Genesis 49 and 50 The death of Jacob :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 as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. :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. 50:1 Joseph threw himself upon 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 favour 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 Mizriam. :12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them: :13 The carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. :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. (50:1-11. When Jacob died at the age of 147, Joseph wept and mourned for months. When someone close to us dies, we need a long period of time to work through our grief. Crying and sharing our feelings with others helps us recover and go on with life. Allow yourself and others the freedom to grieve over the loss of a loved one, and give yourself time enough to complete your grieving process. 50:2-3. Embalming was typical for Egyptians but unusual for nomadic shepherds. Believing that the dead went to the next world in their physical bodies, the Egyptians embalmed bodies to preserve them so they could function in the world to come. Jacob’s family allowed him to be embalmed as a sign of courtesy and respect to the Egyptians. 50:5. Joseph had proven himself trustworthy as a Pharaoh’s adviser. Because of his good record, Pharaoh had little doubt that he would return to Egypt as promised after burying his father in Canaan. Privileges and freedom often result when we have demonstrated our trustworthiness. Since trust must be built gradually over time, take every opportunity to prove your reliability even in minor matters. 50:12-13. Abraham had purchased the cave in the field of Machpelah as a burial place for his wife, Sarah. It was to be a burial place for his entire family. Jacob was Abraham’s grandson, and Jacob’s sons returned to Canaan to bury him in this cave along with Abraham and Isaac. Their desire to be buried in this cave expressed their faith in God’s promise to give their descendants the land of Canaan.) (NIV Life Application Study Bible. Page 92)
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 03:34:50 +0000
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