Burial.

• 2 min. read • grade level: 12

Probable origin of. Gen. 4:9, 10⁹And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? ¹⁰And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. (Genesis 4:9‑10).

Design of. Gen. 23:3, 4³And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, ⁴I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. (Genesis 23:3‑4).

ATTENDED BY

Family of the dead. Gen. 50:5, 6, 8⁵My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. ⁶And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear. (Genesis 50:5‑6)
⁸And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. (Genesis 50:8). Mat. 8:21.

Numbers of friends, &c. Gen. 50:7, 9⁷And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, (Genesis 50:7)
⁹And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. (Genesis 50:9). 2 Sam. 3:31³¹And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. (2 Samuel 3:31). Luke 7:12¹²Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. (Luke 7:12).

Female friends. Mar. 15:47. Luke 7:13¹³And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. (Luke 7:13).

Hired mourners. Jer. 9:17, 18¹⁷Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come: ¹⁸And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters. (Jeremiah 9:17‑18).

Great lamentation at. Gen. 50:16, 11¹⁶And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, (Genesis 50:16)
¹¹And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan. (Genesis 50:11). 2 Sam. 3:31, 32³¹And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. ³²And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. (2 Samuel 3:31‑32).

Orations sometimes made at. 2 Sam 3:33, 34.

THE BODY WAS

Washed before. Acts 9:37³⁷And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. (Acts 9:37).

Anointed for. Mat. 26:12.

Wound in linen for. John 19:40⁴⁰Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. (John 19:40). John 19:40⁴⁰Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. (John 19:40).

Preserved with spices. John. 19:39, 40.

Sometimes burned before. 1 Sara. 31:12.

Carried on a bier to. 2 Sam. 3:31³¹And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. (2 Samuel 3:31). Luke 7:14¹⁴And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. (Luke 7:14).

Perfumes burned at. 2 Chr. 16:14¹⁴And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him. (2 Chronicles 16:14). Jer. 34:5⁵But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odors for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 34:5).

Antiquity of coffins for. Gen. 50:26²⁶So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. (Genesis 50:26).

Often took place immediately after death. John. 11:17, with 39 v. Acts 5:6, 10⁶And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. (Acts 5:6)
¹⁰Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. (Acts 5:10).

Of persons embalmed, deferred for seventy days. Gen. 50:3, 4³And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days. ⁴And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, (Genesis 50:3‑4).

Of persons hanged, always on the days of execution. Deu. 21:23. John. 19:31.

The right of all nations. Jud. 16:31. John. 19:38.

Of enemies, sometimes performed by the conquerors. 1 Kin. 11:15. Eze. 39:11-14¹¹And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamon-gog. ¹²And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. ¹³Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord God. ¹⁴And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search. (Ezekiel 39:11‑14).

Of the friendless, a kind act. 2 Sam. 2:5⁵And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have showed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. (2 Samuel 2:5).

PLACES USED FOR

Natural caves. Gen. 23:19¹⁹And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. (Genesis 23:19). John. 11:38.

Caves hewn out of rocks. Isa. 22: 16. Mat. 27:60.

Gardens. 2 Kin. 21:18, 26. John. 19:41.

Under trees. Gen. 35:8⁸But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth. (Genesis 35:8). 1 Sam. 31:13¹³And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. (1 Samuel 31:13).

Tops of the hills. Jos. 24:33³³And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim. (Joshua 24:33). 2 Kin. 23:16.

Houses of the deceased. 1 Sam. 25:1¹And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. (1 Samuel 25:1). 1 Kin. 2:34. 2 Chr. 24:16¹⁶And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house. (2 Chronicles 24:16).

The city of David for the kings of Judah. 1 Kin. 2:10. 2 Chr. 21:20²⁰Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings. (2 Chronicles 21:20).

Antiquity of purchasing places for. Gen. 23:7-16⁷And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. ⁸And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, ⁹That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you. ¹⁰And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, ¹¹Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead. ¹²And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. ¹³And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. ¹⁴And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, ¹⁵My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead. ¹⁶And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. (Genesis 23:7‑16).

PLACE OF

Frequently prepared and pointed out during life. Gen. 50:5⁵My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. (Genesis 50:5). 2 Chr. 16:14¹⁴And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him. (2 Chronicles 16:14). Mat. 27:60

Members of a family interred in the same. Gen. 25:10¹⁰The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. (Genesis 25:10). Gen. 49:31³¹There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. (Genesis 49:31). 2 Sam. 2:32³²And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day. (2 Samuel 2:32).

Held in high veneration. Neh. 2:3, 5³And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? (Nehemiah 2:3)
⁵And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. (Nehemiah 2:5).

Provided for the common people. Jer. 26:23²³And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. (Jeremiah 26:23).

Provided for aliens and strangers. Mat. 27:7.

Visited by sorrowing friends. John. 11:31.

Pillars erected on. Gen. 35:20²⁰And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. (Genesis 35:20).

Tombs erected over. Mat. 23:27-29.

Sometimes had inscriptions. 2 Kin. 23:17.

Sometimes not apparent. Luke 11:44⁴⁴Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. (Luke 11:44).

For criminals, marked by heaps. Jos. 7:26²⁶And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. (Joshua 7:26).

Were ceremonially unclean. Num. 19:16, 18¹⁶And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. (Numbers 19:16)
¹⁸And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: (Numbers 19:18).

Often desecrated by idolatry. Isa. 65:3, 4³A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; ⁴Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; (Isaiah 65:3‑4).

The Jews anxious to be interred in their family places of. Gen. 47: 29 31. Gen. 49:29, 30²⁹And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, ³⁰In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. (Genesis 49:29‑30). Gen. 50:25²⁵And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. (Genesis 50:25). 2 Sam. 19:37³⁷Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee. (2 Samuel 19:37).

Followed by a feast. 2 Sam. 3:35³⁵And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down. (2 Samuel 3:35). Jer. 16:7, 8⁷Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother. ⁸Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink. (Jeremiah 16:7‑8). Hos. 9:4⁴They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord. (Hosea 9:4).

Privation of, considered a calamity. Ecc. 6:3.

Privation of, threatened as a punishment. 2 Kin. 9:10. Jer. 8:2²And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. (Jeremiah 8:2). Jer. 16:4⁴They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. (Jeremiah 16:4).

An ignominious, compared to the burial of an ass. Jer. 22:10¹⁰Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country. (Jeremiah 22:10).

Illustrative of regeneration. Rom. 6:4⁴Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4). Col. 2:12¹²Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:12).

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The New Topical Textbook

• Boldness, Holy.

• Bondage, Spiritual.

• Burial.

• Burnt Offering, the.

• Calves of Jeroboam.

• Character of Saints.

• Character of the Wicked.