Genesis 50
50
Jacob’s Funeral
1Joseph flung himself over Jacob, kissing him and weeping. And his tears fell on his father’s face. 2-3When he was able to compose himself, he ordered the royal physicians to embalm his father. So, they began the required forty-day process. The Egyptians mourned for Israel for seventy days, 4and when the weeping period was over, Joseph approached Pharaoh’s officials and said to them, “Please, may I ask a personal favor? Bring my appeal before Pharaoh and tell him: # 50:4 A mourner was considered unclean and unable to come directly to Pharaoh, so Joseph made his appeal to Pharaoh’s officials. See Est. 4:2. 5‘My dying father made me promise that I would bury him in the land of Canaan—in a tomb he had hewn with his own hands. Please give me permission to go and bury my father; then I will return.’ ”
6Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Go to Canaan, bury your father, and keep your promise to him.”
7So Joseph went to Canaan to bury his father, and all the officials of Pharaoh, the elite members of his court, and all of Egypt’s dignitaries accompanied him. 8All of Joseph’s household and all his brothers and their father’s household went, too. Only the children and livestock remained behind in Goshen. 9Many chariots and horsemen—a huge entourage—accompanied Joseph to Canaan in a grand procession!
10When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad # 50:10 Atad means “brambles.” on the other side of the Jordan, # 50:10 The phrase “the other side of the Jordan” usually refers to the Transjordan. It is possible that the funeral procession crossed over the Jordan near Jericho, the place where Joshua would later cross with Israel to take possession of Canaan. they mourned loudly with bitter sorrow for a long time. And Joseph spent seven days there in ceremonial mourning for his father. # 50:10 A strict custom of a seven-day period of mourning remains in Judaism even to this day. See 1 Sam. 31:13; Job 2:13. For the first time, Joseph returned to what had been his boyhood home for thirty-nine years, sadly, for his father’s funeral. 11When the people of Canaan saw the depth of mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a solemn occasion of grief for the Egyptians,” and named the place near the Jordan, The Mourning of the Egyptians. # 50:11 Or, in Hebrew, “Abel Mizraim.”
12So Jacob’s sons did as they were instructed 13and carried his body to the land of Canaan. They buried him there in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, where Abraham had purchased a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 14After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him to bury his father.
Joseph Comforts His Brothers
15When the brothers realized they were now without their father, they said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and decides to pay us back for all the trouble we brought on him?” 16So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before he died, your father left us this instruction: 17‘Tell Joseph that I beg him to completely forgive the sin of his brothers who treated him so harshly.’ Now, please forgive us, servants of the God of your father, of the horrible wrong we did to you.” Joseph cried and wept as they read this message to him. # 50:17 His brothers’ shame brought Joseph to tears. Without hesitation, he offered them reassurance and forgiveness. Joseph spoke kindly to those who hurt him, and he comforted their hearts. He refused to harbor a grudge or treat them differently for what they had done.
18Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph’s feet, saying, “We are here as your slaves!”
19But Joseph dried his tears and said, “Don’t be afraid. How could I ever take the place of God? # 50:19 Only God can judge, for he has perfect love and knows all things. Since we are not in his place, we only have the right to forgive. Many assume the role of a judge when they have someone cornered and vulnerable, but Joseph refused. He understood that God had turned the evil intentions of others into something good. God has power to transform pain into blessing when we love him through it all. 20Even though you intended to hurt me, God intended it for good. It was his plan all along, # 50:20 See Prov. 16:9; 20:24; Rom. 8:28. to ensure the survival of many people. So, don’t worry. I myself will provide for you all that you need, both for you and your little ones.” 21Then with more kind, reassuring words, Joseph comforted his brothers.
Joseph Dies in Egypt
22Joseph lived in Egypt along with his father’s family and lived to be one hundred and ten years old. # 50:22 From ancient Egyptian writings we learn that Egyptians considered the age of one hundred and ten to be the ideal life span. 23He lived to see the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Joseph also lived to see the children of Makir, son of Manasseh; and Joseph gave Makir’s children inheritance rights. # 50:23 Or “Makir’s children were born on Joseph’s knees,” a figure of speech for being given inheritance rights.
