King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Then Yosef ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Isra'el.
Berean Standard Bible:
And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him,
American Standard Version:
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And Joseph{H3130} commanded{H6680} his servants{H5650} the physicians{H7495} to embalm{H2590} his father{H1}: and the physicians{H7495} embalmed{H2590} Israel{H3478}.
Cross-References (KJV):
2 Chronicles 16:14
- And 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 odours and divers kinds [of spices] prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.
Genesis 50:26
- So Joseph died, [being] an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Mark 16:1
- ¶ And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
John 19:39
- And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound [weight].
John 19:40
- Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
Matthew 26:12
- For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did [it] for my burial.
Luke 24:1
- ¶ Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain [others] with them.
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Commentary for Genesis 50:2
1. **Themes:**
- **Respect for the Dead:** Joseph's command to embalm his father, Israel (Jacob), reflects the honor and respect he had for his deceased father. Embalming was a way to preserve the body, allowing time for mourning and a proper burial.
- **Cultural Practices:** The practice of embalming was part of the Egyptian culture, where Joseph held a high position. This act demonstrates the blending of cultural practices as Joseph, an Israelite, uses Egyptian methods to care for his father's remains.
- **Fulfillment of Promises:** This act is also part of Joseph's commitment to his father to bury him in the land of his ancestors, Canaan. The embalming was a necessary step before the lengthy journey to fulfill this promise.
2. **Historical Context:**
- **Egyptian Influence:** Joseph was a key figure in Egypt, having interpreted Pharaoh's dreams and risen to a position of power. The Egyptian method of embalming was a complex process that involved removing internal organs, drying the body, and wrapping it in linen.
- **Israelites in Egypt:** At this time, Joseph and his family had settled in Egypt due to a severe famine. Joseph's role in Egypt allowed his family to flourish there, but he remained connected to his heritage and the promises made to his ancestors.
- **Transition of Power:** The embalming of Israel occurs near the end of the book of Genesis, marking a transition from the patriarchal era of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to the period where the Israelites would grow into a nation within Egypt before the Exodus.
In summary, Genesis 50:2 reflects the themes of honoring the dead through cultural practices, respect for parental wishes, and the maintenance of ancestral traditions despite living within a different culture. It also sets the stage for the subsequent narrative of the Israelites' sojourn and eventual departure from Egypt.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3130
There are 193 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹסֵף
Transliteration: Yôwçêph
Pronunciation: yo-safe'
Description: future of יָסַף; let him add (or perhaps simply active participle adding); Joseph, the name of seven Israelites; Joseph. Compare יְהוֹסֵף. - Strong's Number: H6680
There are 475 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָוָה
Transliteration: tsâvâh
Pronunciation: tsaw-vaw'
Description: a primitive root; (intensively) to constitute, enjoin; appoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order. - Strong's Number: H5650
There are 714 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶבֶד
Transliteration: ʻebed
Pronunciation: eh'-bed
Description: from עָבַד; a servant; [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant. - Strong's Number: H7495
There are 62 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָפָא
Transliteration: râphâʼ
Pronunciation: raw-faw'
Description: or רָפָה; a primitive root; properly, to mend (by stitching), i.e. (figuratively) to cure; cure, (cause to) heal, physician, repair, [idiom] thoroughly, make whole. See רָפָה. - Strong's Number: H2590
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָנַט
Transliteration: chânaṭ
Pronunciation: khaw-nat'
Description: a primitive root; to spice; by implication, to embalm; also to ripen; embalm, put forth. - Strong's Number: H1
There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָב
Transliteration: ʼâb
Pronunciation: awb
Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'. - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.