Definition and Meaning:
Abelmizraim, meaning "Meadow of Egypt" or "Mourning of the Egyptians," is a location mentioned in the Bible in connection with the burial of Jacob, the patriarch of the Israelites. The name reflects the significant mourning that took place there by both the Egyptians and Jacob's family.

Biblical Reference:
Abelmizraim is referenced in the Book of Genesis, specifically in Genesis 50:11. The passage describes the events following the death of Jacob, also known as Israel, when his son Joseph, a high-ranking official in Egypt, received permission from Pharaoh to bury his father in the land of Canaan, as Jacob had requested.

Scriptural Context (Genesis 50:11):
"When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, 'This is a solemn mourning by the Egyptians.' Therefore, that place was called Abel-mizraim; it is across the Jordan."

Historical and Cultural Background:
The event at Abelmizraim occurred after Jacob's death in Egypt. Joseph, along with his brothers and a large Egyptian entourage, traveled to Canaan to fulfill Jacob's wish to be buried in the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham had purchased as a family burial site. The mourning at Abelmizraim was so profound that it caught the attention of the local Canaanites, who noted the unusual presence and participation of Egyptians in the mourning rites.

Geographical Location:
Abelmizraim is described as being located beyond the Jordan River, near the threshing floor of Atad. The exact location is not definitively known today, but it is understood to be in the region of Canaan, which corresponds to parts of modern-day Israel and Palestine.

Significance in Biblical Narrative:
The mourning at Abelmizraim highlights the deep respect and honor Joseph and the Egyptians had for Jacob. It also underscores the integration and influence Joseph had in Egyptian society, as evidenced by the participation of Egyptian dignitaries in the funeral procession. This event marks a significant moment of cultural intersection between the Israelites and Egyptians, reflecting the broader narrative of Joseph's life and his family's sojourn in Egypt.

Theological Implications:
The event at Abelmizraim serves as a reminder of the fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs. Jacob's burial in Canaan signifies the continuation of the covenantal promise that the land would belong to his descendants. The mourning by the Egyptians also illustrates the impact of Jacob's family on the surrounding nations, foreshadowing the future influence of Israel as a people chosen by God.Abelmizraim

(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.)

Abelmizraim

Meadow of the Egyptians; so called from the seven days' lamentation of Joseph and his company, on bringing up the body of Jacob from Egypt for burial, Genesis 50:10,11. It lay in the plain of Jericho, between that city and the Jordan.

Meadow of Egypt, or mourning of Egypt, a place "beyond," i.e., on the west of Jordan, at the "threshing-floor of Atad." Here the Egyptians mourned seventy days for Jacob (Genesis 50:4-11). Its site is unknown. ABEL-MIZRAIM

a'-bel-miz'-ra-im ('abhel mitsrayim, "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 'ebhel, "the mourning," and therefore that place was called 'abhel mitsrayim.

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. Willis J. Beecher

Abelmizraim (1 Occurrence)
... are unsatisfactory. Willis J. Beecher. Multi-Version Concordance Abelmizraim
(1 Occurrence). Genesis 50:11 And when the inhabitants ...
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Abel-mizraim (1 Occurrence)
Abel-mizraim. Abelmizraim, Abel-mizraim. A'bel-Mizraim . Easton's Bible Dictionary ...
(ASV BBE DBY JPS WBS NAS). Abelmizraim, Abel-mizraim. A'bel-Mizraim ...
/a/abel-mizraim.htm - 8k

A'bel-Meho'lah (3 Occurrences)
A'bel-Meho'lah. Abel-meholah, A'bel-Meho'lah. Abelmizraim . Multi-Version
Concordance ... (See RSV). Abel-meholah, A'bel-Meho'lah. Abelmizraim . Reference
/a/a'bel-meho'lah.htm - 7k

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