what Paul had just said, as recorded in Galatians 6:1, about endeavoring to restore a man spiritually, something that may be possible through love, kindness and prayer. (Compare James 5:13-16.) Yet, as the apostle proceeded to show, bearing the burdens of one another does not mean carrying another person’s load of spiritual responsibility to God. In the same context, Paul makes clear that a person is deceiving his own mind if he thinks that he is something when he is nothing, and the apostle urged the Christian to “prove what his own work is,” for “then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person.” (Gal. 6:3, 4; compare 2 Corinthians 10:12.) It was then that the apostle observed that “each one will carry his own load” of responsibility before the Supreme Judge, Jehovah God.

BURIAL, BURIAL PLACES

The interment of the body of a deceased person was an act of considerable importance to people in the Biblical period. Thus, Abraham, the first person directly mentioned in the record as performing a burial, was willing to spend a fair sum of money in order to obtain a suitable place as a burial ground. (See PURCHASE.) The Hittites (sons of Heth), from whom the purchase was made, had their own ‘choice’ burial places. (Gen. 23:3-20) The cave obtained by Abraham became a family burial site, receiving his wife’s body and, eventually, his own, and those of Isaac, Rebekah, Leah and Jacob. (Gen. 25:9; 49:29-32) Jacob was seriously concerned that his body not be buried in Egypt but, rather, with his forefathers. (Gen. 47:29-31) This necessitated the embalming of his body, which otherwise would have experienced putrefaction during the hot journey from Egypt to the cave of Machpelah. (Gen. 50:1-3, 13) Joseph expressed a similar desire and his body was likewise embalmed and placed in a coffin, awaiting the time of the exodus for transferal. (Gen. 50:24-26; Josh. 24:32) This desire doubtless related to their sharing the same faith in God’s promises and was an expression of their conviction as to the eventual fulfillment of these.—Heb. 11:13-22, 39.

Following the model of Abraham, family burial places seem to have been preferred. (2 Sam. 19:34-37) Gideon, Samson and Asahel are each spoken of as being buried ‘in the burial place of his father.’ (Judg. 8:32; 16:31; 2 Sam. 2:32) However, the frequent expression ‘to lie down or be buried with his forefathers’ does not necessarily imply a sharing of the same burial site, for this phrase is used concerning men who were clearly not buried in the same place as their forefathers. (Gen. 15:15; Deut. 31:16; 32:50; 1 Ki. 2:10; Acts 13:36) It must thus refer to their common entrance into Sheol (Hades), the common grave of all mankind. Such common grave is called the “house of meeting for everyone living.”—Job 30:23.

The act of burying another’s body was viewed as an expression of loving-kindness, and the men of Jabesh-gilead risked their lives to effect such a burial for Saul and his sons. (1 Sam. 31:11-13; 2 Sam. 2:4-6) To be deprived of burial was considered calamitous (Jer. 14:16) and is stated as being a divine means of expressing God’s repudiation of persons due to their wrong course. (Jer. 8:1, 2; 9:22; 25:32, 33; Isa. 14:19, 20; compare Revelation 11:7-9.) The body was thereby exposed to be consumed as food by animals and carrion-eating birds. (Ps. 79:1-3; Jer. 16:4) The pathetic picture of Rizpah’s refusing to abandon her dead sons’ bodies, perhaps for months, until they were finally accorded a burial vividly portrays the importance attached to the matter.—2 Sam. 21:9-14.

Jehovah’s law through Moses even provided for burial of criminals. (Deut. 21:23; compare Joshua 8:29.) Ahithophel, though a suicide, received burial. (2 Sam. 17:23) At the same time that Solomon ordered Joab’s execution he also gave instructions for his burial. (1 Ki. 2:31) Jehu intended to give wicked Jezebel a burial out of consideration for her being “the daughter of a king,” but he was overruled by the fulfillment of Jehovah’s prophecy that she should become “as manure upon the face of the field.” (2 Ki. 9:10, 34-37; compare 2 Chronicles 22:8, 9.) King Jehoiakim was given “the burial of a he-ass,” his body dragged out of the city and thrown away. (Jer. 22:18, 19) It is said that, in Jesus’ day, the bodies of criminals considered too vile to merit a resurrection were thrown over the walls of Jerusalem into the Valley of Hinnom or Gehenna, there to be consumed by fire or eaten by worms.

Aside from the cases of Jacob and Joseph, burial was evidently effected by the Israelites on the same day of the death. Early interment was necessary due to rapid decomposition in the usually warm climate of Bible lands. Lying Ananias was buried within about three hours of his death. (Acts 5:5-10) Additionally, under the Mosaic law the dead body was viewed as making those touching it unclean for a seven-day period. Whereas death’s being the result of sin and imperfection was doubtless the underlying basis for such law, it also worked for the prevention of the spread of disease and benefited its observers hygienically. Those failing to observe the purifying procedure prescribed in the Law were subject to the death penalty. (Num. 19:14-20; compare Deuteronomy 21:22, 23.) Josiah used the bones of idol worshipers to make their religious altars unfit for worship and also desecrated their burial places.—2 Ki. 23:14-16; 2 Chron. 34:4, 5.

In view of the Biblical attitude toward dead bodies, it is evident that the veneration of the bodies of prominent servants of God was not practiced nor countenanced. Moses’ body was buried by God himself in an unknown site and this also made impossible any future pilgrimages to his burial place.—Deut. 34:5, 6; compare Jude 9.

The places selected for burial purposes were varied. Burial in the soil, the common method in the Occident, though certainly practiced, was not as highly favored in the Near East. Rebekah’s nursing woman Deborah and also, initially at least, King Saul and his sons were buried under large trees. (Gen. 35:8; 1 Chron. 10:12) Natural caves or artificial ones excavated in the soft limestone rock so common in Palestine seem to have been preferred, as in Abraham’s case. The burial place was often personally prepared well in advance. (Gen. 50:5; Isa. 22:16; 2 Chron. 16:14) The site might be near the person’s house, perhaps in a garden (1 Sam. 25:1; 1 Ki. 2:34; 2 Ki. 21:25, 26), the expression “at his house” not meaning within the building, as shown by a comparison of 2 Chronicles 33:20 and 2 Kings 21:18.

Archaeological investigations give an idea of the type of burial places used in ancient times. Aside from simple earthen graves, in Palestine these were often vaults or chambers cut in the rock, often on hillsides. Elevated places seem to have been preferred. (Josh. 24:33; 2 Ki. 23:16; 2 Chron. 32:33; Isa. 22:16) The chamber might be for a single burial, the body being laid in an excavated place in the floor. Or it might be arranged for multiple burials, with long slots, large enough to accommodate one body each, cut into the sides of the chamber at right angles to the walls. The narrow opening through which the body was inserted was then covered with a stone cut to fit. In other cases a benchlike niche or shelf was cut into the rear and side walls (Mark 16:5) or there might be a double row of such shelves, thus increasing the capacity of the burial place. The tomb might even consist of more than one chamber, although the single chamber seems to have been the common type among the Jews. Where the body lay exposed on a shelf, it was, of course, necessary to seal off the entrance against the depredations of wild animals. Thus, the main entrance to the chamber was closed off with a large stone, at times hinged as a door, and occasionally with a circular one set in a track and rolled in front of the