50:1 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.
4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 My father made me swear, saying, ‘I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.’ Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.” 6 And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim; it is beyond the Jordan. 12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them, 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
God’s Good Purposes
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died, 17 ‘Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ And 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 came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
The Death of Joseph
22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. (ESV)
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
One final time, the brothers think that Joseph could get his revenge on them. But what how he responds is completely the opposite of revenge! He says that he is not “in the place of God”, so he doesn’t have the right to take his revenge on them even if he wanted to. Then he goes on to tell them that even though they hurt him both physically and emotionally, it was all part of God’s plan. And God’s plan was for Joseph to save a lot of people during the famine, and it only could be accomplished if he went through those years as a slave and in prison. And then he goes even further to say that he will provide for them and their kids! He’s not just forgiving them, he’s also making sure that they don’t starve! He just shows them more kindness, instead of just forgiving them and then never talking to them again. This is the kind of forgivness we should have towards each other. Even though people may have wronged us, it was all part of God’s plan. We have to forgive them, and not just move one, but be kind to them as well.
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Wow what a perspective! How often do we respond this way when calamity or trial come in our life because of the sin in this world?? This should be our response EVERY time…we should be reminded that God intends to use everything (even the evil) for the good of His kids and for His glory. What an amazing end to a great story!
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
We worship a sovereign God who is always in control, despite the bad things that happen to us. God does not react to the bad things and make good out of them. No, He allows them to happen so that His plans and purposes will be fulfilled in our lives. It is comforting to know this truth which is also clearly stated in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” God does not make our lives perfect and free of pain and trials, and Joseph’s life is a perfect example of that. However, He is always in control and He is using every circumstance to confrom us to the likeness of Christ, which is ultimately the best thing that can happen to us. We must remember this truth the next time we are faced with a difficult circumstance. God is always working out the bad in our lives for His good purposes!
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
Joseph forgave his brothers for a greivous sin that they comitted against him. How much more, then, should we forgive those who wound us. Are we in the place of GOD? Are we any more blessed than Jacob? No. Forgive others as GOD has forgiven you!
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”
How sad. Joseph’s brothers are still afraid that he might seek vengeance. While their father lived, they thought they were safe under his shadow; but now that he is dead, they feared Joseph and underestimated his forgiveness and love towards them. A guilty conscience is never fully at rest. We need to trust in the Lord and not live in fear after we repent for our sins.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Last chapter of Genesis! I am so excited about starting Exodus tomorrow!
Here we see the last two main characters of Genesis dying off, Jacob and Joseph. Even though the lives of these two men ended, they both seemed to have a confidence that God was going to continue his work. Jacob knew God was still going to work with his sons when he blessed them in yesterday’s chapter. And Joseph seemed confident that God had worked this all out for good and that the people of Israel would someday leave this place. May we all have a perspective that God is working on something greater than our own lives!
V20 is a great affirmation of God’s sovereignty and goodness against the backdrop of sin.
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
There are so many examples that display the character of Christ within the story of Joseph. When I read this verse it reminded me so much of Jesus. During the life of Jesus the intention was to harm Him, but God the Father intended it for good. The death and resurrection of Christ has saved the lives of many. How fortunate we are to serve a God who willingly gave His life for sinners like us. It brings to mind the verse Pastor Bobby gave during his message this week… Isaiah 53:1-12 I pray that has we consider the sacrifice made on our behalf we would truly give thanks, honor and praise for the new life we have in Christ Jesus!
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
this just proves how God uses others to get to some people. He used Joseph maybe in a way that he did not knwo but God wants others to be with him he doesn’t want others to sufer in hell.
