Definition and Meaning:
Atad, meaning "thorn" or "bramble" in Hebrew, is a location mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible. It is associated with a significant event in the life of the patriarch Jacob.

Biblical References:
The primary reference to Atad is found in Genesis 50:10-11. This passage describes the mourning of Jacob, also known as Israel, by his sons and the Egyptians after his death in Egypt. The text states: "When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, 'This is a solemn occasion of mourning for the Egyptians.' Therefore, that place was named Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan."

Historical and Geographical Context:
Atad is described as a "threshing floor," a flat, open area where grain was processed. The location is noted to be "beyond the Jordan," indicating it was on the eastern side of the Jordan River. The exact location of Atad is not definitively known today, but it is traditionally associated with the region of Gilead or the plains of Moab.

Cultural and Theological Significance:
The mourning at Atad is significant for several reasons. It highlights the deep respect and honor Joseph and his brothers had for their father, Jacob. The presence of Egyptian officials and the extensive mourning period underscore the high regard in which Jacob was held, not only by his family but also by the Egyptians. This event also marks a moment of unity among Jacob's sons, who had previously been divided by jealousy and strife.

The naming of the place as Abel-mizraim, meaning "mourning of the Egyptians," reflects the impact of the event on the local Canaanite population, who recognized the solemnity of the occasion. This incident serves as a testament to the influence of Jacob's family and their connection to God's covenant promises, which were to be fulfilled through the nation of Israel.

Related Topics:
· Jacob (Israel): The patriarch whose death and burial are central to the event at Atad.
· Joseph: Jacob's son, who played a key role in the mourning and burial process.
· Mourning Customs: The practices and significance of mourning in ancient Near Eastern cultures.
· Covenant Promises: The theological implications of Jacob's life and death in the context of God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Cross-References:
· Genesis 49:33: The death of Jacob.
· Genesis 50:1-14: The embalming and burial of Jacob.
· Numbers 20:29: Mourning customs in Israelite tradition.Atad

a thorn

Atad

(thorn), The threshing-floor of, called also Abel-mizraim, (Genesis 50:10,11) afterwards called Beth-hogla, and known to have lain between the Jordan and Jericho, therefore on the west side of Jordan.

Atad

A Canaanite, at whose threshing-floor a solemn mourning was held over the remains of Jacob, on their way from Egypt to Hebron, Genesis 50:10,11. See ABEL-MIZRAIM.

Buckthorn, a place where Joseph and his brethren, when on their way from Egypt to Hebron with the remains of their father Jacob, made for seven days a "great and very sore lamentation." On this account the Canaanites called it "Abel-mizraim" (Genesis 50:10, 11). It was probably near Hebron. The word is rendered "bramble" in Judges 9:14, 15, and "thorns" in Psalm 58:9. ATAD

a'-tad ('aTadh, "a thorn"). See ABEL-MIZRAIM.

329. atad -- a bramble, buckthorn, also a city in Canaan
... atad. 330 . a bramble, buckthorn, also a city in Canaan. Transliteration: atad
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-tawd') Short Definition: bramble. ... Atad, bramble, thorn. ...
/hebrew/329.htm - 6k

Chapter l
... And they came to Goren Atad which is across the Jordan, and there they lamented
with great and very heavy lamentation; and he made a seven-day mourning for his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter l.htm

Centenary Commemoration
... them by the skilfulness of his hands." And when God took him to his rest, the mourning
of his diocese was like the "mourning in the floor of Atad," and the ...
/.../centenary commemoration 2.htm

Funeral Oration on Meletius .
... 50:3, the Egyptian mourning was seventy days, but there is no precise mention of
the length of the Israelites' mourning, except that at Atad, beyond the Jordan ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/funeral oration on meletius.htm

Scriptural Poems; Being Several Portions of Scripture Digested ...
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <. ...
/.../scriptural poems being several portions.htm

Atad (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ATAD. a'-tad ('aTadh, "a thorn"). See
ABEL-MIZRAIM. Multi-Version Concordance Atad (2 Occurrences). ...
/a/atad.htm - 7k

Threshing-floor (36 Occurrences)
... Joseph with his kinsmen and Egyptian followers halted for seven days at the
threshing-floor of Atad to lament the death of Jacob (Genesis 50:10). ...
/t/threshing-floor.htm - 21k

Abel-mizraim (1 Occurrence)
... Meadow of Egypt, or mourning of Egypt, a place "beyond," ie, on the west of Jordan,
at the "threshing-floor of Atad." Here the Egyptians mourned seventy days ...
/a/abel-mizraim.htm - 8k

Abelmizraim (1 Occurrence)
... Meadow of Egypt, or mourning of Egypt, a place "beyond," ie, on the west of Jordan,
at the "threshing-floor of Atad." Here the Egyptians mourned seventy days ...
/a/abelmizraim.htm - 8k

Grain-floor (27 Occurrences)
... Genesis 50:10 And they came to the grain-floor of Atad on the other side of Jordan,
and there they gave the last honours to Jacob, with great and bitter sorrow ...
/g/grain-floor.htm - 15k

Threshing (57 Occurrences)
... Genesis 50:10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan,
and there they lamented with a very great and sore lamentation. ...
/t/threshing.htm - 28k

Threshingfloor (18 Occurrences)
... Joseph with his kinsmen and Egyptian followers halted for seven days at the
threshing-floor of Atad to lament the death of Jacob (Genesis 50:10). ...
/t/threshingfloor.htm - 15k

Mourning (85 Occurrences)
... Genesis 50:10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan,
and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a ...
/m/mourning.htm - 34k

Floor (69 Occurrences)
... Genesis 50:10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan,
and there they lamented with a very great and sore lamentation. ...
/f/floor.htm - 32k

Grievous (73 Occurrences)
... Genesis 50:10 And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the
Jordan; and there they lamented with a great and very grievous lamentation; and ...
/g/grievous.htm - 31k

What did the Israelites do during a mourning period (Deuteronomy 34:8)? | GotQuestions.org

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