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Parashat Vayechi

Joseph’s Promise to Jacob

28 Now Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for 17 years, so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years. 29 As the time of Israel’s death drew near, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please put your hand under my thigh and show me faithful kindness. Please do not bury me in Egypt. 30 When I lie down with my fathers, you must carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”

So he said, “I myself will do according to your word.”

31 “Swear to me,” he said. So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed down in worship on the head of his staff.[a]

Blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh

48 After these things, someone told Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with him. When someone told Jacob, saying, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel summoned his strength and sat up in the bed.

Then Jacob said to Joseph, “El Shaddai appeared to me in Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me.” He said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and multiply you and turn you into an assembly of peoples, and I will give this land to your seed after you as an everlasting possession.’ So now, your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just like Reuben and Simeon. Any descendent of yours whom you father after them will be yours; they will be identified by the names of their brothers for their inheritance. “Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way, in the land of Canaan, while we were still a distance from entering Ephrath. And I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons and said, “Who are these?”

Joseph said to his father, “They’re my sons, whom God has given me here.”

Then he said, “Please bring them to me, so I may bless them.”

10 Now Israel’s eyes had grown heavy with old age—he could not see. So he brought them near to him, and he kissed them and hugged them. 11 Then Israel said to Joseph, “To see your face, I didn’t expect—and look, God has let me see your offspring as well!”

12 Then Joseph took them from his knees and bowed with his face down to the ground. 13 Then Joseph took the two of them—Ephraim with his right hand across from Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand across from Israel’s right—and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it upon Ephraim’s head (though he was the younger), and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands (though Manasseh was the firstborn). 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,

“The God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has shepherded me
    throughout my life to this day,
16 The Angel who redeemed me
    from all evil,
May He bless the boys,
and may they be called by my name,
    and by the name of my fathers,
    Abraham and Isaac.
May they multiply to a multitude
    in the midst of the land.”

17 When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand upon Ephraim’s head, it was wrong in his eyes. So his took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not like that, my father, because this one’s the firstborn. Put your right hand upon his head.”

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will become great. But his younger brother will become greater than he and his seed will be the fullness of the nations.” 20 Then he blessed them that day saying,

“In you shall Israel bless by saying:
    ‘May God make you
    like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’”

Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die. But God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 Now I myself give you one portion more than your brothers, that which I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

Jacob Speaks Over His Sons

49 Jacob called his sons and said to them:

Gather together so that I can tell you
    what will happen to you in the last days.
Be assembled and listen, sons of Jacob,
and listen to Israel your father.

Reuben, my firstborn are you,
my vigor and firstborn of my power,
    endowed with extra dignity,
    endowed with extra strength—
like water boiling over
you will not have extra,
for you got up into your father’s bed,
when you defiled a maid’s couch.

Simeon and Levi are brothers,
    instruments of violence are their knives.
In their secret counsel
    may my soul not enter.
In their contingent may my honor
    never be united.
For in their anger they slew men,
    and in their self-will they maimed oxen.
Cursed be their anger for it was strong
    and their rage for it was cruel—
    I will disperse them in Jacob,
    I will scatter them in Israel.

Judah, so you are—
    your brothers will praise you:
Your hand will be on your enemies’ neck.
Your father’s sons will bow down to you.
A lion’s cub is Judah—
    from the prey, my son,
    you have gone up.
He crouches, lies down like a lion,
    or like a lioness—
    who would rouse him?[b]
10 The scepter will not pass from Judah,
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[c]
    until he to whom it belongs will come.
To him will be the obedience of the peoples.[d]
11 Binding his foal to the vine,
    his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,[e]
    he washes his garments in wine,
    and in the blood of grapes his robe.[f]
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
    and teeth that are whiter than milk.

13 Zebulun will dwell by the seashore,
    and be by a harbor for ships—
    his distant border reaches Sidon.

14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey,
    lying down between two saddlebags.
15 He saw that a resting place was good,
    and that the land was pleasant.
He leaned his shoulder to bear a burden,
    and became a forced laborer.