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
I think this is one of the most amazing verses in the Bible. So many bad things happen all the time and people spend their lives just trying to mess up as many lives as possible and we want to think “how could anything good come out of this?” But God is sovereign and can take any bad thing that happens and turn it into something good. We need to have faith and not doubt God’s plan :]
(v5) ‘My father made me swear an oath and said, “I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’ ”
(v12) So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:
Jacob told his sons to bury him in the land of Canaan. Joseph plead to the Pharaoh to let him obey his father by burying him where he wished. Jacobs sons obeyed him and did all that was capable to obey. They knew that the children are to obey their parents, and they did. This was long before the ten commandments, where in Exodus 20:12 it says to honor your father and mother. Joseph directly obeyed his father and we should follow that example of obedience. Children are to obey their parents in everything, even though society encourages independence. We are to honor them so that we may live long in the land that the LORD our God has given us. Ephesians 6:1-3 backs up how important it is to obey our parents. Jacob’s sons did as he commanded them, and he was favored because of that.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
This passage is so amazing! Joseph doesnt get revenge on his brothers after all that they had done to him;he asks “am i in the place of God?” No one is except for actually God hiself so we need to forgive like God forgave us and not take revenge on those who sin against us. I also love how verse 20 says that God intended what was happening to Joseph to bring on something good, and to me this is so comforting to know. If something bad is happening in our lives, God could intend for it to actually lead to something good that is all part of his plan for us.
26 So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
I thought people where supposed to be buried with there families.. Oh well. I noticed the years people are living are slowly beginning to go down. God has a plan for all of us as the life of Joseph has plainly shown. He stayed faithful even in the hardest of times. We can always count on God.
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them
I really am still blown away by this story because his brothers did so many horrible things to him. If I were Joseph I would take revenge or hold the longest grudge but he forgave them and not only that, he wanted to provide and help their family which is amazing. That’s beyond human power. To forgive someone who wronged you and bless them enormously. He could only do that with God’s help and staying strong in his faith. Joseph is a great example to everyone of us.
Wow last chapter! I have really learned a lot of new stuff that I didn’t know before! I loved reading this book and look forward to continue reading more books out of the Old Testement!
3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
Whoa! After Jacob dies, the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days! That’s a long time of sorrow and sadness, that’s more than two months! I don’t know if a person died I would mourn this much.
12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:
Mmmm righteousness! Joseph and all his brothers did what Jacob their dad told them too, they obeyed their dad and we should be just like this! The sons of Jacob are a good example to follow!
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
I like this response by Joseph, Joseph knows that he was “put under the bus” by his brothers, that they had gotten hurt, that his brothers wanted him dead! But Joseph does not seek revenge as his brothers thought he would, instead he realizes that it was God’s will for him so that the people of Egypt would not die from the famine. Joseph also didn’t have a heart to seek revenge on his brothers, he easily forgave them.
26 So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Wow, so both Joseph and Jacob die in this chapter! The big characters of this opening book of the Bible, Genesis.
Wow I just can’t believe we just finished Genesis! I am going to miss reading this book, I liked reading this book a lot, I’m kinda of bummed…but hey we got Exodus tommorrow! Yeaaa!
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
————-
Joseph is such a servant of God, putting God’s plans before his own. We might not understand why God does things in our lives, but if we allow God to be the leader in our life and pray for guidance we will be guided toward serving Him. Joseph’s brother were horendous, I mean seriously imagine getting thrown in a hole by your brothers and then getting sold!!!! Joseph went beyond our evil instinct to get revenge and turned to God to find the love in his heart to forgive his brothers and then went further and provided for their family. A great lesson to all of us!
Great comment Katie! Joseph didn’t seek revenge. He trusted that God was in complete control of his life – no matter what his brothers tried to do to him, God used it to fulfill His purpose and plan.
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
What a servant of the Lord Joseph is. Joseph knew everything his brothers did to him yet he did not seek revenge and I am very fond of that because it would be hard to not fire back. But he trusted the lord in everything he did and had faith that God would do whatever He needed to do with Joesph. This chapter was an amazing chapter on faith trust and serving the Lord at all cost. ENJOYED IT CAN’T WAIT FOR EXODUS!!!!
