Genesis 50:4

Verse

When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please tell Pharaoh that

American Standard Version (1901)

And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

Bible in Basic English

And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph said to the servants of Pharaoh, If now you have love for me, say these words to Pharaoh:

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the time of the mourning being expired, Joseph spoke to the family of Pharao: If I have found favour in your sight, speak in the ears of Pharao:

Free Bible Version

Once the time of mourning was over, Joseph said to Pharaoh's officials, “If you'd be so kind, please speak to Pharaoh on my behalf, and explain to him that

Geneva Bible 1599

And when the dayes of his mourning were past, Ioseph spake to the house of Pharaoh, saying, If I haue nowe found fauour in your eyes, speake, I pray you, in the eares of Pharaoh, and say,

King James (Authorized) Version

And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

One Unity Resource Bible

When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph [May he add] spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found chen ·grace· in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

Translation for Translators

When the time of mourning was finished, Joseph said to the king’s officials, “If you are pleased with me, please take this message to the king:

Unlocked Literal Bible

When the days of weeping were over, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak to Pharaoh, saying,

Noah Webster Bible

And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

World English Bible

When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s staff, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

Young's Literal Translation

And the days of his weeping pass away, and Joseph speaketh unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, 'If, I pray you, I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

Context

Mourning and Burial for Jacob

³taking the forty days required to complete the embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.⁴When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please tell Pharaoh that⁵my father made me swear an oath when he said, ‘I am about to die. You must bury me in the tomb that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.’ Now let me go and bury my father, and then return.”

Summary

In Genesis 50:4, we see Joseph commanding his servants to embalm his father Jacob after his passing, following the Egyptian customs of mourning and burial. This act of embalming was significant in honoring Jacob and preparing his body for the journey back to Canaan. It reflects the respect and reverence Joseph had for his father, as well as the cultural practices of the time. This verse also sets the stage for the continuation of Joseph's story as he fulfills his promise to Jacob to bury him in the land of his fathers.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Keil-Delitzsch
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh - But why did not Joseph apply himself? Because he was now in his mourning habits, and in such none must appear in the presence of the eastern monarchs. See Est 4:2.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And when the days of his mourning were past,.... The forty days before mentioned, in which both the Egyptians and Jacob's family mourned for him. An Arabic writer (g) says, the Egyptians mourned for Jacob forty days, which was the time of embalming; but the text is express for sventy days: Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh; to the court of Pharaoh, the principal men there; so the Targum of Jonathan and the Septuagint version, to the great men or princes of the house of Pharaoh: it may seem strange that Joseph, being next to Pharaoh in the administration of the government, should make use of any to speak for him to Pharaoh on the following account. It may be, that Joseph was not in so high an office, and in so much power and authority, as in the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine; and it is certain that that branch of his office, respecting the corn, must have ceased; or this might have been a piece of policy in Joseph to make these men his friends by such obliging treatment, and by this means prevent their making objections to his suit, or plotting against him in his absence; or if it was the custom in Egypt, as it afterwards was in Persia, that no man might appear before the king in a mourning habit, Est 4:2 this might be the reason of his not making application in person: moreover, it might not seem so decent for him to come to court, and leave the dead, and his father's family, in such circumstances as they were: besides, he might speak to them not in person, but by a messenger, since it is highly probable he was now in Goshen, at a distance from Pharaoh's court; unless it can be supposed that these were some of Pharaoh's courtiers who were come to him in Goshen, to condole his father's death: saying, if now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh; however, as these men had the ear of Pharaoh, and an interest in him, Joseph entreats the favour of them to move it to him: saying, as follows, in his name. (g) Elmacinus, p. 43. apud Hottinger. Smegma, c. 8. p. 380.

Genesis 50:4

Mourning and Burial for Jacob

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please tell Pharaoh that

American Standard Version (1901)

And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

Bible in Basic English

And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph said to the servants of Pharaoh, If now you have love for me, say these words to Pharaoh:

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the time of the mourning being expired, Joseph spoke to the family of Pharao: If I have found favour in your sight, speak in the ears of Pharao:

Free Bible Version

Once the time of mourning was over, Joseph said to Pharaoh's officials, “If you'd be so kind, please speak to Pharaoh on my behalf, and explain to him that

Geneva Bible 1599

And when the dayes of his mourning were past, Ioseph spake to the house of Pharaoh, saying, If I haue nowe found fauour in your eyes, speake, I pray you, in the eares of Pharaoh, and say,

King James (Authorized) Version

And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

One Unity Resource Bible

When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph [May he add] spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found chen ·grace· in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

Translation for Translators

When the time of mourning was finished, Joseph said to the king’s officials, “If you are pleased with me, please take this message to the king:

Unlocked Literal Bible

When the days of weeping were over, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak to Pharaoh, saying,

Noah Webster Bible

And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

World English Bible

When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s staff, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

Young's Literal Translation

And the days of his weeping pass away, and Joseph speaketh unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, 'If, I pray you, I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

Adam Clarke
Keil-Delitzsch
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Genesis 50:4

Verse

Context

Mourning and Burial for Jacob

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Genesis 50:4

Mourning and Burial for Jacob

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes