1Joseph threw himself on his father’s body. He wept over him and kissed him. 2Then 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. 3They 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.
4After 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, 5‘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.’ ”
6Pharaoh said, “Go there and bury your father. Do what he made you promise to do.”
7So 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. 8Joseph’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. 9Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large group.
10They 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. 11The 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.
12So Jacob’s sons did exactly as he had commanded them. 13They 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. 14After 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
15Now 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?” 16So they sent a message to Joseph. They said, “Your father gave us directions before he died. 17He 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.
18Then his brothers came and threw themselves down in front of him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
19But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Do you think I’m God? 20You 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. 21So 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
22Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived 110 years. 23He 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.
24Joseph 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.” 25Joseph made the Israelites promise him. He said, “God will surely come to help you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.”
26So Joseph died at the age of 110. They prepared his body to be buried. Then he was placed in a casket in Egypt.
安葬雅各
1約瑟伏在父親身上痛哭，親吻他， 2然後吩咐醫生用香料保存父親的遺體。醫生遵命而行， 3按照常例花了四十天用香料處理遺體。埃及人為他哀悼七十天。
4哀悼的日子完了，約瑟對法老宮中的人說：「如果你們恩待我， 5請告訴法老，我父親死前要我起誓把他葬在迦南他自己預備好的墳地。請准許我到迦南去安葬我父親，我辦完喪事就回來。」 6法老說：「去按照你的誓言埋葬你父親吧。」 7於是，約瑟啟程去埋葬他的父親，隨行的有法老所有的臣僕和埃及所有的達官顯貴， 8以及約瑟全家、他的眾弟兄和雅各的家眷，只有他們的孩子和牛羊仍然留在歌珊。 9隨行的還有大隊車輛和騎兵，人數眾多。 10他們來到約旦河附近的亞達麥場，在那裡痛哭哀悼。約瑟為父親哭喪七天。 11迦南人看見他們在亞達麥場痛哭，就說：「埃及人在痛哭哀悼。」因此，約旦河附近的那個地方叫亞伯·麥西50·11 「亞伯·麥西」意思是「埃及人在哀哭」。。 12雅各的兒子們遵照父親的遺言， 13把父親的遺體帶回迦南，安葬在幔利附近、麥比拉田間的洞裡。洞和田地都是亞伯拉罕向赫人以弗崙買來作墳地的。 14葬禮之後，約瑟就跟眾弟兄和一切隨行的人返回埃及。
上帝的美好旨意
15約瑟的哥哥們見父親死了，就說：「約瑟會不會懷恨在心，因我們以前惡待他而報復我們呢？」 16於是，他們派人去對約瑟說：「你父親臨終時交待這樣的話給你， 17『從前你哥哥們惡待你，求你饒恕他們的罪惡和過犯。』我們是你父親的上帝的僕人，求你饒恕我們的罪惡。」約瑟聽見這些話，就哭了。 18約瑟的哥哥們來見他，俯伏在他面前，說：「我們是你的奴僕。」 19約瑟對他們說：「你們不要害怕，我豈能代替上帝？ 20從前你們是要加害於我，但上帝有祂的美意，祂藉此保全許多人的性命，正如今日的光景。 21因此，你們不要害怕，我會照顧你們和你們的兒女。」約瑟好言好語地寬慰他們。
約瑟去世
22約瑟和他父親全家住在埃及。約瑟享年一百一十歲。 23他看到了以法蓮的孫子，也曾把瑪拿西的兒子瑪吉剛出生的孩子抱在膝上。 24一天，約瑟對他的弟兄們說：「我快要死了，但上帝必看顧你們，帶你們離開這裡，回到祂起誓應許給亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的地方。」 25約瑟讓以色列的子孫起了誓，並說：「上帝必看顧你們，你們要把我的骸骨帶回迦南。」 26約瑟享年一百一十歲。他們把他的遺體用香料保存好，放在棺材裡，停放在埃及。
