Where Was Jacob Buried?

The Machpelah Cave near Hebron is known to be the burial place of the patriarchs and matriarchs, including Jacob. Indeed, after Jacob blesses his twelve sons (Gen 49:1–28), he instructs them to bury him in the cave:

^{בראשית מט:כט} וַיְצַ֣ו אוֹתָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אֲנִי֙ נֶאֱסָ֣ף אֶל־עַמִּ֔י קִבְר֥וּ אֹתִ֖י אֶל־אֲבֹתָ֑י אֶל־הַ֨מְּעָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּשְׂדֵ֖ה עֶפְר֥וֹן הַֽחִתִּֽי:

^{Gen 49:29} Then he instructed them, saying to them, “I am about to be gathered to my kin. Bury me with my fathers in the cave which is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

Jacob then retells the history of the cave’s purchase—as narrated at length in Genesis 23—naming everyone else who is buried there:

^{בראשית מט:ל} בַּמְּעָרָ֞ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בִּשְׂדֵ֧ה הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־פְּנֵי־מַמְרֵ֖א בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ קָנָ֨ה אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה מֵאֵ֛ת עֶפְרֹ֥ן הַחִתִּ֖י לַאֲחֻזַּת־קָֽבֶר: ^מט:לא שָׁ֣מָּה קָֽבְר֞וּ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֗ם וְאֵת֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ שָׁ֚מָּה קָבְר֣וּ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְאֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְשָׁ֥מָּה קָבַ֖רְתִּי אֶת־לֵאָֽה: ^מט:לב מִקְנֵ֧ה הַשָּׂדֶ֛ה וְהַמְּעָרָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ מֵאֵ֥ת בְּנֵי־חֵֽת:

^{Gen 49:30} the cave which is in the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre, in the land of Canaan, the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial site—^49:31 there Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried; there Isaac and his wife Rebecca were buried; and there I buried Leah—^49:32 the field and the cave in it, bought from the Hittites.”

After these last words, Jacob passes away:

^מט:לג וַיְכַ֤ל יַעֲקֹב֙ לְצַוֹּ֣ת אֶת־בָּנָ֔יו וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ף רַגְלָ֖יו אֶל־הַמִּטָּ֑ה וַיִּגְוַ֖ע וַיֵּאָ֥סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו:

^{Gen 49:33} When Jacob finished his instructions to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and, breathing his last, he was gathered to his people.

Joseph Takes Over the Scene

Although the instructions were given to all of Jacob’s sons, the text continues with Joseph crying over his father’s body:

^{בראשית נ:א} וַיִּפֹּ֥ל יוֹסֵ֖ף עַל־פְּנֵ֣י אָבִ֑יו וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ עָלָ֖יו וַיִּשַּׁק־לֽוֹ:

^{Gen 50:1} Joseph flung himself upon his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him.

After embalming his father and receiving Pharaoh’s permission to bury him abroad, Joseph leads an entourage of Egyptians towards Jacob’s homeland, with his brothers in tow:

^{בראשית נ:ז} וַיַּ֥עַל יוֹסֵ֖ף לִקְבֹּ֣ר אֶת־אָבִ֑יו וַיַּֽעֲל֨וּ אִתּ֜וֹ כָּל־עַבְדֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ זִקְנֵ֣י בֵית֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל זִקְנֵ֥י אֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרָֽיִם: ^נ:ח וְכֹל֙ בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵ֔ף וְאֶחָ֖יו וּבֵ֣ית אָבִ֑יו רַ֗ק טַפָּם֙ וְצֹאנָ֣ם וּבְקָרָ֔ם עָזְב֖וּ בְּאֶ֥רֶץ גֹּֽשֶׁן: ^נ:ט וַיַּ֣עַל עִמּ֔וֹ גַּם־רֶ֖כֶב גַּם־פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה כָּבֵ֥ד מְאֹֽד:

^{Gen 50:7} So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the officials of Pharaoh, the senior members of his court, and all of Egypt’s dignitaries, ^50:8 together with all of Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household; only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the region of Goshen. ^50:9 Chariots, too, and horsemen went up with him; it was a very large troop.

