Genesis 50:1-14

1 Then Joseph 1fell on his father's face and wept over him and kissed him.
2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to 2embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.
3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians 3wept for him seventy days.
4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, 4"If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,
5 My father made me swear, saying, 'I am about to die: in my tomb 5that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.' Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return."
6 And Pharaoh answered, "Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear."
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
8 as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father's household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left 6in the land of Goshen.
9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company.
10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, 7they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he 8made a mourning for his father seven days.
11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, "This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians." Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim;[a] it is beyond the Jordan.
12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them,
13 for 9his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham 10bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place.
14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

Genesis 50:1-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 50

This chapter contains a short account of what happened from the death of Jacob to the death of Joseph, and is chiefly concerned with the funeral of Jacob; it first gives an account how Joseph was affected with his father's death, of his orders to the physicians to embalm him, and of the time of their embalming him, and of the Egyptians mourning for him, Ge 50:1-3, next of his request to Pharaoh to give him leave to go and bury his father in Canaan, and his grant of it, Ge 50:4-6 and then of the grand funeral procession thither, the mourning made for Jacob, and his interment according to his orders, Ge 50:7-13 upon the return of Joseph and his brethren to Egypt, they fearing his resentment of their former usage of him, entreat him to forgive them; which they said they did at the direction of their father, to which Joseph readily agreed, and comforted them, and spoke kindly to them, and bid them not fear any hurt from him, for whatever were their intention, God meant it, and had overruled it for good, Ge 50:14-21 and the chapter is concluded with an account of Joseph's age and death, and of his posterity he saw before his death, and of the charge he gave to his brethren to carry his bones with them, when they should depart from Egypt, Ge 50:22-26.

Cross References 10

  • 1. Genesis 46:4
  • 2. ver. 26; [2 Chronicles 16:14; Mark 16:1; Luke 23:56; John 19:39, 40]
  • 3. [ver. 10; Numbers 20:29; Deuteronomy 34:8; 1 Samuel 31:13; Job 2:13]
  • 4. Genesis 47:29; See Genesis 33:15
  • 5. 2 Chronicles 16:14; Isaiah 22:16; Matthew 27:60
  • 6. See Genesis 45:10
  • 7. [2 Samuel 1:17; Acts 8:2]
  • 8. [ver. 3]
  • 9. Genesis 49:29, 30; [Acts 7:16]
  • 10. Genesis 23:16

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Abel-mizraim means mourning (or meadow) of Egypt
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.