Abel-Mizraim

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Genesis 50:4-11

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("the mourning of the Egyptians" or "the funeral from Egypt".) The threshingfloor of Atad; so called by the Canaanites, because it was the chief scene of the funeral laments of Joseph and his Egyptian retinue for Jacob ( Genesis 50:4-11). E. of Jordan. Moses, taking Canaan as the central standpoint of the whole history, uses the phrase "beyond Jordan" for east of it. The same route by which Joseph was led captive was, in the striking providence of God, that which they took to do honor to his deceased father, being the longer and more public way from Egypt to Canaan. God's eternal principle is, "them that honor Me I will honor." Jerome, however, places it at Beth-Hogla, now Ain Hajla, on the W. of Jordan, which would make Moses' standpoint in saying "beyond" the E. of Jordan; but Genesis 50:13 plainly shows it was not till after the mourning at Abel-Mizraim that "Jacob's sons carried him into the land of Canaan." The phrase, "Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh" implies that Pharaoh and his estates in council decreed a state funeral for Jacob, in which the princes, nobles, and chief men of Egypt, with their pomp of chariots and equipages, took part. The funeral celebration lasted for seven days. The usual Egyptian rites on such occasions consisted in banquets and games, as Egyptian monuments show. These having been completed at Atad, Jacob's sons proceeded alone to the cave of Machpelah, the final burying place of his embalmed body.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Genesis 50:11

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

This name was given at the floor of Atad, on the occasion of the funeral of Jacob. The margin of the Bible renders it, "the mourning of the Egyptians." ( Genesis 50:11.)

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ABEL-MIZRAIM (‘meadow of the Egyptians’). The scene of the mourning for Jacob ( Genesis 50:11 ). The only clue to its situation is its being ‘beyond Jordan.’

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Abel-Mizraim ( â'bel-mĭz-ray'ĭm), meadow of Egypt. Genesis 50:10-11. The place where Joseph and his company halted seven days in passing from Egypt to Canaan to bury Jacob. It was "beyond"—that is, west of, the Jordan, as the writer was on the east side. Some think it was near Hebron.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

A'bel-mizra'im. (meadow of Egypt). The name given by the Canaanites to the floor of Atad, at which Joseph, his brothers and the Egyptians made their mourning for Jacob. Genesis 50:11. It was beyond (on the east of) Jordan. See Atad . (Schaff and others say it was on the west bank, for the writer was on the east of Jordan. It was near Jericho, or perhaps Hebron).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ā´bel -miz´rā̇ -im ( אבל מצרים , 'ābhēl micrayim , "meadow of Egypt"): A name given to "the threshing floor of Atad," East of the Jordan and North of the Dead Sea, because Joseph and his funeral party from Egypt there held their mourning over Jacob ( Genesis 50:11 ). The name is a pun. The Canaanite residents saw the 'ēbhel , "the mourning," and therefore that place was called 'ābhēl micrayim .

It is remarkable that the funeral should have taken this circuitous route, instead of going directly from Egypt to Hebron. Possibly a reason may be found as we obtain additional details in Egyptian history. The explanations which consist in changing the text, or in substituting the North Arabian Mutsri for Mitsrayim, are unsatisfactory.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

A´bel-Mizra´im (The mourning of the Egyptians), the name of a threshing-floor, so called on account of the 'great mourning' made there for Jacob by the funeral party from Egypt ( Genesis 50:11). Jerome places it between Jericho and the Jordan, where Bethagla afterwards stood.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb.Abel' Mitsra'yim, מַצְרִיַם אָבֵל , meadow of ‘ Egypt; but which should probably be pointed אֵבֶל מַצְרִיַם, E'bel Mistra'yim, mourning of the Egyptians, as in the former part of the same verse: and so appear to have read the Sept. πένθος Αἰγύπτου, and Vulg. Ploenctus Egypti), a place beyond (i.e. on the west bank of) the Jordan, occupied (perhaps subsequently) by the threshing-floor of Atad. where the Egyptians performed their seven days' mourning ceremonies over the embalmed body of Jacob prior to interment ( Genesis 1:1-31; Genesis 11:1-32). (See Atad). Jerome (Onomast. Area Atad) places it between Jericho and the Jordan, at three Roman miles distance from the former and two from the latter, corresponding (Reland, Paloese. p. 522) to the later site of BETH-HOGLAH (See Beth- Hoglah) (q.v.).