A. M. 2289. B. C. 1715. CHAP. XLI. 19 And, behold, seven other kine came up. after them, poor, and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: 20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine, did eat up the first seven fat kine: 21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: 23 And, behold, seven ears, i withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: 24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me. 25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: 1 God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. 27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them, are seven years; and the seven empty ears, blasted with the east wind, shall be seven years of famine. 28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do, he showeth unto Pharaoh. coming out of the same river, plainly show, at once, the cause both of the plenty and the dearth. It is well known that there is scarcely any rain in Egypt; and that the country depends for its fertility, on the overflowing of the Nile; and that the fertility is in proportion to the duration and quantity of the overflow. We may therefore safely conclude, that the seven years of plenty were owing to an extraordinary overflowing of the Nile; and that the seven years of dearth were occasioned by a very partial, or total want of this essentially necessary inundation. Thus then, the two sorts of cattle, signifying years of plenty and want, might be said to come out of the same river, as the inundation was either complete, partial, or wholly restrained; see on ver. 31. Verse 21. And when they had eaten them up, &c.] Nothing can more powerfully mark the excess and severity of the famine than creatures of the beeve kind eating each other, and yet without any effect; remaining as lean and as wretched as they were before. A sense of want increases the appetite and stimulates the digestive powers to unusual action; hence the concoction of the food becomes very rapid, and it is hurried through the intestines, before its nutritive particles can be sufficiently absorbed; and thus, though much is eaten, very little nourishment is derived from it. And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favoured as at the beginning. A most nervous and physically correct description. Verse 25. God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do.] Joseph thus shows the Egyptian king, that though the ordinary cause of plenty or want is the river Nile, yet its inundations are under the direction of God-the dreams are sent by him, not only to signify beforehand the plenty and want, but to show also, that all these circumstances, however fortuitous they may appear to man, are under the direction of an overruling Providence. 29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 30 And there shall Parise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. Verse 38. In whom the Spirit of God is] ruach elohim, the identical words used chap. i. 2. and certainly must be understood here, as in the preceding place. If the Egyptians were idolaters, they acknowledged Joseph's God: and it is not to be supposed that they only became acquainted with him on this occasion. The knowledge of the true God was in Egypt long before; but it is very likely that though they acknowledged his influence with respect to Joseph, as they saw most clearly that he acted under an influence far beyond that of their magicians, for he interpreted dreams, which they could not; yet they might, notwithstanding, have their gods many, and their lords many, at this time: for we know that in religious matters, they were exceedingly a Can we find such a one as this is, a man in | raoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his whom the Spirit of God is? hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. 39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. e 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have d set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; h 43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: 1and he made him ruler mover all the land of Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pha a Numb. 27. 18. Job 32. 8. Prov. 2. 6. Dan. 4. 8, 18. & 5. 11, 14. & 6, 3.-b Psa 105. 21, 22 1 Mac. 2. 53. Acts 7. 10.- Heb. be armed, or kiss.-d Dan 6.3. e Esth 3. 10. & 8. 2, 8--fEsth. 8, 15.-g Or, silk.--h Dan. 5. 7, 29.-i Esth. 6. 9. kOr, Tender father. Ch. 45. 8. Verse 40. According unto thy word shall all my people be ruled] Literally, At thy mouth shall all my people kiss-In the eastern countries it is customary to kiss any thing that comes from a superior, and this is done by way of testifying respect and submission. In this sense the words in the text are to be understood. All the people shall pay the profoundest respect and obedience to all thy orders and commands. Only in the throne will I be greater than thou.] This, in one word, is a perfect description of a prime ministerThou shalt have the sole management, under me, of all state affairs. Verse 42. And Pharaoh took off his ring-and put it upon Joseph's hand] In this ring was probably set the king's signet, by which the royal instruments were sealed; and thus Joseph was constituted what we would call lord chancellor, or lord keeper of the privy seal. Vestures of fine linen] shesh. Whether this means linen or cotton is not known. It seems to have been a term by which both were denominated: or it may be some other substance or cloth with which we are unacquainted. If the fine linen of Egypt was such as that which invests the bodies of the mummies, and these in general were persons of the first distinction, and consequently were enveloped in cloth of the finest quality, it was only fine comparatively speaking, Egypt being the only place at that time, where such cloth was manufactured. I have often examined the cloth about the bodies of the most splendidly ornamented mummies, and found it sackcloth when compared with the fine Irish linens. As this shesh appears to have been a part of the royal clothing, it was probably both scarce and costly. By comparing, says Parkhurst, Exod. xxv. 4. xxvi. 1. with 2 Chron. ii. 14. and Exod. xxvi. 31. with 2 Cron. iii. 14. it appears, that a buts, cotton, is called v shesh: and by comparing Exod. xxviii. 