Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Bryan Rocine" <596547 AT ican.net>]

Happy New Year, Peter!

if indeed the Egyptians influenced the burial customs of the "first"
family, the influence would have to go back to Abraham.  Israel and Joseph
were quite dedicated to honoring Abraham's precedent of being buried in
Canaan, and Israel specifically wanted to be buried with his family in the
cave Abraham bought from the Hittites.  it seems enbalming might have been
a handy technology for Israel and Joseph rather than a cultic practice. 
enbalming enabled Joseph to make the long journey back to Makpelah with his
father's remains and it allowed Joseph's remains to be preserved until
future generations could bring his remains back as well.  we might
interpret the mourning periods in Egypt itself as a testament to the good
name that Israel had in Egypt rather than a dedication of Egyptian cultic
practices.

anyhow, i'm not an Egyptologist.  is there enough info. about the burial
customs of Abraham to say that they are particulary Egyptian?  

Shalom,
Bryan


----------
> From: Peter_Kirk AT sil.org
> To: 596547 AT ican.net; b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
> Subject: Re[2]: burial (was Life after Death)
> Date: Thursday, December 31, 1998 12:00 PM
> 
> Perhaps Joseph's concern for his bones can be linked to his becoming 
> son-in-law of the priest of the most ancient cultic centre of Egypt, 
> On or Heliopolis (Gen 41:50). Maybe he forgot not only his trouble and 
> his father's household (verse 51), but his father's language (see my 
> previous posting) and his father's burial practices. He did not forget 
> his homeland, but his way of expressing this (50:25) after more than 
> 90 years in Egypt may have been rather Egyptian. Even Jacob's death 
> and burial, after 17 years in Egypt (47:28) followed many Egyptian 
> customs (49:29-50:14).
> 
> Peter Kirk
> 
> 


B. M. Rocine
Associate Pastor
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13208

315-437-6744(w)
315-479-8267(h)