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Lamentation for Jacob

50 Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him and kissed him. Then Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. They took 40 days for him, because that is how long embalming takes, and Egypt wept 70 days.

When the days of formal weeping passed, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s house saying, “If I’ve found favor in your eyes, please say in Pharaoh’s ears, “My father made me take an oath saying, ‘Behold, I am about to die. In my tomb—which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan—there you must bury me.’ So now, please allow me to go up and bury my father, and then return.”

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

So Joseph went up to bury his father. Also all of Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt went up with him, along with all of Joseph’s house, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and cattle were left in the land of Goshen. Chariots and horsemen also went up with him—it was a very impressive company.

10 When they came to the threshing floor of the bramble on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned there—a very great and solemn lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning ritual at the threshing floor of the prickly bush, they said, “A solemn mourning ritual this is for the Egyptians.” That is why it is named Abel-Mizraim, which is on the other side of the Jordan.

12 So Jacob’s sons did for him just as he commanded them. 13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, the field that Abraham bought as a property for burial from Ephron the Hittite, next to Mamre.

14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all those who went up with him to bury his father.

Joseph Comforts His Brothers

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father had died, they said, “Maybe Joseph will be hostile towards us and pay us back in full for all the evil we showed him. 16 So they charged Joseph saying, “Before his death, your father gave a command, saying, 17 “Thus you must say to Joseph: ‘Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin because they treated you wrongly.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.”

Then Joseph wept when they spoke to him, 18 and his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your slaves!”

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. For am I in the place of God? 20 Yes, you yourselves planned evil against me. God planned it for good, in order to bring about what it is this day—to preserve the lives of many people. 21 So now, don’t be afraid. I myself will provide food for you and your little ones.” So he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.

22 Joseph remained in Egypt—he and his father’s household—and Joseph lived 110 years. 23 Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons. Also the sons of Machir, Manasseh’s son, were born upon Joseph’s knees.

24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m about to die. But God will surely take notice of you and will bring you up from this land to the land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made Israel’s sons swear an oath saying, “When God takes notice of you, you will bring my bones up from here.”

26 So Joseph died at 110 years old, and they embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

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

When the days of mourning(D) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,(E) “If I have found favor in your eyes,(F) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, ‘My father made me swear an oath(G) and said, “I am about to die;(H) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself(I) in the land of Canaan.”(J) Now let me go up and bury my father;(K) 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(L) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court(M) 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.(N) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.(O) Chariots(P) and horsemen[a] also went up with him. It was a very large company.

10 When they reached the threshing floor(Q) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;(R) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period(S) of mourning(T) for his father.(U) 11 When the Canaanites(V) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”(W) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.[b]

12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:(X) 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,(Y) near Mamre,(Z) which Abraham had bought along with the field(AA) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.(AB) 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.(AC)

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge(AD) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”(AE) 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions(AF) before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins(AG) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’(AH) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.(AI)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.(AJ)

18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.(AK) “We are your slaves,”(AL) they said.

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?(AM) 20 You intended to harm me,(AN) but God intended(AO) it for good(AP) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.(AQ) 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.(AR)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly(AS) to them.

The Death of Joseph

22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years(AT) 23 and saw the third generation(AU) of Ephraim’s(AV) children.(AW) Also the children of Makir(AX) son of Manasseh(AY) were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.[c](AZ)

24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die.(BA) But God will surely come to your aid(BB) and take you up out of this land to the land(BC) he promised on oath to Abraham,(BD) Isaac(BE) and Jacob.”(BF) 25 And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath(BG) and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones(BH) up from this place.”(BI)

26 So Joseph died(BJ) at the age of a hundred and ten.(BK) And after they embalmed him,(BL) he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 50:9 Or charioteers
  2. Genesis 50:11 Abel Mizraim means mourning of the Egyptians.
  3. Genesis 50:23 That is, were counted as his

Parashat Shemot

Oppression in Egypt

Now these are the names of Bnei-Yisrael who came into Egypt with Jacob, each man with his family: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. The souls that came out of the line of Jacob numbered 70 in all, while Joseph was already in Egypt.

