Gen 50 | EE | STEP | Joseph hugged his father’s body. And he wept over him. And he kissed him.

Genesis 50

1 Joseph hugged his father’s body. And he wept over him. And he kissed him. 2 Then Joseph spoke to his servants who were doctors. He told them to put special oil and material on Jacob’s body. They did this so that it would stay whole. And it would not smell. So, Joseph’s servants did as he said. 3 The servants did this for 40 days. Because that is how long it takes to put the special oil and material on a body. And the Egyptians were sad for 70 days because Jacob died. ^{▼▼50:3 People put oil and materials on a body to keep it and to stop it smelling. Because it would be a long time before they would bury the body.} ^{▼▼50:3 Usually they only did this to rich and important Egyptians when they died.} ^{▼▼50:3 ‘The Egyptians were sad for 70 days’ means that they would show that they were sad. They did this when someone important died. Jacob was important in Egypt because he was Joseph’s father.}

4 The days of showing that they were sad ended. And Joseph said to Pharaoh’s officers, ‘If you agree, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him: 5 “My father made me make a promise. He said, ‘I am going to die soon. Bury me in the grave that I dug myself. This is in Canaan.’ Now let me go and bury my father. Then I will return.”’ 6 Pharaoh said, ‘Go and bury your father. Because he made you promise that you would.’

7 So Joseph went to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officers went with him. These were the important people who lived in Pharaoh’s palace. And the important people who lived in Egypt went with Joseph. 8 And every one in Joseph’s household went to bury Jacob. All his brothers and everyone in his brothers’ households went. They did not take their children or their animals. They left these in Goshen. 9 Chariots and men on horses went with them. Very many people went with Joseph to bury Jacob. 10 They came to Atad, near the River Jordan. They stopped at the place where people separated food plants. (They separated the good to eat parts from the parts that they could not eat.) And they stayed there for 7 days. And they showed that they were very sad. They were sad because Jacob died. 11 The people were showing that they were sad. The Canaanites saw this at Atad. And they said, ‘The Egyptians are showing that they are sad. This is because someone died.’ And they called that place Abel Mizraim. 12 So Jacob’s sons did what he had told them. 13 They carried his body to Canaan. And they buried him in the grave. That was in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. Abraham had bought the grave from Ephron the Hittite. He had bought it with the field. 14 So Joseph buried his father. Then he returned to Egypt together with his brothers. And everyone who went with him returned too.

15 So Jacob was dead. And Joseph’s brothers were frightened. They said to each other, ‘We did a bad thing to Joseph. Perhaps he now wants to do something bad to us.’ 16 So they sent a message to Joseph. It said, ‘Your father said this to us before he died: 17 “This is what you are to say to Joseph: I, Jacob ask you to forgive your brothers the wrong that they did against you.” Now, please forgive our sins. Forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.’ When Joseph received their message, he wept. 18 Then his brothers came. And they bowed down to the ground in front of Joseph. They said, ‘We are your slaves.’ 19 But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be frightened. Only God judges. I will not.’ 20 ‘You wanted to hurt me. But God wanted what you did for his good plan. God is saving many lives because I am here. 21 So do not be frightened. I will give you what you need for you, and your children.’ And Joseph spoke kind words to them. So, they knew that he would not hurt them.

Joseph dies

22 Joseph stayed in Egypt with all his father’s family. He lived for 110 years. 23 And he saw the 3rd descendants of Ephraim. And Makir, son of Manasseh put his children on Joseph’s knees. ^{▼▼50:23 Makir’s children were called Joseph’s children.}

24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am about to die. But God will come and help you. And he will take you out of Egypt. He will take you to the land that he promised to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’ 25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel make a promise. He said, ‘God will come and help you. When this happens, you must carry my bones away from this place.’ 26 So Joseph died when he was 110 years old. And they put special oil and materials on his body. And they put his body in a special box. ^{▼▼50:26 Hundreds of years passed. Then God came to help the descendants of the sons of Israel, as he promised. Moses took Joseph’s bones from Egypt when his descendants (the Children of Israel) left. The report of this is in the book of Exodus. (This is the next book of the Bible).} ^{▼▼50:26 In the book of Exodus 13:19 it says, ‘Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. This was because Joseph had made the sons of Israel make a promise. He had said, “God will come and help you. Then you must carry my bones with you, from this place.”’} ^{▼▼50:26 Conclusion} ^{▼▼50:26 The descendants of the 12 sons of Israel became God’s people. They were called Jews. Christ was a descendant of Judah.} ^{▼▼50:26 God spoke about Christ. He told Abraham that he would bless everyone on the earth, through his descendants.}