Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 124

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

The Death of Jacob

²⁹ Then he charged them and said to them, “I am about 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 along with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place. ³¹ They buried Abraham and Sarah his wife there. They buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife there, and I buried Leah there. ³² The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the children of Heth.”

³³ When Jacob finished instructing his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

The Burial of Jacob

50 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. ² Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. ³ Forty days were required for him, for such is the time required for those who are embalmed. Then the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

⁴ When the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh, saying, ⁵ ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die. Bury me in my tomb which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now therefore please let me go up and bury my father, and then I will return.’ ”

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

⁷ Joseph went up to bury his father, and all the servants of Pharaoh went up with him too, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt, ⁸ all the house of Joseph and his brothers and his father’s household. They left only their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. ⁹ Both the chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very great company.

¹⁰ When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they mourned with a great and very sorrowful lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father. ¹¹ When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning for the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.

¹² So his sons did with him just as he had commanded them. ¹³ For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field as a burial site from Ephron the Hittite. ¹⁴ After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father.

¹² For we dare not count or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. They who measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another are not wise. ¹³ But we will not boast beyond measure, but within the boundaries which God has appointed us, which reach even you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves as though we did not reach you, since we have come to you, preaching the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵ We are not boasting of things beyond our measure in other men’s labors. But we have hope that when your faith is increased, our region shall be greatly enlarged by you, ¹⁶ to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you and not to boast in another man’s accomplishments. ¹⁷ But, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”^{[a] 18} For it is not he who commends himself who is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.