Genesis 50 (JPS)

1And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.Then Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him.

2And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. And the physicians embalmed Israel.And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him,

3And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him threescore and ten days.taking the forty days required to complete the embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

4And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke unto the house of Pharaoh, saying: 'If now I have found favour in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying:When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please tell Pharaoh that

5My father made me swear, saying: Lo, I die; in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come back.'my father made me swear an oath when he said, ‘I am about to die. You must bury me in the tomb that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.’ Now let me go and bury my father, and then return.”

6And Pharaoh said: 'Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.'Pharaoh replied, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

7And Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,Then Joseph went to bury his father, and all the servants of Pharaoh accompanied him—the elders of Pharaoh’s household and all the elders of the land of Egypt—

8and all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house; only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.along with all of Joseph’s household, and his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children and flocks and herds were left in Goshen.

9And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company.Chariots and horsemen alike went up with him, and it was an exceedingly large procession.

10And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they wailed with a very great and sore wailing; and he made a mourning for his father seven days.When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wailed loudly, and Joseph mourned for his father seven days.

11And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said: 'This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians.' Wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.When the Canaanites of the land saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a solemn ceremony of mourning by the Egyptians.” Thus the place across the Jordan is called Abel-mizraim.

12And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them.So Jacob’s sons did as he had charged them.

13For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field, for a possession of a burying-place, of Ephron the Hittite, in front of Mamre.They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah in the field near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site.

14And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.After Joseph had buried his father, he returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him to bury his father.

15And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said: 'It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully requite us all the evil which we did unto him.'When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.”

16And they sent a message unto Joseph, saying: 'Thy father did command before he died, saying:So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded,

17So shall ye say unto Joseph: Forgive, I pray thee now, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin, for that they did unto thee evil. And now, we pray thee, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father.' And Joseph wept when they spoke unto him.‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

18And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said: 'Behold, we are thy bondmen.'His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”

19And Joseph said unto them: 'Fear not; for am I in the place of God?But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

20And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.

21Now therefore fear ye not; I will sustain you, and your little ones.' And he comforted them, and spoke kindly unto them.Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.

22And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.Now Joseph and his father’s household remained in Egypt, and Joseph lived to the age of 110.

23And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born upon Joseph's knees.He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.

24And Joseph said unto his brethren: 'I die; but God will surely remember you, and bring you up out of this land unto the land which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.'Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

25And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying: 'God will surely remember you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.'And Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath and said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

26So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old. And they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.So Joseph died at the age of 110. And they embalmed his body and placed it in a coffin in Egypt.

Mourning and Burial for Jacob

Joseph Comforts His Brothers

The Death of Joseph

You’ve read Genesis 50

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Mourning and Burial for Jacob

Joseph Comforts His Brothers

The Death of Joseph

You’ve read Genesis 50

Go deeper