Genesis 50
50
1Joseph fell across his father’s body, wept over him, and kissed him. 2Joseph then ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel. 3They mourned for him forty days because that is the period required for embalming. Then the Egyptians mourned him for seventy days. 4After the period of mourning had passed, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s household: “If you approve my request, give Pharaoh this message: 5My father made me promise, telling me, ‘I’m about to die. You must bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.’ Now, let me leave and let me bury my father, and then I will return.”
6Pharaoh replied, “Go, bury your father as you promised.”
7So Joseph left to bury his father. All of Pharaoh’s servants went with him, together with the elder statesmen in his household and all of the elder statesmen in the land of Egypt, 8Joseph’s entire household, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only the children, flocks, and cattle remained in the land of Goshen. 9Even chariots and horsemen went with him; it was a huge collection of people. 10When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad on the other side of the Jordan River, they observed a solemn, deeply sorrowful period of mourning. He grieved seven days for his father.
11When the Canaanites who lived in the land saw the observance of grief on Atad’s threshing floor, they said, “This is a solemn observance of grief by the Egyptians.” Therefore, its name is Abel-mizraim.#50.11 Or the Egyptians’ observance of grief It is on the other side of the Jordan River. 12Israel’s sons did for him just as he had ordered. 13His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased as burial property from Ephron the Hittite. 14Then#50.14 LXX; MT includes after he buried his father. Joseph returned to Egypt, he, his brothers, and everyone who left with him to bury his father.
Joseph and his brothers in Egypt
15When Joseph’s brothers realized that their father was now dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us, and wants to pay us back seriously for all of the terrible things we did to him?” 16So they approached#50.16 LXX, Syr; MT they commanded Joseph and said, “Your father gave orders before he died, telling us, 17‘This is what you should say to Joseph. “Please, forgive your brothers’ sins and misdeeds, for they did terrible things to you. Now, please forgive the sins of the servants of your father’s God.”’” Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18His brothers wept#50.18 Or came too, fell down in front of him, and said, “We’re here as your slaves.”
19But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I God? 20You planned something bad for me, but God produced something good from it, in order to save the lives of many people, just as he’s doing today. 21Now, don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” So he put them at ease and spoke reassuringly to them.
22Thus Joseph lived in Egypt, he and his father’s household. Joseph lived 110 years 23and saw Ephraim’s grandchildren. The children of Machir, Manasseh’s son, were also born on Joseph’s knees. 24Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m about to die. God will certainly take care of you and bring you out of this land to the land he promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25Joseph made Israel’s sons promise, “When God takes care of you, you must bring up my bones out of here.” 26Joseph died when he was 110 years old. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Genesis 50
50
1Joseph threw himself on his father, crying and kissing his face. 2Then Joseph gave orders to embalm his father's body. 3It took forty days, the normal time for embalming. The Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
4When the time of mourning was over, Joseph said to the king's officials, “Please take this message to the king: 5#Gen 47.29–31‘When my father was about to die, he made me promise him that I would bury him in the tomb which he had prepared in the land of Canaan. So please let me go and bury my father, and then I will come back.’ ”
6The king answered, “Go and bury your father, as you promised you would.”
7So Joseph went to bury his father. All the king's officials, the senior men of his court, and all the leading men of Egypt went with Joseph. 8His family, his brothers, and the rest of his father's family all went with him. Only their small children and their sheep, goats, and cattle stayed in the region of Goshen. 9Men in chariots and men on horseback also went with him; it was a huge group.
10When they came to the threshing place at Atad east of the Jordan, they mourned loudly for a long time, and Joseph performed mourning ceremonies for seven days. 11When the citizens of Canaan saw those people mourning at Atad, they said, “What a solemn ceremony of mourning the Egyptians are holding!” That is why the place was named Abel Mizraim.#50.11 Abel Mizraim: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “mourning of the Egyptians”.
12So Jacob's sons did as he had commanded them; 13#Acts 7.16they carried his body to Canaan and buried it in the cave at Machpelah, east of Mamre, in the field which Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial ground. 14After Joseph had buried his father, he returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him for the funeral.
Joseph Reassures his Brothers
15After the death of their father, Joseph's brothers said, “What if Joseph still hates us and plans to pay us back for all the harm we did to him?” 16So they sent a message to Joseph: “Before our father died, 17he told us to ask you, ‘Please forgive the crime your brothers committed when they wronged you.’ Now please forgive us the wrong that we, the servants of your father's God, have done.” Joseph cried when he received this message.
18Then his brothers themselves came and bowed down before him. “Here we are before you as your slaves,” they said.
19But Joseph said to them, “Don't be afraid; I can't put myself in the place of God. 20You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened. 21You have nothing to fear. I will take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them with kind words that touched their hearts.
The Death of Joseph
22Joseph continued to live in Egypt with his father's family; he was 110 years old when he died. 23He lived to see Ephraim's children and grandchildren. He also lived to receive the children of Machir son of Manasseh into the family. 24He said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will certainly take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land he solemnly promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 25#Ex 13.19; Josh 24.32; Heb 11.22Then Joseph asked his people to make a vow. “Promise me,” he said, “that when God leads you to that land, you will take my body with you.” 26So Joseph died in Egypt at the age of 110. They embalmed his body and put it in a coffin.
Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.