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49 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Sacred Texts Archive

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Chapter forty six. Genesis, Chapter forty six. Jacob is hero moving to
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Egypt in his old age, forced thither by a famine, and invited thither
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by a son. Here numeral one, God sends him thither verse one through
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four, Numeral two. All his family goes with him Verses five through twenty
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seven, Numeral three. Joseph bids him welcome Verses twenty eight through thirty four.
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Jacob sacrifices at Beersheba b. C. Seventeen O seven Verse one.
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And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba
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and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. Verse two. And
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God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said Jacob Jacob,
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and he said, here I am I Verse three. And he said,
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I am God, the God of thy father. Fear not to go
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down into Egypt, for I will there make of THEE a great nation.
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Verse For I will go down with THEE into Egypt. And I will also
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surely bring THEE up again. And Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.
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The divine precept is in all thy ways acknowledge God, and the promise
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annexed to it is he shall direct thy paths. Jacob has here a very
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great concern for him, not only a journey, but a removal to settle
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in another country, a change which was very surprising to him, for he
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never had any other thoughts than to live and die in Canaan, and which
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would be of great consequence to his family for a long time to come.
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Now Here we are told Numeral one, how he acknowledged God in this way.
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He came to bearsheb from Hebron, where he now dwelt, and there
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he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. Verse one. He
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chose that place in remembrance of the communion which his father and grandfather had with
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God in that place Abraham called on God there chapter twenty one, verse thirty
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three. So did Isaac Chapter twenty six, verse twenty five. And therefore
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Jacob made it the place of his devotion, the rather because it lay in
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his way. In his devotion. Number one, he had an eye to
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God as the God of his father Isaac, that is, a God in
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covenant with him. For by Isaac the covenant was entailed upon him. God
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had forbidden Isaac to go down to Egypt when there was a famine in Canaan,
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chapter twenty six, verse two, which perhaps Jacob calls to mind when
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he consults God as the god of his father Ijaha. With this thought,
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Lord, though I am very desirous to see Joseph, Yet if thou forbid
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me to go down to Egypt, as thou didst my father Isaac, I
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will submit and very contentedly stay where I am. Number two, he offered
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sacrifices, extraordinary sacrifices besides those at his stated times. These sacrifices were offered
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Number one by way of thanksgiving for the late blessed change of the face of
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his family, for the good news he had received concerning Joseph, and for
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the hopes he had of seeing him again. Note we should give God thanks
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for the beginnings of mercy, though they are not yet perfected, and this
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is a decent way of begging further mercy. Number two, by way of
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petition for the presence of God with him in his intended journey. He desired,
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by these sacrifices to make peace with God, to obtain the forgiveness of
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sin, that he might take no guilt along with him in his journey,
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for that is a bad companion. By Christ the great sacrifice, we must
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reconcile ourselves to God and offer up our requests to him. Number three,
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by way of consultation. That Heathen consulted their oracles by sacrifice, Jacob would
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not go till he had asked God's leave. Shall I go down to Egypt
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or back to Hebron. Such must be our inquiries in doubtful cases. And
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though we cannot expect immediate answers from Heaven, yet if we diligently attend to
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the directions of the word, conscience and providence, we shall find it is
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not in vain to ask counsel of God Numeral two how God directed his paths
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If the visions of the night, probably the very next night, after he
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had offered him sacrifices. As Second Chronicles, Chapter one, verse seven,
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God spoken to him Verse two. Note, those who desire to keep up
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communion with God shall find that it never fails on his side. If we
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speak to him as we ought, he will not fail to speak to us.
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God called him by name, by his old name Jacob, Jacob to
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remind him of his low estate, his present fears did scarcely become an Israel.
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Jacob, like one well acquainted with the visions of the Almighty and ready
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to obey them, answers here, I am ready to receive orders. And
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what has God to say to him? Number one, He renews the covenant
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with him. I am God, the God of thy Father. Verse three.
