Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/639

 Joseph's grief expressed itself were doubtless conventional, though they are not elsewhere alluded to in OT.—2. The Egyptian practice of embalming originated in ideas with which the Hebrew mind had no sympathy,—the belief that the ka or ghostly double of the man might at any time return to take possession of the body, which consequently had at all costs to be preserved (Erman, LAE, 307). In the cases of Jacob and Joseph (v.$26$), it is merely an expedient for preserving the body till the burial could take place. On the various methods employed, see Herod, ii. 86-88; Diod. i. 91; and Budge, The Mummy, 160 ff., 177 ff.—the physicians] In Egypt the embalmers formed a special profession.—3. forty days seventy days] The process of embalming occupied, according to Diod., over 30 days, according to Herod., 70 days; exact data from the monuments are not yet available (Erman, 315, 319 f.; Budge, 179). The mourning for Aaron and Moses lasted 30 days (Nu. 20$29$, Dt. 34$)$; the Egyptians (who are here expressly mentioned) are said to have mourned for a king 72 days (Diod. i. 72).—4-6. Joseph seeks Pharaoh's permission to absent himself from Egypt. Why he needed the court to intercede for him in such a matter does not appear.—5a. Cf. 47$29ff.$.—have digged] The rendering 'have purchased' is possible, but much less probable (cf. 2 Ch. 16{14}}). The confused notice Ac. 7$16$ might suggest a tradition that Jacob's grave was in the plot of ground he bought near Shechem (33$19$ E), which is the view maintained by Bruston (ZATW, vii. 202 ff.). On any view the contradiction to 47$30$ remains.—7-9 The funeral procession is described with empressement as a mark of the almost royal honours bestowed on the patriarch. Such processions are frequently depicted on Egyptian tombs: Erman,

2. ] v.$26$, Ca. 2$13$†. Apparently a Semitic [root], meaning in Arab. 'become mature,' applied in Heb. Aram. and Arab. to the process of embalming.--3. ] . .; abstr. . = 'embalming.'—4.] The fem. only here, for. The suff. prob. gen. obj. (weeping Jacob).—] Add with G .—5. ] [E]G$A, al.$ + .—] G om. The phrase occurs in E 48$21$, and (without ) 50$24$.—] GVT$J$ 'have digged'; S 'have purchased,' T$O$ = 'have prepared.' The first sense preponderates in usage (the second, Dt. 2$6$, Hos. 3$2$, Jb. 6$27$ 40$30$† ),