The First Book of Moses: Genesis

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- Chapter 50 -

Then Ioseph fell vpon his fathers face and wept vpon him, and kissed him.

And Ioseph commanded his seruantes the physicions, to enbaume his father, and the physicions enbaumed Israel.

So fourtie dayes were accomplished (for so long did the dayes of them that were enbaumed last) and the Egyptians bewayled him seuentie dayes.

And when the dayes of his mourning were past, Ioseph spake to the house of Pharaoh, saying, If I haue nowe found fauour in your eyes, speake, I pray you, in the eares of Pharaoh, and say,

My father made me sweare, saying, Loe, I die, bury me in my graue, which I haue made me in the land of Canaan: now therefore let me go, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I wil come againe.

Then Pharaoh said, Goe vp and bury thy father, as he made thee to sweare.

So Ioseph went vp to bury his father, and with him went all the seruants of Pharaoh, both the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt.

Likewise all the house of Ioseph, and his brethren, and his fathers house: onely their children, and their sheepe, and their cattell left they in the land of Goshen.

And there went vp with him both charets and horsemen: and they were an exceeding great company.

And they came to Goren Atad, which is beyond Iorden, and there they made a great and exceeding sore lamentation: and he mourned for his father seuen dayes.

And when the Canaanites the inhabitants of the lande sawe the mourning in Goren Atad, they sayde, This is a great mourning vnto the Egyptians: wherefore the name thereof was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond Iorden.

So his sonnes did vnto him, according as he had commanded them:

For his sonnes caried him into the lande of Canaan, and buried him in the caue of the fielde of Machpelah, which caue Abraham bought with the fielde, to be a place to bury in, of Ephron the Hittite besides Mamre.

Then Ioseph returned into Egypt, he and his brethren, and al that went vp with him to bury his father, after that he had buried his father.

Joseph Comforts His Brothers

And when Iosephs brethren saw that their father was dead, they sayde, It may be that Ioseph will hate vs, and will pay vs againe all the euill, which we did vnto him.

Therefore they sent vnto Ioseph, saying, Thy father commanded before his death, saying,

Thus shall ye say vnto Ioseph, Forgiue now, I pray thee, the trespasse of thy brethren, and their sinne: for they rewarded thee euil. And nowe, we pray thee, forgiue the trespasse of the seruants of thy fathers God. And Ioseph wept, when they spake vnto him.

Also his brethren came vnto him, and fell downe before his face, and sayde, Beholde, we be thy seruants.

To whome Ioseph sayde, Feare not: for am not I vnder God?

When ye thought euill against mee, God disposed it to good, that he might bring to passe, as it is this day, and saue much people aliue.

Feare not nowe therefore, I will nourish you, and your children: and hee comforted them, and spake kindly vnto them.

The Death of Joseph

So Ioseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his fathers house: and Ioseph liued an hundreth and tenne yeere.

And Ioseph saw Ephraims children, euen vnto the third generation: also the sonnes of Machir the sonne of Manasseh were brought vp on Iosephs knees.

And Ioseph sayd vnto his brethren, I am ready to dye, and God will surely visite you, and bring you out of this land, vnto ye land which hee sware vnto Abraham, vnto Izhak, and vnto Iaakob.

And Ioseph tooke an othe of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visite you, and ye shall cary my bones hence.

So Ioseph died, when he was an hundreth and ten yere olde: and they enbaumed him and put him in a chest in Egypt.

Joseph fell on his father’s face, wept on him, and kissed him.

Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel.

Forty days were used for him, for that is how many days it takes to embalm. The Egyptians wept for Israel for seventy days.

When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s staff, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

‘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.’”

Pharaoh said, “Go up, and bury your father, just like he made you swear.”

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,

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.

Both chariots and horsemen went up with him. It was a very great company.

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.

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.

His sons did to him just as he commanded them,

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, as a possession for a burial site, from Ephron the Hittite, near Mamre.

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.

Joseph Comforts His Brothers

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 the evil which we did to him.”

They sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying,

‘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.

His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

Joseph said to them, “Don’t 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 save many people alive, as is happening today.

Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to them.

The Death of Joseph

Joseph lived in Egypt, he, and his father’s house. Joseph lived one hundred ten years.

Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees.

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.”

Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”

So Joseph died, being one hundred ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.