בראשית, פרק נ׳, פסוק י״א

The grand royal funeral procession for Jacob leaves a profound impact not only on those participating but also on the foreign onlookers. The local Canaanite inhabitants, entirely unaware of the background behind this massive convoy, watch the spectacle unfold [רשב״ם, ביאור יש״ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A different perspective identifies these onlookers specifically as the kings Sihon and Og, although their historical presence during this era remains a subject of question [חזקוני, ברכת אשר].

What the Canaanites witness is not mere sadness. This mourning is a state of deep confusion, bewilderment, and disorientation that strikes people when confronting an irreversible reality they cannot process [הכתב והקבלה]. Struck with awe and fear by the sheer scale of the funeral and the immense respect shown by the nations, the Canaanites respond with physical acts of submission and humility, such as loosening their belts and shoulder knots [תורה תמימה]. Pointing in utter amazement, they declare that this is a profoundly heavy mourning for Egypt [תורה תמימה], marveling that such an extraordinary display of grief was unprecedented even within Egypt itself [ביאור יש״ר].

The grief is attributed specifically to the Egyptians rather than Jacob's sons because Egypt suffered the primary loss. Their nation had been blessed and saved entirely due to Jacob's presence. Once his coffin crossed out of Egyptian territory, the Egyptians considered him officially buried, marking the beginning of their formal mourning period. The procession halts specifically to allow the Egyptians to observe seven days of mourning for the man who brought them salvation [העמק דבר, אלשיך]. Even the physical setting of this pause, a threshing floor surrounded by thorns, symbolizes the sharp sting and heavy burden of the Egyptian grief [אלשיך].

Yet, within the Canaanites' declaration lies a subtle contrast. While they acknowledge Egypt's devastating loss of a great benefactor, the Canaanites distance themselves from the sorrow. Remembering the violence they suffered at the hands of Jacob's sons during the incident at Shechem, they feel no personal reason to mourn [אלשיך]. Ultimately, the location is permanently named after the Egyptian mourning [ביאור שטיינזלץ], serving as a lasting testament where a Canaanite border city immortalized the profound honor the father of the Jewish nation received from foreign empires [רש״ר הירש]. To ensure future generations understand its true location despite its Egyptian name, it is clarified that this site rests firmly within the Land of Israel [שד״ל]. Interestingly, residents on the eastern side of the river would sometimes refer to the land of Canaan itself as being "beyond the Jordan," reflecting a mutual naming custom between those living on opposite banks [חזקוני].