Genesis 50

Jacob’s Burial

50Then Joseph, leaning over his father’s face, wept and kissed him. ²He commanded his servants who were physicians to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel. ³They took 40 days to complete this, for embalming takes that long, and the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days. ^x

⁴When the days of mourning were over, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s household, “If I have found favor with you, please tell ^yPharaoh that ⁵my father made me take an oath, ^zsaying, ‘I am about to die. You must bury me there in the tomb that I made for myself in the land of Canaan.’ ^aNow let me go and bury my father. Then I will return.”

⁶So Pharaoh said, “Go and bury your father in keeping with your oath.”

⁷Then Joseph went to bury his father, and all Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt went with him, ⁸along with all Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children, their sheep, and their cattle were left in the land of Goshen. ⁹Horses and chariots went up with him; it was a very impressive procession. ¹⁰When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wept loudly, and Joseph mourned seven days for his father. ¹¹When the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a solemn mourning on the part of the Egyptians.” Therefore the place is named Abel-mizraim. ^bIt is across the Jordan.

¹²So Jacob’s sons did for him what he had commanded them. ¹³They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah in the field near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased as a burial site from Ephron the Hittite. ^c14After Joseph buried his father, he returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him to bury his father.

Joseph’s Kindness

¹⁵When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, “If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him.” ^d

¹⁶So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before he died your father gave a command: ¹⁷‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin—the suffering they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept ^ewhen their message came to him. ¹⁸Then his brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”

¹⁹But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ^f20You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people. ^g21Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones.” ^hAnd he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. ⁱ

Joseph’s Death

²²Joseph and his father’s household remained in Egypt. Joseph lived 110 years. ²³He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation; ^jthe sons of Manasseh’s son Machir were recognized by ^klJoseph. ^m

²⁴Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, ⁿbut God will certainly come to your aid and bring you up from this land to the land He promised Abraham, ^oIsaac, ^pand Jacob.” ^q25So Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath: “When God comes to your aid, you are to carry my bones up from here.” ^r

²⁶Joseph died at the age of 110. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.