Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: physicians translates a noun related to the verb meaning “to heal.” The verb form is used, for example, in 20.17, where Abraham prayed for Abimelech and God “healed” him and his family. Physicians or “healers” is used here in a general way to include “morticians,” whose job it was to prepare bodies for burial. These people were in Joseph’s service, as all others under the king of Egypt were. Note that Good News Translation does not use a term for physicians in Gen 50.2.

To embalm refers to the process used by the Egyptians to preserve the bodies of humans and some animals. The internal organs were removed and the body was dried out. Spices and oils were applied, and then the body was tightly wrapped with linen strips. Finally the body was placed in a decorated mummy case. Some of these procedures may be seen in paintings on the walls of Egyptian tombs. The reason for preserving Jacob’s body is that, being Joseph’s father, he is treated as a person of high rank. Moreover, the long trip back to Canaan with the body made it essential.

So the physicians embalmed Israel: it is not always necessary to repeat the word embalm. For example, we may say “So they did as Joseph had ordered them” or “So they did what Joseph told them.” If translators have substituted “Jacob” for Israel thus far, they should continue to do so here, if the name is expressed in this sentence.

Because embalming is unknown in many language areas, a more general expression will often be necessary; for example, “Joseph ordered the healers [doctors, morticians, those who take care of dead bodies] to prepare his father’s body for burial” or “Joseph ordered the men in his service whose job it was to handle dead bodies to prepare his father for burial.” A number of translations render embalm as “put ointments on his body so that it would not decay [go rotten].”

Translators may find it necessary to provide readers with a footnote or glossary note in order to explain how Jacob’s body could be preserved well enough to carry it all the way back to his burial place at Machpelah. In that case an explanatory note based on the information given here may be adequate. If more information is needed, see a Bible dictionary.

Another potential problem in this verse for readers in certain cultures is that in these cultures the task of preparing a body for burial is the responsibility of a person in a particular relationship with the dead person, a son or daughter or some other relative; and this responsibility cannot be passed over to others. In this case again a footnote may be required to explain that Jacob’s body was embalmed following the customs that applied in Egypt.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .