1And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept over him, and kissed him. 2And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father: and they embalmed Israel. 3And that process took the usual forty days, customary for embalming in Egypt. And the Egyptians mourned for him for seventy days. 4And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph said to the court of Pharaoh’s officials, “If now I have found grace in your eyes, please say this to Pharaoh: 5‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die: in my grave which I have prepared for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.”’ So please allow me to go up and bury my father, and then I will return.” 6And Pharaoh said, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” 7And so Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up many of the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the senior officials of Egypt, 8Along with all the members of the households of Joseph, his brothers, and his father. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds, were left in the region of Goshen. 9And both chariots and horsemen accompanied them; it was a very great procession. 10And they reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very strong lamentation: and Joseph mourned for his father for seven days. 11And when the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning there, they said, “The Egyptians: are holding a very solemn mourning ceremony.” Therefore, the name of it is “Abel-mizraim” (mourning of Egypt), which lies beyond the Jordan. 12And Jacob’s sons did for him as he had charged them: 13They carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought from Ephron, the Hittite, for a burying place near Mamre. 14And Joseph, his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, returned to Egypt after they had buried their father. 15And after their father was dead, Joseph's brothers said, “Joseph will perhaps repay us for all the evil that we did to him.” 16And they sent this message to Joseph, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17’You shall say this to Joseph, “I ask you to forgive your brothers the wrongs they committed against you”’; and now, please forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when he received that message. 18And then his brothers went and fell before him; and said, “Look, we are your servants.” 19And Joseph said to them, “Do not fear. Am I in the place of God? 20Because, while you meant it for evil against me; God meant it for good, to bring all this to pass, as it is this day, the saving of many lives. 21So do not be afraid. I will provide for you, and your little ones.” And he comforted them, and spoke kindly to them. 22And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, as did all his father's household. And Joseph lived for a hundred ten years. 23And Joseph lived to see Ephraim's children of the third generation; and also, the children of Machir, Manasseh’s son, were brought up upon Joseph's knees. 24And then Joseph told his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to aid you, and bring you out of this land to the land which He promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 25And Joseph made the children of Israel take an oath, saying “God will surely visit you, and when He does, you shall carry my bones up from here.” 26So Joseph died at the age of one hundred ten years; and they embalmed him, and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt. Reader-Friendly Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2024 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |