Joseph asked his father about his mother's burial-place, and
Jacob spoke, saying: "As thou livest, thy wish to see thy
mother lying by my side in the grave doth not exceed mine
own. I had joy in life only as long as she was alive, and
her death was the heaviest blow that ever fell upon me."
Joseph questioned him: "Perhaps thou didst have to bury
her in the way, because she died during the rainy season,
and thou couldst not carry her body through the rain to our
family sepulchre?" "No," replied Jacob, "she died in the
spring time, when the highways are clean and firm." Joseph:
"Grant me permission to take up her body now and
place it in our family burial-place." Jacob: "No, my son,
that thou mayest not do. I was unwilling to bury her in
the way, but the Lord commanded it." The reason of the
command was that God knew that the Temple would be