42. with Exod. xxix. 28. that bad, linen, is also called w shesh; so that shesh seems a name expressive of either of these from their cheerful vivid whiteness. Put a gold chain about his neck] This was not merely a badge of office. The chain might be intended to point out the union, which should subsist between all parts of the government-the king, his ministers, and the people; as also that necessary dependence which they had reciprocally on each other, as well as the connexion which must be preserved between the different members of the body politic, and the laws and institutions by which they were to be governed. Its being of gold, might be intended to show the excellence, utility, and permanence of a government constituted on wise, just, and equal laws. We are justified in drawing such inferences as these; because, in ancient times, in all nations, every thing was made an emblem or representation of some spiritual or moral subject. It is strange that, probably without adverting to the reasons, the chain of gold worn about the neck, is, in different nations, an emblem of civil authority. Verse 43. He made him to ride in the second chariot] That which usually followed the king's chariot in public ceremonies. Bow the knee] abrech, which we translate, bow the knee, and which we might as well translate any thing else, is probably an Egyptian word, the signification of which is utterly unknown. If we could suppose it to be 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name "Zaphnath-paaneah: and he gave him to wife, Asenath, the daughter of Poti-pherah, priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. From 46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he P stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47 And in the seven plenteous years, AM249. the earth brought forth by handfuls. 48 And he gathered up all the food AM 296. of the seven years, which were in BC. 1705. the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. B. C. 1715. to 49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering: for it was without number. 1 Heb. Abrech. Ch. 42. 6. & 45 8, 26. Acts 7. 10--n Which in the Coptic g nifies, A revealer of secrets, or, The man to whom secrets are revealed. - o Or, prince. Exod. 2. 16. 2 Sam. 8. 18. & M. 26-p 1 Sam. 16. 21. 1 Kings 12 6, 8. Dan. 1. 19-q Ch. 22. 17. Judges 7. 12. 1 Sam. 13. 5. Psa. 78. 27. And a Hebrew word, it might be considered as compounded of ab, father, and rak, tender: for Joseph might be denominated a father, because of his care over the people, and the provision he was making for their preservation; and tender, because of his youth. Or, it may be compounded of ab, father, and 2 barek, blessing, the latter beth being easily lost in the preceding one. Joseph might have this epithet as well as the other, on account of the care he was taking to turn aside the heavy curse of the seven years of famine, by accumulating the blessings of the seven years of plenty. Besides, father seems to have been a name of office, and probably father of the king, or father of Pharaoh, might signify the same as the king's minister among us; see on chap. xlv. 8. But if it be an Egyptian word, it is vain to look for its signification in Hebrew. Verse 44. I am Pharaoh] The same as if he had said, I am the king; for Pharaoh was the common title of the sovereigns of Egypt. Verse 45. Zaphnath-paaneah] The meaning of this title is as little known as that of abrech in the preceding verse. Some translate it, the revealer of secrets; others, the treasury of glorious comfort. St. Jerom translates the whole verse in a most arbitrary manner. Vertitque nomen ejus et vocavit eum linguâ Egyptiaca Salvatorem mundi. "And he changed his name, and called him in the Egyptian language, The Saviour of the world." None of the other versions acknowledge this unprincipled gloss, and it is certainly worthy of no regard. All the etymologies hitherto given of this word, are, to say the least of them, doubtful. I believe it also to be an Egyptian epithet, designating the office to which he was now raised; and similar to our compound terms, prime minister, lord chancellor, high treasurer, chief justice, &c. Asenath, the daughter of Poli-pherah.] There is no likelihood, that the Poti-pheral mentioned here is the same as the Potiphar who had purchased Joseph, and on the false accusation of his wife, cast him into prison. 1. The Scripture gives no intimation that they were one and the same person. 2. Poti-pherah had children, and Potiphar was a eunuch; see on chap. xxxvii. 