Daily Bread

The Death of Jacob

²⁹ Then he gave them these instructions:^(A) “I am about to be gathered to my people.^(B) Bury me with my fathers^(C) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,^{(D) 30} the cave in the field of Machpelah,^(E) near Mamre^(F) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field^(G) as a burial place^(H) from Ephron the Hittite. ³¹ There Abraham^(I) and his wife Sarah^(J) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah^(K) were buried, and there I buried Leah.^{(L) 32} The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.^[a](M)”

³³ When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.^(N)

50 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.^{(O) 2} Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,^{(P) 3} taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.^(Q)

⁴ When the days of mourning^(R) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,^(S) “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(T) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, ⁵ ‘My father made me swear an oath^(U) and said, “I am about to die;^(V) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself^(W) in the land of Canaan.”^(X) Now let me go up and bury my father;^(Y) then I will return.’”

⁶ Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

⁷ So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials^(Z) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court^(AA) and all the dignitaries of Egypt— ⁸ besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household.^(AB) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.^{(AC) 9} Chariots^(AD) and horsemen^[b] also went up with him. It was a very large company.

¹⁰ When they reached the threshing floor^(AE) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;^(AF) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period^(AG) of mourning^(AH) for his father.^{(AI) 11} When the Canaanites^(AJ) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”^(AK) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.^[c]

¹² So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:^{(AL) 13} They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,^(AM) near Mamre,^(AN) which Abraham had bought along with the field^(AO) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.^{(AP) 14} After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.^(AQ)

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge^(AR) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”^{(AS) 16} So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions^(AT) before he died: ¹⁷ ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins^(AU) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’^(AV) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.^(AW)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.^(AX)

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.^(AY) “We are your slaves,”^(AZ) they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?^{(BA) 20} You intended to harm me,^(BB) but God intended^(BC) it for good^(BD) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.^{(BE) 21} So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.^(BF)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly^(BG) to them.

The Death of Joseph

²² Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years^{(BH) 23} and saw the third generation^(BI) of Ephraim’s^(BJ) children.^(BK) Also the children of Makir^(BL) son of Manasseh^(BM) were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.^[d](BN)

²⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die.^(BO) But God will surely come to your aid^(BP) and take you up out of this land to the land^(BQ) he promised on oath to Abraham,^(BR) Isaac^(BS) and Jacob.”^{(BT) 25} And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath^(BU) and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones^(BV) up from this place.”^(BW)

²⁶ So Joseph died^(BX) at the age of a hundred and ten.^(BY) And after they embalmed him,^(BZ) he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.