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[194]
NOW when Jacob had lived seventeen years in Egypt, he fell into a
disease, and died in the presence of his sons; but not till he made his
prayers for their enjoying prosperity, and till he had foretold to them
prophetically how every one of them was to dwell in the land of Canaan.
But this happened many years afterward. He also enlarged upon the praises
of Joseph 1
how he had not remembered the evil doings of his brethren to their disadvantage;
nay, on the contrary, was kind to them, bestowing upon them so many benefits,
as seldom are bestowed on men's own benefactors. He then commanded his
own sons that they should admit Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasses, into
their number, and divide the land of Canaan in common with them; concerning
whom we shall treat hereafter. However, he made it his request that he
might be buried at Hebron. So he died, when he had lived full a hundred
and fifty years, three only abated, having not been behind any of his ancestors
in piety towards God, and having such a recompense for it, as it was fit
those should have who were so good as these were. But Joseph, by the king's
permission, carried his father's dead body to Hebron, and there buried
it, at a great expense. Now his brethren were at first unwilling to return
back with him, because they were afraid lest, now their father was dead,
he should punish them for their secret practices against him; since he
was now gone, for whose sake he had been so gracious to them. But he persuaded
them to fear no harm, and to entertain no suspicions of him: so he brought
them along with him, and gave them great possessions, and never left off
his particular concern for them.
1 As to this encomium upon Joseph, as preparatory to Jacob's adopting Ephraim and Manasses into his own family, and to be admitted for two tribes, which Josephus here mentions, all our copies of Genesis omit it, ch. 48.; nor do we know whence he took it, or whether it be not his own embellishment only.
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