Genesis 50
International Children’s Bible
Jacob’s Burial
50 When Jacob died, Joseph hugged his father and cried over him and kissed him. 2 He commanded the doctors who served him to prepare his father’s body. So the doctors prepared Jacob’s body to be buried. 3 It took the doctors 40 days to prepare his body. This was the usual time it took. And the Egyptians had a time of sorrow for Jacob. It lasted 70 days.
4 When this time of sorrow had ended, Joseph spoke to the king’s officers. He said, “If you think well of me, please tell this to the king: 5 ‘When my father was near death, I made a promise to him. I promised I would bury him in a cave in the land of Canaan. This is a burial place that he cut out for himself. So please let me go and bury my father. Then I will return.’”
6 The king answered, “Keep your promise. Go and bury your father.”
7 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. 8 Everyone who lived with Joseph and his brothers went with him. And everyone who lived with his father also went. They left only their children, their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. 9 Men in chariots and on horses also went with Joseph. It was a very large group.
10 They went to the threshing floor of Atad, east of the Jordan River. There they cried loudly and bitterly for Jacob, also called Israel. 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. They said, “Those Egyptians are showing great sorrow!” So now that place is named Sorrow of the Egyptians.
12 So Jacob’s sons did what their father commanded. 13 They carried his body to the land of Canaan. They buried it in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre. Abraham had bought this cave and field from Ephron the Hittite. He bought the cave to use as a burial place. 14 After Joseph buried his father, he returned to Egypt. His brothers and everyone who had gone with him to bury his father also returned.
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. It said, “Your father gave this command before he died. 17 He said to us, ‘You have done wrong. You 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. They 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. It was to save the lives of many people. And it 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 110 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. He will lead you 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 110 years old. Doctors prepared his body for burial. Then they put him in a coffin in Egypt.
Genesis 50
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jacob’s Burial
50 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.(A)
4 When the days of mourning were over, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s household, “If I have found favor with you, please tell[a] Pharaoh that 5 my father made me take an oath,(B) saying, ‘I am about to die. You must bury me there in the tomb that I made for myself in the land of Canaan.’(C) 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.[b] 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.(D) 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.”(E)
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(F) 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?(G) 20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.(H) 21 Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones.”(I) And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.[c]
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;(J) the sons of Manasseh’s son Machir were recognized by[d][e] Joseph.(K)
24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die,(L) but God will certainly come to your aid and bring you up from this land to the land He promised Abraham,(M) Isaac,(N) and Jacob.”(O) 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.”(P)
26 Joseph died at the age of 110. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.
Footnotes
- Genesis 50:4 Lit please speak in the ears of
- Genesis 50:11 = Mourning of Egypt
- Genesis 50:21 Lit spoke to their hearts
- Genesis 50:23 Lit were born on the knees of
- Genesis 50:23 Referring to a ritual of adoption or of legitimation; Gn 30:3
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