Genesis 49:29-50:14

International Standard Version

²⁹ In his last words, Jacob^[a] issued this set of instructions to them all: “I’m about to join^[b] our ancestors. Bury me alongside my ancestors in the cave in the field that used to belong to Ephron the Hittite. ³⁰ It’s the cave in the field near Mamre at Machpelah in the land of Canaan that Abraham bought to serve as a cemetery. ³¹ It’s where Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, where Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and where I buried Leah. ³² Both the field and the cave that’s in it were purchased from the Hittites.”

³³ After concluding this set of instructions to his sons, Jacob^[c] tucked his feet up into bed, quit breathing, and was gathered to his ancestors.

Joseph Mourns for His Father

50 Then Joseph embraced his father,^[d] 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,^[e] so there were a lot of people. ¹⁰ When they arrived at Atad’s threshing floor, which is located beyond the Jordan River,^[f] they held a great and mournful memorial service, during which Joseph^[g] 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,^[h] became known as Abel-mizraim.^[i]

The Burial at Machpelah

¹² And so Israel’s^[j] 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^[k] 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.