Add parallel Print Page Options

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

50 Joseph put his face against his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him. Joseph commanded the physicians who served him to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. Forty days were set aside for him, for that is how many days it takes to embalm. The Egyptians mourned for him for seventy days.

When the days of mourning for Jacob were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh. He said, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak directly to Pharaoh for me and say that my father made me take an oath. He said to me, ‘Look, I am dying. Bury me in my tomb that I have dug for myself in the land of Canaan.’ Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will return here again.”

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

Joseph went up to bury his father, and all the officials of Pharaoh went up with him: the senior officials of Pharaoh’s household, all the elders of the land of Egypt, all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. Both chariots and horsemen went up with him. It was a very great entourage.

10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is on the other side of the Jordan, and there they mourned with a very loud and bitter lament. Joseph mourned for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, witnessed the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a very solemn mourning by the Egyptians.” That is why they named the place Abel Mizraim.[a] It is beyond the Jordan. 12 His sons did for him just what he commanded them to do: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field at Machpelah, which Abraham had purchased along with the field. He purchased it from Ephron the Hittite, as a piece of property for a burial site near Mamre. 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.

Joseph and His Brothers

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and will pay us back in full for all of the evil that we did to him.”

16 They sent the following message to Joseph: “Before he died your father commanded us, 17 ‘You are to tell Joseph, “Please forgive the offense of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ Now, please forgive the offense of the servants of the God of your father.”

Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

18 His brothers also came and fell down in front of him, and they said, “See now, we are your servants.”

19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring this to pass and to keep many people alive, as it is this day. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid. I will nourish you and your little ones.” He comforted them and spoke to them in a kind way.

The Death of Joseph

22 Joseph lived in Egypt, he and his father’s household. Joseph lived one hundred ten years. 23 He saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children also of Makir, the son of Manasseh, were placed on Joseph’s knees when they were born. 24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am dying, but God will surely visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Joseph made the descendants of Israel swear an oath. He said, “God will surely visit you. Then you shall carry my bones up from here.” 26 So Joseph died when he was one hundred ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 50:11 Abel Mizraim means mourning of the Egyptians.