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Genesis 49-50
Common English Bible
Genesis 49-50
Common English Bible
Jacob reveals his sons’ destinies
49 Jacob summoned his sons and said, “Gather around so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the coming days.
2 Assemble yourselves and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel your father.
3 Reuben, you are my oldest son,
my strength and my first contender,[a]
superior in status and superior in might.
4 As wild as the waters, you won’t endure,
for you went up to your father’s bed,
you went up[b] and violated my couch.
5 Simeon and Levi are brothers,
weapons of violence their stock in trade.
6 May I myself never enter their council.
May my honor never be linked to their group;
for when they were angry, they killed men,
and whenever they wished, they maimed oxen.
7 Cursed be their anger; it is violent,
their rage; it is relentless.
I’ll divide them up within Jacob
and disperse them within Israel.
8 Judah, you are the one your brothers will honor;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.
9 Judah is a lion’s cub;
from the prey, my son, you rise up.
He lies down and crouches like a lion;
like a lioness—who dares disturb him?
10 The scepter won’t depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from among his banners.[c]
Gifts will be brought to him;
people will obey him.
11 He ties his male donkey to the vine,
the colt of his female donkey to the vine’s branches.
He washes his clothes in wine,
his garments in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth whiter than milk.
13 Zebulun will live at the seashore;
he’ll live at the harbor of ships,
his border will be at Sidon.
14 Issachar is a sturdy donkey,
bedding down beside the village hearths.[d]
15 He saw that a resting place was good
and that the land was pleasant.
He lowered his shoulder to haul loads
and joined the work gangs.
16 Dan[e] will settle disputes for his people,
as one of Israel’s tribes.
17 Dan will be a snake on the road,
a serpent on the path,
biting a horse’s heels,
so its rider falls backward.
18 I long for your victory, Lord.
19 Gad[f] will be attacked by attackers,
but he’ll attack their back.
20 Asher[g] grows fine foods,
and he will supply the king’s delicacies.
21 Naphtali is a wild doe
that gives birth to beautiful fawns.[h]
22 Joseph is a young bull,[i]
a young bull by a spring,
who strides with oxen.[j]
23 They attacked him fiercely and fired arrows;
the archers attacked him furiously.
24 But his bow stayed strong,
and his forearms were nimble,[k]
by the hands of the strong one of Jacob,
by the name of the shepherd, the rock of Israel,
25 by God, your father, who supports you,
by the Almighty[l] who blesses you
with blessings from the skies above
and blessings from the deep sea below,
blessings from breasts and womb.
26 The blessings of your father exceed
the blessings of the eternal mountains,[m]
the wealth of the everlasting hills.
May they all rest on Joseph’s head,
on the forehead of the one set apart from his brothers.
27 Benjamin is a wolf who hunts:
in the morning he devours the prey;
in the evening he divides the plunder.”
28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them. He blessed them by giving each man his own particular blessing.
Jacob’s death and burial
29 Jacob ordered them, “I am soon to join my people. Bury me with my ancestors in the cave that’s in the field of Ephron the Hittite; 30 in the cave that’s in the field of Machpelah near Mamre in the land of Canaan that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial property. 31 That is where Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, and where Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and where I buried Leah. 32 It is the field and the cave in it that belonged to the Hittites.” 33 After he finished giving orders to his sons, he put his feet up on the bed, took his last breath, and joined his people.
50 Joseph fell across his father’s body, wept over him, and kissed him. 2 Joseph then ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 They mourned for him forty days because that is the period required for embalming. Then the Egyptians mourned him for seventy days. 4 After the period of mourning had passed, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s household: “If you approve my request, give Pharaoh this message: 5 My father made me promise, telling me, ‘I’m about to die. You must bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.’ Now, let me leave and let me bury my father, and then I will return.”
6 Pharaoh replied, “Go, bury your father as you promised.”
7 So Joseph left to bury his father. All of Pharaoh’s servants went with him, together with the elder statesmen in his household and all of the elder statesmen in the land of Egypt, 8 Joseph’s entire household, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only the children, flocks, and cattle remained in the land of Goshen. 9 Even chariots and horsemen went with him; it was a huge collection of people. 10 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad on the other side of the Jordan River, they observed a solemn, deeply sorrowful period of mourning. He grieved seven days for his father.
