The Death of Jacob

29 Then he gave them these instructions:(A) “I am about to be gathered to my people.(B) Bury me with my fathers(C) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,(D) 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah,(E) near Mamre(F) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field(G) as a burial place(H) from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham(I) and his wife Sarah(J) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah(K) were buried, and there I buried Leah.(L) 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[a](M)

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.(N)

50 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.(O) Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,(P) taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.(Q)

When the days of mourning(R) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,(S) “If I have found favor in your eyes,(T) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, ‘My father made me swear an oath(U) and said, “I am about to die;(V) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself(W) in the land of Canaan.”(X) Now let me go up and bury my father;(Y) then I will return.’”

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

So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials(Z) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court(AA) and all the dignitaries of Egypt— besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household.(AB) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.(AC) Chariots(AD) and horsemen[b] also went up with him. It was a very large company.

10 When they reached the threshing floor(AE) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;(AF) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period(AG) of mourning(AH) for his father.(AI) 11 When the Canaanites(AJ) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”(AK) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.[c]

12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:(AL) 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,(AM) near Mamre,(AN) which Abraham had bought along with the field(AO) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.(AP) 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.(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth
  2. Genesis 50:9 Or charioteers
  3. Genesis 50:11 Abel Mizraim means mourning of the Egyptians.

Jacob’s Burial Instructions

29 Then he commanded them, “I am about to be gathered to my people.(A) Bury me with my ancestors(B) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hethite.(C) 30 The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hethite as burial property.(D) 31 Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried there,(E) Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried there,(F) and I buried Leah there.(G) 32 The field and the cave in it were purchased from the Hethites.” 33 When Jacob had finished giving charges to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, took his last breath, and was gathered to his people.

Jacob’s Burial

50 Then Joseph, leaning over his father’s face, wept and kissed him. He commanded his servants who were physicians to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel. They took forty days to complete this, for embalming takes that long, and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.(H)

When the days of mourning were over, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s household, “If I have found favor with you, please tell Pharaoh that my father made me take an oath,(I) saying, ‘I am about to die. You must bury me there in the tomb that I made for myself in the land of Canaan.’(J) Now let me go and bury my father. Then I will return.”

So Pharaoh said, “Go and bury your father in keeping with your oath.”

Then Joseph went to bury his father, and all Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt went with him, along with all Joseph’s family, his brothers, and his father’s family. Only their dependents, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. Horses and chariots went up with him; it was a very impressive procession. 10 When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wept loudly, and Joseph mourned seven days for his father. 11 When the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a solemn mourning on the part of the Egyptians.” Therefore the place is named Abel-mizraim.[a] It is across the Jordan.

12 So Jacob’s sons did for him what he had commanded them. 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah in the field near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased as burial property from Ephron the Hethite.(K) 14 After Joseph buried his father, he returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him to bury his father.

Footnotes

  1. 50:11 = Mourning of Egypt