Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

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) 2} Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,^{(P) 3} taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.^(Q)

⁴ 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, ⁵ ‘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.’”

⁶ Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

⁷ 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— ⁸ 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) 9} 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)

¹² We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.^(A) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. ¹³ We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,^(B) a sphere that also includes you. ¹⁴ We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you^(C) with the gospel of Christ.^{(D) 15} Neither do we go beyond our limits^(E) by boasting of work done by others.^(F) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,^(G) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, ¹⁶ so that we can preach the gospel^(H) in the regions beyond you.^(I) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. ¹⁷ But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^{[a](J) 18} For it is not the one who commends himself^(K) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.^(L)