Stopping to Mourn for Jacob

At this point the troop arrives at an obscure spot called Goren ha-Atad, “The Threshing Floor of the Bramble,” where they stop and mourn for Jacob:

^{בראשית נ:י} וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ עַד־גֹּ֣רֶן הָאָטָ֗ד אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיִּ֨סְפְּדוּ־שָׁ֔ם מִסְפֵּ֛ד גָּד֥וֹל וְכָבֵ֖ד מְאֹ֑ד וַיַּ֧עַשׂ לְאָבִ֛יו אֵ֖בֶל שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:

^{Gen 50:10} When they came to Goren ha-Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they held there a very great and solemn lamentation; and he observed a mourning period of seven days for his father.

The heavy mourning over Jacob catches the attention of the locals:

^{בראשית נ:יא} וַיַּ֡רְא יוֹשֵׁב֩ הָאָ֨רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֜י אֶת־הָאֵ֗בֶל בְּגֹ֙רֶן֙ הָֽאָטָ֔ד וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵֽבֶל־כָּבֵ֥ד זֶ֖ה לְמִצְרָ֑יִם עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ אָבֵ֣ל מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּֽן:

^{Gen 50:11} And when the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning at Goren ha-Atad, they said, “This is a solemn mourning on the part of the Egyptians.” That is why it was named Abel-mitzrayim, which is beyond the Jordan.

The word abel (אָבֵל), meaning “brook,” appears only in place names like אָבֵל מְחוֹלָה (Abel-meholah) and אָבֵל בֵּית מַעֲכָה (Abel-beth-maachah). Here, Abel-mitzrayim, “the brook of Egypt,” is being reinterpreted as meaning “mourning”—a homograph—and thus “the Mourning of Egypt.”

This folk etymology is meant to underscore that Goren-ha-atad/Abel-mitzrayim is the very spot where Joseph and his entourage mourned the death of Jacob. But if Joseph is headed to Hebron to bury his father in the Machpelah Cave, why, do they stop at Goren-ha-atad/Abel-mitzrayim for a week?

Midrash: Goren-ha-atad Is Not a Place

Aware of this problem, the Jerusalem Talmud offers a midrashic solution that Goren-ha-atad was not actually a reference to a place but to an event,^[1] namely when the Canaanites appeared and watched respectfully as Jacob was mourned:

^{ירושלמי סוטה א:י} וכי יש גורן לאטד? אמר ר' שמואל בר נחמן: חיזרנו בכל המקרא ולא מצינו מקום ששמו אטד. אלא מהו אטד? אילו הכנענים שהיו ראויין לידוש כאטד. ובאי־זו זכות ניצולו? בזכות (בראשית נ:יא) וירא יושב הארץ הכנעני את האבל בגורן האטד.

^{j Sotah 1:10} Does a bramble have a threshing floor?! Rabbi Samuel bar Nachman said: “We have looked throughout scripture and we did not find a place called Atad.” So what is Atad? This refers to the Canaanites who were fit to have been crushed like a bramble. What merit did they have that saved them? The merit of (Gen 50:11) “The Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning at Goren ha-Atad…”

The Babylonian Talmud, in contrast, suggests that the prickly bramble alludes to how the sons of Esau, Ishmael, and Keturah—Jacob’s cousins—came to the funeral and removed their (pointy) crowns:

^{בבלי סוטה יג.} ויבואו עד גרן האטד. וכי גרן יש לו לאטד? אמר ר' אבהו: מלמד שהיקיפו כתרים לארונו של יעקב כגורן זה שמוקף לו אטד—שבאו בני עשו ובני ישמעאל ובני קטורה.

^{b. Sotah 13a} Does a bramble really get a threshing floor? Rabbi Abahu said: “This teaches that they surrounded Jacob’s casket with crowns, like any given threshing floor may be surrounded by brambles”—for the sons of Esau, the sons of Ishmael, and the sons of Keturah all came.

תנא: כולם למלחמה באו, כיון שראו כתרו של יוסף תלוי בארונו של יעקב, נטלו כתריהם ותלאום בארונו של יעקב.

