Genesis 50

Genesis 50:1

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

Genesis 50:1 · BSB

Genesis 50:2

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

Genesis 50:2 · BSB

the physicians The Hebrew ropheim , from rapha , to heal , is literally the healers , those whose business it was to heal , or restore the body from sickness , by administering proper medicines; and when death took place , to heal or preserve it from decomposition by embalming. The word chanat , to embalm , is also used in Arabic to express the reddening of leather; somewhat analogous to our tanning; which is probably the grand principal in embalming.

Genesis 50:3

taking the forty days required to complete the embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

Genesis 50:3 · BSB

forty days We learn from the Greek historians , that the time of mourning was while the body remained with the embalmers , which Herodotus says was seventy days. During this time the body lay in nitre , the use of which was to dry up all its superfluous and noxious moisture , and when , in the space of 30 days , this was sufficiently effected , the remaining forty , the time mentioned by Diodorus , were employed in anointing it with gums and spices to preserve it , which was properly the embalming. This sufficiently explains the phraseology of the text.

mourned Heb. wept

Genesis 50:4

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

Genesis 50:4 · BSB

Genesis 50:5

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."

Genesis 50:5 · BSB

Genesis 50:6

Pharaoh replied, "Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do."

Genesis 50:6 · BSB

Genesis 50:7

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—

Genesis 50:7 · BSB

Genesis 50:8

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.

Genesis 50:8 · BSB

Genesis 50:9

Chariots and horsemen alike went up with him, and it was an exceedingly large procession.

Genesis 50:9 · BSB

Genesis 50:10

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.

Genesis 50:10 · BSB

the threshingfloor This place was situated , according to Jerome , between the Jordan and the city of Jericho , two miles from the former , and three from the latter , where Bethagla was afterwards built. Procopius of Gaza states the same. As aataad signifies thorns , the place might have been remarkable for their production; though all the versions except the Arabic consider it as a proper name. As Moses wrote or revised his history on the east side of Jordan , the term beyond Jordan , in his five books , means westward of Jordan; but in other parts of Scripture it generally means eastward.

Genesis 50:11

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.

Genesis 50:11 · BSB

Genesis 50:12

So Jacob's sons did as he had charged them.

Genesis 50:12 · BSB

Genesis 50:13

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.

Genesis 50:13 · BSB

Genesis 50:15

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."

Genesis 50:15 · BSB

Genesis 50:16

So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Before he died, your father commanded,

Genesis 50:16 · BSB

Genesis 50:17

'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.

Genesis 50:17 · BSB

Genesis 50:18

His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, "We are your slaves!"

Genesis 50:18 · BSB

Genesis 50:19

But Joseph replied, "Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

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Genesis 50:20

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.

Genesis 50:20 · BSB

Genesis 50:21

Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones." So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.

Genesis 50:21 · BSB

Genesis 50:22

Now Joseph and his father's household remained in Egypt, and Joseph lived to the age of 110.

Genesis 50:22 · BSB

Genesis 50:23

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.

Genesis 50:23 · BSB

brought up Heb. born

Genesis 50:24

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."

Genesis 50:24 · BSB

Genesis 50:25

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."

Genesis 50:25 · BSB

Genesis 50:26

So Joseph died at the age of 110. And they embalmed his body and placed it in a coffin in Egypt.

Genesis 50:26 · BSB