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Bible Dictionaries
Burial
Morrish Bible Dictionary
or This was the universal custom among the Israelites for the disposal of their dead, and provision was made in the law for the burial of criminals. Deuteronomy 21:23 . Those slain in battle were also interred. 1 Kings 11:15 . This was needful in so warm a country in order to avoid a pestilence, and the dead were always promptly buried, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. These were probably bound round with the clothes they were wearing and at once laid in the grave. In other cases linen cloths were wrapped round the body and round the head, as in the case of Lazarus, and as loving hands tended the body of the Lord. Spices were enclosed among the cloths: Nicodemus furnished 100 pound weight of 'myrrh and aloes' at the burial of the Lord, besides what the devout women had brought.
It does not appear that there was any 'service' or prayers offered at the burial of the dead. At the death of Lazarus 'Jews' were present, mourning with the family four days after the death; and in the case of the daughter of Jairus there was a 'tumult' with weeping and great wailing; these were probably hired mourners (as is the custom to this day), for 'musicians' were also present.
Among the judgements pronounced on the people of Jerusalem one was that they should not be buried: their bodies should be eaten by the fowls and the wild beasts. Jeremiah 16:4 . In the case of God's two future witnesses in Jerusalem the wicked will rejoice over their dead bodies and will not allow them to be buried; only to have their joy turned into terror when they see them stand upon their feet alive again, and behold them ascend to heaven. Revelation 11:9-12 .
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Morrish, George. Entry for 'Burial'. Morrish Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/mbd/b/burial.html. 1897.