Then Joseph died, as did all his brothers and all that generation. Yet Bnei-Yisrael were fruitful, increased abundantly, multiplied and grew extremely numerous—so the land was filled with them.

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, “Look, the people of Bnei-Yisrael are too numerous and too powerful for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them, or else they will grow even more numerous, so that if war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and then escape from the land.”

11 So they set slave masters over them to afflict them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Raamses as storage cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread. So the Egyptians dreaded the presence of Bnei-Yisrael. 13 They worked them harshly, 14 and made their lives bitter with hard labor with mortar and brick, doing all sorts of work in the fields. In all their labors they worked them with cruelty.

15 Moreover the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 and said, “When you help the Hebrew women during childbirth, look at the sex. If it’s a son, then kill him, but if it’s a daughter, she may live.” 17 Yet the midwives feared God, so they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this—let the boys live?”

19 The midwives told Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women. They are like animals,[a] and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, growing very numerous. 21 Because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.

22 But Pharaoh charged all his people saying, “You are to cast every son that is born into the river, but let every daughter live.”

Young Moses

Now a man from the house of Levi took as his wife a daughter of Levi. The woman conceived and gave birth to a son. Now when she saw that he was delightful, she hid him for three months. [b] But when she could no longer hide him, she took a basket of papyrus reeds, coated it with tar and pitch, put the child inside, and laid it in the reeds by the bank of the Nile. His sister stood off at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe, while her maidens walked along by the riverside. When she saw the basket[c] among the reeds, she sent her handmaiden to fetch it. When she opened it, she saw the child—a baby boy crying! She had compassion on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew children.”

Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call a nurse from the Hebrews to nurse the child for you?”

Pharaoh’s daughter told her, “Go!” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 After the boy grew older she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. So she named him Moses saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”[d]

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 1:19 Or lively, vigorous.
  2. Exodus 2:3 cf. Acts 7:20; Heb. 11:23.
  3. Exodus 2:5 Or, ark.
  4. Exodus 2:10 The Moshe sounds like drawing out in Heb. and born, in Egyptian; cf. Acts 7:21.

The Israelites Oppressed

These are the names of the sons of Israel(A) who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.(B) The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy[a] in all;(C) Joseph was already in Egypt.

Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,(D) but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers(E) and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.(F) “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous(G) for us.(H) 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly(I) with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”(J)

11 So they put slave masters(K) over them to oppress them with forced labor,(L) and they built Pithom and Rameses(M) as store cities(N) for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly.(O) 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor(P) in brick(Q) and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.(R)

15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives,(S) whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”(T) 17 The midwives, however, feared(U) God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do;(V) they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”(W)

20 So God was kind to the midwives(X) and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared(Y) God, he gave them families(Z) of their own.

22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile,(AA) but let every girl live.”(AB)

The Birth of Moses

Now a man of the tribe of Levi(AC) married a Levite woman,(AD) and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine(AE) child, she hid him for three months.(AF) But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus(AG) basket[b] for him and coated it with tar and pitch.(AH) Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds(AI) along the bank of the Nile. His sister(AJ) stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank.(AK) She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.

Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”

“Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named(AL) him Moses,[c] saying, “I drew(AM) him out of the water.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 1:5 Masoretic Text (see also Gen. 46:27); Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also Acts 7:14 and note at Gen. 46:27) seventy-five
  2. Exodus 2:3 The Hebrew can also mean ark, as in Gen. 6:14.
  3. Exodus 2:10 Moses sounds like the Hebrew for draw out.

The Father Reveals His Son

13 When Yeshua came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14 They answered, “Some say John the Immerser, others say Elijah, and still others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

15 He said, “But who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Yeshua said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven! 18 And I also tell you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My community[a]; and the gates of Sheol will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will have been forbidden in heaven and what you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven.” 20 Then He ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah.

First Prediction: Death and Resurrection

21 From that time on, Yeshua began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and ruling kohanim and Torah scholars, and be killed, and be raised on the third day.

22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Never, Master! This must never happen to You!”