36. for though eunuchs often kept women, there is no proof that they had any issue by them. Priest of On] For the signification of the word cohen or priest, see on chap. xiv. 18. ON is rendered Heliopolis, (the city of the sun,) by the Septuagint: and it is very likely that this Poti-pherah was intendant of that nome or province, under Pharaoh. Joseph went out over all the land] No doubt for the building of granaries, and appointing proper officers to receive the corn in every place, as Dr. Dodd has very properly conjectured. Verse 46. Joseph was thirty years old] As he was seventeen years old when he was sold into Egypt, chap. xxxvii. 2. and was now thirty, he must have been thirteen years in slavery. Stood before Paraoh] This phrase always means admission to the immediate presence of the sovereign, and having the honour of his most unlimited confidence. Among the Asiatic princes, the privilege of coming even to their seat, of standing before them, &c. was granted only to the highest favourites. Verse 47. The earth brought forth by handfuls] This probably refers to rice, as it grows in tufts; a great num A. M. CIR. 2289. B. C. CIR. 1715. born two sons 50 And unto Joseph were before the years of famine came, which Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bare unto him. B. C. eir. 1712 A. M. air. 2292. 51 And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: for God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. B. C. er. 1711. A. M. eir. 2293 52 And the name of the second called he " Ephraim: For God hath eaused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. A. M. cir. 2295. CHAPTER XLII. Jacob sends his ten sons to Egypt to buy corn, 1-3: but refuses to permit Benjamin to go, 4. They arrive in Egypt, and bow themselves before Joseph, 5, 6. He treats them roughly, and calls them spies, 7-10. They defend themselves, and give an account of their family, 11-13 He appears unmoved, and puts them all in prison for three days, 14-17. On the third day he releases them on condition of their bringing Benjamin, 18-20. Being convicted by their consciences, they reproach themselves with their cruelty to their brother Joseph, and consider themselves under the displeasure of God, 21-23. Joseph is greatly affected-detains Simeon as a pledge for Benjamin, orders their sacks to be filled with corn, and the purchase money to be put in each man's sack, 24, 25. When one of them was going to give his ass provender, he discovered his money in the mouth of the sack, at which they were greatly alarmed, 26-28. They come to their father in Canaan, and relate what happened to them in their journey, 29-34. On emptying their sacks, each man's money is found in his sack's mouth, which causes alarm both to them and their father, 35. Jacob deplores the loss of Joseph and Simeon, and refuses to let Benja min go, though Reuben offers his two sons as pledges for his safety, 36-38. when b Jacob saw that there was corn 53 ¶ And the seven years of plente- NOW wht, Jacob said unto his sons, Why ousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. 51 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. 56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. 57 And all countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands. r Ch. 46. 20. & 48. 5-8 Or, prince. Ver. 45. 28am. 8. 18. That is, forgetting. ber of stalks proceeding from the same seed. In those Verse 50. Two sons] Whom he called by names expressive of God's particular and bountiful Providence toward him. MANASSEH, D menasheh, signifies forgetfulness, from nashah to forget. And EPHRAIM, DDR ephrayim, fruitfulness, from parah, to be fruitful; and he called his sons by these names, because God had enabled him to forget all his toil, disgrace, and affliction, and had made him fruitful in the very land in which he had suffered the greatest misfortune and indigIn Verse 54. The seven years of dearth began to come] Owing, in Egypt, to the Nile not rising more than twelve or thirteen cubits; see on ver. 31. but there must have been other causes which affected other countries not immediately dependent on the Nile, though remotely with Egypt and Canaan. nities. The dearth was in all lands] All the countries dependent on the Nile. And it appears that a general drought had taken place, at least through all Egypt and Canaan; for, it is said, ver. 57. that the famine was sore in all lands; Egypt, and Canaan, and their respective depen dencies. Verse 55. When all the land of Egypt was famished] As Pharaoh, by the advice of Joseph, had exacted a fifth part of all the grain during the seven years of plenty, it is very likely that no more was left than what was merely necessary to supply the ordinary demand, both in the way of home consumption, and for the purpose of barter or sale to neighbouring countries. Verse 56. Over all the face of the earth] The original col peney ha-arets, should be translated, all the face of THAT LAND; viz. Egypt, as it is explained at the end of the verse. Verse 57. All countries came into Egypt-to buy] As there had not been a sufficiency of rains, vapours, &c. to swell the Nile to effect a proper inundation in Egypt, the same cause would produce drought, and consequently, scarcity, in all the neighbouring countries: and this may be all that is intended in the text. 1. As the providence of God evidently led the butler and baker of Pharaoh, as well as the king himself, to dream the prophetic dreams mentioned in this and the preceding chapter; so his Spirit in Joseph led to the true interpretation of them. What a proof do all these things give us of a Providence that is so general as to extend its influence to every part; and so particular, as to notice, influence, and direct the most minute circumstances. Surely, God has his way every where; and all things serve his will. 2. Dreams have been, on one hand, superstitiously regarded; and on the other, sceptically disregarded. That in do ye look one upon another? 