« | Genesis 50 |
1 And Joseph fell on his father's face, and wept on him, and kissed him.
2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. And the physicians embalmed Israel.
3 And forty days were fulfilled for him, for so are fulfilled the days of those who are embalmed. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
4 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, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh saying,
5 My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die. You shall bury me in my grave which I have dug for me in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please, let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.
6 And Pharaoh said, Go up and bury your father, according as he made you swear.
7 And Joseph went up to bury his father. And all the servants of Pharaoh went up with him, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
8 and all the house of Joseph, and his brothers, and his father's house. They left only their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen.
9 And both chariots and horsemen went up with him. And it was a very great company.
10 And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation. And he made a mourning for his father seven days.
11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the grain floor of thorns, and they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians. Therefore they called its name, Meadow of Egypt, which is beyond Jordan.
12 And his sons did to him according as he commanded them.
13 For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a burying place from Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.
14 And Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
15 And when Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will perhaps hate us, and will certainly repay us all the evil which we did to him.
16 And they sent a message to Joseph, saying, Your father commanded before he died, saying,
17 So shall you say to Joseph, please lift up the rebellion of your brothers, and their sin. For they did evil to you. And please now lift up the rebellion of the servants of the God of your father. And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 And his brothers also went and fell down before his face. And they said, Behold, we are your servants.
19 And Joseph said to them, Do not fear. For am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save a great many people alive.
21 And now do not fear. I will nourish you and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke to their hearts.
22 And Joseph lived in Egypt, he and his father's house. And Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.
23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's sons of the third generation. Also the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh were born on Joseph's knees.
24 And Joseph said to his brothers, I die. And God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land into the land which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
25 And Joseph took an oath of the sons of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.
26 So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old. And they embalmed him, and put him in a coffin in Egypt.
The Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.