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 TranslationBerĕshith (Genesis) 50
50
1And Yosĕph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him, and kissed him.
2And Yosĕph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Yisra’ĕl.
3And forty days were completed for him, for so are completed the days of embalming. And the Mitsrites wept for him seventy days.
4And when the days of weeping for him were past, Yosĕph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If, now, I have found favour in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying,
5My father made me swear, saying, “See, I am dying, bury me in my burial-site which I dug for myself in the land of Kena‛an.” And now, please let me go up and bury my father, and return.’ ”
6And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”
7And Yosĕph went up to bury his father. And with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Mitsrayim,
8and all the house of Yosĕph, and his brothers, 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 it was a very great company.
10And they came to the threshing-floor of Ataḏ, which is beyond the Yardĕn, and they lamented there with a great and very heavy lamentation. And he performed seven days of mourning for his father.
11And when the inhabitants of the land, the Kena‛anites, saw the mourning at the threshing-floor of Ataḏ, they said, “This is a grievous mourning for the Mitsrites.” That is why its name was called Aḇĕl Mitsrayim, which is beyond the Yardĕn.
12And his sons did to him as he had commanded them,
13for his sons brought him to the land of Kena‛an, and buried him in the cave of the field of Maḵpĕlah, before Mamrĕ, which Aḇraham bought with the field from Ephron the Ḥittite as property for a burial-site.
14And after he had buried his father, Yosĕph returned to Mitsrayim, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father.
15And when Yosĕph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Yosĕph hates us, and pays us back all the evil which we did to him?”
16And they sent word to Yosĕph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying,
17This is what you are to say to Yosĕph, “I beg you, please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the Elohim of your father.” And Yosĕph wept when they spoke to him.
18And his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “See, we are your servants.”
19And Yosĕph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of Elohim?
20“And you, you intended evil against me, but Elohim intended it for good, in order to do it as it is this day, to keep a great many people alive.
21“And now, do not fear, I provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
22And Yosĕph dwelt in Mitsrayim, he and his father’s household. And Yosĕph lived one hundred and ten years.
23And Yosĕph saw Ephrayim’s children to the third generation. The children of Maḵir, son of Menashsheh, were also born on Yosĕph’s knees.
24And Yosĕph said to his brothers, “I am dying, but Elohim shall certainly visit you and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Aḇraham, to Yitsḥaq, and to Ya‛aqoḇ.”
25And Yosĕph made the children of Yisra’ĕl swear, saying, “Elohim shall certainly visit you, and you shall bring up my bones from here.”
26And Yosĕph died, being one hundred and ten years old. And they embalmed him, and he was placed in a coffin in Mitsrayim.
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