Genesis 50:5

³ taking the forty days required to complete the embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

⁴ 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

my 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.”

⁶ Pharaoh replied, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

⁷ Then Joseph went to bury his father, and all the servants of Pharaoh accompanied him—the elders of Pharaoh’s household and all the elders of the land of Egypt—

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: my 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.”
KJV: My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
WEB: ‘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.’”
ASV: My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
DARBY: My father made me swear, saying, Behold, I die; in my grave which I have dug myself in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. And now, let me go up, I pray thee, that I may bury my father; and I will come again.
BLB: My father made me swear, saying, ‘Behold, I am dying; and in my grave that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.’ And now let me go up, please, and bury my father, and I will return.”

ÅB: Min far tok en ed av meg og sa: Jeg dør; i min grav som jeg lot grave for meg i Kana'ans land, der skal du begrave meg. La meg derfor få dra opp og begrave min far og så vende tilbake!
OTB: ‘Min far fikk meg til å sverge en ed og sa: “Se, jeg er i ferd med å dø; i graven jeg forberedte for meg selv i Kanaans land, skal du begrave meg der.” La meg nå dra opp og begrave min far; så skal jeg vende tilbake.’”
B1930: Min far tok en ed av mig og sa: Jeg dør; i min grav som jeg lot grave for mig i Kana'ans land, der skal du begrave mig. La mig derfor få dra op og begrave min far og så vende tilbake!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

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.
Read in context
Isaiah 22:16
What are you doing here, and who authorized you to carve out a tomb for yourself here—to chisel your tomb in the height and cut your resting place in the rock?
Read in context
Matthew 27:60
and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Read in context
Genesis 47:29–31
When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise to show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt,
Read in context
Genesis 3:19
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
Read in context
Psalms 79:3
They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead.
Read in context
Genesis 50:24
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Read in context
Luke 9:59–60
Then He said to another man, “Follow Me.” The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
Read in context