Genesis 50

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 At this Joseph threw himself on his father's face, covering it with tears and kisses.	1 Joseph threw himself on his father's face and wept over him as he kissed him.
2 Then Joseph ordered the doctors in his service to embalm his father. The doctors embalmed Israel,	2 Then he ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father. When they embalmed Israel,
3 and it took them forty days, for embalming takes forty days to complete. The Egyptians mourned himfor seventy days.	3 they spent forty days at it, for that is the full period of embalming; and the Egyptians mourned him for seventy days.
4 When the period of mourning for him was over, Joseph said to Pharaoh's household, 'If you have anyaffection for me, see that this message reaches Pharaoh's ears,	4 When that period of mourning was over, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh's courtiers. "Please do me this favor," he said, "and convey to Pharaoh this request of mine.
5 "My father put me under oath, saying: I am about to die. In the tomb which I dug for myself in Canaan, that is where you are to bury me. So may I have leave to go up and bury my father, and then come back?" '	5 Since my father, at the point of death, made me promise on oath to bury him in the tomb that he had prepared for himself in the land of Canaan, may I go up there to bury my father and then come back?"
6 Pharaoh replied, 'Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.'	6 Pharaoh replied, "Go and bury your father, as he made you promise on oath."
7 Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went all Pharaoh's officials, the dignitaries of hispalace and al the dignitaries of Egypt,	7 So Joseph left to bury his father; and with him went all of Pharaoh's officials who were senior members of his court and all the other dignitaries of Egypt,
8 as wel as all Joseph's family, his brothers and his father's family. The only people they left behind inGoshen were those unfit to travel, and their flocks and cattle.	8 as well as Joseph's whole household, his brothers, and his father's household; only their children and their flocks and herds were left in the region of Goshen.
9 Chariots and horsemen went up with him too; it was a very large retinue.	9 Chariots, too, and charioteers went up with him; it was a very large retinue.
10 On arriving at Goren-ha-Atad, which is across the Jordan, they there held a long and solemnlamentation, and Joseph observed seven days' mourning for his father.	10 When they arrived at Goren-ha-atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they held there a very great and solemn memorial service; and Joseph observed seven days of mourning for his father.
11 When the Canaanites, the local inhabitants, witnessed the mourning at Goren-ha-Atad, they said,'This is a solemn act of mourning by the Egyptians,' which is why the place was given the name Abel-Mizraim-itis across the Jordan.	11 When the Canaanites who inhabited the land saw the mourning at Goren-ha-atad, they said, "This is a solemn funeral the Egyptians are having." That is why the place was named Abel-mizraim. It is beyond the Jordan.
12 His sons did what he had ordered them to do for him.	12 Thus Jacob's sons did for him as he had instructed them.
13 His sons carried him to Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field at Machpelah, facing Mamre,which Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site of his own.	13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, facing on Mamre, the field that Abraham had bought for a burial ground from Ephron the Hittite.
14 Then Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all those who had come up with him to bury hisfather.	14 After Joseph had buried his father he returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all who had gone up with him for the burial of his father.
15 Seeing that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers said, 'What if Joseph intends to treat us asenemies and pay us back for al the wrong we did him?'	15 Now that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers became fearful and thought, "Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us and now plans to pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!"
16 So they sent this message to Joseph: 'Before your father died, he gave us this order:	16 So they approached Joseph and said: "Before your father died, he gave us these instructions:
17 "You are to say to Joseph: Now please forgive the crime and faults of your brothers and al thewrong they did you." So now please forgive the crime of the servants of your father's God.' Joseph wept at themessage they sent to him.	17 'You shall say to Joseph, Jacob begs you to forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers, who treated you so cruelly.' Please, therefore, forgive the crime that we, the servants of your father's God, committed." When they spoke these words to him, Joseph broke into tears.
18 Then his brothers went to him themselves and, throwing themselves at his feet, said, 'Take us asyour slaves!'	18 Then his brothers proceeded to fling themselves down before him and said, "Let us be your slaves!"
19 But Joseph replied, 'Do not be afraid; is it for me to put myself in God's place?	19 But Joseph replied to them: "Have no fear. Can I take the place of God?
20 The evil you planned to do me has by God's design been turned to good, to bring about the presentresult: the survival of a numerous people.	20 Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people.
21 So there is no need to be afraid; I shall provide for you and your dependants.' In this way hereassured them by speaking affectionately to them.	21 Therefore have no fear. I will provide for you and for your children." By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them.
22 So Joseph stayed in Egypt with his father's family; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.	22 Joseph remained in Egypt, together with his father's family. He lived a hundred and ten years.
23 Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim's line, as also the children of Machir son of Manasseh,who were born on Joseph's lap.	23 He saw Ephraim's children to the third generation, and the children of Manasseh's son Machir were also born on Joseph's knees.
24 At length Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am about to die; but God wil be sure to remember you kindlyand take you out of this country to the country which he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.'	24 Joseph said to his brothers: "I am about to die. God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
25 And Joseph put Israel's sons on oath, saying, 'When God remembers you with kindness, be sure totake my bones away from here.'	25 Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued, "When God thus takes care of you, you must bring my bones up with you from this place."
26 Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten; he was embalmed and laid in a coffin in Egypt.	26 Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. He was embalmed and laid to rest in a coffin in Egypt.