It was taught: All of them originally came to make war, but when they saw Joseph’s crown hanging upon Jacob’s casket, they took off their crowns and hung them on Jacob’s casket.

By explaining the strange name Goren-ha-atad, “bramble threshing floor,” the Talmuds concomitantly erase the problem of the double funeral. The mourning over Jacob took place at the Machpelah Cave; this story simply marks the appearance of outsiders at the funeral. These midrashic explanations highlight the difficulty of the peshat: why would Jacob’s funeral procession stop for seven days in Goren-ha-atad to mourn?

The Disjointed Move to Machpelah

The story continues with the appearance of the brothers at Machpelah. Like in Jacob’s final instructions, all the brothers are the subjects of the action and not just Joseph:

^{בראשית נ:יב} וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ בָנָ֖יו ל֑וֹ כֵּ֖ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽם: ^נ:יג וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ אֹת֤וֹ בָנָיו֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ בִּמְעָרַ֖ת שְׂדֵ֣ה הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָנָה֩ אַבְרָהָ֨ם אֶת־הַשָּׂדֶ֜ה לַאֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֗בֶר מֵאֵ֛ת עֶפְרֹ֥ן הַחִתִּ֖י עַל־פְּנֵ֥י מַמְרֵֽא:

^{Gen 50:12} Thus his sons did for him as he had instructed them. ^50:13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, the field near Mamre, which Abraham had bought for a burial site from Ephron the Hittite.

This scene is discordant with the mourning at Abel-mitzrayim, referring specifically to Jacob’s command thirteen verses earlier as “that which he instructed them,” as if the reader had just read those verses.

After this, the text suddenly jumps back to Joseph and the Egyptians:

^{בראשית נ:יד} וַיָּ֨שָׁב יוֹסֵ֤ף מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ ה֣וּא וְאֶחָ֔יו וְכָל־הָעֹלִ֥ים אִתּ֖וֹ לִקְבֹּ֣ר אֶת־אָבִ֑יו אַחֲרֵ֖י קָבְר֥וֹ אֶת־אָבִֽיו:

^{Gen 50:14} After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

The verse here fits well as a follow up to the mourning at Goren-ha-atad, but feels disjointed as a description of the burial in the cave.

Two Burial Accounts

In the early 20^th century, source critics argued that the account of mourning for Jacob at Goren-ha-atad and Abel-mitzrayim constitutes an alternative burial tradition.^[2] In addition to the narrative problems just noted, these scholars pointed to Jacob’s claim—as reported by Joseph to Pharaoh—that he had already dug a grave for himself in his homeland and wanted to make use of it:

^{בראשית נ:ה} אָבִ֞י הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣נִי לֵאמֹ֗ר הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִי֮ מֵת֒ בְּקִבְרִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן שָׁ֖מָּה תִּקְבְּרֵ֑נִי וְעַתָּ֗ה אֶֽעֱלֶה־נָּ֛א וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה אֶת־אָבִ֖י וְאָשֽׁוּבָה׃

^{Gen 50:5} My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die. Be sure to bury me in the grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now, therefore, let me go up and bury my father; then I shall return.

The NJPS translates the verb as “made ready” to avoid the problem that if Jacob it makes no sense as a reference to the Machpelah Cave, which Jacob could hardly have claimed to have dug. Once we recognize that the burial account was compiled from two separate sources, we can understand each story on its own terms.^[3]

Joseph Buries His Father in Abel-mitzrayim (J)

In one source, Jacob calls Joseph to him, and instructs him to bury him among his ancestors, i.e., in his homeland:

