Genesis 50:1-21

Joseph flung himself over Jacob, kissing him and weeping. And his tears fell on his father’s face. When he was able to compose himself, he ordered the royal physicians to embalm his father. So, they began the required forty-day process. The Egyptians mourned for Israel for seventy days, and when the weeping period was over, Joseph approached Pharaoh’s officials and said to them, “Please, may I ask a personal favor? Bring my appeal before Pharaoh and tell him: ‘My dying father made me promise that I would bury him in the land of Canaan—in a tomb he had hewn with his own hands. Please give me permission to go and bury my father; then I will return.’ ” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Go to Canaan, bury your father, and keep your promise to him.” So Joseph went to Canaan to bury his father, and all the officials of Pharaoh, the elite members of his court, and all of Egypt’s dignitaries accompanied him. All of Joseph’s household and all his brothers and their father’s household went, too. Only the children and livestock remained behind in Goshen. Many chariots and horsemen—a huge entourage—accompanied Joseph to Canaan in a grand procession! When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned loudly with bitter sorrow for a long time. And Joseph spent seven days there in ceremonial mourning for his father. When the people of Canaan saw the depth of mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a solemn occasion of grief for the Egyptians,” and named the place near the Jordan, The Mourning of the Egyptians. So Jacob’s sons did as they were instructed and carried his body to the land of Canaan. They buried him there in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, where Abraham had purchased a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him to bury his father. When the brothers realized they were now without their father, they said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and decides to pay us back for all the trouble we brought on him?” So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before he died, your father left us this instruction: ‘Tell Joseph that I beg him to completely forgive the sin of his brothers who treated him so harshly.’ Now, please forgive us, servants of the God of your father, of the horrible wrong we did to you.” Joseph cried and wept as they read this message to him. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph’s feet, saying, “We are here as your slaves!” But Joseph dried his tears and said, “Don’t be afraid. How could I ever take the place of God? Even though you intended to hurt me, God intended it for good. It was his plan all along, to ensure the survival of many people. So, don’t worry. I myself will provide for you all that you need, both for you and your little ones.” Then with more kind, reassuring words, Joseph comforted his brothers.