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That is, I am what thou ownest me to be. Thou shalt
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find me a god, a divine wid wisdom and power. Engage for thee
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Thou shalt find me, the God of thy Father, true to the covenant
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made with him. Number two He encourages him to make his removal of his
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family. Fear not to go down into Egypt. It seems though Jacob,
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upon the first intelligence of Joseph's life and glory in Egypt, resolved without any
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hesitation. I will go and see him. Yet upon second thoughts he saw
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some difficulties in it which he knew not well how to get over. Note
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even those changes that seem to have in them the greatest joys and hopes yet
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have an alloy of cares and fears. Noah est sinceera voluptus, there is
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no unmingled pleasure, we must always rejoice with trembling. Jacob had many careful
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thoughts about this journey, which God took notice of. Number One, He
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was old, one hundred thirty years old, and it is mentioned as one
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of the infirmities of old people that they are afraid of that which is high,
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and fears are in the way Ecclesiastes, Chapter twelve, verse five.
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It was a long journey, and Jacob was unfit for travel, and perhaps
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remembered that his beloved Rachel died in a journey. Number two. He feared
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lest his son should be tainted with the idolatry of Egypt and forget the God
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of their fathers, or enamored with the pleasures of Egypt and forget the land
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of promise. Number three. Probably he thought of what God had said to
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Abraham concerning the bondage and affliction of his seed chapter fifteen, verse thirteen,
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and was apprehensive that his removal to Egypt would issue in that present satisfaction should
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not take us off from the consideration and prospect of future inconveniences which possibly may
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arise from what now appears most promising. Number four, He could not think
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of laying his bones in Egypt. But whatever his discouragements were, this was
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enough to answer them all fear not to go down into Egypt. Number three,
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he promises him comfort in their removal. One, that he should multiply
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in Egypt. I will there where thou fearest that thy family will sink and
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be lost, make it a great nation. That is the place infinite wisdom
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has chosen for the accomplishment of that promise. Two, that he should have
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God's presence with him. I will go down with thee into Egypt. Note,
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those that go whither God sends them shall certainly have God with them,
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And that is enough to secure them wherever they are, and to silence their
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fears. We may safely venture even into Egypt if God go down with us.
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Number three, that neither he nor his should be lost in Egypt.
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I will surely bring thee up again. Though Jacob died in Egypt, yet
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this promise was fulfilled Number one in the bringing up of his body to be
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buried in Canaan, about which it appears he was very solicitous Chapter forty nine,
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verse twenty nine and verse thirty two. Two in the bringing up of
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his sea to be settled in Canaan, Whatever low or darksome valley we are
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called into at any time, we may be confident if God go down with
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us into it, that he will surely bring us up again. If he
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go with us down to death, he will surely bring us up again to
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glory. For that living and dying his beloved Joseph should be a comfort to
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him. Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. This is a promise
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that Joseph should live as long as he lived, that he should be with
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him at his death and close his eyes with all possible tenderness and respect,
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as the dearest relations used to do. Probably Jacob, in the multitude of
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his thoughts with him, had been wishing that Joseph might do this last office
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of love for him. Ili NEOs oclos compramont let him close my eyes.
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And God thus answered him in the letter of his desire. Thus God sometimes
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gratifies the innocent wishes of his people, and makes not only their death happy,
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but the very circumstances of it agreeable. Jacob's removal to Egypt b.
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C. Seventeen O six, verse five, and Jacob rose up at Vrsheba
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and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, and their little ones
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and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him verse six.
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And they took their cattle and their goods which they had gotten in the
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land of Canaan, and came into Egypt. Jacob and all his seed with
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him verse seven. His sons and his son's sons with him, his daughters
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and his son's daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt
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verse eight. And these are the names of the children of Israel which came
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into Egypt. Jacob and his sons Ruben, Jacob's first born verse nine.
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And the sons of Reuben, Hannok and Feliu and Hezron and Karmai verse ten.