23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, satan! You are a stumbling block to Me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but the things of men.”

24 Then Yeshua said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then ‘He will repay everyone according to his deeds.’ [b] 28 Amen, I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Two Witnesses and a Voice from Heaven

17 After six days, Yeshua takes with Him Peter and Jacob and John his brother, and brings them up a high mountain by themselves. Now He was transfigured before them; His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Yeshua. Peter responded to Yeshua, “Master, it’s good for us to be here! If You wish, I will make three sukkot here—one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”[c]

While He was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice from out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”[d]

When the disciples heard this, they fell face down, terrified. But Yeshua came and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Stop being afraid.” And lifting their eyes, they saw no one except Yeshua alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Yeshua commanded them, saying, “Do not tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah(A)

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;(B) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”(C)

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”(D)

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,(E) but by my Father in heaven.(F) 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a](G) and on this rock I will build my church,(H) and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys(I) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[c] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.”(J) 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone(K) that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death(L)

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem(M) and suffer many things(N) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,(O) and that he must be killed(P) and on the third day(Q) be raised to life.(R)

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!(S) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.(T) 25 For whoever wants to save their life[e] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.(U) 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man(V) is going to come(W) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.(X)

28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The Transfiguration(Y)(Z)

17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John(AA) the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.(AB) Listen to him!”(AC)

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”(AD) When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone(AE) what you have seen, until the Son of Man(AF) has been raised from the dead.”(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 16:18 The Greek word for Peter means rock.
  2. Matthew 16:18 That is, the realm of the dead
  3. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been
  4. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been
  5. Matthew 16:25 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verse 26.

The Victorious King

Psalm 21

For the music director, a psalm of David.
Adonai, the king rejoices in Your strength!
How greatly he delights in Your salvation.
You granted him his heart’s desire,
and You did not withhold the request of his lips. Selah
For You met him with the best blessings.
You set on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked You for life, You gave it to him,
length of days forever and ever.
His glory is great through Your salvation.
Honor and majesty You bestow on him.
For You bestow on him eternal blessings,
gladden him with joy in Your presence.
For the king trusts in Adonai,
and in the lovingkindness of Elyon
he will not be shaken.
Your hand will find all your enemies.
Your right hand will overtake those who hate You.
10 You will make them like a fiery furnace
    at the time of your appearing.
In His wrath Adonai will swallow them up
    and fire will consume them.
11 You destroy their offspring from earth,
their seed from the children of men.
12 Though they intended evil against You
and devised a plot, they cannot succeed.
13 For You make them turn their backs.
You aim Your bowstrings at their faces.

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Psalm 21[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.(A)
    How great is his joy in the victories you give!(B)

You have granted him his heart’s desire(C)
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.[b]
You came to greet him with rich blessings
    and placed a crown of pure gold(D) on his head.(E)
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
    length of days, for ever and ever.(F)
Through the victories(G) you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.(H)
Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy(I) of your presence.(J)
For the king trusts in the Lord;(K)
    through the unfailing love(L) of the Most High(M)
    he will not be shaken.(N)

Your hand will lay hold(O) on all your enemies;
    your right hand will seize your foes.
When you appear for battle,
    you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and his fire will consume them.(P)
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.(Q)
11 Though they plot evil(R) against you
    and devise wicked schemes,(S) they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs(T)
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

13 Be exalted(U) in your strength, Lord;(V)
    we will sing and praise your might.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
  2. Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Beware Seduction

My son, pay attention to my wisdom.

Incline your ear to my insight,
that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge.
For a seducing woman’s lips drip honey
and her mouth is smoother than oil.
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a double-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death,
her steps lead straight to Sheol.
She does not keep straight to the path of life,
her paths are crooked
—but she does not know it.

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Warning Against Adultery

My son,(A) pay attention to my wisdom,
    turn your ear to my words(B) of insight,
that you may maintain discretion
    and your lips may preserve knowledge.
For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil;(C)
but in the end she is bitter as gall,(D)
    sharp as a double-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.(E)
She gives no thought to the way of life;
    her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.(F)

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