Genesis 50

Jacob Is Buried

1 When Jacob passed, Joseph broke down, crying over him, hugging him tight.

2 Then Joseph told the Egyptian doctors, ‘Listen, embalm my dad.’ And they got to work.

3 The embalming process took 40 days, and the Egyptians mourned for Jacob for 70 days straight.

4 When the mourning period was over, Joseph went to Pharaoh’s crew and said, ‘Do me a favor and ask Pharaoh this:’

5 ‘My dad made me swear to bury him in Canaan, in the tomb he set up for himself. Let me go bury him, and I will come back.’

6 Pharaoh said, ‘Go handle your business. Keep your promise to your dad.’

7 So Joseph went to bury his dad, and Pharaoh’s officials rolled with him, all the elders of Pharaoh’s house and all the big names in Egypt.

8 Joseph’s family, brothers, and their households went too, but they left the little kids and animals back in Goshen.

9 A big caravan followed, chariots and horsemen. It was like a whole parade rolling deep.

10 When they got to the threshing floor near the Jordan, they held a serious mourning session. Joseph mourned for his dad for seven days.

11 When the locals saw how hard they were mourning, they said, ‘Man, the Egyptians must have really cared about this dude!’ So they named that place Abel Mizraim, which means Egypt’s mourning.’

The Burial in Canaan

12 Jacob’s sons did exactly what he told them to do.

13 They carried him to Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, the one Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site.

14 After the burial, Joseph and his brothers went back to Egypt with everyone who came with them.

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

15 Joseph’s brothers started tripping, saying, ‘What if Joseph comes for us now that Dad’s gone, He might pay us back for all the dirt we did to him.’

16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, ‘Before Dad died, he left a message for you.’

17 ‘He said, Tell Joseph to forgive you all for the mess you put him through. Please forgive us for our sin. We serve the God of your father.’ When Joseph read this, he broke down crying.

18 Then his brothers came in, threw themselves at his feet, and said, ‘We are your slaves now.’

19 Joseph said, ‘Chill. I am not God, I do not decide these things.’

20 ‘What you meant for evil, God flipped it for good, so I could save all these people’s lives.’

21 ‘Do not worry. I will take care of you all and your kids.’ He spoke kindly to them, calming their fears.

Joseph’s Last Days

22 Joseph stayed in Egypt with his family, living to be 110 years old.

23 He got to see three generations of Ephraim’s kids and even some of Manasseh’s grandkids.

24 Before he died, Joseph told his brothers, ‘I am about to go, but God will come through for you all and take you back to the land He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’

25 Joseph made them swear, saying, ‘When God takes you out of here, take my bones with you.’

26 So Joseph died at 110 years old. They embalmed him and put him in a coffin in Egypt.