16 Dan will judge his people,
    as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Let Dan be a serpent beside a road,
    a viper beside a path,
who strikes a horse’s heels,
    so that its rider falls backward.
18 For your salvation I wait, Adonai!

19 Gad—attackers will attack him,
    but he will attack their heels.

20 Asher—rich is his food—
    he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
21 Naphtali is a doe let loose,
    who offers words of beauty.

22 A fruitful son is Joseph,
    a fruitful son beside a spring—
    daughters walk along a wall.
23 The archers were bitter and shot arrows
    and were hostile towards him.
24 Yet his bow was always filled,
    and his arms quick-moving—
    by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob.
From there a Shepherd,
    the Stone of Israel,[g]
25 from the God of your father
    who helps you,
    and Shaddai who blesses you,
    with blessings of heavens above,
    blessings of the deep that lies below,
    blessings of breasts and womb.
26 The blessings of your father surpassed
        the blessings of the ancient mountains,
        the desire of the everlasting hills.
    May they be upon Joseph’s head,
        upon the crown of the one set apart from his brothers.

27 Benjamin is a ravening wolf—
    in the morning he devours spoils,
    and in the evening divides plunder.

28 These are the tribes of Israel, twelve in all, and this is what their father spoke to them. He blessed them, each one he blessed with a suitable blessing. 29 Then he charged them and said to them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, that is next to Mamre in the land of Canaan—the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a property for burial. 31 There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field was purchased along with the cave in it from the sons of Het.”

33 When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, then breathed his last and was gathered to his peoples.

Lamentation for Jacob

50 Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him and kissed him. Then Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. They took 40 days for him, because that is how long embalming takes, and Egypt wept 70 days.

When the days of formal weeping passed, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s house saying, “If I’ve found favor in your eyes, please say in Pharaoh’s ears, “My father made me take an oath saying, ‘Behold, I am about to die. In my tomb—which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan—there you must bury me.’ So now, please allow me to go up and bury my father, and then return.”

Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father just as he made you swear on oath.”

So Joseph went up to bury his father. Also all of Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt went up with him, along with all of Joseph’s house, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and cattle were left in the land of Goshen. Chariots and horsemen also went up with him—it was a very impressive company.

10 When they came to the threshing floor of the bramble on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned there—a very great and solemn lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning ritual at the threshing floor of the prickly bush, they said, “A solemn mourning ritual this is for the Egyptians.” That is why it is named Abel-Mizraim, which is on the other side of the Jordan.

12 So Jacob’s sons did for him just as he commanded them. 13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, the field that Abraham bought as a property for burial from Ephron the Hittite, next to Mamre.

14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all those who went up with him to bury his father.

Joseph Comforts His Brothers

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father had died, they said, “Maybe Joseph will be hostile towards us and pay us back in full for all the evil we showed him. 16 So they charged Joseph saying, “Before his death, your father gave a command, saying, 17 “Thus you must say to Joseph: ‘Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin because they treated you wrongly.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.”

Then Joseph wept when they spoke to him, 18 and his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your slaves!”

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. For am I in the place of God? 20 Yes, you yourselves planned evil against me. God planned it for good, in order to bring about what it is this day—to preserve the lives of many people. 21 So now, don’t be afraid. I myself will provide food for you and your little ones.” So he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.

22 Joseph remained 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, Manasseh’s son, were born upon Joseph’s knees.

24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m about to die. But God will surely take notice of you and will bring you up from this land to the land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made Israel’s sons swear an oath saying, “When God takes notice of you, you will bring my bones up from here.”

26 So Joseph died at 110 years old, and they embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

28 Jacob lived in Egypt(A) seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.(B) 29 When the time drew near for Israel(C) to die,(D) he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(E) put your hand under my thigh(F) and promise that you will show me kindness(G) and faithfulness.(H) Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers,(I) carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”(J)

“I will do as you say,” he said.

