Genesis 50

Jacob's Burial

1 Then Joseph, leaning over his father's face, wept and kissed him. 2 He commanded his servants who were physicians to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel.

3 They took 40 days to complete this, for embalming takes that long, and the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days.
4 When the days of mourning were over, Joseph said to Pharaoh's household, "If I have found favor with you, please tell Pharaoh that

5 my father made me take an oath, saying, 'I am about to die. You must bury me there in the tomb that I made for myself in the land of Canaan.' Now let me go and bury my father. Then I will return."

6 So Pharaoh said, "Go and bury your father in keeping with your oath."
7 Then 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, 8 along with all Joseph's household, his brothers, and his father's household. Only their children, their sheep, and their cattle were left in the land of Goshen. 9 Horses and chariots went up with him; it was a very impressive procession. 10 When 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.

11 When 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. It is across the Jordan.
12 So Jacob's sons did for him what he had commanded them. 13 They 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 a burial site from Ephron the Hittite.

14 After 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

15 When 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."
16 So 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 when their message came to him.

18 Then his brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, "We are your slaves!"
19 But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result-the survival of many people.

21 Therefore don't be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Joseph's Death

22 Joseph and his father's household remained in Egypt. Joseph lived 110 years.

23 He saw Ephraim's sons to the third generation; the sons of Manasseh's son Machir were recognized by Joseph.
24 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will certainly come to your aid and bring you up from this land to the land He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

25 So Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath: "When God comes to your aid, you are to carry my bones up from here."
26 Joseph died at the age of 110. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.

Genesis 50

1 Joseph started crying, then leaned over to hug and kiss his father.
2 Joseph gave orders for Jacob's body to be embalmed,

3 and it took the usual forty days.
The Egyptians mourned seventy days for Jacob. 4 When the time of mourning was over, Joseph said to the Egyptian leaders, “If you consider me your friend, please speak to the kingt for me.

5 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.”t

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

7-9 When 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.
10 After crossing the River Jordan and reaching Atad's threshing place, Joseph made everyone mourn and weep seven days for his father.

11 The Canaanites saw this and said, “The Egyptians are in great sorrow.” Then they named the place “Egypt in Sorrow”.t
12 So Jacob's sons did just as their father had instructed.

13 They took him to Canaan and buried him in Machpelah Cave, the burial place Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite.t

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

Joseph dies

Joseph's promise to his brothers

15 After 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?”

16 So they sent this message to Joseph:
Before our father died,

17 he told us, “You did some cruel and terrible things to Joseph, but you must ask him to forgive you.”
Now we ask you to forgive the terrible things we did. After all, we serve the same God that your father worshipped.
When Joseph heard this, he started crying.

18 At once, Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to the ground in front of him and said, “We are your slaves.”
19 But Joseph told them, “Don't be afraid! I have no right to change what God has decided. 20 You 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.

21 Don't be afraid! I will take care of you and your children.” After Joseph said this, his brothers felt much better.

Joseph's death

25 Now promise me that you will take my body with you when God leads you to that land.”t
26 So Joseph died in Egypt at the age of one hundred and ten; his body was embalmed and put in a coffin.