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50 Then Joseph threw himself upon his father, and cried over him and kissed him. Joseph told his servants the doctors to make his father ready to be buried. So the doctors made Israel ready. Forty days were needed for this. For this is how much time it took for making the body ready to be buried. And the Egyptians cried for him seventy days.

When the days of sorrow for him were past, Joseph said to those of Pharaoh’s house, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh, saying, ‘My father had me make a promise to him. He said, “See, I am about to die. Bury me in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” So let me go and bury my father. Then I will return.’” Pharaoh answered, “Go and bury your father as he made you promise.”

So Joseph went to bury his father. With him went all the servants of Pharaoh, the leaders of his house and all the important men of the land of Egypt, and all those of the house of Joseph, and his brothers, and those of his father’s house. They left only their little ones and their flocks and cattle in the land of Goshen. Wagons and men on horses went with him also. It was a very large group of people.

10 They came to the grain-floor of Atad on the other side of the Jordan. There they cried with much sorrow. Joseph cried in sorrow for his father for seven days. 11 When those who lived in the land, the Canaanites, saw the people crying in sorrow at the grain-floor of Atad, they said, “This is a great sorrow for the Egyptians.” So the place was given the name Abel-mizraim. It is on the other side of the Jordan.

12 Jacob’s sons did as he had told them. 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan. They buried him in the grave of the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre, which Abraham had bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a burying place. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him to bury his father.

Joseph Tells His Brothers Not to Be Afraid

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be now that Joseph will hate us, and pay us in return for all the wrong that we did to him!” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, our father told us, 17 ‘You say to Joseph, “Forgive the wrong-doing of your brothers and their sin. For they did a bad thing to you.”’ Now we beg you, forgive the wrong-doing of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph cried when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers came and fell down in front of him and said, “See, we are your servants.”

19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You planned to do a bad thing to me. But God planned it for good, to make it happen that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones.” He gave them comfort and words of kindness.

The Death of Joseph

22 Joseph and his father’s family stayed in Egypt. And Joseph lived 110 years. 23 He lived long enough to see Ephraim’s grandchildren. And the sons of Manasseh’s son Machir were held on Joseph’s knees. 24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will take care of you. He will bring you from this land to the land that He promised to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel promise. He said, “God will take care of you. And you will carry my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died after living 110 years. They made his body ready, and he was put in a grave in Egypt.

50 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians (A)embalmed Israel. Then the forty days to do this were fulfilled, because in this manner the days of embalming are fulfilled. And the Egyptians (B)wept for him seventy days.

Then the days of weeping for him were past, and Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, (C)My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am about to die; in my grave (D)which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” So now, please let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’” And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”

So Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, and all the household of Joseph and his brothers and his father’s household; they left only their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. There also went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very [a]immense camp. 10 And they came to the [b]threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they (E)lamented there with a very great and [c]immense lamentation; and he [d]observed seven days of mourning for his father. 11 Now the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at [e]the threshing floor of Atad, and they said, “This is an [f]immense [g]mourning for the Egyptians.” Therefore it was named [h]Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.

Jacob’s Burial at Machpelah

12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them. 13 Indeed, his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in (F)the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field for his possession as a burial site from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

15 Then Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, and they said, “(G)What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and returns back to us all the evil which we dealt against him!” 16 So they [i]sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying, 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they dealt evil against you.”’ So now, please forgive the transgression of the slaves of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also came and (H)fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your slaves.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 As for you, (I)you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to do [j]what has happened on this day, to keep many people alive. 21 So now, do not be afraid; (J)I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke to their heart.

The Death of Joseph

22 Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were (K)born on Joseph’s knees. 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “(L)I am about to die, but God will surely [k]take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He swore to (M)Abraham, to (N)Isaac, and to (O)Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely [l]take care of you, and (P)you shall carry my bones up from here.” 26 So Joseph died at the age of 110 years; and (Q)they embalmed him, and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 50:9 Lit heavy
  2. Genesis 50:10 Heb Goren ha-Atad
  3. Genesis 50:10 Lit heavy
  4. Genesis 50:10 Lit made a mourning for seven days
  5. Genesis 50:11 Heb Goren ha-Atad
  6. Genesis 50:11 Lit heavy
  7. Genesis 50:11 Heb ebel
  8. Genesis 50:11 The meadow (or mourning) of Egypt
  9. Genesis 50:16 Lit commanded
  10. Genesis 50:20 Lit as it is this day
  11. Genesis 50:24 Or visit
  12. Genesis 50:25 Or visit