seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 49:29 Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.”
33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
Genesis 50:1 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for 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, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath and said, “I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’”
6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt— 8 besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company.
10 When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. 11 When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.” That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.
12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.
Here's that link to the commentary I use.The Egyptians mourned him seventy days: Jacob was mourned for 70 days among the whole nation of Egypt. A royal mourning period in Egypt was 72 days. Jacob was obviously a greatly honored man.
Joseph went up to bury his father: This was a dramatic burial. The entire clan gathered together to pay tribute to the man who was the last link with the patriarchs. The life of this man’s grandfather overlapped with the sons of Noah.
Have you had to ride in a funeral procession? When my grandfather passed, I rode in the lead car with my grandmother. I was the oldest grandchild, so I was given that honor. People stopped their cars and got out. People stood by their cars and put their hands over their hearts. It was very, very impressive. It was a very long procession through the streets of Charlotte, NC.I don't like to cry at funerals. But... I can't help myself. I bawl. I cried so hard at my baby sister's funeral, I had to leave the sanctuary so the others could hear the sermon.
Joseph bawled at the bedside.
I didn't see Esau at the funeral. I wonder if anyone told him. I wonder if Joseph sent a messenger.
It's ironic that the embalming took 40 days [Verse 3]. After all, great, great, whatever grandfather Noah was stuck in a rainstorm for 40 days. Jesus was tested in the desert for 40 days. The embalming of Israel took 40 days.
I didn't see Esau at the funeral. Well, it doesn't matter, the matter of murder is inconsequential at this point.
If you google "patriarch in Genesis" you will get... Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
The tribes we should watch for now... the other side of the family... are the families of Nahor, Ishmael, Esau, and 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel.
But today.... Jacob is embalmed, mourned, and buried.
Israel is buried.