25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”
26 So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
WOW!! Last chapter of Genesis! Anyway, Joseph in his last moments does the same as his father and made his sons swear an oath. A lot of importance between people this chapter. Joseph is a true servant for God.
COME ON CAPO,TESORO AND SAN JAUN HILLS GIRLS POST!!!!
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
Joseph is so legit! His brothers threw him in a well, sold him to a group of traders, sent him hundreds of miles away, then told their dad that he was eaten by an animal. I cant think of anything they could have done that would have been worse than that. And now, when Jospeh is in a perfect position to get revenge, he says, “Am I in the place of God?” Joseph understood that God had a plan. He understood that he had no right to get revenge because the Lord will take care of that if it needs to be done. We can learn so much from his example. If we are wronged (and im guessing not to many people have been wronged worse than Jospeh), we have no right to look for revenge or payback.
21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
This is amazing that Joseph would FORGIVE once again when He had so many times he could of got then back at his brothers for what they did to him. This is a great example for us to forgive over and over again.
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
As others have commented, Joseph had amazing perspective on an intense situation. It doesn’t get much worse than being betrayed by your own family. However, despite a very painful situation, Joseph could see God’s guiding hand at work. This is the kind of perspective I would like to have on life.
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”
My mom has taught my sisters and I to be people of integrity. Integrity means to stick to strong morals and live honestly. Joseph had the opportunity to have revenge or to be a man of integrity and obey his father, even though he was not around anymore to see. He chose to have integrity even though it cost him some tears and it was not easy for him.
This chapter starts out sad because of Jacobs death, then gets happy and then back to sad. Haha but its so awesome that Joseph can forgive his brothers and then provide for them! What a cool guy….he had so many opportunities to take them down but he didnt and was the bigger man who forgave.
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
I think it is so great that Joseph was willing to forgive his brothers for all of the terrible things they did to him. It shows how much faith in God he has for Him to rule his life and to create miracles. God worked out how to make Joseph and his brothers to be like the family they didn’t have as they were growing. God gave Joseph the strength not to take revenge but to stay true to God’s commands.
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
I LOVED this verse! Wow, Joseph’s story was AMAZING. And God had it all planned from the very beginning. Even in the times that Joseph was hurting the most, God intended for good to come out of that. This reminds me of Romans 8:28, “And we know that ALL things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” That sums up Joseph’s life. Every challenge and tribulation he encountered worked together for good because he loved God. Wow, what an encouraging chapter!
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
this verse is sooo cool! Angela your so right. We tend to hold grudges on others and yet through everything Joseph went through he was able to forgive his brothers and what they did to him.
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”
We as Christians should never hold a grudge against anyone but forgive them .If God was able to forgive us, then we should be able to forgive others. Like Jasmine Douglas already said, it is so sad to see that Joseph’s brothers underestimated his forgiveness.
24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
i absolutely love how the God we serve will ALWAYS keep His perfect promises. He will never fail, and some promises He keep even though we did not fulfill our part, just because He is a graceful, merciful, and loving God. we can be confident that the Lord will fulfill all of His perfect promises to us, whether it be that we face persecution, or whether Christ will return for His children. we can live in full faith that God will bestow grace upon us and fulfill His promises. Maranatha!
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
many of us have commmented onthis verse!!
I feel like this one is directly realting to me becasue i am going through a trial right now, where im in a situation and im really not likeing it, but latelyi have realized that maybe and probably God has me there for a specific reason…even though i am having a hard time, i know i can conquer my fear with Gods help…God used Josephs situation to save hundreds, i cant wait to see how God will use me for His glory in mine!
21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
After everything Joseph’s brothers put him through, he forgave them entirely. He loved them without holding a grudge. We should take this example and forgive others like Jesus Christ forgave us.
This chapter I think shows how God might be using you to get to other people around you. Things that happen in your life, that maybe affect you in a monotone way could be helping someone around you. Also I wanted to retouch on what Katie Baxter said about how if something bad is happening in your life or your prayers aren’t being answered right away, you never know what path he has for you or if the timing isn’t quite right.