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And the sons of Simeon, Jamiel and Jamon and Ohad and Jachin and
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Zohar and Shaw, the son of a Canaanitish woman verse eleven. And the
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sons of Levi, Gershon, Cohath and Mary verse twelve. And the sons
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of Judah Heir and Onan and Sheilah and Pharrees and Zarah but Ere and Onan
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died in the land of Canaan, and the sons of Peres were Hesron and
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Hamuel verse thirteen. And the sons of Ishakar, Tolah and Pouvah and Job
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and Shimron verse fourteen. And the sons of Zebulun Sared and Alon and Jaleel
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verse fifteen. These be the sons of Leah, which she baron to Jacob
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in padan Aram with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons and
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his daughters were thirty and three verse sixteen. And the sons of Gad zeph
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Zion and Hagai, Shooni and esbon Eri and Erodi and Ereli verse e eighteen.
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And the sons of Asher, Jimnah and Ishua and Izzie and Berea and
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Sarah their sister, and the sons of Berea, Heber and Malcho verse eighteen.
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These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter,
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and these she bear unto Jacob even sixteen souls verse nineteen. The sons
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of Rachel, Jacob's wife, Joseph and Benjamin verse twenty. And unto Joseph
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in the land of Egypt were born Manassa and Ephrium, which Ascenneth, the
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daughter of Podapera priest of Onen, bear unto him verse twenty one. And
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the sons of Benjamin were Bella and Bekir and ash bel Gara and nayman Ehai
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and rash Mupim and Houpim and Ard verse twenty two. These are the sons
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of Rachel which were born to Jacob. All the souls were fourteen verse twenty
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three. And the sons of Dan Hushim verse twenty four. And the sons
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of Neptali Jazil and Guni and Jazi and Shilem verse twenty five. These are
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the sons of Bilha, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she
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bare these unto Jacob. All the souls were seven verse twenty six. All
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the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins,
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besides Jacob's son's wives, all those souls were threescore and six verse twenty
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seven. And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt,
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were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob which came into
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Egypt were threescore and ten. Old Jacob is here flitting little did he think
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of ever leaving Canaan. He expected, no doubt to die in his nest
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and to leave his seed in actual possession of the promised land. But Providence
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orders it otherwise. Note those that think themselves well settled may yet be unsettled
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in a little time. Even old people who think of no other removal than
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that to the grave, which Jacob had much upon his heart Chapter thirty seven,
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verse thirty five, and chapter forty two, verse thirty eight, sometimes
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live to see great changes in their family. It is good to be ready,
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but not only for the grave, but for whatever may happen betwixt us
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and the grave. Observe one how Jacob was conveyed not in a chariot,
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though chariots were they used, but in a wagon verse five. Jacob had
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the character of a plain man who did not affect anything stately or magnificent.
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His son rode in a chariot Chapter forty one, verse forty three, but
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a wagon would serve him. Number two the removal of what he had with
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him one his effects verse six. Cattle and goods. These he took with
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him, that he might not wholly be beholden to Pharaoh for a livelihood,
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and that it might not afterwards be said of them that they came beggars to
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Egypt. Two his family, all his seed verse seven. It is probable
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that they had continued to live together in common with their father, and therefore
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when he went, they all went, which perhaps they were the more willing
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to do, because though they had heard that the land of Canaan was promised
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them, yet to this day they had none of it in possession. We
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have here a particular account of the names of Jacob's family, his son's sons,
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most of whom are afterwards mentioned as heads of houses in the several tribes
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see Numbers, Chapter twenty six, verse five, etc. Bishop Patrick observes
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that Ishikar called his eldest son toa, which signifies a worm, probably because
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when he was born he was a very little, weak child, a worm,
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and no man likely to live, and yet there sprang from him a
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very numerous offspring. First Chronicles, Chapter seven, verse two, note living
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and dying do not go by probability. The whole number that went down into
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Egypt was sixty six verse twenty six, to which add Joseph and his two
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sons who were there before, and Jacob himself the head of the family,
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and you have the number of seventy verse twenty seven. The l x X
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makes them seventy five, and Stephen follows them acts chapter seven, verse fourteen,
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the reason of which we leave to the conjecture of the critics. But
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let us observe one. Masters of families ought to take care of all under
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their charge, and to provide for those of their own house food convenient for
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both body and soul. When Jacob himself removed to a land of plenty,
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he would not leave any of his children behind him to starve in a barren
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land. Two. Though the accomplishment of promises is always sure, yet it
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is often slow. It was now two hundred fifteen years since God had promised
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Abraham to make of him a great nation chapter twelve, verse two, And
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yet that branch of his seed on which the promise was entailed had increased only
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to seventy, of which this particular account is kept. That the power of
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God in multiplying these seventy to so vast a multitude, even in Egypt,
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may appear the more illustrious. When God pleases a little one shall become a
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thousand. Isaiah chapter sixty verse twenty two. Meeting between Jacob and Joseph VC.
