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Jacob’s Burial

50 When Jacob died, Joseph hugged his father and cried over him and kissed him. He commanded the doctors who served him to prepare his father’s body, so the doctors prepared Jacob’s body to be buried. It took the doctors forty days to prepare his body (the usual time it took). And the Egyptians had a time of sorrow for Jacob that lasted seventy days.

When this time of sorrow had ended, Joseph spoke to the king’s officers and said, “If you think well of me, please tell this to the king: ‘When my father was near death, I made a promise to him that I would bury him in a cave in the land of Canaan, in a burial place that he cut out for himself. So please let me go and bury my father, and then I will return.’”

The king answered, “Keep your promise. Go and bury your father.”

So Joseph went to bury his father. All the king’s officers, the elders of his court, and all the elders of Egypt went with Joseph. Everyone who lived with Joseph and his brothers went with him, as well as everyone who lived with his father. They left only their children, their flocks, and their herds in the land of Goshen. They went with Joseph in chariots and on horses. It was a very large group.

10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they cried loudly and bitterly for his father. Joseph’s time of sorrow continued for seven days. 11 The people that lived in Canaan saw the sadness at the threshing floor of Atad and said, “Those Egyptians are showing great sorrow!” So now that place is named Sorrow of the Egyptians.

12 So Jacob’s sons did as their father commanded. 13 They carried his body to the land of Canaan and buried it in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre. Abraham had bought this cave and field from Ephron the Hittite to use as a burial place. 14 After Joseph buried his father, he returned to Egypt, along with his brothers and everyone who had gone with him to bury his father.

The Brothers Fear Joseph

15 After Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph is still angry with us? We did many wrong things to him. What if he plans to pay us back?” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph that said, “Your father gave this command before he died. 17 He said to us, ‘You have done wrong and have sinned and done evil to Joseph. Tell Joseph to forgive you, his brothers.’ So now, Joseph, we beg you to forgive our wrong. We are the servants of the God of your father.” When Joseph received the message, he cried.

18 And his brothers went to him and bowed low before him and said, “We are your slaves.”

19 Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Can I do what only God can do? 20 You meant to hurt me, but God turned your evil into good to save the lives of many people, which is being done. 21 So don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” So Joseph comforted his brothers and spoke kind words to them.

22 Joseph continued to live in Egypt with all his father’s family. He died when he was one hundred ten years old. 23 During Joseph’s life Ephraim had children and grandchildren, and Joseph’s son Manasseh had a son named Makir. Joseph accepted Makir’s children as his own.

The Death of Joseph

24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will take care of you. He will lead you out of this land to the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph had the sons of Israel make a promise. He said, “Promise me that you will carry my bones with you out of Egypt.”

26 Joseph died when he was one hundred ten years old. Doctors prepared his body for burial, and then they put him in a coffin in Egypt.

50 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.(A) Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,(B) taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.(C)

When the days of mourning(D) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,(E) “If I have found favor in your eyes,(F) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, ‘My father made me swear an oath(G) and said, “I am about to die;(H) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself(I) in the land of Canaan.”(J) Now let me go up and bury my father;(K) then I will return.’”

Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials(L) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court(M) and all the dignitaries of Egypt— besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household.(N) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.(O) Chariots(P) and horsemen[a] also went up with him. It was a very large company.

10 When they reached the threshing floor(Q) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;(R) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period(S) of mourning(T) for his father.(U) 11 When the Canaanites(V) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”(W) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.[b]

12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:(X) 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,(Y) near Mamre,(Z) which Abraham had bought along with the field(AA) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.(AB) 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.(AC)

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge(AD) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”(AE) 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions(AF) before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins(AG) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’(AH) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.(AI)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.(AJ)

18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.(AK) “We are your slaves,”(AL) they said.

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?(AM) 20 You intended to harm me,(AN) but God intended(AO) it for good(AP) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.(AQ) 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.(AR)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly(AS) to them.

The Death of Joseph

22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years(AT) 23 and saw the third generation(AU) of Ephraim’s(AV) children.(AW) Also the children of Makir(AX) son of Manasseh(AY) were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.[c](AZ)

24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die.(BA) But God will surely come to your aid(BB) and take you up out of this land to the land(BC) he promised on oath to Abraham,(BD) Isaac(BE) and Jacob.”(BF) 25 And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath(BG) and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones(BH) up from this place.”(BI)

26 So Joseph died(BJ) at the age of a hundred and ten.(BK) And after they embalmed him,(BL) he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 50:9 Or charioteers
  2. Genesis 50:11 Abel Mizraim means mourning of the Egyptians.
  3. Genesis 50:23 That is, were counted as his