2 And Joseph H3130 commanded H6680 his servants H5650 the physicians H7495 to embalm H2590 his father: H1 and the physicians H7495 embalmed H2590 Israel. H3478
So Joseph H3130 died, H4191 being an hundred H3967 and ten H6235 years H8141 old: H1121 and they embalmed H2590 him, and he was put H3455 in a coffin H727 in Egypt. H4714
And they buried H6912 him in his own sepulchres, H6913 which he had made H3738 for himself in the city H5892 of David, H1732 and laid H7901 him in the bed H4904 which was filled H4390 with sweet odours H1314 and divers kinds H2177 of spices prepared H7543 by the apothecaries' H4842 art: H4639 and they made H8313 a very H3966 great H1419 burning H8316 for him.
And G1161 there came G2064 also G2532 Nicodemus, G3530 which G3588 at the first G4412 came G2064 to G4314 Jesus G2424 by night, G3571 and brought G5342 a mixture G3395 of myrrh G4666 and G2532 aloes, G250 about G5616 an hundred G1540 pound G3046 weight. Then G3767 took they G2983 the body G4983 of Jesus, G2424 and G2532 wound G1210 it G846 in linen clothes G3608 with G3326 the spices, G759 as G2531 the manner G1485 of the Jews G2453 is G2076 to bury. G1779
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 50
Commentary on Genesis 50 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 50
Ge 50:1-26. Mourning for Jacob.
1. Joseph fell upon his father's face, &c.—On him, as the principal member of the family, devolved the duty of closing the eyes of his venerable parent (compare Ge 46:4) and imprinting the farewell kiss.
2. Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father, &c.—In ancient Egypt the embalmers were a class by themselves. The process of embalmment consisted in infusing a great quantity of resinous substances into the cavities of the body, after the intestines had been removed, and then a regulated degree of heat was applied to dry up the humors, as well as decompose the tarry materials which had been previously introduced. Thirty days were alloted for the completion of this process; forty more were spent in anointing it with spices; the body, tanned from this operation, being then washed, was wrapped in numerous folds of linen cloth—the joinings of which were fastened with gum, and then it was deposited in a wooden chest made in the form of a human figure.
3. the Egyptians mourned, &c. It was made a period of public mourning, as on the death of a royal personage.
4, 5. Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, &c.—Care was taken to let it be known that the family sepulchre was provided before leaving Canaan and that an oath bound his family to convey the remains thither. Besides, Joseph deemed it right to apply for a special leave of absence; and being unfit, as a mourner, to appear in the royal presence, he made the request through the medium of others.
7-9. Joseph went up to bury his father—a journey of three hundred miles. The funeral cavalcade, composed of the nobility and military, with their equipages, would exhibit an imposing appearance.
10. they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, &c.—"Atad" may be taken as a common noun, signifying "the plain of the thorn bushes." It was on the border between Egypt and Canaan; and as the last opportunity of indulging grief was always the most violent, the Egyptians made a prolonged halt at this spot, while the family of Jacob probably proceeded by themselves to the place of sepulture.
15-21. When Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, &c.—Joseph was deeply affected by this communication. He gave them the strongest assurances of his forgiveness and thereby gave both a beautiful trait of his own pious character, as well as appeared an eminent type of the Saviour.
22, 23. Joseph dwelt in Egypt—He lived eighty years after his elevation to the chief power [see on Ge 41:46] witnessing a great increase in the prosperity of the kingdom, and also of his own family and kindred—the infant Church of God.
24. Joseph said unto his brethren, I die—The national feelings of the Egyptians would have been opposed to his burial in Canaan; but he gave the strongest proof of the strength of his faith and full assurance of the promises, by "the commandment concerning his bones" [Heb 11:22].
26. and they embalmed him—[See on Ge 50:2]. His funeral would be conducted in the highest style of Egyptian magnificence and his mummied corpse carefully preserved till the Exodus.