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

⁴ When the days of mourning^(D) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,^(E) “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(F) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, ⁵ ‘My father made me swear an oath^(G) and said, “I am about to die;^(H) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself^(I) in the land of Canaan.”^(J) Now let me go up and bury my father;^(K) 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^(L) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court^(M) 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.^(N) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.^{(O) 9} Chariots^(P) and horsemen^[a] also went up with him. It was a very large company.

¹⁰ When they reached the threshing floor^(Q) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;^(R) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period^(S) of mourning^(T) for his father.^{(U) 11} When the Canaanites^(V) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”^(W) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.^[b]

¹² So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:^{(X) 13} They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,^(Y) near Mamre,^(Z) which Abraham had bought along with the field^(AA) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.^{(AB) 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.^(AC)

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

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

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

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?^{(AM) 20} You intended to harm me,^(AN) but God intended^(AO) it for good^(AP) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.^{(AQ) 21} So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.^(AR)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly^(AS) 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^{(AT) 23} and saw the third generation^(AU) of Ephraim’s^(AV) children.^(AW) Also the children of Makir^(AX) son of Manasseh^(AY) were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.^[c](AZ)

²⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die.^(BA) But God will surely come to your aid^(BB) and take you up out of this land to the land^(BC) he promised on oath to Abraham,^(BD) Isaac^(BE) and Jacob.”^{(BF) 25} And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath^(BG) and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones^(BH) up from this place.”^(BI)

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