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23. Ceremonial Mourning

From: Manners and Customs of the Bible

By: James M. Freeman

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Duration: 1min

Genesis 23:2

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Genesis 23:2²And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. (Genesis 23:2). Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

We shall have occasion, in noticing other passages, to refer to the different modes of manifesting grief at times of bereavement; it is only necessary to say here, that there is in this text an evident allusion to a ceremonial mourning. The word “came” indicates this. The passage shows the antiquity of the custom of formal manifestation of sorrow in honor of the dead.

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Manners and Customs of the Bible

• 1. Use of the Term, "Father"

• 2. Babylonian - Bricks - Bitumen

• 4. Use of the Term, "Brother"

• 5. Uplifted Hand

• 6. Burning Lamp

• 7. Religion of Names

• 8. Tent Door Time of Rest

• 9. Bowing Hospitality

• 10. Feet Washing

• 11. Bread Making

• 12. Hosts - Flesh - Food

• 13. Butter Feasts

• 14. Tent Partition

• 16. Town Quarters

• 17. Looking Behind

• 18. Cave Dwellings

• 19. Weaning Feast

• 20. Burden on Shoulder

• 21. Early Rising and Saddles

• 22. Going and Coming

• 23. Ceremonial Mourning

• 24. Mode of Bargaining

• 25. Middlemen

• 26. How Money Was Used

• 27. Transfer of Property

• 28. Cave Sepulchers

• 29. Chief Servant Mode of Swearing