11 When the Canaanites who lived in the land saw the observance of grief on Atad’s threshing floor, they said, “This is a solemn observance of grief by the Egyptians.” Therefore, its name is Abel-mizraim.[n] It is on the other side of the Jordan River. 12 Israel’s sons did for him just as he had ordered. 13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased as burial property from Ephron the Hittite. 14 Then[o] Joseph returned to Egypt, he, his brothers, and everyone who left with him to bury his father.
Joseph and his brothers in Egypt
15 When Joseph’s brothers realized that their father was now dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us, and wants to pay us back seriously for all of the terrible things we did to him?” 16 So they approached[p] Joseph and said, “Your father gave orders before he died, telling us, 17 ‘This is what you should say to Joseph. “Please, forgive your brothers’ sins and misdeeds, for they did terrible things to you. Now, please forgive the sins of the servants of your father’s God.”’” Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 His brothers wept[q] too, fell down in front of him, and said, “We’re here as your slaves.”
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I God? 20 You planned something bad for me, but God produced something good from it, in order to save the lives of many people, just as he’s doing today. 21 Now, don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” So he put them at ease and spoke reassuringly to them.
22 Thus Joseph lived in Egypt, he and his father’s household. Joseph lived 110 years 23 and saw Ephraim’s grandchildren. The children of Machir, Manasseh’s son, were also born on Joseph’s knees. 24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m about to die. God will certainly take care of you and bring you out of this land to the land he promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Joseph made Israel’s sons promise, “When God takes care of you, you must bring up my bones out of here.” 26 Joseph died when he was 110 years old. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.
Footnotes
- Genesis 49:3 Or first of my power
- Genesis 49:4 LXX; MT he went up
- Genesis 49:10 Sam; MT his feet
- Genesis 49:14 Or stubbornly lying beneath its saddlebags
- Genesis 49:16 Or he judges, or settles disputes
- Genesis 49:19 Or he attacks or good fortune
- Genesis 49:20 LXX, Syr, Vulg; MT from Asher
- Genesis 49:21 Or who gives beautiful words
- Genesis 49:22 Heb uncertain
- Genesis 49:22 Heb uncertain
- Genesis 49:24 Heb uncertain; or flexible
- Genesis 49:25 Heb Shaddai or the Mountain One
- Genesis 49:26 LXX; Heb uncertain
- Genesis 50:11 Or the Egyptians’ observance of grief
- Genesis 50:14 LXX; MT includes after he buried his father.
- Genesis 50:16 LXX, Syr; MT they commanded
- Genesis 50:18 Or came
Genesis 49-50
New International Version
Genesis 49-50
New International Version
Jacob Blesses His Sons(A)
49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.(B)
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,(E)
my might, the first sign of my strength,(F)
excelling in honor,(G) excelling in power.
4 Turbulent as the waters,(H) you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father’s bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.(I)
5 “Simeon(J) and Levi(K) are brothers—
their swords[a] are weapons of violence.(L)
6 Let me not enter their council,
let me not join their assembly,(M)
for they have killed men in their anger(N)
and hamstrung(O) oxen as they pleased.
7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
and their fury,(P) so cruel!(Q)
I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel.(R)
8 “Judah,[b](S) your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck(T) of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.(U)
9 You are a lion’s(V) cub,(W) Judah;(X)
you return from the prey,(Y) my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,(Z)
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[c]
until he to whom it belongs[d] shall come(AA)
and the obedience of the nations shall be his.(AB)
11 He will tether his donkey(AC) to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch;(AD)
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.(AE)
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
his teeth whiter than milk.[e](AF)
13 “Zebulun(AG) will live by the seashore
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend toward Sidon.(AH)
14 “Issachar(AI) is a rawboned[f] donkey
lying down among the sheep pens.[g](AJ)
15 When he sees how good is his resting place
and how pleasant is his land,(AK)
he will bend his shoulder to the burden(AL)
and submit to forced labor.(AM)
16 “Dan[h](AN) will provide justice for his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.(AO)
17 Dan(AP) will be a snake by the roadside,
a viper along the path,(AQ)
that bites the horse’s heels(AR)
so that its rider tumbles backward.