24Then Joseph declared to his brothers, “I will die one day, but God will certainly come to you # 50:24 Or “visit you.” and fulfill his promises to bring you and your descendants from this land and lead you to the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 25So Joseph had his brothers, the sons of Israel, make a solemn oath, saying, “When God comes to you, you will carry my bones up from Egypt.” # 50:25 Even in death, Joseph fixed his eyes on eternity. Joseph foresaw life beyond the grave. By his astonishing declaration about his bones, Joseph proclaimed he lived for the promises rather than temporal concerns; he refused to be identified with his successes, accomplishments, or the blessings on his life, but only with the promises. He proclaimed that his home was not Egypt but the promised land. See Heb. 11:22.
26Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten. He was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt. # 50:26 Genesis begins with God and ends with a coffin in Egypt. It begins with God’s command for light to sparkle, thrusting its way throughout the universe, and it ends here with this sad moment as a family grieved over a loved one who had passed away. Genesis ends with the reader longing for the curse of sin and death to be broken. Exodus will bring us closer to seeing the Passover Lamb (see 1 Cor. 5:7) who would one day be born to take away the sin of the world.
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Genesis 50: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationBereshis 50
50
1And Yosef fell upon the face of Aviv, and wept over him, and kissed him.
2And Yosef commanded his avadim the rofe'im (physicians) to embalm Aviv; and the rofe'im embalmed Yisroel.
3And arba'im yom were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed; and the Mitzrayim mourned for him shivim yom (seventy days).
4And when the days of his mourning were past, Yosef spoke unto the Bais Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found chen in your eyes, speak, now, in the oznayim of Pharaoh, saying,
5Avi made me swear, saying, Hinei, I die; in my kever which I dug for myself in Eretz Kena'an, there shalt thou bury me. Therefore let me go up, now, and bury Avi, and I will return.
6And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury Avicha, according as he made thee swear.
7And Yosef went up to bury Aviv; and with him went up all the avadim of Pharaoh, the zekenim of his Bais, and all the zekenim of Eretz Mitzrayim,
8And kol Bais Yosef, and his achim, and Bais Aviv; only their little ones, and their tzon, and their bakar (cattle), they left in Eretz Goshen.
9And there went up with him both merkavot and parashim; and it was a very great machaneh.
10And they came to the goren (threshing floor) of Atad, which is beyond the Yarden, and there they mourned with a gadol and very bitter lamentation; and he made evel (mourning) for Aviv shivat yamim.
11And when the inhabitants of HaAretz, the Kena'ani, saw the evel (mourning) in the goren Atad, they said, This is a grievous evel to the Mitzrayim; therefore the shem of it was called Evel-Mitzrayim. It is beyond the Yarden.
12And his [Ya'akovʼs] banim did unto him according as he commanded them;
13For his banim carried him into Eretz Kena'an, and buried him in the me'arah (cave) of the sadeh of Machpelah, near Mamre, the sadeh which Avraham had bought for an achuzzat kever (burial estate) and made the purchase from Ephron the Chitti.
14And, after burying Aviv, Yosef returned into Mitzrayim, he, and his achim, and all that went up with him to bury Aviv.
15And when the Achei Yosef (the brothers of Yosef) saw that Avihem was dead, they said, What if Yosef will hate us, and will certainly requite us all the ra'ah which we did unto him.
16And they sent word unto Yosef, saying, Avicha did command before he died, saying,
17So shall ye say unto Yosef, Forgive, now, the peysha of thy achim, and their chattat; for they did unto thee ra'ah; and now, forgive the peysha of the Avdei Elohei Avicha. And Yosef wept when they spoke unto him.
18And his achim also went and fell down before him; and they said, Behold us, we are thy avadim.
19And Yosef said unto them, Fear not; for am I in the place of Elohim?
20But as for you, ye intended ra'ah against me; but Elohim intended it for tovah, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save Am Rav (much people) alive.
21Now therefore fear ye not; I will provide for you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke kindly unto their hearts.
22And Yosef dwelt in Mitzrayim, he, and Bais Aviv; and Yosef lived one hundred and ten shanim.
23And Yosef saw Ephrayimʼs bnei shileshim (children to the third generation); also the Bnei Machir Ben Menasheh were brought up upon the birkei Yosef (knees of Yosef).
24And Yosef said unto his achim, I die; and Elohim will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto HaAretz which He promised by oath to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya'akov.
25And Yosef made the Bnei Yisroel take an oath, saying, Elohim will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my atzmot from hence.
26So Yosef died, being in age one hundred and ten shanim; and they embalmed him, and he was placed in an aron in Mitzrayim.
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