Genesi 50
Conferenza Episcopale Italiana
Funerali di Giacobbe
50 Allora Giuseppe si gettò sulla faccia di suo padre, pianse su di lui e lo baciò. 2 Poi Giuseppe ordinò ai suoi medici di imbalsamare suo padre. I medici imbalsamarono Israele 3 e vi impiegarono quaranta giorni, perché tanti ne occorrono per l'imbalsamazione. Gli Egiziani lo piansero settanta giorni. 4 Passati i giorni del lutto, Giuseppe parlò alla casa del faraone: «Se ho trovato grazia ai vostri occhi, vogliate riferire agli orecchi del faraone queste parole: 5 Mio padre mi ha fatto giurare: Ecco, io sto per morire: tu devi seppellirmi nel sepolcro che mi sono scavato nel paese di Canaan. Ora, possa io andare a seppellire mio padre e tornare». 6 Il faraone rispose: «Và e seppellisci tuo padre com'egli ti ha fatto giurare». 7 Allora Giuseppe andò a seppellire suo padre e con lui andarono tutti i ministri del faraone, gli anziani della sua casa, tutti gli anziani del paese d'Egitto, 8 tutta la casa di Giuseppe e i suoi fratelli e la casa di suo padre. Soltanto i loro bambini e i loro greggi e i loro armenti essi lasciarono nel paese di Gosen. 9 Andarono con lui anche i carri da guerra e la cavalleria, così da formare una carovana imponente. 10 Quando arrivarono all'Aia di Atad, che è al di là del Giordano, fecero un lamento molto grande e solenne ed egli celebrò per suo padre un lutto di sette giorni. 11 I Cananei che abitavano il paese videro il lutto alla Aia di Atad e dissero: «E' un lutto grave questo per gli Egiziani». Per questo la si chiamò Abel-Mizraim, che si trova al di là del Giordano. 12 Poi i suoi figli fecero per lui così come aveva loro comandato. 13 I suoi figli lo portarono nel paese di Canaan e lo seppellirono nella caverna del campo di Macpela, quel campo che Abramo aveva acquistato, come proprietà sepolcrale, da Efron l'Hittita, e che si trova di fronte a Mamre. 14 Dopo aver sepolto suo padre, Giuseppe tornò in Egitto insieme con i suoi fratelli e con quanti erano andati con lui a seppellire suo padre.
Dalla morte di Giacobbe alla morte di Giuseppe
15 Ma i fratelli di Giuseppe cominciarono ad aver paura, dato che il loro padre era morto, e dissero: «Chissà se Giuseppe non ci tratterà da nemici e non ci renderà tutto il male che noi gli abbiamo fatto?». 16 Allora mandarono a dire a Giuseppe: «Tuo padre prima di morire ha dato quest'ordine: 17 Direte a Giuseppe: Perdona il delitto dei tuoi fratelli e il loro peccato, perché ti hanno fatto del male! Perdona dunque il delitto dei servi del Dio di tuo padre!». Giuseppe pianse quando gli si parlò così. 18 E i suoi fratelli andarono e si gettarono a terra davanti a lui e dissero: «Eccoci tuoi schiavi!». 19 Ma Giuseppe disse loro: «Non temete. Sono io forse al posto di Dio? 20 Se voi avevate pensato del male contro di me, Dio ha pensato di farlo servire a un bene, per compiere quello che oggi si avvera: far vivere un popolo numeroso. 21 Dunque non temete, io provvederò al sostentamento per voi e per i vostri bambini». Così li consolò e fece loro coraggio. 22 Ora Giuseppe con la famiglia di suo padre abitò in Egitto; Giuseppe visse centodieci anni. 23 Così Giuseppe vide i figli di Efraim fino alla terza generazione e anche i figli di Machir, figlio di Manasse, nacquero sulle ginocchia di Giuseppe. 24 Poi Giuseppe disse ai fratelli: «Io sto per morire, ma Dio verrà certo a visitarvi e vi farà uscire da questo paese verso il paese ch'egli ha promesso con giuramento ad Abramo, a Isacco e a Giacobbe». 25 Giuseppe fece giurare ai figli di Israele così: «Dio verrà certo a visitarvi e allora voi porterete via di qui le mie ossa».
26 Poi Giuseppe morì all'età di centodieci anni; lo imbalsamarono e fu posto in un sarcofago in Egitto.
Genesis 50
New American Standard Bible
Jacob Is Buried
50 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians (A)embalmed Israel. 3 Now forty days were [a]required for [b]it, for [c]such is the period required for embalming. And the Egyptians (B)wept for him seventy days.
4 When the days of [d]mourning for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please speak [e]to Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘(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.” Now then, please let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’” 6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”
7 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, 8 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. 9 Chariots with teams of horses also went up with him; and it was a very great company. 10 When they came to the [f]threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they (E)mourned there with a very great and [g]sorrowful lamentation; and he [h]observed seven days of mourning for his father. 11 Now when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at [i]the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a [j]grievous [k]mourning for the Egyptians.” Therefore it was named [l]Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.
