The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 3 · Section 48
SECT. XLVIII.
JAcob thus expiring, Joſeph fell upon his face and wept upon him, and kiſſed him, and doubtleſs cloſed his eyes, according as God had promiſed unto Jacob, Gen. 46.4. Then he commanded the Phyſitians to Embalm him, his Body being to be kept long, and to be carried far. And accordingly forty days were ſpent in the embalming (c)This embalming was either by putting fragrant Herbs and odoriferous Spices into the dead Body, and anointing it within and without with Ointments made of the ſame, or by putting Spices upon them and about them, ſee Mark 14.8.of him (according to the cuſtom of the Country) that thoſe fragrant Herbs, Drugs, Spices and Ointments they uſed therein might the better diffuſe themſelves, and penetrate into all the parts of the Body. And the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days; (d)The Hebrews time of mourning was 30 days, Numb. 20.29. Deut. 21.13. & 34.8.that is, after 40 days had been ſpent in embalming him, not only Joſeph and his Brethren, but the Court and chief men of Egypt did mourn for him 30 days more before he was carried to be buried. Then Joſeph not being willing (as 'tis probable) to ſhew himſelf publickly in thoſe days of his mourning, or becauſe it was not the manner or cuſtom for Mourners to come into the preſence of the King, [ſee Eſther 4.2.] deſired ſome of the Courtiers to procure the King's Leave and Conſent that he might go into Canaan to bury his Father there. For his Father had long ſince (even before he came into Egypt) digged(e)So ſpacious was the place, that they might dig themſelves ſeveral Repoſitories or cells for their dead bodies. a Grave for himſelf in that place where his Anceſtors were buried, and made him ſwear that he would bury him there, ſee Ch. 47.29. Pharaoh very readily conſented to it. Hereupon Joſeph, attended with a great many of Pharaoh's Courtiers and Officers of State (whom by his Prudence and ſweet Diſpoſition he had obliged) and with all his own Brethren, and his Fathers Family went up with many Chariots, and Horſemen, and a great Train into Canaan to bury his Father. But the Hebrews left their Children, Flocks and Herds behind them, as a pawn that they intended to return. When they came to the Valley of Arad in Canaan, not far from Hebron or Macpelah (which was beyond Jordan, if we conſider where Moſes was*Being then in the Plains of Moab. when he wrote this Hiſtory, [ſee Deut. 1.1. & 3.25.] Joſeph choſe this place as moſt convenient to perform the Funeral Solemnities for his Father, and there He and his Company made a ſore and great Lamentation for ſeven days together. When the Inhabitants of the Land ſaw this, they ſaid, This is indeed a grievous mourning to the Egyptians, and in memory thereof that place was called Abel mizraim. (f)Which ſignifies the mourning of the Egyptians.Then Joſeph and his Brethren honourably buried their Father in the Cave of Macpelah, which Abraham bought (with the Field belonging to it) for a Burying-place, of Ephron the Hittite, Ch. 23.16. The Funeral Solemnity being over, Joſeph with his great Train returned into Egypt again. His Brethren ſeeing their Father was dead, began to fear (ſo unquiet is a guilty Conſcience) that Joſeph would now deal with them, according to their Deſerts, for the evil uſage he had formerly received from them. Hereupon they ſend a Meſſage to him to intreat (as it ſeems) that they might be admitted into his preſence. Which being granted, they acquaint him that it was their Fathers Command, before he died, that they ſhould humbly beg his pardon and forgiveneſs of them, and accordingly they did earneſtly beg it at his hands, and they hoped he would not deny it them, ſeeing they were his Brethren, and ſerved the ſame God that He did, (namely, the God of his Father,) and were truly penitent for their former hainous Tranſgreſſion againſt Him. Then falling down at his Feet, they told him, They were his Servants. Joſeph could not forbear weeping at this their behaviour towards him, and pittying their Perplexity, and being grieved that they ſhould in the leaſt doubt of his kindneſs towards them; He told them, It was true, He was in great Power there, yet he was under God, (g)Maſius ſic reddit v. 19. Annon ſub Deo ſum.under His All-ſeeing-Eye, and bound to give an account of his actions unto Him, who had forbiden him all Revenge, and had wonderfully raiſed him up, not only that he might do good to the Egyptians, but eſpecially to them that were his own Fleſh and Blood. And he had no cauſe to be offended at what they had. For whatever their intent was, God meant it for good both to him and them. And therefore bad them be of good courage, and not at all to fear any hurt from him. For he would be ſo far from hurting them, that he would nouriſh them and their Children. And accordingly He did ſo for 54 years after his Fathers death. All which time, even unto his own death, he continued his kindneſs to them, and continued in his Authority and Government, and ſaw his Son Ephraim's Children to the third Generation; (h)To wit, Shutelah and Tachon the Sons of his Son Ephraim, and Haden the Son of Shutelah, Numb. 26.36. And Machir the Son of Manaſſeh, and Gilead, Manaſſeh's Grandchild. From whence it is that the Greek Expoſitors ſpeaking of the Families of Jacob and Joſeph, which were ſaid to conſiſt of 70 Souls, Gen. 46.27. Deut. 10.22. have added thereunto theſe five that were born to Joſeph in Egypt, 1 Chron. 7.14. which reckoning Luke follows, Acts 7.14. reckoning them in all 75 Perſons.and the Children of Machir the Son of Manaſſeh (his other Son) were alſo brought up upon his Knees; that is, he took pleaſure in their Infancy to let them ſit upon his Knees, and to dandle them, ſee Ch. 30.3. Joſeph having now arrived at the age of an 110, and having Governed Egypt under ſeveral Kings 80 years, and finding his death approaching, he told his Brethren, That God would ſurely viſit them in mercy, and would bring them out of that Land into Canaan, which he had promiſed to Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, that He would give it them. And therefore to teſtifie his Own, and confirm their Faith concerning the Promiſes of Canaan (which was a Type of Heaven) he commanded that his body ſhould be kept and carried into Canaan, when God brought them out of Egypt, and carried them thither, ſee Heb. 11.20. He took alſo an Oath of them to perform it, which Oath as 'tis like was Recorded, and tranſmitted to ſucceeding Generations, that they in whoſe time that Deliverance ſhould be brought to paſs ſhould perform it. And accordingly his Body was embalmed and kept in a Cheſt until the time it might be carried into the Land of Canaan, and was afterwards carried thither and buried at Shechem, [ſee Joſh. 24.32.] Jacob's Purchaſe, and Joſeph's Inheritance. And there alſo (as 'tis probable) the Bodies of the other Patriarchs Jacob's Sons and Joſeph's Brethren were buried, [ſee Acts 7.16.] their Bodies being carried up into Canaan with His.
Thus died Joſeph in(i)Euſebius in his Chronicle hath this paſſage concerning Joſeph. Joſeph (ſays he) was made Governour of Egypt in the 30th year of his age, when his Father Jacob was 122 years old; which Government he held 80 years. After whoſe deceaſe the Hebrews were held in Bondage by the Egyptians 144 years. So that the whole time which the Hebrews ſpent in Egypt was 215 years, reckoned from the time that Jacob and his Sons went down into Egypt. the 2369th Year of the World, 16 years before the Death of Levi, 60 years before the Birth of Moſes, 140 years before the Iſraelites coming out of Egypt. As may be gathered from Gen. 15.13. & Exod. 12.41.
Ch. 50. whole Chapter.