1 Joseph fell on his father's face, wept on him, and kissed him. 2 Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were fulfilled for him, for that is how many the days it takes to embalm. The Egyptians wept for him for seventy days. 4 When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 'My father made me swear, saying, "Behold, I am dying. Bury me in my grave which I have dug for myself in the land of Canaan." Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.'" 6 Pharaoh said, "Go up, and bury your father, just like he made you swear." 7 Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father's house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. 9 There went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and severe lamentation. He mourned for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, "This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians." Therefore, its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. 12 His sons did to him just as he commanded them, 13 for 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 burial site, from Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. 14 Joseph returned into Egypt - he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father. 15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully pay us back for all of the evil which we did to him." 16 They sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father commanded before he died, saying, 17 'You shall tell Joseph, "Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you."' Now, please forgive the disobedience of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, "Behold, we are your servants." 19 Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore don't be afraid. I will nourish you and your little ones." He comforted them, and spoke kindly to them. 22 Joseph lived in Egypt, he, and his father's house. Joseph lived one hundred ten years. 23 Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph's knees. 24 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." 25 Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." 26 So Joseph died, being one hundred ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Joseph bewails the death of his father, and commands the physicians to embalm him, Genesis 50:1, Genesis 50:2. The Egyptians mourn for him seventy days, Genesis 50:3. Joseph begs permission from Pharaoh to accompany his father's corpse to Canaan, Genesis 50:4, Genesis 50:5. Pharaoh consents, Genesis 50:6. Pharaoh's domestics and elders, the elders of Egypt, Joseph and his brethren, with chariots, horsemen, etc., form the funeral procession, Genesis 50:7-9. They come to the threshing-floor of Atad, and mourn there seven days, Genesis 50:10. The Canaanites call the place Abel-Mizraim, Genesis 50:11. They bury Jacob in the cove of Machpelah, Genesis 50:12, Genesis 50:13. Joseph returns to Egypt, Genesis 50:14. His brethren, fearing his displeasure, send messengers to him to entreat his forgiveness of past wrongs, Genesis 50:15-17. They follow, and prostrate themselves before him, and offer to be his servants, Genesis 50:18. Joseph receives them affectionately, and assures them and theirs of his care and protection, Genesis 50:19-21. Joseph and his brethren dwell in Egypt, and he sees the third generation of his children, Genesis 50:22, Genesis 50:23. Being about to die, he prophecies the return of the children of Israel from Egypt, Genesis 50:24, and causes them to swear that they will carry his bones to Canaan, Genesis 50:25. Joseph dies, aged one hundred and ten years; is embalmed, and put in a coffin in Egypt, Genesis 50:26.
INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 50
This chapter contains a short account of what happened from the death of Jacob to the death of Joseph, and is chiefly concerned with the funeral of Jacob; it first gives an account how Joseph was affected with his father's death, of his orders to the physicians to embalm him, and of the time of their embalming him, and of the Egyptians mourning for him, Genesis 50:1, next of his request to Pharaoh to give him leave to go and bury his father in Canaan, and his grant of it, Genesis 50:4 and then of the grand funeral procession thither, the mourning made for Jacob, and his interment according to his orders, Genesis 50:7 upon the return of Joseph and his brethren to Egypt, they fearing his resentment of their former usage of him, entreat him to forgive them; which they said they did at the direction of their father, to which Joseph readily agreed, and comforted them, and spoke kindly to them, and bid them not fear any hurt from him, for whatever were their intention, God meant it, and had overruled it for good, Genesis 50:14 and the chapter is concluded with an account of Joseph's age and death, and of his posterity he saw before his death, and of the charge he gave to his brethren to carry his bones with them, when they should depart from Egypt, Genesis 50:22.
(Genesis 50:1-6) The mourning for Jacob.
(Genesis 50:7-14) His funeral.
(Genesis 50:15-21) Joseph's brethren crave his pardon, He comforts them.
(Genesis 50:22-26) Joseph's direction concerning his bones, His death.
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