Genesis 49:1-33
Jacob Gives Blessings to His Sons
Then Jacob sent for his sons. He said, “Gather around me so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.
“Sons of Jacob, come together and listen.
Listen to your father Israel.
“Reuben, you are my oldest son.
You were my first child. You were the first sign of my strength.
You were first in honor. You were first in power.
But you are as unsteady as water. So you won’t be first anymore.
You had sex with my concubine on my bed.
You lay on my couch and made it ‘unclean.’
“Simeon and Levi are brothers.
Their swords have killed a lot of people.
I won’t share in their plans.
I won’t have anything to do with them.
They became angry and killed people.
They cut the legs of oxen just for the fun of it.
May the Lord put a curse on them
because of their terrible anger.
I will scatter them in Jacob’s land.
I will spread them around in Israel.
“Judah, your brothers will praise you.
Your enemies will be brought under your control.
Your father’s sons will bow down to you.
Judah, you are like a lion’s cub.
You return from hunting, my son.
Like a lion, you lie down and sleep.
You are like a mother lion. Who dares to wake you up?
The right to rule will not leave Judah.
The ruler’s scepter will not be taken from between his feet.
It will be his until the king it belongs to will come.
The nations will obey that king.
He will tie his donkey to a vine.
He will tie his colt to the very best branch.
He will wash his clothes in wine.
He will wash his robes in the red juice of grapes.
His eyes will be darker than wine.
His teeth will be whiter than milk.
“Zebulun will live by the seashore.
He will become a safe harbor for ships.
His border will go out toward Sidon.
“Issachar is like a wild donkey
lying down among the sheep pens.
He sees how good his resting place is.
He sees that his land is pleasant.
So he will carry a heavy load on his back.
He will obey when he’s forced to work.
“Dan will do what is fair for his people.
He will do it as one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan will be a snake by the side of the road.
He will be a poisonous snake along the path.
It bites the horse’s heels
so that the rider falls off backward.
“Lord, I look to you to save me.
“Gad will be attacked by a group of robbers.
But he will attack them as they run away.
“Asher’s food will be rich and sweet.
He will provide food that even a king would enjoy.
“Naphtali is a female deer set free
and gives birth to beautiful fawns.
“Joseph is a vine that grows a lot of fruit.
It grows close by a spring.
Its branches climb over a wall.
Mean people shot arrows at him.
They shot at him because they were angry.
But his bow remained steady.
His strong arms moved freely.
The hand of the Mighty God of Jacob was with him.
The Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, stood by him.
Joseph, your father’s God helps you.
The Mighty God blesses you.
He gives you blessings from the sky above.
He gives you blessings from the deep springs below.
He blesses you with children and with a mother’s milk.
Your father’s blessings are great.
They are greater than the blessings from the age-old mountains.
They are greater than the gifts from the ancient hills.
Let all those blessings rest on the head of Joseph.
Let them rest on the head of the one who is prince among his brothers.
“Benjamin is a hungry wolf.
In the morning he eats what he has killed.
In the evening he shares what he has stolen.”
All these are the 12 tribes of Israel. That’s what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each one the blessing that was just right for him.
Jacob Dies
Then Jacob gave directions to his sons. He said, “I’m about to join the members of my family who have already died. Bury me with them in the cave in the field of Ephron, the Hittite. The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre in Canaan. Abraham had bought it as a place where he could bury his wife’s body. He had bought the cave and the field from Ephron, the Hittite. The bodies of Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there. So were the bodies of Isaac and his wife Rebekah. I also buried Leah’s body there. Abraham bought the field and the cave from the Hittites.”
When Jacob had finished telling his sons what to do, he pulled his feet up into his bed. Then he took his last breath and died. He joined the members of his family who had already died.
Genesis 50:1-26
Joseph threw himself on his father’s body. He wept over him and kissed him. Then Joseph talked to the doctors who served him. He told them to prepare the body of his father Israel to be buried. So the doctors prepared it. They took 40 days to do it. They needed that much time to prepare a body in the right way. The Egyptians mourned for Jacob 70 days.
After the days of sadness had passed, Joseph went to Pharaoh’s officials. He said to them, “If you are pleased with me, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, ‘My father made me give my word to him. He said, “I’m about to die. Bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” So let me go there and bury my father. Then I’ll come back.’ ”
Pharaoh said, “Go there and bury your father. Do what he made you promise to do.”
So Joseph went to Canaan to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials went with him. They were the important people of his court and all the leaders of Egypt. Joseph’s family also went. His brothers and all the rest of his father’s family went. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large group.
They came to Atad, a place where grain was processed. It was near the Jordan River. There they sobbed loudly and bitterly. Joseph set apart seven days of sadness to honor his father’s memory. The Canaanites living in that area saw how sad all of them were. They said, “The Egyptians are having a very special service for the dead.” That’s why that place near the Jordan River is called Abel of the Egyptians.
So Jacob’s sons did exactly as he had commanded them. They carried his body to the land of Canaan. They buried it in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre. Abraham had bought the cave as a place where he could bury his wife’s body. He had bought the cave and the field from Ephron, the Hittite. After Joseph buried his father, he went back to Egypt. His brothers and all the others who had gone to help him bury his father went back with him.
Joseph Calms His Brothers’ Fears
Now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers were worried. They said, “Remember all the bad things we did to Joseph? What if he decides to hold those things against us? What if he pays us back for them?” So they sent a message to Joseph. They said, “Your father gave us directions before he died. He said, ‘Here’s what you must say to Joseph. Tell him, “I’m asking you to forgive your brothers. Forgive the terrible things they did to you. Forgive them for treating you so badly.” ’ Now then, please forgive our sins. We serve the God of your father.” When their message came to Joseph, he wept.
Then his brothers came and threw themselves down in front of him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Do you think I’m God? You planned to harm me. But God planned it for good. He planned to do what is now being done. He wanted to save many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I’ll provide for you and your children.” He calmed their fears. And he spoke in a kind way to them.
Joseph Dies
Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived 110 years. He lived long enough to see Ephraim’s children and grandchildren. When the children of Makir were born, they were placed on Joseph’s knees and counted as his own children. Makir was the son of Manasseh.
Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m about to die. But God will surely come to help you. He’ll take you up out of this land. He’ll bring you to the land he promised to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Joseph made the Israelites promise him. He said, “God will surely come to help you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.”
So Joseph died at the age of 110. They prepared his body to be buried. Then he was placed in a casket in Egypt.