31 “Swear to me,”(K) he said. Then Joseph swore to him,(L) and Israel(M) worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.[a](N)

Manasseh and Ephraim

48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim(O) along with him. When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel(P) rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[b](Q) appeared to me at Luz(R) in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me(S) and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers.(T) I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land(U) as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’(V)

“Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt(W) before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine,(X) just as Reuben(Y) and Simeon(Z) are mine. Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. As I was returning from Paddan,[c](AA) to my sorrow(AB) Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).(AC)

When Israel(AD) saw the sons of Joseph,(AE) he asked, “Who are these?”

“They are the sons God has given me here,”(AF) Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless(AG) them.”

10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.(AH) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them(AI) and embraced them.(AJ)

11 Israel(AK) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,(AL) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”(AM)

12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees(AN) and bowed down with his face to the ground.(AO) 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand,(AP) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel(AQ) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(AR) though he was the younger,(AS) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(AT)

15 Then he blessed(AU) Joseph and said,

“May the God before whom my fathers
    Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,(AV)
the God who has been my shepherd(AW)
    all my life to this day,
16 the Angel(AX) who has delivered me from all harm(AY)
    —may he bless(AZ) these boys.(BA)
May they be called by my name
    and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,(BB)
and may they increase greatly
    on the earth.”(BC)

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(BD) on Ephraim’s head(BE) he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”(BF)

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great.(BG) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(BH) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(BI) 20 He blessed(BJ) them that day(BK) and said,

“In your[d] name will Israel(BL) pronounce this blessing:(BM)
    ‘May God make you like Ephraim(BN) and Manasseh.(BO)’”

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[e](BP) and take you[f] back to the land of your[g] fathers.(BQ) 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land[h](BR) than to your brothers,(BS) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword(BT) and my bow.”

Jacob Blesses His Sons(BU)

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.(BV)

“Assemble(BW) and listen, sons of Jacob;
    listen to your father Israel.(BX)

“Reuben, you are my firstborn,(BY)
    my might, the first sign of my strength,(BZ)
    excelling in honor,(CA) excelling in power.
Turbulent as the waters,(CB) you will no longer excel,
    for you went up onto your father’s bed,
    onto my couch and defiled it.(CC)

“Simeon(CD) and Levi(CE) are brothers—
    their swords[i] are weapons of violence.(CF)
Let me not enter their council,
    let me not join their assembly,(CG)
for they have killed men in their anger(CH)
    and hamstrung(CI) oxen as they pleased.
Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
    and their fury,(CJ) so cruel!(CK)
I will scatter them in Jacob
    and disperse them in Israel.(CL)

“Judah,[j](CM) your brothers will praise you;
    your hand will be on the neck(CN) of your enemies;
    your father’s sons will bow down to you.(CO)
You are a lion’s(CP) cub,(CQ) Judah;(CR)
    you return from the prey,(CS) my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
    like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,(CT)
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[k]
until he to whom it belongs[l] shall come(CU)
    and the obedience of the nations shall be his.(CV)
11 He will tether his donkey(CW) to a vine,
    his colt to the choicest branch;(CX)
he will wash his garments in wine,
    his robes in the blood of grapes.(CY)
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
    his teeth whiter than milk.[m](CZ)

13 “Zebulun(DA) will live by the seashore
    and become a haven for ships;
    his border will extend toward Sidon.(DB)

14 “Issachar(DC) is a rawboned[n] donkey
    lying down among the sheep pens.[o](DD)
15 When he sees how good is his resting place
    and how pleasant is his land,(DE)
he will bend his shoulder to the burden(DF)
    and submit to forced labor.(DG)

16 “Dan[p](DH) will provide justice for his people
    as one of the tribes of Israel.(DI)
17 Dan(DJ) will be a snake by the roadside,
    a viper along the path,(DK)
that bites the horse’s heels(DL)
    so that its rider tumbles backward.

