The Last Chapter of Genesis, Chapter 50

A sad ending of the book. But important lessons that are crucial to everyday life are learnt from start to the end of Genesis.

Respect not only for the living. But moreover, to the dead is taught in the Torah.

As usual the Greek book – New Testament mocks this mitzvah (commandment) by saying, “let the dead bury their dead” (Matt. 8:22 & Lk. 9:60).

*Note that placing a “Cross” on the grave is nowhere to be found in the Hebrew Scripture (Old Testament).

“Jacob is Mourned by All Egypt”
“Joseph’s Reassurance to His Brothers”

Joseph ordered his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel.
50:1
My father had adjured me, saying, ‘Behold, I am about to die; in my grave, which I have hewn for myself in the land of Canaan – there you are to bury me.’ …
:5
His sons did for him exactly as he had instructed them. His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and they buried him in the cave of Machpelah field, the field that Abraham had brought as a burial state from Ephron the Hittite, facing Mamre.
:12-13
But Joseph said to them, “Fear not, for am I instead of God?
:19
Although you intended me harm, God intended it for good: …
:20
Joseph said to his brothers. “I am about to die, but God will surely remember you and bring you up out of this land to the land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
:24
Then Joseph adjured the children of Israel saying, “When God will indeed remember you, then you must bring my bones up out of here.
:25
Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; they embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
:26

1 Joseph fell on his father’s face, and he wept over him and kissed him.
2 And Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel.
3 And forty days were completed for him for so are the days of embalming completed and the Egyptians wept over him for seventy days.
4 When the days of his weeping had passed, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s household, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak now in Pharaoh’s ears, saying,
5 ‘My father adjured me, saying, “Behold, I am going to die. In my grave, which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” So now, please let me go up and bury my father and return.’ “
6 And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father as he adjured you.”
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father, and all Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt went up with him,
8 and Joseph’s entire household and his brothers and his father’s household; only their young children and their flocks and cattle did they leave in the land of Goshen.
9 And chariots and horsemen also went up with him, and the camp was very numerous.
10 And they came to the threshing floor of the thornbushes, which is on the other side of the Jordan, and there they conducted a very great and impressive eulogy, and he made for his father a mourning of seven days.
11 The Canaanite[s], the inhabitant[s] of the land, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of the thornbushes, and they said, “This is an intense mourning for the Egyptians.” Therefore, they named it Abel Mizraim (Egypt mourns), which is on the other side of the Jordan.
12 And his sons did to him just as he had commanded them.
13 And his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and they buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which field Abraham had bought for burial property from Ephron the Hittite before Mamre.
14 And Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, and all who had gone up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
15 Now Joseph’s brothers saw that their father had died, and they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us and return to us all the evil that we did to him.”
16 So they commanded [messengers to go] to Joseph, to say, “Your father commanded [us] before his death, saying,
17 ‘So shall you say to Joseph, “Please, forgive now your brothers’ transgression and their sin, for they did evil to you. Now please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” ‘ ” Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 His brothers also went and fell before him, and they said, “Behold, we are your slaves.”
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I instead of God?
20 Indeed, you intended evil against me, [but] God designed it for good, in order to bring about what is at present to keep a great populace alive.
21 So now do not fear. I will sustain you and your small children.” And he comforted them and spoke to their hearts.
22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.
23 Joseph saw children of a third generation [born] to Ephraim; also the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh were born on Joseph’s knees.
24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am going to die; God will surely remember you and take you up out of this land to the land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
25 And Joseph adjured the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely remember you, and you shall take up my bones out of here.”
26 And Joseph died at the age of one hundred ten years, and they embalmed him and he was placed into the coffin in Egypt.