21 So then, dont be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
I think that it was amazing how Joseph forgave his brothers, this shows how Joseph let God lead his life. I think it is amazing because Joseph lived his life for God and you can see all the miracles he was blessed with,( living 110 years, being blessed with seeing all his grand children, and being able to keep spreading his faith and the gospel down his generation line)!!! Which he could have never believed before he put his faith in God!
24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Like Cameron said, its amazing how God keeps His promises. This was especially important at this time, because Joseph’s brothers could have thought how are we going to possess Canaan if we are living among the Egyptians? But Joseph trusted God, and this trust allowed Him to glorify Him despite the many trials he faced. When we have a complete trust in God like Joseph had, knowing everything will work out in the end as God promises, we will be able to live life praising and serving God rather than getting bitter and complaining about trials.
18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
Joseph was so forgiving to his brothers. It is such a wake up call to me because if Joseph can forgive in this situation then it should be so easy for me to forgive. I have never faced anything like this but it is still hard for me even to forgive my sister when she does something that isnt nice to me. I need to be a lot more loving and not hold a grudge on someone for just saying something that i do not like or agree with.
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”
16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died:
Last Chapter!!! I thought how Joseph’s brothers tricked him into thinking that his father wrote him the letter was sad. Joseph had forgiven his brothers about them trying to kill him. But after their father died, they feared that Joseph might come after them for the wrong things they had done to him in the past. If they really felt like that, they should of asked Joseph for his forgiveness, not lie and making a fake letter to keep them safe. Lying gets us no where but only causes more problems for us to worry about.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
This is a reminder not to take revenge on anyone. It is God’s place to judge and punish those who sin against us, but we should forgive rather than get even. In high school it seems very common place to get back at someone who wrongs you, but we can look to God, and know that he is just and holy and will judge people in the end. Genesis is awesome. It is one of my faves in God’s word.
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
This is how we should evaluate our live. God has a good plan for everything. Sometimes it’s easy to only focus on the bad part that is visible, but we need to remember that God doesn’t like tortuing us for fun, He loves us and has planned each step of our lives.
We read this chapter today in bible lit and i am going to agree with daniel…
We need to know that God is working out everything for his glory so lets have a humble heart before our God!
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Joseph is so forgiving and humble towards his brothers. We would expect Joseph to be angry at his brothers and hold a grudge towards them for the terrible thing they did to him, but no. Joseph realizes that it was all part of God’s plan for what God wanted Joseph to accomplish in his life. If his brothers would not have done what they had done to him, just imagine what wouldn’t have taken place in the years to come.
YEEEE!!! I can’t wait to start Exodus!!! Gonna be legit!!
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
What an amazing testimony to the perfect authority of God. He orchestrated the events in Joseph’s life to be used to His purposes. Job 42:2 reminds us that God can do all things and nothing that He purposes can be thwarted. In the story of Joseph, despite the sins of Joseph’s brothers, God used Joseph to save the nation of Egypt (and Israel) from the famine. How encouraging to know that our God has absolute control over the circumstances of our lives.
I loved reading through the story of Joseph. And I’m praying that God raises up a generation of young people full of faith who will not compromise! Bring on the Revival!
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
God is the ultimate authority over all things and the details of this story were all brought about exactly how God wanted. Seeing how this story has unfolded and how Joseph is giving God praise for accomplishing His will through it all is really convicting to me because I don’t always trust God. But all worry and fear are out of place in my life because God is accomplishing His will now just like He was then and even in my own life, how awesome is that!? I have nothing to fear because anything and everything that happens God has intended to work together for His glory!
I love how Genesis ends with Joseph acknowledging that God uses all things for good! Joseph could have done what his brothers were afraid of and get revenge but he reallized that it was all in Gods will…praise God for who he is and for working for the good of those who love him