Overview
Embalming was an Egyptian burial practice used to preserve the bodies of the dead. In Genesis, we see this custom applied to the patriarchs Jacob and Joseph, demonstrating how God's people sometimes participated in the cultural practices of their host nations while maintaining their faith.
Key Scriptures
"So Joseph commanded his servants who were physicians to embalm his father Israel. And the physicians embalmed Israel. Forty days were required for it, for that is the time required for embalming" (Genesis 50:2-3, ESV).
"And Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt" (Genesis 50:26, ESV).
Application
While embalming is not a biblical requirement, Christians are free to make funeral arrangements according to their convictions and cultural practices, always maintaining respect for the body as God's creation.