the art of preserving dead bodies from putrefaction. It was
much practised by the Egyptians of ancient times, and from them seems to
have been borrowed by the Hebrews. It consisted in opening the body,
taking out the intestines, and filling the place with odoriferous drugs
and spices of a desiccative quality. Joseph gave orders for the
embalming of the body of his father Jacob, Gen. l, 1, 2; and Moses
informs us that the process took up forty days. Joseph himself also was
embalmed, Gen. l, 26. Asa, king of Israel, seems to have been embalmed,
2 Chron. xvi, 13, 14. See BURIAL.
much practised by the Egyptians of ancient times, and from them seems to
have been borrowed by the Hebrews. It consisted in opening the body,
taking out the intestines, and filling the place with odoriferous drugs
and spices of a desiccative quality. Joseph gave orders for the
embalming of the body of his father Jacob, Gen. l, 1, 2; and Moses
informs us that the process took up forty days. Joseph himself also was
embalmed, Gen. l, 26. Asa, king of Israel, seems to have been embalmed,
2 Chron. xvi, 13, 14. See BURIAL.