22 “Joseph(BB) is a fruitful vine,(BC)
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches(BD) climb over a wall.[k]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;(BE)
they shot at him with hostility.(BF)
24 But his bow remained steady,(BG)
his strong arms(BH) stayed[l] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,(BI)
because of the Shepherd,(BJ) the Rock of Israel,(BK)
25 because of your father’s God,(BL) who helps(BM) you,
because of the Almighty,[m](BN) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
blessings of the deep springs below,(BO)
blessings of the breast(BP) and womb.(BQ)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than[n] the bounty of the age-old hills.(BR)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(BS)
on the brow of the prince among[o] his brothers.(BT)
27 “Benjamin(BU) is a ravenous wolf;(BV)
in the morning he devours the prey,(BW)
in the evening he divides the plunder.”(BX)
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,(BY) and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing(BZ) appropriate to him.
The Death of Jacob
29 Then he gave them these instructions:(CA) “I am about to be gathered to my people.(CB) Bury me with my fathers(CC) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,(CD) 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah,(CE) near Mamre(CF) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field(CG) as a burial place(CH) from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham(CI) and his wife Sarah(CJ) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah(CK) were buried, and there I buried Leah.(CL) 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[p](CM)”
33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.(CN)
50 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.(CO) 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,(CP) 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.(CQ)
4 When the days of mourning(CR) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,(CS) “If I have found favor in your eyes,(CT) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath(CU) and said, “I am about to die;(CV) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself(CW) in the land of Canaan.”(CX) Now let me go up and bury my father;(CY) then I will return.’”
6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials(CZ) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court(DA) and all the dignitaries of Egypt— 8 besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household.(DB) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.(DC) 9 Chariots(DD) and horsemen[q] also went up with him. It was a very large company.
10 When they reached the threshing floor(DE) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;(DF) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period(DG) of mourning(DH) for his father.(DI) 11 When the Canaanites(DJ) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”(DK) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.[r]
12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:(DL) 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,(DM) near Mamre,(DN) which Abraham had bought along with the field(DO) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.(DP) 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.(DQ)
Joseph Reassures His Brothers
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge(DR) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”(DS) 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions(DT) before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins(DU) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’(DV) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.(DW)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.(DX)
18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.(DY) “We are your slaves,”(DZ) they said.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?(EA) 20 You intended to harm me,(EB) but God intended(EC) it for good(ED) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.(EE) 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.(EF)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly(EG) to them.
The Death of Joseph
22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years(EH) 23 and saw the third generation(EI) of Ephraim’s(EJ) children.(EK) Also the children of Makir(EL) son of Manasseh(EM) were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.[s](EN)
24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die.(EO) But God will surely come to your aid(EP) and take you up out of this land to the land(EQ) he promised on oath to Abraham,(ER) Isaac(ES) and Jacob.”(ET) 25 And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath(EU) and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones(EV) up from this place.”(EW)
26 So Joseph died(EX) at the age of a hundred and ten.(EY) And after they embalmed him,(EZ) he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Footnotes
- Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Genesis 49:8 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
- Genesis 49:10 Or from his descendants
- Genesis 49:10 Or to whom tribute belongs; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Genesis 49:12 Or will be dull from wine, / his teeth white from milk
- Genesis 49:14 Or strong
- Genesis 49:14 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
- Genesis 49:16 Dan here means he provides justice.
- Genesis 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for attack and also for band of raiders.
- Genesis 49:21 Or free; / he utters beautiful words
- Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
- Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
- Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
- Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
- Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
- Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth
- Genesis 50:9 Or charioteers
- Genesis 50:11 Abel Mizraim means mourning of the Egyptians.
- Genesis 50:23 That is, were counted as his
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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