2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. 3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. 4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, a Lest peradventure mischief befall him. 5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. f over the 6 And Joseph was the governor land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land and Joseph's brethren came, and x Ver. 30.-y Heb. all wherein was-z Ch. 42. 6. & 47. 14, 24-a Deut. 9. 28-b Acts 7 12- Ch. 43. 8. Ps. 118. 17. Isai. 38. 1.-d Ver. 38.-e Acts 7. 11.-fCh. 41. 41. some are prophetic, there can be no doubt; that others are NOTES ON CHAPTER XLII. Verse 1. Jacob saw that there was corn] That is, Jacob heard from the report of others, that there was plenty in Egypt. The operations of one sense, in Hebrew, are often known and practised, famines were frequent: Canaan put for those of another. Before agriculture was properly seems to have been peculiarly vexed by them: there was one in this land in the time of Abraham, chap. xii. 10. another in the days of Isaac, chap. xxvi. 1. and now a third in the time of Jacob: to this St. Stephen alludes, Acts vi, 11. there was great affliction; and our FATHERS found no sustenance. Verse 6. Joseph was the governor] shallit, an intendant, a protector, from shalat, to be over as a protector; hence a shiltim, shields, or arms for protec tion and defence, 2 Sam. viii. 7. and p shilton, power and authority, Eccles. viii. 4, 8. and hence the Arabic law sultan a lord, prince, or king, from La salyta, he obtained and exercised dominion, he ruled. Was it not from this very circumstance, Joseph being shalit, that all the Mohammedan governors of Egypt, &c. took the title of Sultan. Bowed down themselves before him] Thus fulfilling 155 the prophetic dream, chap. xxxvii. 7, 8. which they had bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. 7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. 8 (And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.) 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. 10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. 11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. 12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. 13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one i is not. 14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: 15 Hereby ye shall be proved: * By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. 16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh sure ly ye are spies. fCh. 37. 7. Heh. hard things with them.-h Ch. 37. 5,9-1 Ch. 37. 30. Lain. 5. 7. See Ch. 44 20--k See 1 Sam. 1. 26. & 17, 55. Judith 11. 7.-1 Heb. bound. -m Heb. gathered--n Lev. 25. 43. Neh. 5. 15.-0 Ver. 34. Ch. 43. 5. & 44. 23. taken every precaution to render null and void. But there is neither might nor counsel against the Lord. Verse 9. Joseph remembered the dreams] When he saw they were his own brethren, and saw them bowing down themselves before him with their faces to the earth, ver. 6. Ye are spies] DAN OD meraglim atem, ye are footmen, trampers about, footpads, vagabonds, lying in wait for the property of others. Persons who, under the pretence of wishing to buy corn, desire only to find out whether the land be so defenceless that the tribes to which ye belong, (see ver. 11.) may attack it successfully, drive out the inhabitants, and settle in it yourselves; or having plundered it, retire to your deserts. This is a frequent custom among the Arabs to the present day. Thus Joseph spake roughly to them, merely to cover, for the time being, that warmth of affection which he felt toward them; and that being thus brought, apparently, into straits and dangerous circumstances, their consciences might be awakened, that they might reflect on and abhor their own wickedness. Verse 11. We are all one man's sons] We do not belong to different tribes, and it is not likely that one family would make a hostile attempt upon a whole kingdom. This seems to be the very ground that Joseph took: viz. that they were persons belonging to different tribes. Against this particularly, they set up their defence, asserting in the most positive manner, that they all belonged to one family; and it is on the proof of this, that Joseph puts them, ver. 15. in obliging them to leave one as a hostage, and insisting on their bringing their remaining brother; so that he took exactly the same precautions to detect them, as if he had had no acquaintance with them, and had every reason to be suspicious. Verse 13. One is not] An elliptical sentence-one is not alive. Verse 15. By the life of Pharaoh] yn chey Pharôh-Pharaoh liveth-as if he had said, as surely as the king of Egypt lives, so surely shall ye not go hence, unless your brother come hither-here therefore is no oath; it is just what they themselves make it in their report to their father, chap. xliii. 