Add parallel Print Page Options

29 He instructed them, and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah: 32 the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth.” 33 When Jacob finished charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, breathed his last breath, and was gathered to his people. 50 Joseph fell on his father’s face, wept on him, and kissed him. Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel. Forty days were used for him, for that is how many the days it takes to embalm. The Egyptians wept for Israel for seventy days.

When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s staff, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying. Bury me in my grave which I have dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.’”

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

Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, all the elders of the land of Egypt, 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. Both chariots and horsemen went up with him. It was a very great company. 10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and severe lamentation. He mourned for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. 12 His sons did to him just as he commanded them, 13 for his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field, as a possession for a burial site, from Ephron the Hittite, near Mamre. 14 Joseph returned into Egypt—he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

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.