Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 50

The physicians embalmed Israel. — The command first given by Jacob to Joseph (Genesis 47:29–30), and then earnestly urged on all his sons—along with the reminder that the cave of Machpelah had been purchased and rightfully belonged to him (Genesis 49:29–32)—made it especially necessary that the patriarch’s body be prepared for such a long journey.

It was also customary at that time to embalm the dead. During the many centuries this custom lasted, from 2000 B.C. to A.D. 700, it is estimated that no fewer than 420,000,000 bodies were preserved in this way.

For the process, which was very expensive if done in the best manner, see Rawlinson, Egypt, volume 1, page 511 and following. The embalmers are not generally called physicians. However, it is probable that the embalming of Jacob’s body was overseen by the physicians attached to Joseph’s household.

Egypt was famous for its physicians, who were more advanced than those in other countries. They were subdivided into classes, each specializing in a particular disease (see Rawlinson, volume 1, page 305 and following).

Maspero suggests that their actual knowledge was limited, with specialists existing only for eye conditions and one or two similar diseases (Hist. Anc., page 82). Ophthalmia remains one of the most common diseases in Egypt.

Forty days. Herodotus (ii. 86) describes the process of embalming as occupying seventy days. However, he was speaking of what he saw at Thebes, whereas Memphis was the Egyptian capital in Joseph’s time, and we are told that the mummies of Thebes are far more perfectly preserved than those of Memphis. Diodorus (i. 91) agrees very nearly with the periods mentioned here, saying that the embalming took somewhat more than thirty days, and the mourning for a king seventy-two.

The usual period of mourning among the Israelites was thirty days (Numbers 20:29 and Deuteronomy 34:8). Probably, therefore, the forty days spent in the embalming were included in the threescore and ten days, during which the Egyptians mourned for Jacob.

Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh. —It may seem at first sight strange that Joseph should make his request through mediators, but probably no one in the attire of mourning might enter the royal presence. (Compare to Esther 4:2.) The dress of a mourner was squalid, his beard unshorn, his hair in disorder, and while these outward signs of grief were maintained, he was also expected to confine himself to his own house.

A very great company. —Heb., camp, the word following immediately upon the mention of the chariots and horsemen which went as the escort of the elders. These were the chief officers of Pharaoh’s household, and also of the districts into which Egypt was divided, of which each had its separate governor. Of the Israelites only the men of rank, Jacob’s own sons, and the officers of his household took part in the funeral procession, while their little ones —Heb., their “tafs,” translated here in the Septuagint their clans, and signifying the great body of their dependents—remained with their cattle in the land of Goshen.

Threshingfloor of Atad. — Atad means “a thorn-bush,” the rhamnus paliurus of Linnaeus, translated “bramble” in Judges 9:14. As agriculture was only beginning to be practiced in Canaan, this threshing floor would be common property, situated in some place easy of access, and probably a village would grow up near it.

Beyond Jordan. — It is disputed whether this means on the east or on the west of the Jordan. It is certain that the route taken by Joseph lay to the east of the Dead Sea; for Goren-Atad is placed by Jerome at Beth-Hoglah, which lay between the Jordan and Jericho, and Joseph could have gone there only by traveling through the territories of Moab and Ammon. This may seem a long detour, but, as may be seen in the Excursus on the Expedition of Chedorlaomer, the route through the wilderness of Judah was very difficult; and though the western shore of the Dead Sea was practicable as far as Engedi, it was necessary there to ascend a mountain path so steep that a few Amorites might have guarded it against any number of invaders; and probably it was absolutely impracticable for chariots.

It would have been easy, however, to reach Hebron through the Philistine country; but it is remarkable that we find hostilities going on between the descendants of Joseph and the Philistines (1 Chronicles 7:21); and if raids were of common occurrence between the Semitic clans in Goshen and the Philistines, Joseph would not expose his father’s remains to the danger of an attack.

Possibly they may even have refused their consent, and hence the attack upon them by Ephraim’s sons.

On the other hand, the sons of Esau would show great respect to the body of their uncle—(Jewish tradition makes even the sons of Ishmael and of Keturah take part in the mourning)—and moreover they had not yet attained to any great power. We gather from Esau’s march through the lands on the west of the Dead Sea (Genesis 32:6) that the natives there were too few and feeble to resist the chariots and horsemen which formed the escort.

While, therefore, “beyond Jordan” would naturally mean “on the east of Jordan,” it may here express the fact that Joseph had just crossed the Jordan when the lamentation was made. The only other tenable explanation is that Goren-Atad was really on the eastern bank of the Jordan, and that though Beth-Hoglah was the nearest village, the two were not identical. It would be natural to make the solemn seven days’ mourning either when just about to enter the Canaanite territory or at the tomb.