As I mentioned in my previous study, the account of the death and burial of Jacob is the most elaborate found in the entire Bible. Its account implies that Jacob was considered a great dignitary in the land of Egypt. In fact, a thirty-day mourning period continues even to our own day, when important dignitaries in our own nations die, as expressed in the length of time our flags are lowered to half-mast. Such a high honor expressed for Jacob is surprising to the reader, at least it has been for me, because Jacob’s work was that of a shepherd, who attended the needs and protection of cattle, something that was considered unclean in the land of Egypt (cp. Genesis 43:32; 46:34). Therefore, to be honored in his death with such an elaborate funeral, attended by many Egyptian dignitaries (Genesis 50:7) is quite an accomplishment for a man like Jacob.[1]
So, after Joseph was granted leave by Pharaoh, he journeyed to the Land of Canaan to bury his father, Jacob. Moreover, all the elders of Egypt, vis-à-vis the important dignitaries of the land went up with Joseph, and Pharaoh also sent all his high officials with Joseph to represented him. Therefore, it is seen that such a man as Jacob was considered a great dignitary himself. Additionally, all of Joseph’s adult family, including his brethren and their adult children went up to bury Jacob, their father (grandfather), only their little ones were left behind in Egypt, along with their flocks and herds of cattle. Finally, Pharaoh had also sent a great military entourage, which included horsemen and chariots, to act both as an honor guard and protection from thieves and enemies (Genesis 50:7-9).
It appears that the Egyptian company journeyed to the far side of the Jordan, which was technically not a part of the Land of Canaan, and it was there that Joseph and his brethren mourned the death of their father for seven days. Moreover, the sound of the lamentation was so great that the local inhabitants of the land considered the mourning to be grievous and for an important Egyptian figure (Genesis 50:10-11).
Therefore, the sons of Jacob did as they had promised their father, and they carried him into the Land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field before Mamre, the same cave and field, which Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite (Genesis 50:12-13; cp. 23:16-18). After they had buried their father, Jacob, Joseph and his brethren and all who went up with them, returned to Egypt, just as Joseph promised Pharaoh he would do (Genesis 50:14; cp. verse-5).
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[1] At first it may seem that Jacob is honored above Abraham in the book of Genesis, because, while Abraham is allotted 15 chapters to record his life, Jacob is allotted 25. Nevertheless, if we can agree that the records previously mentioned, which Moses received and used to comprise the Book of Genesis, were written on scrolls, the length of Abram/Abraham’s scroll would comprise 14 chapters (Genesis 11:27 to 25:18) and the length of Jacob’s scroll is also 14 chapters (Genesis 37:2 to 50:26). Isaac’s is a little shorter (Genesis 25:19 to 37:1), being only 12 chapters.
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