Genesis 50

1Joseph started crying, then leaned over to hug and kiss his father.

2Joseph gave orders for Jacob's body to be embalmed, 3and it took the usual 40 days.

The Egyptians mourned 70 days for Jacob. 4When the time of mourning was over, Joseph said to the Egyptian leaders, “If you consider me your friend, please speak to the king#50.4 the king: See the note at 12.15. for me. 5#Gn 47.29-31. Just before my father died, he made me promise to bury him in his burial cave in Canaan. If the king will give me permission to go, I will come back here.”

6The king answered, “Go to Canaan and keep your promise to your father.”

7-9When Joseph left Goshen with his brothers, his relatives, and his father's relatives to bury Jacob, many of the king's highest officials and even his military chariots and cavalry went along. The Israelites left behind only their children, their cattle, and their sheep and goats.

10After crossing the Jordan River, Joseph stopped at Atad's threshing place, where they all mourned and wept seven days for Jacob. 11The Canaanites saw this and said, “The Egyptians are in great sorrow.” Then they named the place “Egypt in Sorrow.”#50.11 Egypt in Sorrow: Or “Abel-Mizraim.”

12So Jacob's sons did just as their father had instructed. 13#Ac 7.16. They took him to Mamre in Canaan and buried him in Machpelah Cave, the burial place Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite.

14After the funeral, Joseph, his brothers, and everyone else returned to Egypt.

Joseph's Promise to His Brothers

15After Jacob died, Joseph's brothers said to each other, “What if Joseph still hates us and wants to get even with us for all the cruel things we did to him?”

16So they sent this message to Joseph:

Before our father died, 17he told us, “You did some cruel and terrible things to Joseph, but you must ask him to forgive you.”

Now we ask you to please forgive the terrible things we did. After all, we serve the same God that your father worshiped.

When Joseph heard this, he started crying.

18Right then, Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to the ground in front of him and said, “We are your slaves.”

19But Joseph told them, “Don't be afraid! I have no right to change what God has decided. 20You tried to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best, so that he could save all these people, as he is now doing. 21Don't be afraid! I will take care of you and your children.” After Joseph said this, his brothers felt much better.

Joseph's Death

22Joseph lived in Egypt with his brothers until he died at the age of 110. 23Joseph lived long enough to see Ephraim's children and grandchildren. He also lived to see the children of Manasseh's son Machir, and he welcomed them into his family. 24Before Joseph died, he told his brothers, “I won't live much longer. But God will take care of you and lead you out of Egypt to the land he promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25#Ex 13.19; Js 24.32; He 11.22. Now promise me that you will take my body with you when God leads you to that land.”

26So Joseph died in Egypt at the age of 110; his body was embalmed and put in a coffin.

Genesis 50

1Then Joseph #ch. 46:4fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to #ver. 26; [2 Chr. 16:14; Mark 16:1; Luke 23:56; John 19:39, 40]embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians #[ver. 10; Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8; 1 Sam. 31:13; Job 2:13]wept for him seventy days.

4And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, #ch. 47:29; See ch. 33:15“If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die: in my tomb #2 Chr. 16:14; Isa. 22:16; Matt. 27:60that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.” Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.’” 6And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” 7So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left #See ch. 45:10in the land of Goshen. 9And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, #[2 Sam. 1:17; Acts 8:2] they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he #[ver. 3]made a mourning for his father seven days. 11When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim;#50:11 Abel-mizraim means mourning (or meadow) of Egypt it is beyond the Jordan. 12Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them, 13for #ch. 49:29, 30; [Acts 7:16] his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham #ch. 23:16bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 14After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

God’s Good Purposes

15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of #ch. 49:25the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18His brothers also came and #[ch. 37:7, 10]fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for #ch. 30:2; [2 Kgs. 5:7]am I in the place of God? 20As for you, you meant evil against me, but #ch. 45:5, 7God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people#50:20 Or a numerous people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21So do not fear; #ch. 45:11; 47:12I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

The Death of Joseph

22So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children #[Job 42:16; Ps. 128:6] of the third generation. The #Num. 32:39; 1 Chr. 7:14, 15 children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were #[ch. 30:3]counted as Joseph’s own.#50:23 Hebrew were born on Joseph’s knees 24And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but #ch. 15:14; 46:4; 48:21; Ex. 3:16, 17; [Heb. 11:22] God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land #ch. 15:18; 26:3; 28:13; 35:12; 46:4that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25Then #Ex. 13:19; Josh. 24:32Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They #See ver. 2embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

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Genesis 50

Genesis 50