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Genesis 49:21-50
English Standard Version
Genesis 49:21-50
English Standard Version
22 “Joseph is (B)a fruitful bough,
a fruitful bough by a spring;
his branches run over the wall.[b]
23 The archers (C)bitterly attacked him,
shot at him, and harassed him severely,
24 yet (D)his bow remained unmoved;
his arms[c] were made agile
by the hands of the (E)Mighty One of Jacob
(from there is (F)the Shepherd,[d] (G)the Stone of Israel),
25 (H)by the God of your father who will help you,
by (I)the Almighty[e] (J)who will bless you
with blessings of heaven above,
blessings of the deep that crouches beneath,
blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father
are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents,
up to the bounties (K)of the everlasting hills.[f]
May they be (L)on the head of Joseph,
and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.
27 (M)“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
in the morning devouring the prey
and at evening (N)dividing the spoil.”
Jacob's Death and Burial
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. 29 Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be (O)gathered to my people; (P)bury me with my fathers (Q)in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, (R)which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 31 (S)There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There (T)they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah— 32 the field and the cave that is in it were bought from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and (U)was gathered to his people.
50 Then Joseph (V)fell on his father's face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to (W)embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians (X)wept for him seventy days.
4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, (Y)“If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die: in my tomb (Z)that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.” Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.’” 6 And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father's household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left (AA)in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, (AB)they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he (AC)made a mourning for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim;[g] it is beyond the Jordan. 12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them, 13 for (AD)his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham (AE)bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
God's Good Purposes
15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of (AF)the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and (AG)fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for (AH)am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but (AI)God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people[h] should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; (AJ)I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Footnotes
- Genesis 49:21 Or he gives beautiful words, or that bears fawns of the fold
- Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild donkey, a wild donkey beside a spring, his wild colts beside the wall
- Genesis 49:24 Hebrew the arms of his hands
- Genesis 49:24 Or by the name of the Shepherd
- Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
- Genesis 49:26 A slight emendation yields (compare Septuagint) the blessings of the eternal mountains, the bounties of the everlasting hills
- Genesis 50:11 Abel-mizraim means mourning (or meadow) of Egypt
- Genesis 50:20 Or a numerous people
Genesis 49:21-50
New International Version
Genesis 49:21-50
New International Version
22 “Joseph(C) is a fruitful vine,(D)
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches(E) climb over a wall.[b]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;(F)
they shot at him with hostility.(G)
24 But his bow remained steady,(H)
his strong arms(I) stayed[c] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,(J)
because of the Shepherd,(K) the Rock of Israel,(L)
25 because of your father’s God,(M) who helps(N) you,
because of the Almighty,[d](O) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
blessings of the deep springs below,(P)
blessings of the breast(Q) and womb.(R)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than[e] the bounty of the age-old hills.(S)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(T)
on the brow of the prince among[f] his brothers.(U)
27 “Benjamin(V) is a ravenous wolf;(W)
in the morning he devours the prey,(X)
in the evening he divides the plunder.”(Y)
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,(Z) and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing(AA) appropriate to him.
The Death of Jacob
29 Then he gave them these instructions:(AB) “I am about to be gathered to my people.(AC) Bury me with my fathers(AD) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,(AE) 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah,(AF) near Mamre(AG) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field(AH) as a burial place(AI) from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham(AJ) and his wife Sarah(AK) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah(AL) were buried, and there I buried Leah.(AM) 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[g](AN)”
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.(AO)
50 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.(AP) 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,(AQ) 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.(AR)
4 When the days of mourning(AS) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,(AT) “If I have found favor in your eyes,(AU) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath(AV) and said, “I am about to die;(AW) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself(AX) in the land of Canaan.”(AY) Now let me go up and bury my father;(AZ) 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(BA) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court(BB) 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.(BC) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.(BD) 9 Chariots(BE) and horsemen[h] also went up with him. It was a very large company.
10 When they reached the threshing floor(BF) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;(BG) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period(BH) of mourning(BI) for his father.(BJ) 11 When the Canaanites(BK) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”(BL) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.[i]
12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:(BM) 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,(BN) near Mamre,(BO) which Abraham had bought along with the field(BP) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.(BQ) 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.(BR)
Joseph Reassures His Brothers
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge(BS) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”(BT) 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions(BU) before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins(BV) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’(BW) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.(BX)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.(BY)
18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.(BZ) “We are your slaves,”(CA) they said.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?(CB) 20 You intended to harm me,(CC) but God intended(CD) it for good(CE) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.(CF) 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.(CG)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly(CH) to them.
Footnotes
- Genesis 49:21 Or free; / he utters beautiful words
- Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
- Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
- Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
- Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
- Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
- Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth
- Genesis 50:9 Or charioteers
- Genesis 50:11 Abel Mizraim means mourning of the Egyptians.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.