Genesis 50:2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 50:1-6

Joseph is here paying his last respects to his deceased father. 1. With tears and kisses, and all the tender expressions of a filial affection, he takes leave of the deserted body, Gen. 50:1. Though Jacob was old and decrepit, and must needs die in the course of nature?though he was poor comparatively, and a constant charge to his son Joseph, yet such an affection he had for a loving father, and so sensible was he of the loss of a prudent, pious, praying father, that he could not part with him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 50:2

And Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father ,.... Which he did, not merely because it was the custom of the Egyptians, but because it was necessary, his father's corpse being to be carried into Canaan to be interred there, which would require time; and therefore it was proper to make use of some means for the preservation of it, and these men were expert in this business, which was a branch of the medicinal art, as Pliny F24 Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 37. ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 50:2

The physicians - רפאים ropheim , the healers, those whose business it was to heal or restore the body from sickness by the administration of proper medicines; and when death took place, to heal or preserve it from dissolution by embalming, and thus give it a sort of immortality or everlasting duration. The original word חנט chanat , which we translate to embalm, has undoubtedly the same meaning with the Arabic hanata , which also signifies to embalm, or to preserve from... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 50:2

Verse 2 2.And Joseph commanded his servants. Although formerly more labor was expended on funerals, and that even without superstition, than has been deemed right subsequently to the proof given of the resurrection exhibited by Christ: (218) yet we know that among the Egyptians there was greater expense and pomp than among the Jews. Even the ancient historians record this among the most memorable customs of that nation. Indeed it is not to be doubted (as we have said elsewhere) that the sacred... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 50:1-14

The funeral of Jacob. I. THE PRIVATE SORROW . That a great and good man like Jacob, the father of a numerous family, the ancestor of an important people, the chieftain of an influential tribe, the head of the Church of God, should depart this life without eliciting from some heart a tribute of sorrow, is inconceivable. That any of his sons witnessed the last solemn act of this great spiritual wrestler, when he gathered up his feet into his bed and yielded up his spirit into the hands... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 50:1-26

Retrospect and prospect. The fellowship of Egypt with the children of Israel in the burial of Jacob is full of significance. " A very great company went with them." "Abel-Mizraim" the Canaanites called it, "a grievous mourning to the Egyptians." It seemed to them altogether an Egyptian funeral. Yet we know that it was not. The work of God's grace will transform the world that it shall not be recognized. The funeral itself said, Egypt is not our home. It pointed with prophetic... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 50:2

And Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians —literally, the healers , הָרֹפְאִים from רָפָא , to sew together, to mend, hence to heal, a class of persons which abounded in Ancient Egypt, each physician being only qualified to treat a single disorder (Herod; 2.84). The medical men of Egypt were held in high repute abroad, and their assistance was at various times required by persons from other countries, as, e.g; Cyrus and Darius. Their knowledge of medicines was extensive, and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 50:1-26

- The Burial of Jacob10. אטד 'āṭâd Atad, “the buck-thorn.”11. מצרים אבל 'ābêl-mı̂tsrayı̂m, Abel-Mitsraim, “mourning of Mizraim,” or meadow of Mizraim.This chapter records the burial of Jacob and the death of Joseph, and so completes the history of the chosen family, and the third bible for the instruction of man.Genesis 50:1-3After the natural outburst of sorrow for his deceased parent, Joseph gave orders to embalm the body, according to the custom of Egypt. “His servants, the physicians.”... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 50:2

Genesis 50:2. He ordered the body to be embalmed, not only because he died in Egypt, and that was the manner of the Egyptians, but because he was to be carried to Canaan, which would be a work of time. “Embalming is the opening of a dead body, taking out the intestines, and filling the place with odoriferous and desiccative drugs and spices, to prevent its putrifying. The Egyptians excelled all other nations in the art of preserving bodies from corruption; for some, that they embalmed upward... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 50:1-26

Deaths of Jacob and Joseph (49:29-50:26)Again Jacob insisted that he be buried at Machpelah, as a final witness that he died having the same faith as Abraham and Isaac (29-33; cf. 47:29-31). When Jacob died, Pharaoh declared an official time of mourning for him of seventy days. Pharaoh also sent a large group of officials and servants to Canaan with Jacob’s family to provide all necessary help and protection (50:1-9). The Canaanites were amazed that Egyptians should come all the way to Canaan... read more

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