Genesis 50

1 And Ioseph fell apon his fathers face and wepte apon him and kyssed him.

2 And Ioseph commaunded his seruauntes that were Phisicions to embawme his father and the Phisicios ebawmed Israel

3 .xl. dayes loge for so loge doth ye embawminge last and the Egiptians bewepte him .lxx. dayes.

4 And when the dayes of wepynge were ended Ioseph spake vnto ye house of Pharao saynge: Yf I haue founde fauoure in youre eyes speake vnto Pharao and tell him how that

5 my father made me swere and sayde: loo Ioye se that thou burye me in my graue which I haue made me in the lande of Canaan. Now therfore let me goo and burye my father ad tha will I come agayne.

6 And Pharao sayde goo and burye thy father acordynge as he made the swere.

7 And Ioseph went vp to burie his father and with him went all the seruauntes of Pharao that were the elders of his house ad all ye elders of Egipte

8 and all the house of Ioseph ad his brethern and his fathers house: only their childern and their shepe and their catell lefte they behinde them in the lande of Gosan.

9 And there went with him also Charettes and horsemen: so that they were an exceadynge great companye.

10 And when they came to ye feld of Atad beyonde Iordane there they made great and exceadinge sore lamentacio. And he morned for his father .vij. dayes.

11 When the enhabiters of the lande the Cananytes sawe the moornynge in ye felde of Atad they saide: this is a greate moornynge which the Egiptians make. Wherfore ye name of the place is called Abel mizraim which place lyeth beyonde Iordane.

12 And his sonnes dyd vnto him acordynge as he had commaunded them.

13 And his sonnes caried him in to the land of Canaan and buryed him in the double caue which Abraha had boughte with the felde to be a place to burye in of Ephron the Hethite before Mamre.

14 And Ioseph returned to Egipte agayne and his brethern and all that went vp with him to burye his father assone as he had buryed him.

15 Whe Iosephs brethern sawe that their father was deade they sayde: Ioseph myghte fortune to hate us and rewarde us agayne all the euell which we dyd vnto him.

16 They dyd therfore a commaundment vnto Ioseph saynge: thy father charged before his deth saynge.

17 This wise say vnto Ioseph forgeue I praye the the trespace of thy brethern and their synne for they rewarded the euell. Now therfore we praye the forgeue the trespace of the servuantes of thy fathers God. And Ioseph wepte when they spake vnto him.

18 And his brethern came ad fell before him and sayde: beholde we be thy servauntes.

19 And Ioseph sayde vnto them: feare not for am not I vnder god?

20 Ye thoughte euell vnto me: but God turned it vnto good to bringe to passe as it is this daye euen to saue moch people a lyue

21 feare not therfore for I will care for you and for youre childern and he spake kyndly vnto them.

22 Ioseph dwelt in Egipte and his fathers house also ad lyved an hundred and .x. yere.

23 And Ioseph sawe Ephraims childern eue vnto the thyrde generation. And vnto Machir the sonne of Manasses were childern borne and satt on Iosephs knees.

24 And Ioseph sayde vnto his brethern: I die And God will suerlie vysett you and bringe you out of this lande vnto the lande which he sware vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob.

25 And Ioseph toke an ooth of the childern of Israel ad sayde: God will not fayle but vysett you se therfore that ye carye my boones hence.

26 And so Ioseph dyed when he was an hundred and .x. yere olde. And they enbawmed him and put him in a chest in Egipte.

Genesis 50 Commentary

Chapter 50

The mourning for Jacob. (1-6) His funeral. (7-14) Joseph's brethren crave his pardon, He comforts them. (15-21) Joseph's direction concerning his bones, His death. (22-26)

Verses 1-6 Though pious relatives and friends have lived to a good old age, and we are confident they are gone to glory, yet we may regret our own loss, and pay respect to their memory by lamenting them. Grace does not destroy, but it purifies, moderates, and regulates natural affection. The departed soul is out of the reach of any tokens of our affection; but it is proper to show respect to the body, of which we look for a glorious and joyful resurrection, whatever may become of its remains in this world. Thus Joseph showed his faith in God, and love to his father. He ordered the body to be embalmed, or wrapped up with spices, to preserve it. See how vile our bodies are, when the soul has forsaken them; they will in a very little time become noisome, and offensive.

Verses 7-14 Jacob's body was attended, not only by his own family, but by the great men of Egypt. Now that they were better acquainted with the Hebrews, they began to respect them. Professors of religion should endeavour by wisdom and love to remove the prejudices many have against them. Standers-by took notice of it as a grievous mourning. The death of good men is a loss to any place, and ought to be greatly lamented.

Verses 15-21 Various motives might cause the sons of Jacob to continue in Egypt, notwithstanding the prophetic vision Abraham had of their bondage there. Judging of Joseph from the general temper of human nature, they thought he would now avenge himself on those who hated and injured him without cause. Not being able to resist, or to flee away, they attempted to soften him by humbling themselves. They pleaded with him as the servants of Jacob's God. Joseph was much affected at seeing this complete fulfilment of his dreams. He directs them not to fear him, but to fear God; to humble themselves before the Lord, and to seek the Divine forgiveness. He assures them of his own kindness to them. See what an excellent spirit Joseph was of, and learn of him to render good for evil. He comforted them, and, to banish all their fears, he spake kindly to them. Broken spirits must be bound up and encouraged. Those we love and forgive, we must not only do well for, but speak kindly to.

Verses 22-26 Joseph having honoured his father, his days were long in the land, which, for the present, God had given him. When he saw his death approaching, he comforted his brethren with the assurance of their return to Canaan in due time. We must comfort others with the same comforts with which we have been comforted of God, and encourage them to rest on the promises which are our support. For a confession of his own faith, and a confirmation of theirs, he charges them to keep his remains unburied till that glorious day, when they should be settled in the land of promise. Thus Joseph, by faith in the doctrine of the resurrection, and the promise of Canaan, gave commandment concerning his bones. This would keep up their expectation of a speedy departure from Egypt, and keep Canaan continually in their minds. This would also attach Joseph's posterity to their brethren. The death, as well as the life of this eminent saint, was truly excellent; both furnish us with strong encouragement to persevere in the service of God. How happy to set our early in the heavenly race, to continue stedfastly, and to finish the course with joy! This Joseph did, this we also may do. Even when the pains of death are upon us, if we have trusted in Him upon whom the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles depended, we need not fear to say, "My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

Chapter Summary

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.