And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that, [the Greek letter omega (oo) is clearly the true reading here-by attr. for the Greek letter omicron (o), into which it has been corrected in the Received Text]
Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor - or "Hamor" (Genesis 39:19).
The father of Sychem - or "Shechem:" in John 4:5. (on which see note) it is called "Sychar." Three difficulties occur in this verse.
(1) It seems to say that both Jacob and his sons were buried at Shechem; whereas in Genesis 50:13 it is said that Jacob's sons buried their father not at Shechem, but in the cave of the field of Machpelah or Hebron, according to his own dying charge (Acts 49:29-30).
(2) It says that Jacob's sons were buried at Shechem, of which no mention is made in Old Testament history.
(3) It says that the sepulchre at Shechem was bought by Abraham; whereas Genesis 33:18-19, ascribes the purchase to Jacob.
As to Jacob's own burial-place, it is not very likely that Stephen fell into a mistake in a matter so notorious-confounding Hebron with Shechem; nor is it necessary to suppose that Stephen, in saying they "were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre," etc., meant that both "he and our fathers" were both so carried. If we suppose "he and our fathers" to apply only to the party last mentioned-namely, Jacob's sons, not himself-that difficulty disappears. Then, as to the burial of Jacob's sons at Shechem, there is nothing in the Old Testament to contradict it, though it is not expressly recorded. In this speech several other things are referred to as known facts, of which we have no record in the Old Testament. But it is expressly stated that Joseph was buried there (Joshua 24:32); and Jerome, in the fourth century of the Christian era, says (Epp.
686) that the sepulchre of the twelve patriarchs was then to be seen at Sichem. As to the remaining difficulty, it is surely hasty to conclude that Stephen has here confounded the purchase of the field of Machpelah or Hebron by Abraham with the purchase of Shechem by Jacob. Is it unnatural to suppose that after a very long time from the period when Abraham bought this field, the original possessor having retaken it, Jacob finally secured it to himself by repurchasing it? Certain it is that Jacob had an altercation with these Amorites, or sons of Emmor, about some property, and that "with his sword and with his bow" he wrenched what on his deathbed he bequeathed to Joseph (Genesis 48:22). But what, it may be asked, would have been the use to Abraham of two hurrying places-one at Hebron and another at Shechem? It may as well be asked why Jacob should have purchased a burying-place at Shechem, or anywhere else, when that at Hebron would naturally descend to him-that sepulchre where rested the ashes of his grandparents, Abraham and Sarah; the ashes of both his own parents, Isaac and Rebekah; the ashes also of his wife Leah; and where he charged his sons to lay himself (Genesis 49:30-31). We only add that, by the most recent accounts, it would appear that Hebron is not regarded in the country itself as the resting-place of Joseph's brethren. (See "The Sepulchre in Sychem," in Journal of Sacred Literature for April, 1864; and 'The Mosque of Hebron,' in Stanley's Sermons in the East). The solutions we have given of the difficulties of this verse, though only submitted for the reader's consideration, are at least preferable to the short and easy way of charging an error on the speaker.
The Defense Continued-Part Second: From the Settlement in Egypt to the Exodus (7:17-36)