The Death of Israel 1Then Joseph fell on his fathers face, and wept over him and kissed him. 2Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3Now forty days were required for it, for such is the period required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days. 4When the days of mourning for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found favor in your sight, please speak to Pharaoh, saying, 5My father made me swear, saying, Behold, I am about to die; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me. Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father; then I will return. 6Pharaoh said, Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear. 7So Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8and all the household of Joseph and his brothers and his fathers household; they left only their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. 9There also went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company. 10When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and sorrowful lamentation; and he observed seven days mourning for his father. 11Now when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning for the Egyptians. Therefore it was named Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.
15When Josephs brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him! 16So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, Your father charged before he died, saying, 17Thus you shall say to Joseph, Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong. And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father. And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, Behold, we are your servants. 19But Joseph said to them, Do not be afraid, for am I in Gods place? 20As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. 21So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones. So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
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