Catholic Public Domain Version

Genesis 50:8-21 Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

8. and the house of Joseph with his brothers, except their little ones and flocks and also the herds, which they left behind in the land of Goshen.

9. Likewise, he had in his company chariots and horsemen. And it became a crowd without restraint.

10. And they arrived at the threshing place of Atad, which is situated beyond the Jordan. There they spent seven full days celebrating the funeral rites with a great and vehement lamentation.

11. And when the inhabitants of the land of Canaan had seen this, they said, "This is a great Lamentation for the Egyptians." And for this reason, the name of that place was called, "The Lamentation of Egypt."

12. And so, the sons of Jacob did just as he had instructed them.

13. And carrying him into the land of Canaan, they buried him in the double cave, which Abraham had bought along with its field, from Ephron the Hittite, as a possession for burial, opposite Mamre.

14. And Joseph returned into Egypt with his brothers and all those of his company, having buried his father.

15. Now that he was dead, his brothers were afraid, and they said to one another: "Perhaps now he may remember the injury that he suffered and requite us for all the evil that we did to him."

16. So they sent a message to him, saying: "Your father instructed us before he died,

17. that we should say these words to you from him: 'I beg you to forget the wickedness of your brothers, and the sin and malice that they practiced against you.' Likewise, we petition you to release the servants of the God of your father from this iniquity." Hearing this, Joseph wept.

18. And his brothers went to him. And reverencing prostrate on the ground, they said, "We are your servants."

19. And he answered them: "Do not be afraid. Are we able to resist the will of God?

20. You devised evil against me. But God turned it into good, so that he might exalt me, just as you presently discern, and so that he might bring about the salvation of many peoples.

21. Do not be afraid. I will pasture you and your little ones." And he consoled them, and he spoke mildly and leniently.