Chapter 50

Joseph causeth his father's body to be embalmed; ℣.3 the days of mourning being expired, ℣.9 with Pharao's leave, Joseph with the ancients of Ægypt, all his brethren, and older sort of Israelites, go and solemnly bury the body in Chanaan. ℣.14 After their return, his brethren fearing lest Joseph well now revenge former injuries, he freely forgiveth all. ℣.22 At the age of 110 years, adjuring the posterity to carry his bones into Chanaan he dieth, and is put in a coffin.

1. 1

   Which Joseph seeing fell upon his father's face weeping and kissing him. commanded his servants the physicians,

2. 2

   And he that they should embalm his father with spices.

3. 3

   Who fulfilling his commandments, there passed forty days; for this was the manner of corpses embalmed, and Ægypt mourned him seventy days.

4. 4

   And the mourning time being expired, Joseph spake to the family of Pharao: If I have found grace in your sight, speak in the ears of Pharao:

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   for so much as my father did adjure me, saying: Behold I die, in my sepulchre which I digged for my self in the land of Chanaan, thou shalt bury me. I will go up therefore, and bury my father, and return.

6. 6

   And Pharao said to him: Go up and bury thy father as thou wast adjured.

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   Who going up, there went with him all the ancients of Pharao's house, and all the elders of the Land of Ægypt:

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   the house of Joseph with his brethren, saving their little ones, and the flocks and herds, which they had left in the Land of Gessen.

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   He had also in his train chariots and horsemen: and it became no small multitude.

10. 10

    And they came to the floor of Atad, which is situate beyond Jordan: where celebrating the exequies with great and vehement mourning, they spent full seven days.

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    Which when the Inhabiters of the Land of Chanaan had seen, they said: This is a great mourning unto the Ægyptians. And therefore the name of that place was called, The mourning of Ægypt.

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    Therefore the sons of Jacob did as he commanded them:

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    and carrying him into the Land of Chanaan, they buried him in the double cave, which Abraham had bought with the field for a possession to bury in of Ephron the Hethite against Mambre.

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    And Joseph returned into Ægypt with his brethren, and with all the train, his father being buried.

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    After whose death his brethren fearing, & talking one with another: Lest perhaps he be mindful of the injury which he suffered, and requite us all the evil that we have done;

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    they advertised him saying: Thy father commanded us before he died,

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    that we should say thus much to thee in his words: I beseech that thou forget the wicked fact of thy brethren, and the sin and malice which they have exercised against thee: we also desire thee, that to the servants of the God of thy father thou remit this iniquity. Whom when Joseph had heard he wept.

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    And his brethren came to him; and adoring prostrate on the ground they said: We are thy servants.

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    To whom he answered: Fear not; can we resist the will of God?

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    You thought evil against me, but God turned that into good, that he might exalt me, as presently you see, and might save many peoples.

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    Fear not: I will feed you and your little ones, and he comforted them, and spake gently & mildly.

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    And he dwelt in Ægypt, with all his father's house: and lived an hundred and ten years. And he saw the children of Ephraim unto the third generation. Also the children of Machir the son of Manasses were born in Joseph's knee.

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    Which things being done he spake to his brethren: After my death God will visit you, and will make you go up out of this land, to the land which he sware to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

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    And when he had adjured them and said. God will visit you carry my bones with you out of this place:

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    he died, being an hundred and ten years old. And being embalmed with spices, was put in a coffin in Ægypt.