3. the man did solemnly protest unto us; and our translators should not have put it in the form of an oath, especially as the original not only will bear another version, but is absolutely repugnant to this. Verse 18. I fear God] N eth ha-elohim ani yorè, literally translated, the passage runs thus, I also fear the gods; but the emphatic () ha is probably added by Joseph, both here and in his conversation with Pharaoh, the more particularly to point out the eminence and perfection of the Supreme Being, as contradistinguished from the gods of Egypt. He seems to say to his brethren, Iam 17 And he put them all together into ward three days. 18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; " for I fear God: 19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: 20 But bring your youngest brother unto me: so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. 21 And they said one to another, P We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. r 22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. 23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. 24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. 25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. 26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. 27 And as one of them opened his sack to p Job 36. 8, 9. Hos. 5. 15.-r Prov. 21. 13. Matt. 7. 2-Ch 37. 21.-1 Ch. 9. 5. 1 Kings 2. 32. 2 Chron. 24. 22 Psa. 9. 12. Luke 11. 50, 51.-u Heb. an interpreter was between them.-v Matt. 5. 44. Rom. 12. 17, 20, 21.-w See Ch. 43. 21. a worshipper of the true God, and ye have nothing to fear. Verse 21. We are verily guilty] How finely are the office and influence of conscience exemplified in these words! It was about twenty-two years since they had sold their brother, and probably their conscience had been lulled asleep to the present hour. God combines and brings about those favourable circumstances, which produce attention and reflection, and give weight to the expostulations of conscience. How necessary to hear its voice in time, for here, it may be the instrument of salvation; but if not heard in this world, it must be heard in the next; and there, in association with the unquenchable fire, it will be the neverdying worm. Reader, has not thy sin as yet found thee out? Pray to God to take away the veil from thy heart, and to give thee that deep sense of guilt which shall oblige thee to flee for refuge to the hope which is set before thee in the Gospel of Christ. Verse 23. For he spake unto them by an interpreter] Either there was a very great difference between the two languages as then spoken, or Joseph, to prevent all suspicion, might affect to be ignorant of both. We have many evidences in this book that the Egyptians, Hebrews, Canaanites, and Syrians, could understand each other in a general way; though there are also proofs, that there was a considerable difference between their dialects. Verse 24. Took-Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.] This was retaliation, if, as the rabbins suppose, it was Simeon who bound Joseph, and put him into the pit. A recollection of this circumstance must exceedingly deepen the sense he had of his guilt. Verse 25. Commanded to fill their sacks] keleyhem, their vessels, probably large woollen bags, or baskets lined with leather, as Sir John Chardin says, are still in use through all Asia, and which are called tambellit; they are covered with leather, the better to resist the wet, and to prevent dirt and sand from mixing with the grain; these vessels, of whatever sort, must have been different from those called p sak in the 27th and following verses, which was probably only a small sack or bag, in which each had reserved a sufficiency of corn for his ass during the journey; the larger vessels or bags, serving to hold the wheat they had brought, and their own packages. The reader will at once see, that the English word sack is plainly derived from the Hebrew. Verse 26. They laded their asses] Amounting, no doubt, to several scores, if not hundreds; else they could not have brought a sufficiency of corn for the support of so large a family as that of Jacob. Verse 27. One of them opened his sack] From ver. 35. we learn that each of the ten brethren, on emptying his give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth. 28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us? 29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, 30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. 31 And we said unto him, We are true men: we are no spies; 32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. 33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: Heb. went forth-y Ver. 7.- Heb. with us hard things.-a Ver. 15, 19, 20. b Ch. 31. 10-c See Ch. 43. 21. sack when he returned, found his money in it: can we suppose that this was not discovered by them all before? It seems not: and the reason was probably this; the money was put in the mouth of the sack of one only; in the sacks of the others it was placed at or near to the bottom: hence only one discovered it on the road; the rest found it when they came to empty their sacks at their father's house. In the inn] ba-malon, from 15 lan, to lodge, stay, remain, &c. The place at which they stopped to bait or rest themselves and their asses. Our word inn gives us a false idea here-there were no such places of entertainment at that time in the desert over which they had to pass; nor are there any to the present day. Travellers generally endeavour to reach a well, where they fill their girbahs, or leathern bottles, with fresh water, and having clogged their camels, asses, &c. permit them to crop any little verdure there may be in the place, keeping watch over them by