Genesis 50:2
New International Version
Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,

New Living Translation
Then Joseph told the physicians who served him to embalm his father’s body; so Jacob was embalmed.

English Standard Version
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him,

King James Bible
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

New King James Version
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

New American Standard Bible
Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

NASB 1995
Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

NASB 1977
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

Amplified Bible
Then Joseph ordered his servants the physicians to embalm (mummify) his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel (Jacob).

Christian Standard Bible
He commanded his servants who were physicians to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He commanded his servants who were physicians to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel.

American Standard Version
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

Contemporary English Version
Joseph gave orders for Jacob's body to be embalmed,

English Revised Version
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Joseph ordered the doctors in his service to embalm his father. So the doctors embalmed Israel.

Good News Translation
Then Joseph gave orders to embalm his father's body.

International Standard Version
After this, he issued orders to his physician servants to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel.

Majority Standard Bible
And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him,

NET Bible
Joseph instructed the physicians in his service to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel.

New Heart English Bible
Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

World English Bible
Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Joseph commands his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father, and the physicians embalm Israel;

Young's Literal Translation
and Joseph commandeth his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father, and the physicians embalm Israel;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Joseph will command his servants the physicians, to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he instructed his servant physicians to embalm his father with aromatics.

New American Bible
Then Joseph ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father. When the physicians embalmed Israel,

New Revised Standard Version
Joseph commanded the physicians in his service to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yoseph commanded his Servants the Physicians to embalm his father, and the Physicians embalmed Israel.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. And the physicians embalmed Israel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joseph commanded his servants the embalmers to embalm his father; and the embalmers embalmed Israel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Mourning and Burial for Jacob
1Then Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him. 2And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him, 3taking the forty days required to complete the embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.…

Cross References
John 19:39-40
Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. / So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom.

Mark 16:1
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus.

Matthew 26:12
By pouring this perfume on Me, she has prepared My body for burial.

Luke 23:56
Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.

John 12:7
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial.

2 Chronicles 16:14
And he was buried in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier that was full of spices and various blended perfumes; then they made a great fire in his honor.

2 Kings 9:34-37
Then Jehu went in and ate and drank. “Take care of this cursed woman,” he said, “and bury her, for she was the daughter of a king.” / But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing but her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. / So they went back and told Jehu, who replied, “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke through His servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour the flesh of Jezebel. ...

Amos 6:10
And when the relative who is to burn the bodies picks them up to remove them from the house, he will call to one inside, “Is anyone else with you?” “None,” that person will answer. “Silence,” the relative will retort, “for the name of the LORD must not be invoked.”

Matthew 27:59
So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

Acts 9:37
At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room.

John 11:44
The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth. “Unwrap him and let him go,” Jesus told them.

1 Samuel 31:12-13
all their men of valor set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there. / Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

2 Samuel 2:5
So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.

2 Kings 23:18
“Let him rest,” said Josiah. “Do not let anyone disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, along with those of the prophet who had come from Samaria.

Ezekiel 37:4-6
And He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and tell them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! / This is what the Lord GOD says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will come to life. / I will attach tendons to you and make flesh grow upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath within you so that you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”


Treasury of Scripture

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

the physicians.

embalmed.

Genesis 50:26
So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

2 Chronicles 16:14
And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

Matthew 26:12
For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Jump to Previous
Body Commanded Commandeth Directed Embalm Embalmed Father's Folding Israel Joseph Linen Necessary Orders Physicians Ready Servants Service Spices
Jump to Next
Body Commanded Commandeth Directed Embalm Embalmed Father's Folding Israel Joseph Linen Necessary Orders Physicians Ready Servants Service Spices
Genesis 50
1. The mourning for Jacob.
4. Joseph gets leave of Pharaoh to go to bury him.
7. The funeral.
15. Joseph comforts his brothers, who crave his pardon.
22. His age.
23. He sees the third generation of his sons.
24. He prophesies unto his brothers of their return.
25. He takes an oath of them concerning his bones.
26. He dies, and is put into a coffin.














Then Joseph
The name "Joseph" in Hebrew is "Yosef," meaning "He will add." Joseph, a central figure in the latter part of Genesis, is a model of faithfulness and wisdom. His actions here reflect his deep respect and love for his father, Israel (Jacob). Joseph's leadership and authority in Egypt are evident as he takes charge of the situation, demonstrating his continued role as a preserver of his family.

directed the physicians
The Hebrew word for "directed" is "tsavah," which means to command or give orders. Joseph's authority is underscored as he commands the physicians, showing his high status in Egypt. The "physicians" (Hebrew: "rof'im") were skilled professionals in ancient Egypt, known for their advanced medical knowledge. This highlights the integration of Joseph's Hebrew heritage with his Egyptian environment, as he utilizes the resources available to him in his adopted land.

in his service
This phrase indicates that the physicians were under Joseph's authority, part of his household or administrative staff. It reflects the organizational structure of ancient Egypt, where high-ranking officials like Joseph had their own retinue of servants and specialists. This also shows Joseph's ability to navigate and manage the resources of a foreign land for the benefit of his family.

to embalm his father Israel
The practice of embalming, or "chanat" in Hebrew, was a distinctly Egyptian custom, aimed at preserving the body for the afterlife. Joseph's decision to embalm Israel signifies a blending of cultural practices, respecting Egyptian customs while honoring his father. "Israel," the name given to Jacob after wrestling with God, signifies the covenant relationship between God and Jacob's descendants. This act of embalming is a final act of honor and respect for the patriarch of the Israelite nation.

