“And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.”
He meaneth them that embalmed the dead and buried them.
“And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days. mourned: Heb. wept”
They were more excessive in lamenting than the faithful.
“My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.”
Cross references: : Gen. 47:29
“And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.”
The very infidels would have oaths performed.
“And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan. Abelmizraim: that is, The mourning of the Egyptians”
Or, the lamentation of the Egyptians.
“For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.”
Or, a possession. Gen. 23:16 Acts 7:26
“And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.”
An evil conscience is never fully at rest.
“So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.”
Meaning, that they which have one God should be joined in most sure love. Or, the messenger.
“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?”
Gen. 45:5 Or, am I in God’s stead, meaning to take vengeance. Who by the good success seemeth to remit it, and therefore it ought not to be revenged by me.
“And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.”
Who, notwithstanding he bare rule in Egypt about fourscore years, yet was joined with the church of God in faith and religion.
“And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.”
He speaketh this by the spirit of prophecy, exhorting his brethren to have full trust in God’s promise for their deliverance. Exod. 13:19