^{בראשית מז:כט} וַיִּקְרְב֣וּ יְמֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ לָמוּת֒ וַיִּקְרָ֣א׀ לִבְנ֣וֹ לְיוֹסֵ֗ף וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ שִֽׂים־נָ֥א יָדְךָ֖ תַּ֣חַת יְרֵכִ֑י וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ עִמָּדִי֙ חֶ֣סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֔ת אַל־נָ֥א תִקְבְּרֵ֖נִי בְּמִצְרָֽיִם: ^מז:ל וְשָֽׁכַבְתִּי֙ עִם־אֲבֹתַ֔י וּנְשָׂאתַ֙נִי֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וּקְבַרְתַּ֖נִי בִּקְבֻרָתָ֑ם וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אָנֹכִ֖י אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה כִדְבָרֶֽךָ: ^מז:לא וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִשָּֽׁבְעָה֙ לִ֔י וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הַמִּטָּֽה:

^{Gen 47:29} And when the time approached for Israel to die, he summoned his son Joseph and said to him, “Do me this favor, place your hand under my thigh as a pledge of your steadfast loyalty: please do not bury me in Egypt. ^47:30 When I lie down with my fathers, take me up from Egypt and bury me in their burial-place.” He replied, “I will do as you have spoken.” ^47:31 And he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. Then Israel bowed at the head of the bed.

In this source, the command was given only to Joseph, which explains why only Joseph cries upon Jacob’s death (Gen 50:1)—the brothers are not in the room. Joseph then orders the physicians to embalm Jacob, after which the Egyptians mourn him for 70 days (50:2–3). Then Joseph obtains permission from Pharaoh to bury Jacob in his homeland (50:4–6) and the large funeral cortege leaves for the land of Canaan (50:7–9). There, at Goren ha-Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they bury Jacob, and held a great lamentation (50:10–11), after which Joseph returns to Egypt—he and his brothers and all who had gone up with him (50:14).

In this source, which documentary scholars refer to as J, Joseph is the primary focus, and Jacob only asks to be buried in his ancestral homeland, in the grave which he himself dug in Goren-ha-atad, which sat upon the Brooke of Egypt (Abel-mitzrayim), perhaps a border reference of sorts.^[4]

Jacob’s Sons Bury Him in Machpelah (P)

In other story, which biblical scholars refer to as P,^[5] Jacob calls all his sons to him (Gen 49:1), blesses them (49:2–28), and instructs them to bury him in the Machpelah cave, where his wife, parents, and grandparents are buried (49:29–32). Then Jacob dies (49:33) and his sons follow his instructions forthwith (50:12–13). In P, Joseph is not given primacy in this account, nor do any Egyptians accompany the brothers to Canaan for the funeral.

Recasting a Burial Tradition as a Mourning Stop

When the compiler brought the J and P texts together, he needed to find a way to present Jacob as buried in only one spot. Instead of erasing the J text, he spliced the P burial account into that of J, giving readers the impression that events happened sequentially, first they stopped to mourn Jacob at Goren-ha-atad, and then they continued on, burying him in the Machpelah Cave, as one would expect of a patriarch.^[6] Nevertheless, the seams of the splicing remain visible. Thus, we know that at one point in Israelite history, at least one group of Judeans believed Jacob was buried somewhere other than the Machpelah Cave near Hebron.