So the physicians embalmed him
The repetition of the action emphasizes the fulfillment of Joseph's command. The embalming process, which took 40 days, was a meticulous and revered practice in Egypt, reflecting the importance of the deceased. This act ensured that Jacob's body would be preserved for the journey back to Canaan, fulfilling his wish to be buried in the land promised to his descendants. It symbolizes the intersection of faith and culture, as Joseph honors his father's wishes while utilizing the means available to him in Egypt.

L.

BURIAL OF JACOB, AND HAPPY OLD AGE OF JOSEPH.

(2) The physicians embalmed Israel.--The command given first by Jacob to Joseph (Genesis 47:29-30), and then urged earnestly upon all his sons, and with the reminder that the cave of Machpelah had been purchased and belonged to him by right (Genesis 49:29-32), made it specially necessary that the patriarch's body should be prepared for so long a journey. It was also usual at that period to embalm the dead; and during the many centuries while the custom lasted, from B.C. 2000 to A.D. 700, it is calculated that no less than 420,000,000 bodies were thus preserved. For the process, which was very expensive if done in the best manner, see Rawlinson, Egypt, i. 511 ff. The embalmers are not generally called physicians, but probably what is meant is that the embalming of Jacob's body was superintended by the physicians attached to Joseph's household. Egypt was famous for its physicians, who were in advance of those of other countries, and were subdivided into classes, which had each the charge of some special disease. (See Rawlinson as above, i. 305 ff.) Mas-pero thinks that their real knowledge was inconsiderable, and that there were specialists only for the eyes, and one or two similar diseases (Hist. Anc. 82). Ophthalmia continues to be one of the most common diseases of Egypt.

Verse 2. - And Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians - literally, the healers, הָרֹפְאִים from רָפָא, to sew together, to mend, hence to heal, a class of persons which abounded in Ancient Egypt, each physician being only qualified to treat a single disorder (Herod., 2:84). The medical men of Egypt were held in high repute abroad, and their assistance was at various times required by persons from other countries, as, e.g., Cyrus and Darius (Herod., 3:1, 132). Their knowledge of medicines was extensive, and is referred to both in sacred (Jeremiah 66:11) and profane (Homer, 'Odyssey" 4 . 229) writings. The Egyptian doctors belonged to the sacerdotal order, and were expected to know all things relating to the body, and diseases and remedies contained in the six last of the sacred books of Hermes. According to Pliny (7:56), the study of medicine originated in Egypt (vide Wilkinson in Rawlinson's 'Herodotus,' vol 2. pp. 116, 117). The physicians employed by Joseph were those attached to his own household, or the court practitioners - to embalm his father: - literally, to spice or season (the body of) his father, i.e. to prepare it for burial by means of aromatics; ut aromatibus condirent (Vulgate); ἐνταφιάσαι τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ (LXX.), which is putting part of a proceeding for the whole (Tayler Lewis). According to Herodotus (2:86), the embalmers belonged to a distinct hereditary class or guild from the ordinary physicians; but either their formation into such a separate order of practitioners was of later origin (Hengstenberg, Kurtz, Kalisch), or Jacob was embalmed by the physicians instead of the embalmers proper because, not being an Egyptian, he could not be subjected to the ordinary treatment of the embalming art ('Speaker's Commentary') - and the physicians embalmed Israel. The method of preparing mummies in Ancient Egypt has been elaborately described, both by Herodotus (2:86) and Diodorus Sieulus (1:91), and, in the main, the accuracy of their descriptions has been confirmed by the evidence derived from the mummies themselves. According to the most expensive process, which cost one talent of silver, or about £250 sterling, the brain was first extracted through the nostrils by means of a crooked piece of iron, the skull being thoroughly cleansed of any remaining portions by rinsing with drugs; then, through an opening in the left side made with a sharp Ethiopian knife of agate or of flint, the viscera were removed, the abdomen being afterwards purified with palm wine and an infusion of aromatics; next, the disemboweled corpse was filled with every sort of spicery except frankincense, and the opening sewed up; after that the stuffed form was steeped for seventy days in natrum or subcarbonate of soda obtained from the Libyan desert, and sometimes in wax and tanning, bitumen also being employed in later times; and finally, on the expiration of that period, which was scrupulously observed, the body was washed, wrapped about with linen bandages, smeared over with gum, decorated with amulets, sometimes with a network of porcelain bugles, covered with a linen shroud, and, in due course, transferred to a mummy case (vide Wilkinson's 'Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians,' vol. 3. p. 471, ed. 1878; Rawlinson's 'Herodotus,' vol. 2. pp. 118-123).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And Joseph
יוֹסֵ֤ף (yō·w·sêp̄)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3130: Joseph -- 'he increases', a son of Jacob, also the name of several Israelites

directed
וַיְצַ֨ו (way·ṣaw)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

the physicians
הָרֹ֣פְאִ֔ים (hā·rō·p̄ə·’îm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7495: To mend, to cure

in his service
עֲבָדָיו֙ (‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

to embalm
לַחֲנֹ֖ט (la·ḥă·nōṭ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2590: To spice, to embalm, to ripen

his father
אָבִ֑יו (’ā·ḇîw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

Israel.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

So they
הָרֹפְאִ֖ים (hā·rō·p̄ə·’îm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7495: To mend, to cure

embalmed him,
וַיַּחַנְט֥וּ (way·ya·ḥan·ṭū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2590: To spice, to embalm, to ripen


Links
Genesis 50:2 NIV
Genesis 50:2 NLT
Genesis 50:2 ESV
Genesis 50:2 NASB
Genesis 50:2 KJV

Genesis 50:2 BibleApps.com
Genesis 50:2 Biblia Paralela
Genesis 50:2 Chinese Bible
Genesis 50:2 French Bible
Genesis 50:2 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Genesis 50:2 Joseph commanded his servants the physicians (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 50:1
Top of Page
Top of Page