Génesis 50:1

1 Entonces José se abrazó al cuerpo de su padre y, llorando, lo besó.

Génesis 50:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 50:1

And Joseph fell upon his father's face
Laid his own face to the cold face and pale cheeks of his dead father, out of his tender affection for him, and grief at parting with him; this shows that Joseph had been present from the time his father sent for him, and all the while he had been blessing the tribes, and giving orders about his funeral:

and wept upon him;
which to do for and over the dead is neither unlawful nor unbecoming, provided it is not carried to excess, as the instances of David, Christ, and others show:

and kissed him;
taking his farewell of him, as friends used to do, when parting and going a long journey, as death is. This was practised by Heathens, who had a notion that the soul went out of the body by the mouth, and they in this way received it into themselves: so Augustus Caesar died in the kisses of Livia, and Drusius in the embraces and kisses of Caesar ^F23. Joseph no doubt at this time closed the eyes of his father also, as it is said he should, and as was usual; see ( Genesis 46:4 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Vid. Kirchman. de Funer. Rom. l. 1. c. 5.

Génesis 50:1 In-Context

1 Entonces José se abrazó al cuerpo de su padre y, llorando, lo besó.

2 Luego ordenó a los médicos a su servicio que embalsamaran el cuerpo, y así lo hicieron.

3 El proceso para embalsamarlo tardó unos cuarenta días, que es el tiempo requerido. Los egipcios, por su parte, guardaron luto por Israel durante setenta días.

4 Pasados los días de duelo, José se dirigió así a los miembros de la corte del faraón:—Si me he ganado el respeto de la corte, díganle por favor al faraón

5 que mi padre, antes de morirse, me hizo jurar que yo lo sepultaría en la tumba que él mismo se preparó en la tierra de Canaán. Por eso le ruego encarecidamente me permita ir a sepultar a mi padre, y luego volveré.