GENESIS 50
Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.” Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.’” 6 And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” – Genesis 50:1-6
GENESIS 50 JACOB’S DEATH AND EGYPTIAN BURIAL RITES
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
After Jacob blessed all his twelve children, he died
Joseph wept over his beloved father and kissed him
Then he commanded the physicians to embalm his father
It took forty days to embalm the dead in their tradition
They wept seventy days in accordance to their burial rites
Then after that, Joseph asked Pharaoh to bury him in Canaan.
According to ibible.com, in Egypt, during the time of Joseph burial was more than just an event that happened after a person’s death. Egyptians prepare for burial by building their own tombs, designing special jars and undergoing a lengthy embalming process. Egypt’s burial rites held deep cultural significance. No wonder we read from these verses that it took the physicians forty days to embalm Jacob and a total of seventy days to lament over Jacob’s death.
We can see here that Jacob, although not Egyptian, was given an Egyptian burial because of his son Joseph who was an Egyptian ruler. The interesting thing here is how Pharaoh approved that Jacob’s body be buried in Canaan. The Egyptians value the afterlife so much that they wouldn’t ignore the request of the dying.
REFLECTION
- How can we see the fulfillment of God’s promise in this time of Jacob’s death?
