Jeff A. Benner | Heaven and Hell: Death and Burial (Part 2 of ?) @ancienthebreworg | Uploaded April 2011 | Updated October 2024, 26 minutes ago.
Archeology has shown that Ancient Israelite custom of burying the dead was to place the deceased in the ground. However, a wealthy family would use caves, usually a natural one, but sometimes one cut into the rock, as a tomb for their dead and used by the family for many generations. Many of these caves included ornate entrances and multiple chambers. They also included ledges, cut into the walls, for placing the dead. When the ledge was needed for another body, the bones of the previous occupant were removed from the ledge and placed in another chamber of the cave or neatly piled on the floor.
Abraham and Sarah
The first mention of such a tomb is found in the book of Genesis. "And he gave me the cave of Makhpelah, which belonged to him at the end of his field, for a full price of silver for the ownership of a tomb." (Genesis 23:9) Abraham purchases this tomb to bury his wife Sarah (Genesis 23:19), and later, Abraham was buried in it by his sons Isaac and Ishma'el (Genesis 25:9-10).
Before Abraham's grandson Jacob, dies, he says to his children, "I will be gathered with my people, bury me with my fathers... in the cave that is in the field of Makhpelah... There they buried Abraham and with him Sarah, there they buried Isaac and with him Rebekah, and there I buried Leah." (Genesis 49:29-31)
The traditional location of this tomb is located in Hebron, Israel, and is called "the Cave of the Patriarchs." In 30 BC Herod the great built a large, rectangular enclosure over the cave.
Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela visited the tomb site in 1163 and stated there was a sequence of three caves, the first two of which were empty; in the third cave were six tombs, arranged to be opposite to one another.
David and his descendents
Another famous tomb mentioned in the Bible is that of King David and his descendants.
The traditional site of David's tomb is located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
New Testament Period
The practice of burying family members in one tomb continued into the New Testament period. However, one additional practice was observed during this time period, the second burial. One year after the death of an individual, the family returned to the tomb and took the bones of the deceased and placed them in a stone ossuary. Many of these ossuaries were decorated with symbols and the name of the deceased.
In 1980 a family tomb was discovered in Jerusalem and has been a major controversy as the names on the ossuaries include, Yoseh (a form of Joseph), Maria, Yeshua (Jesus) son of Yehoseph (another form of Joseph), Matiyah (a form of Matthew) and Yehudah (or Judah) son of Yeshua.
Another controversial ossuary is the James Ossuary, which includes the inscription "Yaacov bar Yoseph D'Yeshua" or "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus."
Archeology has shown that Ancient Israelite custom of burying the dead was to place the deceased in the ground. However, a wealthy family would use caves, usually a natural one, but sometimes one cut into the rock, as a tomb for their dead and used by the family for many generations. Many of these caves included ornate entrances and multiple chambers. They also included ledges, cut into the walls, for placing the dead. When the ledge was needed for another body, the bones of the previous occupant were removed from the ledge and placed in another chamber of the cave or neatly piled on the floor.
Abraham and Sarah
The first mention of such a tomb is found in the book of Genesis. "And he gave me the cave of Makhpelah, which belonged to him at the end of his field, for a full price of silver for the ownership of a tomb." (Genesis 23:9) Abraham purchases this tomb to bury his wife Sarah (Genesis 23:19), and later, Abraham was buried in it by his sons Isaac and Ishma'el (Genesis 25:9-10).
Before Abraham's grandson Jacob, dies, he says to his children, "I will be gathered with my people, bury me with my fathers... in the cave that is in the field of Makhpelah... There they buried Abraham and with him Sarah, there they buried Isaac and with him Rebekah, and there I buried Leah." (Genesis 49:29-31)
The traditional location of this tomb is located in Hebron, Israel, and is called "the Cave of the Patriarchs." In 30 BC Herod the great built a large, rectangular enclosure over the cave.
Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela visited the tomb site in 1163 and stated there was a sequence of three caves, the first two of which were empty; in the third cave were six tombs, arranged to be opposite to one another.
David and his descendents
Another famous tomb mentioned in the Bible is that of King David and his descendants.
The traditional site of David's tomb is located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
New Testament Period
The practice of burying family members in one tomb continued into the New Testament period. However, one additional practice was observed during this time period, the second burial. One year after the death of an individual, the family returned to the tomb and took the bones of the deceased and placed them in a stone ossuary. Many of these ossuaries were decorated with symbols and the name of the deceased.
In 1980 a family tomb was discovered in Jerusalem and has been a major controversy as the names on the ossuaries include, Yoseh (a form of Joseph), Maria, Yeshua (Jesus) son of Yehoseph (another form of Joseph), Matiyah (a form of Matthew) and Yehudah (or Judah) son of Yeshua.
Another controversial ossuary is the James Ossuary, which includes the inscription "Yaacov bar Yoseph D'Yeshua" or "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus."