18 “I look for your deliverance,(DM) Lord.(DN)

19 “Gad[q](DO) will be attacked by a band of raiders,
    but he will attack them at their heels.(DP)

20 “Asher’s(DQ) food will be rich;(DR)
    he will provide delicacies fit for a king.(DS)

21 “Naphtali(DT) is a doe set free
    that bears beautiful fawns.[r](DU)

22 “Joseph(DV) is a fruitful vine,(DW)
    a fruitful vine near a spring,
    whose branches(DX) climb over a wall.[s]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;(DY)
    they shot at him with hostility.(DZ)
24 But his bow remained steady,(EA)
    his strong arms(EB) stayed[t] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,(EC)
    because of the Shepherd,(ED) the Rock of Israel,(EE)
25 because of your father’s God,(EF) who helps(EG) you,
    because of the Almighty,[u](EH) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
    blessings of the deep springs below,(EI)
    blessings of the breast(EJ) and womb.(EK)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
    than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
    than[v] the bounty of the age-old hills.(EL)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(EM)
    on the brow of the prince among[w] his brothers.(EN)

27 “Benjamin(EO) is a ravenous wolf;(EP)
    in the morning he devours the prey,(EQ)
    in the evening he divides the plunder.”(ER)

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

The Death of Jacob

29 Then he gave them these instructions:(EU) “I am about to be gathered to my people.(EV) Bury me with my fathers(EW) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,(EX) 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah,(EY) near Mamre(EZ) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field(FA) as a burial place(FB) from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham(FC) and his wife Sarah(FD) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah(FE) were buried, and there I buried Leah.(FF) 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[x](FG)

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.(FH)

50 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.(FI) Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,(FJ) taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.(FK)

When the days of mourning(FL) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,(FM) “If I have found favor in your eyes,(FN) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, ‘My father made me swear an oath(FO) and said, “I am about to die;(FP) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself(FQ) in the land of Canaan.”(FR) Now let me go up and bury my father;(FS) then I will return.’”

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

So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials(FT) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court(FU) and all the dignitaries of Egypt— besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household.(FV) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.(FW) Chariots(FX) and horsemen[y] also went up with him. It was a very large company.

10 When they reached the threshing floor(FY) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;(FZ) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period(GA) of mourning(GB) for his father.(GC) 11 When the Canaanites(GD) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”(GE) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.[z]

12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:(GF) 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,(GG) near Mamre,(GH) which Abraham had bought along with the field(GI) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.(GJ) 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.(GK)

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

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

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

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?(GU) 20 You intended to harm me,(GV) but God intended(GW) it for good(GX) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.(GY) 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.(GZ)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly(HA) 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(HB) 23 and saw the third generation(HC) of Ephraim’s(HD) children.(HE) Also the children of Makir(HF) son of Manasseh(HG) were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.[aa](HH)

24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die.(HI) But God will surely come to your aid(HJ) and take you up out of this land to the land(HK) he promised on oath to Abraham,(HL) Isaac(HM) and Jacob.”(HN) 25 And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath(HO) and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones(HP) up from this place.”(HQ)

26 So Joseph died(HR) at the age of a hundred and ten.(HS) And after they embalmed him,(HT) he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 47:31 Or Israel bowed down at the head of his bed
  2. Genesis 48:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  3. Genesis 48:7 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  4. Genesis 48:20 The Hebrew is singular.
  5. Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
  6. Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
  7. Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
  8. Genesis 48:22 The Hebrew for ridge of land is identical with the place name Shechem.
  9. Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  10. Genesis 49:8 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
  11. Genesis 49:10 Or from his descendants
  12. Genesis 49:10 Or to whom tribute belongs; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  13. Genesis 49:12 Or will be dull from wine, / his teeth white from milk
  14. Genesis 49:14 Or strong
  15. Genesis 49:14 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  16. Genesis 49:16 Dan here means he provides justice.
  17. Genesis 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for attack and also for band of raiders.
  18. Genesis 49:21 Or free; / he utters beautiful words
  19. Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
  20. Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
  21. Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
  22. Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
  23. Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
  24. Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth
  25. Genesis 50:9 Or charioteers
  26. Genesis 50:11 Abel Mizraim means mourning of the Egyptians.
  27. Genesis 50:23 That is, were counted as his