turns. This is all we are to understand by the malon, or inn, in the text; for even caravan-serais were not then in use, which are generally no more than four walls perfectly exposed, the place being open at the top. Verse 28. Their heart failed them] va-yetse libbam, their heart went out-this refers to that spasmodic affection which is felt in the breast at any sudden alarm or fright. Among the common people in our own country, we find an expression exactly similar-" My heart seemed to leap out at my mouth;" used on similar occasions. What is this that God hath done unto us?] Their guilty consciences, now thoroughly awakened, were in continual alarms; they felt that they deserved God's curse; and every occurrence served to confirm and increase their suspicions. Verse 35. As they emptied their sacks] See on ver. 27. Verse 36. All these things are against me.] nabawn Sp âli haiu cullanah; literally, all these things are upon me. Not badly translated by the Vulgate, In me hæc omnia mala reciderunt. "All these evils fall back upon me." They lie upon me as heavy loads, hastening my death; they are more than I can bear. Verse 37. Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee] What a strange proposal made by a son to his father, concerning his grandchildren! But they show the honesty and affection of Reuben's heart-he felt deeply for his father's distress, and was determined to risk and hazard every thing in order to relieve and comfort him. There is scarcely a transaction in which Reuben is concerned, that does not serve to set his character in an amiable point of view, except the single instance mentioned chap. xxxv. 22. and which, for the sake of decency and piety, we should wish to understand as the Targumists have explained it; see the notes. Verse 38. He is left alone] i. e. Benjamin is the only remaining son of Rachel: for he supposed Joseph, who was the other son, to be dead. Ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow, &c.] Here he keeps up the idea of the oppressive burden mentioned on ver. 36. to which every occurrence was adding an additional weight; so that he felt it impossible to support it any longer. The following observations of Dr. Dodd on this verse are very appropriate and judicious. "Nothing can be more tender and picturesque than the words of the venerable patriarch. Full of affection for his beloved Rachel, he cannot think of parting with Benjamin, the only remaining pledge of that love, now Joseph, as he supposes, is no more: we seem to behold the gray-headed venerable father, pleading with his sons; the beloved Benjamin standing by his side: impatient sorrow in their countenances, and in his, all the bleeding anxiety of paternal love. It will be difficult, I believe, to find in any author, ancient or modern, a more exquisite picture." 1. THERE is one doctrine relative to the economy of divine Providence, little heeded among men : I mean the doctrine of restitution. When a man has done wrong to his neighbour, though on his repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus, God forgives him his sin, yet he requires him to make restitution to the person injured, if it lie in the compass of his power. If he do not, God will take care to exact it in the course of his Providence. Such respect has he for the dictates of infinite justice, that nothing of this kind shall pass unnoticed. Several instances of this have already occurred in this history; and we shall see several more. No man should expect mercy at the hand of God, who, having wronged his neighbour, refuses, when he has it in his power, to make restitution. Were he to weep tears of blood, both the justice and mercy of God would shut out his prayer, if he made not his neighbour amends for the injury he may have done him. The mercy of God, through the blood of the cross, can alone pardon his guilt; but no dishonest man can expect this; and he is a dishonest man who illegally holds the property of another in his hand. The unnatural brethren, who sold their brother into captivity, are now about to be captivated themselves; and the binder himself is bound in his turn; and though a kind Providence does not permit the evil to fall upon them, yet, while apprehending it, they feel all its reality; conscience supplying the lack of prison, jailer, and bonds. 2. The ways of Providence are often to us dark and perplexed, so that we are ready to imagine, that good can never result from what appears to us to be directly contrary to our interest; and we often are tempted to think, that those very providential dealings of God, which have for their object our present and eternal welfare, are rather proofs of his displeasure, or evidences of his vindictive judgments. All these things are against me, said poor desponding Jacob. Whereas, instead of being against him, all these things were for him; and by all these means, was the merciful God working for the preservation of himself and his family, and the fulfilment of his ancient promise, that the posterity of Abraham should be as the stars of heaven for multitude. How strange is it that our faith, after so many evidences of his goodness, should still be so weak; and that our opinion of him should be so imperfect, that we can never trust him but while he is under our own eye! If we see him producing good, we can believe that he is doing so, and this is all. If we believe not, he abides faithful; but our unbelief must make our own way extremely perplexing and difficult. |