Genesis 50
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
50 Then Joseph threw himself on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him.(A) 2 Joseph commanded the physicians in his service to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel;(B) 3 they spent forty days doing this, for that is the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.(C)
4 When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph addressed the household of Pharaoh, “If now I have found favor with you, please speak to Pharaoh as follows: 5 My father made me swear an oath; he said, ‘I am about to die. In the tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.’ Now therefore let me go up, so that I may bury my father; then I will return.”(D) 6 Pharaoh answered, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”
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 in the land of Goshen.(E) 9 Both chariots and charioteers went up with him. It was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they held there a very great and sorrowful lamentation, and he observed a time of mourning for his father seven days.(F) 11 When the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning on the part of the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim;[a] it is beyond the Jordan. 12 Thus his sons did for him as he had instructed them. 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, the field near Mamre, which Abraham bought as a burial site from Ephron the Hittite.(G) 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.
Joseph Forgives His Brothers
15 Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?”(H) 16 So they approached[b] Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this instruction before he died, 17 ‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also wept,[c] fell down before him, and said, “We are here as your slaves.”(I) 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God?(J) 20 Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.(K) 21 So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.(L)
Joseph’s Last Days and Death
22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived one hundred ten years. 23 Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation; the children of Machir son of Manasseh were also born on Joseph’s knees.
24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely come to you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”(M) 25 So Joseph made the Israelites swear, saying, “When God comes to you, you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 And Joseph died, being one hundred ten years old; he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Genesis 50
International Standard Version
Joseph Mourns for His Father
50 Then Joseph embraced his father,[a] cried over him, and kissed him. 2 After this, he issued orders to his physician servants to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel. 3 It took 40 days to complete the process, the normal period required for embalming. Meanwhile, the Egyptians mourned for him for 70 days. 4 At the conclusion of the mourning period, Joseph addressed Pharaoh’s household. “If you’re satisfied with me, would you please take this message to Pharaoh for me? Tell him, 5 ‘My father told me, “Look! I’m about to die. Bury me in my grave that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” So please let me travel to bury my father. I’ll be right back.’”
6 “Please go,” Pharaoh replied. “Bury your father, as he asked you to do.”
Joseph Mourns in Canaan
7 So Joseph got up and went to bury his father, accompanied by all of Pharaoh’s servants, all of the elders of Egypt, 8 all of Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household. They left behind in the territory of Goshen only their youngest children, their flocks, and their herds. 9 Chariots and horsemen also accompanied Joseph,[b] so there were a lot of people. 10 When they arrived at Atad’s threshing floor, which is located beyond the Jordan River,[c] they held a great and mournful memorial service, during which Joseph[d] spent seven days mourning for his father. 11 As soon as the Canaanites who lived in the land observed the mourning going on at Atad’s threshing floor, they commented “This is a significant time of mourning for the Egyptians.” That’s why the place, which is located beyond the Jordan River,[e] became known as Abel-mizraim.[f]
The Burial at Machpelah
12 And so Israel’s[g] sons did what he had instructed them to do: 13 they carried him to the territory of Canaan and buried him in the cave in Machpelah field near Mamre that Abraham had purchased[h] as a cemetery from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt, along with everyone who had gone with him to attend the burial.
15 Later, after Joseph’s brothers faced the reality of their father’s death, they asked themselves, “What happens if Joseph decides to hold a grudge against us? What if he pays us back in full for all the wrong things we did to him?”
16 So they sent this message to Joseph: 17 “Before he died, your father left some instructions. He told us, ‘Tell Joseph, “Please forgive your brothers’ offenses. I beg you, forgive their sins, because they wronged you.”’ So please forgive the transgression of the servants of your father’s God.”
Joseph wept when they talked to him. 18 So Joseph’s[i] brothers went to visit him, fell prostrate in front of him, and declared, “Look! We’re your servants.”
19 “Don’t be afraid,” Joseph responded. “Am I sitting in God’s place? 20 As far as you’re concerned, you were planning evil against me, but God intended it for good, planning to bring about the present result so that many people would be preserved alive. 21 So don’t be afraid! I’ll take care of you and your little ones.” So Joseph[j] kept on comforting them, speaking to the needs of[k] their hearts.
Joseph’s Death and Burial
22 Joseph continued to live in Egypt, along with his father’s household, until he was 110 years old. 23 Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children, as well as the children who had been born to Manasseh’s son Machir, whom he adopted as his own.[l] 24 Later, Joseph told his brothers, “I’m going to die soon, but God will certainly provide for you and bring you up from this land to the land that he promised with an oath to give[m] to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 25 So Joseph made all of Israel’s other[n] children make this promise: “Because God is certainly going to take care of you, you are to carry my bones up from here.”
26 Some time later, Joseph died at the age of 110 years, and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Footnotes
- Genesis 50:1 Lit. Joseph fell on his father’s face
- Genesis 50:9 Lit. him
- Genesis 50:10 The Heb. lacks River
- Genesis 50:10 Lit. he
- Genesis 50:11 The Heb. lacks River
- Genesis 50:11 The Heb. name Abel-mizraim means Mourning of the Egyptians
- Genesis 50:12 Lit. so his
- Genesis 50:13 Lit. purchased along with the field
- Genesis 50:18 Lit. his
- Genesis 50:21 Lit. he
- Genesis 50:21 The Heb. lacks the needs of
- Genesis 50:23 Lit. Machir, who were born on Joseph’s knees; i.e. they were placed in a special position of inheritance rights
- Genesis 50:24 The Heb. lacks to give
- Genesis 50:25 The Heb. lacks other
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
