Genesis 50  New King James Version

Burial of Jacob

50 Then Joseph ^(A)fell on his father’s face and ^(B)wept over him, and kissed him. ² And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to ^(C)embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. ³ Forty days were required for him, for such are the days required for those who are embalmed; and the Egyptians ^(D)mourned^[a] for him seventy days.

⁴ Now when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to ^(E)the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying, ^5 (F)‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying; in my grave ^(G)which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.’ ”

⁶ And 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 house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, ⁸ as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds they left in the land of Goshen. ⁹ And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen, and it was a very great gathering.

¹⁰ Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they ^(H)mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. ^(I)He observed seven days of mourning for his father. ¹¹ And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians.” Therefore its name was called ^[b]Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.

¹² So his sons did for him just as he had commanded them. ¹³ For ^(J)his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which Abraham ^(K)bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place. ¹⁴ And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father.

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, ^(L)they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may ^[c]actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” ¹⁶ So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ¹⁷ ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; ^(M)for they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of ^(N)the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

¹⁸ Then his brothers also went and ^(O)fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

¹⁹ Joseph said to them, ^(P)“Do not be afraid, ^(Q)for am I in the place of God? ^20 (R)But as for you, you meant evil against me; but ^(S)God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. ²¹ Now therefore, do not be afraid; ^(T)I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke ^[d]kindly to them.

Death of Joseph^(U)

²² So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. ²³ Joseph saw Ephraim’s children ^(V)to the third generation. ^(W)The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, ^(X)were also brought up on Joseph’s knees.

²⁴ And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but ^(Y)God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land ^(Z)of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” ²⁵ Then ^(AA)Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely ^[e]visit you, and ^(AB)you shall carry up my ^(AC)bones from here.” ²⁶ So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.