Nm 20:29; Dt 34:8
4When the days of mourning were over, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s household, “If I have found favor with you, please tell Pharaoh that 5my father made me take an oath,#Gn 47:29–31 saying, ‘I am about to die. You must bury me there in the tomb that I made for myself in the land of Canaan.’#2Ch 16:14; Is 22:16; Mt 27:60 Now let me go and bury my father. Then I will return.”
6So Pharaoh said, “Go and bury your father in keeping with your oath.”
7Then Joseph went to bury his father, and all Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt went with him, 8along with all Joseph’s family, his brothers, and his father’s family. Only their dependents, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9Horses and chariots went up with him; it was a very impressive procession. 10When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wept loudly, and Joseph mourned seven days for his father. 11When the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a solemn mourning on the part of the Egyptians.” Therefore the place is named Abel-mizraim.#50:11 = Mourning of Egypt It is across the Jordan.
12So Jacob’s sons did for him what he had commanded them. 13They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah in the field near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased as burial property from Ephron the Hethite.#Gn 23:16–20 14After Joseph buried his father, he returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him to bury his father.
Joseph’s Kindness
15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, “If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him.”#Gn 37:28; 42:21–22
16So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before he died your father gave a command: 17‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin — the suffering they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept#Gn 43:30; 46:29; 50:1 when their message came to him. 18His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
19But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?#Gn 3:5 20You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result — the survival of many people.#Gn 45:7; Rm 8:28 21Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.”#Gn 45:11; 47:12 And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.#50:21 Lit spoke to their hearts
Joseph’s Death
22Joseph and his father’s family remained in Egypt. Joseph lived 110 years. 23He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation;#Jb 42:16; Ps 128:6 the sons of Manasseh’s son Machir were recognized by#50:23 Lit were born on the knees of#50:23 Referring to a ritual of adoption or of legitimation; Gn 30:3 Joseph.#Gn 30:3
24Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die,#Gn 48:21; Ex 3:16–17; Heb 11:22 but God will certainly come to your aid and bring you up from this land to the land he swore to give to Abraham,#Gn 13:15–17; 15:7–8 Isaac,#Gn 26:3 and Jacob.”#Gn 28:13; 35:12 25So Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath: “When God comes to your aid, you are to carry my bones up from here.”#Ex 13:19
26Joseph died at the age of 110. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.
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Genesis 50: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Genesis 50
50
Joseph Buries His Father
1Joseph threw himself on his father, cried over him, and kissed him. 2Then Joseph ordered the doctors in his service to embalm his father. So the doctors embalmed Israel. 3The embalming was completed in the usual time—40 days. The Egyptians mourned for him 70 days.
4When the time of mourning for Jacob was over, Joseph spoke to the Pharaoh’s palace staff. He said, “Please speak directly to Pharaoh. Tell him, 5‘My father made me swear an oath. He said, “I’m about to die. Bury me in the tomb I bought for myself in Canaan.” Please let me go there and bury my father; then I’ll come back.’ ”
6Pharaoh replied, “Go and bury your father, as you have promised him.”
7So Joseph left to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials, the leaders in his palace staff, and all the leaders of Egypt went with him. 8Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household also went with him. (Only their children, their flocks, and their cattle were left in Goshen.) 9Chariots and horsemen went with him. It was a very large group.
10When they came to the threshing floor #50:10 A threshing floor is an outdoor area where grain is separated from its husks. of Atad, which is on the east side of the Jordan River, they began a great and solemn ceremony to mourn Jacob’s death. Joseph took seven days to mourn his father’s death. 11When the Canaanites living there saw the funeral ceremonies at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “These funeral ceremonies are taken very seriously by the Egyptians.” That’s why that place on the east side of the Jordan was named Abel Mizraim [Egyptian Funeral Ceremonies].
12Jacob’s sons did for him what he had told them to do. 13They carried him back to Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre. Abraham had bought this tomb from Ephron the Hittite.
14After Joseph had buried his father, he went back to Egypt along with his brothers and everyone who had gone there with him to bury his father.
Joseph Forgives His Brothers
15Joseph’s brothers realized what their father’s death could mean. So they thought, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us? What if he decides to pay us back for all the evil we did to him?” 16They sent a messenger to Joseph to say, “Before your father died, he commanded us, 17‘This is what you should say to Joseph, “I’m begging you to forgive the crime and the sin your brothers committed against you. What they did to you was very evil.” ’ So now, please forgive our crime, because we are servants of your father’s God.” Joseph cried when he got their message.
18Then his brothers also came and immediately bowed down in front of him. “We are your slaves!” they said.
19Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I can’t take God’s place. 20Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it. This was to keep many people alive, as he is doing now. 21Don’t be afraid! I will provide for you and your children.” In this way he reassured them, setting their minds at ease.
22Joseph and his father’s family stayed in Egypt. Joseph lived to be 110 years old. 23He saw his grandchildren, Ephraim’s children. Even the children of Machir, son of Manasseh, were adopted by Joseph at birth.
24At last Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m about to die. God will definitely take care of you and take you out of this land to the land he swore with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 25Joseph made Israel’s sons swear an oath. He said, “God will definitely take care of you. So be sure to carry my bones back with you.”
26Joseph died when he was 110 years old. His body was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
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