Burial at Machpelah
12 And so his sons did for him as he had commanded them; 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in (F)the cave of the field of Machpelah opposite Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a [m]burial site from Ephron the Hittite. 14 And 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 When Joseph’s brothers had seen that their father was dead, they said, “(G)What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!” 16 So they sent instructions to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded us before he died, saying, 17 ‘This is what you shall say to Joseph: “Please forgive, I beg you, the offense of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.”’ And now, please forgive the offense of the servants 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 servants.” 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 bring about [n]this present result, to keep many people alive. 21 So therefore, do not be afraid; (J)I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke [o]kindly to them.
Death of Joseph
22 Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived 110 years. 23 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 Joseph said to his brothers, “(L)I am about to die, but God will assuredly [p]take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He [q]promised on oath to (M)Abraham, to (N)Isaac, and to (O)Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will assuredly [r]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 they (Q)embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.
Footnotes
- Genesis 50:3 Lit fulfilled
- Genesis 50:3 Or him
- Genesis 50:3 Lit so are fulfilled the days of embalming
- Genesis 50:4 Lit weeping
- Genesis 50:4 Lit In the ears of
- Genesis 50:10 Heb Goren ha-Atad
- Genesis 50:10 Lit heavy
- Genesis 50:10 Lit made a mourning for seven days
- Genesis 50:11 Heb Goren ha-Atad
- Genesis 50:11 Lit heavy
- Genesis 50:11 Heb ebel
- Genesis 50:11 I.e., the meadow (or mourning) of Egypt
- Genesis 50:13 Lit possession of a burial place
- Genesis 50:20 Lit as this day
- Genesis 50:21 Lit to their heart
- Genesis 50:24 Or visit
- Genesis 50:24 Lit swore
- Genesis 50:25 Or visit
Genesis 50
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 50
Jacob’s Funeral. 1 Joseph flung himself upon his father and wept over him as he kissed him. 2 Then Joseph ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father. When the physicians embalmed Israel, 3 they spent forty days at it, for that is the full period of embalming; and the Egyptians mourned him for seventy days. 4 When the period of mourning was over, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s household. “If you please, appeal to Pharaoh, saying: 5 My father made me swear: ‘I am dying. Bury me in my grave that I have prepared for myself in the land of Canaan.’ So now let me go up to bury my father. Then I will come back.”(A) 6 Pharaoh replied, “Go and bury your father, as he made you promise on oath.”
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went all of Pharaoh’s officials who were senior members of his household and all the other elders of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as Joseph’s whole household, his brothers, and his father’s household; only their children and their flocks and herds were left in the region of Goshen. 9 Chariots, too, and horsemen went up with him; it was a very imposing retinue.
10 When they arrived at Goren-ha-atad,[a] which is beyond the Jordan, they held there a very great and solemn memorial service; and Joseph observed seven days of mourning for his father. 11 When the Canaanites who inhabited the land saw the mourning at Goren-ha-atad, they said, “This is a solemn funeral on the part of the Egyptians!” That is why the place was named Abel-mizraim. It is beyond the Jordan.
12 Thus Jacob’s sons did for him as he had instructed them. 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, facing on Mamre, the field that Abraham had bought for a burial ground from Ephron the Hittite.(B)
14 After Joseph had buried his father he returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all who had gone up with him for the burial of his father.
Plea for Forgiveness. 15 [b]Now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful and thought, “Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us and now most certainly will pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!” 16 So they sent to Joseph and said: “Before your father died, he gave us these instructions: 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: Please forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers, who treated you harmfully.’ So now please forgive the crime that we, the servants of the God of your father, committed.” When they said this to him, Joseph broke into tears. 18 Then his brothers also proceeded to fling themselves down before him and said, “We are your slaves!” 19 But Joseph replied to them: “Do not fear. Can I take the place of God? 20 Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end, the survival of many people.(C) 21 So now, do not fear. I will provide for you and for your children.” By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them.(D)
22 Joseph remained in Egypt, together with his father’s household. He lived a hundred and ten years. 23 He saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation, and the children of Manasseh’s son Machir were also born on Joseph’s knees.(E)
Death of Joseph. 24 Joseph said to his brothers: “I am about to die. God will surely take care of you and lead you up from this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”(F) 25 Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued, “When God thus takes care of you, you must bring my bones up from this place.”(G) 26 Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. He was embalmed and laid to rest in a coffin in Egypt.(H)
Footnotes
- 50:10–11 Goren-ha-atad: “Threshing Floor of the Brambles.” Abel-mizraim: although the name really means “watercourse of the Egyptians,” it is understood here, by a play on the first part of the term, to mean “mourning of the Egyptians.” The site has not been identified through either reading of the name. But it is difficult to see why the mourning rites should have been held in the land beyond the Jordan when the burial was at Hebron. Perhaps an earlier form of the story placed the mourning rites beyond the Wadi of Egypt, the traditional boundary between Canaan and Egypt (Nm 34:5; Jos 15:4, 47).
- 50:15–26 The final reconciliation of the brothers. Fearful of what may happen after the death of their father, the brothers engage in a final deception, inventing the dying wish of Jacob. Again, Joseph weeps, and, again, his brothers fall down before him, offering to be his slaves (44:16, 33). Joseph’s assurance is also a summation of the story: “Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end, the survival of many people” (v. 20). Joseph’s adoption of the children of Manasseh’s son Machir recalls Jacob’s adoption of his grandchildren (48:5, 13–20); the adoptions reflect tribal history (cf. Jgs 5:14).
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