CREMATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

 The normal burial practice for Jews was to first bury the body in the ground or in a crypt. The bones were then dug up a year or more later and placed in an ossuary. The greatest sacrilege was to leave a dead body unburied.

Joshua 7:25: Achan disobeys God. They stone him and his family and burn the bodies. But the Anchor Bible and New Bible Commentary note that “them” in “burned them” probably refers to their belongings instead. Read verses 22-26. Also, the Greek Septuagint and Latin translations of these verses do not mention burning anyone.

I Samuel 31:12: Saul's body is desecrated by the Philistines. Valiant soldiers rescue his body and burn it before burial. Perhaps it is to avoid further desecration. The Philistines were still seeking vengeance on Saul's family many years later (II Samuel).

II Kings 23:20: Josiah desecrates pagan altars by burning human bones on them. The emphasis is on defiling the sanctuary, not defiling the corpses. But look at verse 18 on not disturbing the prophet's bones. Note that it does not say that he burned the corpses of the pagan priests he had just killed.

Amos 2:1 condemns the practice of digging up buried bones and burning them.

Amos 6:9 probably alludes to the practice of burning the dead bodies of relatives in the time of plague to prevent the spread of disease.

If the first reference is discounted as dubious, then the remaining verses condemn burning bones that have already been buried, but approve the burning of bodies before burial (in other words, cremation).

The opposition of modern Jews to the practice of cremation is explained (in the website “Ask A Rabbi”) as being due to two reasons:

1. They want to show honor for the body that housed the spirit and the breath of God.

2. Too many Jews were burned to death over the centuries. Therefore it is inappropriate to willingly add to the cremation of their people.