Genesis 50
50
1Joseph threw himself on his father’s body. He wept over him and kissed him. 2Then Joseph talked to the doctors who served him. He told them to prepare the body of his father Israel to be buried. So the doctors prepared it. 3They took 40 days to do it. They needed that much time to prepare a body in the right way. The Egyptians mourned for Jacob 70 days.
4After the days of sadness had passed, Joseph went to Pharaoh’s officials. He said to them, “If you are pleased with me, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5‘My father made me give my word to him. He said, “I’m about to die. Bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” So let me go there and bury my father. Then I’ll come back.’ ”
6Pharaoh said, “Go there and bury your father. Do what he made you promise to do.”
7So Joseph went to Canaan to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials went with him. They were the important people of his court and all the leaders of Egypt. 8Joseph’s family also went. His brothers and all the rest of his father’s family went. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 9Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large group.
10They came to Atad, a place where grain was processed. It was near the Jordan River. There they sobbed loudly and bitterly. Joseph set apart seven days of sadness to honor his father’s memory. 11The Canaanites living in that area saw how sad all of them were. They said, “The Egyptians are having a very special service for the dead.” That’s why that place near the Jordan River is called Abel of the Egyptians.
12So Jacob’s sons did exactly as he had commanded them. 13They carried his body to the land of Canaan. They buried it in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre. Abraham had bought the cave as a place where he could bury his wife’s body. He had bought the cave and the field from Ephron, the Hittite. 14After Joseph buried his father, he went back to Egypt. His brothers and all the others who had gone to help him bury his father went back with him.
Joseph Calms His Brothers’ Fears
15Now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers were worried. They said, “Remember all the bad things we did to Joseph? What if he decides to hold those things against us? What if he pays us back for them?” 16So they sent a message to Joseph. They said, “Your father gave us directions before he died. 17He said, ‘Here’s what you must say to Joseph. Tell him, “I’m asking you to forgive your brothers. Forgive the terrible things they did to you. Forgive them for treating you so badly.” ’ Now then, please forgive our sins. We serve the God of your father.” When their message came to Joseph, he wept.
18Then his brothers came and threw themselves down in front of him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
19But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Do you think I’m God? 20You planned to harm me. But God planned it for good. He planned to do what is now being done. He wanted to save many lives. 21So then, don’t be afraid. I’ll provide for you and your children.” He calmed their fears. And he spoke in a kind way to them.
Joseph Dies
22Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived 110 years. 23He lived long enough to see Ephraim’s children and grandchildren. When the children of Makir were born, they were placed on Joseph’s knees and counted as his own children. Makir was the son of Manasseh.
24Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m about to die. But God will surely come to help you. He’ll take you up out of this land. He’ll bring you to the land he promised to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” 25Joseph made the Israelites promise him. He said, “God will surely come to help you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.”
26So Joseph died at the age of 110. They prepared his body to be buried. Then he was placed in a casket in Egypt.
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Genesis 50
50
1Then Ioseph fell vpon his fathers face and wept vpon him, and kissed him. 2And Ioseph commanded his seruantes the physicions, to enbaume his father, and the physicions enbaumed Israel. 3So fourtie dayes were accomplished (for so long did the dayes of them that were enbaumed last) and the Egyptians bewayled him seuentie dayes. 4And when the dayes of his mourning were past, Ioseph spake to the house of Pharaoh, saying, If I haue nowe found fauour in your eyes, speake, I pray you, in the eares of Pharaoh, and say, 5My father made me sweare, saying, Loe, I die, bury me in my graue, which I haue made me in the land of Canaan: now therefore let me go, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I wil come againe. 6Then Pharaoh said, Goe vp and bury thy father, as he made thee to sweare. 7So Ioseph went vp to bury his father, and with him went all the seruants of Pharaoh, both the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. 8Likewise all the house of Ioseph, and his brethren, and his fathers house: onely their children, and their sheepe, and their cattell left they in the land of Goshen. 9And there went vp with him both charets and horsemen: and they were an exceeding great company. 10And they came to Goren Atad, which is beyond Iorden, and there they made a great and exceeding sore lamentation: and he mourned for his father seuen dayes. 11And when the Canaanites the inhabitants of the lande sawe the mourning in Goren Atad, they sayde, This is a great mourning vnto the Egyptians: wherefore the name thereof was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond Iorden. 12So his sonnes did vnto him, according as he had commanded them: 13For his sonnes caried him into the lande of Canaan, and buried him in the caue of the fielde of Machpelah, which caue Abraham bought with the fielde, to be a place to bury in, of Ephron the Hittite besides Mamre. 14Then Ioseph returned into Egypt, he and his brethren, and al that went vp with him to bury his father, after that he had buried his father. 15And when Iosephs brethren saw that their father was dead, they sayde, It may be that Ioseph will hate vs, and will pay vs againe all the euill, which we did vnto him. 16Therefore they sent vnto Ioseph, saying, Thy father commanded before his death, saying, 17Thus shall ye say vnto Ioseph, Forgiue now, I pray thee, the trespasse of thy brethren, and their sinne: for they rewarded thee euil. And nowe, we pray thee, forgiue the trespasse of the seruants of thy fathers God. And Ioseph wept, when they spake vnto him. 18Also his brethren came vnto him, and fell downe before his face, and sayde, Beholde, we be thy seruants. 19To whome Ioseph sayde, Feare not: for am not I vnder God? 20When ye thought euill against mee, God disposed it to good, that he might bring to passe, as it is this day, and saue much people aliue. 21Feare not nowe therefore, I will nourish you, and your children: and hee comforted them, and spake kindly vnto them. 22So Ioseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his fathers house: and Ioseph liued an hundreth and tenne yeere. 23And Ioseph saw Ephraims children, euen vnto the third generation: also the sonnes of Machir the sonne of Manasseh were brought vp on Iosephs knees. 24And Ioseph sayd vnto his brethren, I am ready to dye, and God will surely visite you, and bring you out of this land, vnto ye land which hee sware vnto Abraham, vnto Izhak, and vnto Iaakob. 25And Ioseph tooke an othe of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visite you, and ye shall cary my bones hence. 26So Ioseph died, when he was an hundreth and ten yere olde: and they enbaumed him and put him in a chest in Egypt.
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