Appendix

Source-Critical Division

The P Source

^{בראשית מז:כח} וַיְחִ֤י יַעֲקֹב֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם שְׁבַ֥ע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י יְמֵֽי־יַעֲקֹב֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה: // ^מט:א וַיִּקְרָ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶל־בָּנָ֑יו // ^מט:כח וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אוֹתָ֔ם אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כְּבִרְכָת֖וֹ בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֹתָֽם: ^מט:כט וַיְצַ֣ו אוֹתָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אֲנִי֙ נֶאֱסָ֣ף אֶל־עַמִּ֔י קִבְר֥וּ אֹתִ֖י אֶל־אֲבֹתָ֑י אֶל־הַ֨מְּעָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּשְׂדֵ֖ה עֶפְר֥וֹן הַֽחִתִּֽי: ^מט:ל בַּמְּעָרָ֞ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בִּשְׂדֵ֧ה הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־פְּנֵי־מַמְרֵ֖א בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ קָנָ֨ה אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה מֵאֵ֛ת עֶפְרֹ֥ן הַחִתִּ֖י לַאֲחֻזַּת־קָֽבֶר: ^מט:לא שָׁ֣מָּה קָֽבְר֞וּ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֗ם וְאֵת֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ שָׁ֚מָּה קָבְר֣וּ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְאֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְשָׁ֥מָּה קָבַ֖רְתִּי אֶת־לֵאָֽה: ^מט:לב מִקְנֵ֧ה הַשָּׂדֶ֛ה וְהַמְּעָרָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ מֵאֵ֥ת בְּנֵי־חֵֽת: ^מט:לג וַיְכַ֤ל יַעֲקֹב֙ לְצַוֹּ֣ת אֶת־בָּנָ֔יו וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ף רַגְלָ֖יו אֶל־הַמִּטָּ֑ה וַיִּגְוַ֖ע וַיֵּאָ֥סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו: // ^נ:יב וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ בָנָ֖יו ל֑וֹ כֵּ֖ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽם: ^נ:יג וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ אֹת֤וֹ בָנָיו֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ בִּמְעָרַ֖ת שְׂדֵ֣ה הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָנָה֩ אַבְרָהָ֨ם אֶת־ הַשָּׂדֶ֜ה לַאֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֗בֶר מֵאֵ֛ת עֶפְרֹ֥ן הַחִתִּ֖י עַל־פְּנֵ֥י מַמְרֵֽא:

^{Gen 47:28} Jacob lived seventeen years in the land of Egypt, so that the sum of Jacob's life came to one hundred and forty-seven years. // ^49:1 And Jacob called his sons // ^49:28 and bade them farewell, addressing to each a parting word appropriate to him. ^49:29 Then he instructed them, saying to them, “I am about to be gathered to my kin. Bury me with my fathers in the cave which is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, ^49:30 the cave which is in the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre, in the land of Canaan, the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial site—^49:31 there Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried; there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried; and there I buried Leah—^49:32 the field and the cave in it, bought from the Hittites.” ^49:33 When Jacob finished his instructions to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and, breathing his last, he was gathered to his people. // ^50:12 Thus his sons did for him as he had instructed them. ^50:13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, the field near Mamre, which Abraham had bought for a burial site from Ephron the Hittite.

The J Source

^{בראשית מז:כט} וַיִּקְרְב֣וּ יְמֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ לָמוּת֒ וַיִּקְרָ֣א׀ לִבְנ֣וֹ לְיוֹסֵ֗ף וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ שִֽׂים־נָ֥א יָדְךָ֖ תַּ֣חַת יְרֵכִ֑י וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ עִמָּדִי֙ חֶ֣סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֔ת אַל־נָ֥א תִקְבְּרֵ֖נִי בְּמִצְרָֽיִם: ^מז:ל וְשָֽׁכַבְתִּי֙ עִם־אֲבֹתַ֔י וּנְשָׂאתַ֙נִי֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וּקְבַרְתַּ֖נִי בִּקְבֻרָתָ֑ם וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אָנֹכִ֖י אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה כִדְבָרֶֽךָ: ^מז:לא וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִשָּֽׁבְעָה֙ לִ֔י וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הַמִּטָּֽה: //

^47:29 And when the time approached for Israel to die, he summoned his son Joseph and said to him, “Do me this favor, place your hand under my thigh as a pledge of your steadfast loyalty: please do not bury me in Egypt. ^47:30 When I lie down with my fathers, take me up from Egypt and bury me in their burial-place.” He replied, “I will do as you have spoken.” ^47:31 And he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. Then Israel bowed at the head of the bed. //

