Cremation

The burning of a dead body. Cremation was not practised by Israel or the first Christians. In difficult circumstances a corpse might be burnt and the remains buried

Cremation of corpses

1 Samuel 31:12–13 This was done to prevent any further abuse of the bodies by the Philistines. David later reburied the remains in a family grave (see 2 Samuel 21:12–14).

all their men of valor set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there. Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

Burning a body as a punishment

See also Leviticus 20:14, Leviticus 21:9; Joshua 7:15, Joshua 7:25; 2 Kings 23:20

Funeral fires for the kings of Judah

These were not for the purpose of cremating the king's corpse, but public demonstrations in his honour: 2 Chronicles 16:14; Jeremiah 34:5