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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

BOOK OF THE DEAD*

Modern name (nonbiblical) given to ancient Egyptian funerary (burial) texts. In the broadest sense, it designates all such texts, whether found on pyramid walls, coffins, or papyri. Some scholars use the term in a narrower sense, to mean the later forms of such texts written on papyri.

The purpose of any Book of the Dead was to describe a person’s journey from this life to the next as an assured accomplishment. Its ancient Egyptian name was “Chapters of Coming Forth by Day.” Such a book would be prepared for any deceased person of importance. In later stages of Egyptian history such texts were mass-produced, spaces being left for the person’s name. For influential people the papyrus could be up to 100 feet (30.5 meters) long and lavishly illustrated with scenes depicting the person’s experiences after death. There was no standard selection or arrangement of the material.

The ultimate goal of a deceased person was to go to the Other World, the kingdom of Osiris, and ultimately to become a god. In order to get there, the soul had to pass through various gates and be able to give the name of the gatekeeper to be admitted. Thus the texts meticulously informed the deceased of information they might need. One particularly important phase of the journey was judgment at the Hall of Truth. There the person’s heart was weighed in the balance over against the feather of truth and justice. The soul would pray for the outcome and make a “negative confession,” disclaiming any guilt, particularly with regard to theft and other social relationships. If the heart was as light as the feather, it was declared truthful. Otherwise it was given to destruction. The texts also provided the soul with an ample supply of hymns and prayers to assist it on its journey. Thus more emphasis was placed on magic and ritual than on truly moral character.