The final chapter of Genesis: Jacob’s burial in Canaan, Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers, and a dying promise that points the whole story toward the Exodus. Genesis 50 closes the Bible’s first book in cinematic indie-folk by Psalm Selah.
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
Joseph fell on his father’s face wept on him and kissed him Joseph commanded his servants the physicians To embalm his father and the physicians embalmed Israel Forty days were used for him For that is how many days it takes to embalm The Egyptians wept for Israel for seventy days
When the days of weeping for him were past Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s staff saying If now I have found favour in your eyes Please speak in the ears of Pharaoh saying My father made me swear saying Behold I am dying Bury me in my grave which I have dug for myself In the land of Canaan Now therefore please let me go up and bury my father And I will come again
Pharaoh said go up and bury your father just like he made you swear Joseph went up to bury his father And with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh The elders of his house all the elders of the land of Egypt All the house of Joseph his brothers and his father’s house Only their little ones their flocks and their herds They left in the land of Goshen
Both chariots and horsemen went up with him It was a very great company They came to the threshing floor of Atad which is beyond the Jordan And there they lamented with a very great and severe lamentation He mourned for his father seven days When the inhabitants of the land the Canaanites saw the mourning In the floor of Atad
They said this is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians Therefore its name was called Abel Mizraim which is beyond the Jordan His sons did to him just as he commanded them 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 as a possession for a burial site From Ephron the Hittite near Mamre
Joseph returned into Egypt he and his brothers And all that went up with him to bury his father After he had buried his father When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead They said it may be that Joseph will hate us And will fully pay us back for all the evil which we did to him
They sent a message to Joseph saying Your father commanded before he died saying You shall tell Joseph now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers And their sin because they did evil to you Now please forgive the disobedience of the servants of the God of your father Joseph wept when they spoke to him His brothers also went and fell down before his face
And they said behold we are your servants Joseph said to them do not be afraid For am I in the place of God? As for you you meant evil against me But God meant it for good to save many people alive As is happening today Now therefore do not be afraid
I will provide for you and your little ones He comforted them and spoke kindly to them Joseph lived in Egypt he and his father’s house Joseph lived one hundred and ten years Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh Were born on Joseph’s knees
Joseph said to his brothers I am dying but God will surely visit you And bring you up out of this land To the land which he swore to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel saying God will surely visit you And you shall carry up my bones from here So Joseph died being one hundred and ten years old
Listen
Genesis 50 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.