^נ:א וַיִּפֹּ֥ל יוֹסֵ֖ף עַל־פְּנֵ֣י אָבִ֑יו וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ עָלָ֖יו וַיִּשַּׁק־לֽוֹ: ^נ:ב וַיְצַ֨ו יוֹסֵ֤ף אֶת־עֲבָדָיו֙ אֶת־הָרֹ֣פְאִ֔ים לַחֲנֹ֖ט אֶת־אָבִ֑יו וַיַּחַנְט֥וּ הָרֹפְאִ֖ים אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: ^נ:ג וַיִּמְלְאוּ־לוֹ֙ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם כִּ֛י כֵּ֥ן יִמְלְא֖וּ יְמֵ֣י הַחֲנֻטִ֑ים וַיִּבְכּ֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ מִצְרַ֖יִם שִׁבְעִ֥ים יֽוֹם: ^נ:ד וַיַּֽעַבְרוּ֙ יְמֵ֣י בְכִית֔וֹ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יוֹסֵ֔ף אֶל־בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם דַּבְּרוּ־נָ֕א בְּאָזְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר: ^נ:ה אָבִ֞י הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣נִי לֵאמֹ֗ר הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִי֘ מֵת֒ בְּקִבְרִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן שָׁ֖מָּה תִּקְבְּרֵ֑נִי וְעַתָּ֗ה אֶֽעֱלֶה־נָּ֛א וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה אֶת־אָבִ֖י וְאָשֽׁוּבָה: ^נ:ו וַיֹּ֖אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֑ה עֲלֵ֛ה וּקְבֹ֥ר אֶת־אָבִ֖יךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הִשְׁבִּיעֶֽךָ:

^50:1 Joseph flung himself upon his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. ^50:2 Then Joseph ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel. ^50:3 It required forty days, for such is the full period of embalming. The Egyptians bewailed him seventy days; ^50:4 and when the wailing period was over, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s court, saying, “Do me this favor, and lay this appeal before Pharaoh: ^50:5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die. Be sure to bury me in the grave which I made ready for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now, therefore, let me go up and bury my father; then I shall return.’” ^50:6 And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you promise on oath.”

^נ:ז וַיַּ֥עַל יוֹסֵ֖ף לִקְבֹּ֣ר אֶת־אָבִ֑יו וַיַּֽעֲל֨וּ אִתּ֜וֹ כָּל־עַבְדֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ זִקְנֵ֣י בֵית֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל זִקְנֵ֥י אֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרָֽיִם: ^נ:ח וְכֹל֙ בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵ֔ף וְאֶחָ֖יו וּבֵ֣ית אָבִ֑יו רַ֗ק טַפָּם֙ וְצֹאנָ֣ם וּבְקָרָ֔ם עָזְב֖וּ בְּאֶ֥רֶץ גֹּֽשֶׁן: ^נ:ט וַיַּ֣עַל עִמּ֔וֹ גַּם־רֶ֖כֶב גַּם־פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה כָּבֵ֥ד מְאֹֽד:

^50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the officials of Pharaoh, the senior members of his court, and all of Egypt’s dignitaries, ^50:8 together with all of Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household; only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the region of Goshen. ^50:9 Chariots, too, and horsemen went up with him; it was a very large troop.

^נ:י וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ עַד־גֹּ֣רֶן הָאָטָ֗ד אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיִּ֨סְפְּדוּ־שָׁ֔ם מִסְפֵּ֛ד גָּד֥וֹל וְכָבֵ֖ד מְאֹ֑ד וַיַּ֧עַשׂ לְאָבִ֛יו אֵ֖בֶל שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים: ^נ:יא וַיַּ֡רְא יוֹשֵׁב֩ הָאָ֨רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֜י אֶת־הָאֵ֗בֶל בְּגֹ֙רֶן֙ הָֽאָטָ֔ד וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵֽבֶל־כָּבֵ֥ד זֶ֖ה לְמִצְרָ֑יִם עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ אָבֵ֣ל מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּֽן: // ^נ:יד וַיָּ֨שָׁב יוֹסֵ֤ף מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ ה֣וּא וְאֶחָ֔יו וְכָל־הָעֹלִ֥ים אִתּ֖וֹ לִקְבֹּ֣ר אֶת־אָבִ֑יו אַחֲרֵ֖י קָבְר֥וֹ אֶת־אָבִֽיו:

^50:10 When they came to Goren ha-Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they held there a very great and solemn lamentation; and he observed a mourning period of seven days for his father. ^50:11 And when the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning at Goren ha-Atad, they said, “This is a solemn mourning on the part of the Egyptians.” That is why it was named Abel-Mitzraim, which is beyond the Jordan.^[7] // ^50:14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.