When I started reading Genesis at chapter 1 on March 1, it was an experiment really. It was an idea that I decided to try not knowing if it would work or if anything would come of it. We have finished one book of the Bible together… out of 66. There are many books shorter than Genesis; nothing in the new Testament is 50 chapters long but then again some Old Testament books are longer and a few are much longer.

We are finishing Genesis on Easter Sunday. As I have said, I don’t if that means anything but it is interesting. We will start the Exodus account tomorrow morning which should be familiar territory for most of us. Then we will take a break and read the Gospel According to Matthew before facing our biggest challenge yet: Leviticus. By my figures that will be June 19th, a date that is very important to me if no one else.

Genesis 50

Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept over him, and kissed him.

2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

3 Forty days were required for this, for that is how long it takes for the Egyptians to be embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days.

4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying “If I have found grace in your eyes, please day to Pharaoh

5 ‘My father made me swear, saying “When I die, you must bury me in the grave I dug in the land of Canaan.” Now then, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.’”

6 Pharaoh said “Go up, and bury your father, according to the words you swore.”

7 Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

8 And all the house of Joseph, and his brothers, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen.

9 There went up with him both chariots and horsemen, and it was a very great company.

10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and sorrowful lamentation. And he mourned his father for seven days.

11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the floor of Atad, they said “This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians.” So the name of it was called Abel-Mizraim, which is beyond Jordan.  

12 And his sons did for him according as he commanded them:

13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a burial place of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.

14 And Joseph returned to Egypt, he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and will certainly repay us for all the evil we did to him.”

16 They sent a messenger to Joseph, saying “Your father did command before he died, saying,

17 “So shall you say to Joseph, ‘Please forgive now the trespass of your brothers, and their sin; for they did to you evil.’ And now please forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

18 His brothers also went and fell down before his face.  And they said “Behold, we are your servants.”

19 Joseph said “Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

20 But as for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about, as it is this day, to save many people alive.

21 Now do not fear. I will provide for you, and your little ones.” And he comforted them, and spoke kind words to them.

22 And Joseph lived in Egypt, and his father’s house. Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.

23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children of Machir also, the son of Manasseh, were brought up on Joseph’s knees.

24 Joseph said to his brothers “I die, and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land and into the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

25 Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.”

26 So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.