Genesis 50

Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him. Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel. Forty days were completed for him, for that is the time required for embalming. The Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. When the days of mourning for him had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s household, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in Pharaoh’s ears, saying, ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die. Bury me in the grave I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will return.’” Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.” Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went all Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, all Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household. They left only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds in the land of Goshen. Chariots and horsemen also went up with him, and the company was very large. They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan. There they mourned with a great and very bitter lamentation, and he observed seven days of mourning for his father. 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.” That is why the place was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. His sons did for him as he had commanded them. His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre. Abraham had bought the field from Ephron the Hittite as a possession for burial. After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father. When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the evil we did to him?” They sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before his death, saying, ‘This is what you shall say to Joseph: “Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin, for they did evil to you.”’ Now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Here we are, your slaves.” Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about what is happening today: keeping many people alive. Now do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them and spoke to their hearts. Joseph lived in Egypt, he and his father’s household. Joseph lived one hundred ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children of Machir son of Manasseh were also born on Joseph’s knees. 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 swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.” Joseph died at the age of one hundred ten. They embalmed him, and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

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