Jacob Blesses His Sons^(A)

49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.^(B)

²⁸ All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,^(BY) and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing^(BZ) appropriate to him.

The Death of Jacob

²⁹ Then he gave them these instructions:^(CA) “I am about to be gathered to my people.^(CB) Bury me with my fathers^(CC) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,^{(CD) 30} the cave in the field of Machpelah,^(CE) near Mamre^(CF) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field^(CG) as a burial place^(CH) from Ephron the Hittite. ³¹ There Abraham^(CI) and his wife Sarah^(CJ) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah^(CK) were buried, and there I buried Leah.^{(CL) 32} The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.^[p](CM)”

³³ When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.^(CN)

50 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.^{(CO) 2} Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,^{(CP) 3} taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.^(CQ)

⁴ When the days of mourning^(CR) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,^(CS) “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(CT) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, ⁵ ‘My father made me swear an oath^(CU) and said, “I am about to die;^(CV) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself^(CW) in the land of Canaan.”^(CX) Now let me go up and bury my father;^(CY) then I will return.’”

⁶ Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

⁷ So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials^(CZ) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court^(DA) and all the dignitaries of Egypt— ⁸ besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household.^(DB) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.^{(DC) 9} Chariots^(DD) and horsemen^[q] also went up with him. It was a very large company.

¹⁰ When they reached the threshing floor^(DE) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;^(DF) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period^(DG) of mourning^(DH) for his father.^{(DI) 11} When the Canaanites^(DJ) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”^(DK) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.^[r]

¹² So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:^{(DL) 13} They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,^(DM) near Mamre,^(DN) which Abraham had bought along with the field^(DO) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.^{(DP) 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.^(DQ)

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

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

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

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?^{(EA) 20} You intended to harm me,^(EB) but God intended^(EC) it for good^(ED) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.^{(EE) 21} So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.^(EF)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly^(EG) 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^{(EH) 23} and saw the third generation^(EI) of Ephraim’s^(EJ) children.^(EK) Also the children of Makir^(EL) son of Manasseh^(EM) were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.^[s](EN)

²⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die.^(EO) But God will surely come to your aid^(EP) and take you up out of this land to the land^(EQ) he promised on oath to Abraham,^(ER) Isaac^(ES) and Jacob.”^{(ET) 25} And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath^(EU) and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones^(EV) up from this place.”^(EW)

²⁶ So Joseph died^(EX) at the age of a hundred and ten.^(EY) And after they embalmed him,^(EZ) he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.