9 It was a very great company ; .for the angels followed -after
the people. The same angels that watched over Jacob during
his life watched over him after his death.i

io Tke threshing-floor of Atad. All the kings ©f Canaan and
of Ishmael came to fight and dispute the burial, but when they
saw Joseph's crown suspended from the coffin, they all sus-
pended their own crowns also.^ Hence the name of the. place,
" The threshmg-floffrof Atad,''' which means, as a threshing-floor
is surrounded by a hedge, of thorns, so was Jacob's coffin
surrounded by crowns.
1 2 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded
them. The first thing he^ commanded was, that hone of his
grandsons should carry him, because some of them were of the
daughters of Canaan ; ^ also that no Egyptian should carry his
coffin. He also commanded that three of his sons should go
on each side (of the coffin). In the same order as they went
by the coffin, they subsequently went in the desert by the Ark
of the Covenant. He commanded also that Levi should not
carry him, because his children would carry the Ark of the
Covenant. Joseph, he ordered not to carry him, because he
was a ruler, and in their place should be Ephraim and
Maijasseh.
14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and
all that went up ivith him to bury Ins father. Rashi remarks :
When the funeral procession started, the Egyptians went before
the brethren, but on the return the brethren went before the.
Egyptians, because the Egyptians having noticed that all the

' Comp. Jude 9.
This story, considerably varied, and more fully described, in Soteii, fol.
13A, may be read in Talm, Misc., 186.