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Seventeen O six Verse twenty eight, and he sent Judah before him unto
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Joseph to direct his face unto Goshen. And they came into the land of
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Goshen verse twenty nine. And Joseph made ready his chariot and went out to
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meet Israel, his father to Goshen, and presented himself unto him. And
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he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while verse thirty
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and Israel said, unto Joseph, now let me die, since I have
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seen thy face, because thou art yet alive Verse thirty one. And Joseph
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said, unto his brethren and unto his father's house, I will go up
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and show Faraoh and say unto him, my brethren and my father's house,
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which were in the land of Canaan, are common to me Verse thirty two.
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And the men are shepherds. For their trade hath been to feed cattle,
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and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have
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verse thirty three. And it shall come to pass that Pharaoh shall call you
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and shall say what is your occupation? Verse thirty four, that ye shall
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say thy servant's trade hath then two hundred and fifty about cattle from our youth,
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even until now both we and also are fathers, that ye may dwell
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in the land of Goshen, For every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
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We have here Numeral one the joyful meeting between Jacob and and his sons
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Joseph, in which we observe Number one Jacob's prudence in sending Judah before him
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to Joseph to give him notice of his arrival in Goshen. This was a
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piece of respect owing to the government under the protection of which these strangers had
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come to put themselves. Verse twenty eight. We should be very careful not
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to give offense to any especially not to the higher powers. Number two Joseph's
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filial respect to him. He went in his chariot to meet him, and
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in the interview showed one how much he honored him. He presented himself unto
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him. Note it is the duty of children to reverence their parents. YEA,
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though providence, as to outward condition, has advanced them above their parents.
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Two, how much he loved him. Time did not wear out the
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sense of his obligations. But his tears, which he shed abound upon his
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father's neck for to joy to see him, were real indications of the sincere
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and strong affection he had for him. See how near sorrow and joy are
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to each other in this world, when tears serve for the expression of both.
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In the other world, weeping will be restrained to sorrow. Only in
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heaven there is perfect joy, but no tears of joy. All tears,
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even those, shall there be wiped away, because the joys there are as
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no joys are here without any alloy. When Joseph embraced Benjamin, he wept
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upon his neck, But when he embraced his father, he wept upon his
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neck a good while his brother Benjamin was dear that his father, Jacob must
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be dearer. Number three Jacob's great satisfaction in this meeting, Now let me
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die Verse thirty, not but that it was further desirable to live with Joseph
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and to see his honor and usefulness. But he had so much pleasure and
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satisfaction in this first meeting that he thought it too much to desire or expect
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any more in this world, where our comforts must always be imperfect. Jacob
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wished to die immediately and lived seventeen years longer, which, as our lives
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go, is a considerable part of a man's age. Note death will not
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always come just when we call for it, whether in a passion or sorrow
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or in a passion of joy. Our times are in God's hands and not
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in our own. We must die just when God pleases, and not either
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just when we are surfeited with the pleasures of life or just when we are
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overwhelmed with its griefs Numeral two. Joseph's prudent care concerning his brethren settlement.
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It was justice to Pharaoh to let him know that such a colony had come
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to settle in his dominions. Note if others repose a confidence in us,
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we must not be so base and disingenuous as to abuse it by imposing upon
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them. If Jacob and his family should come to be a charge to the
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Egyptians, yet it should never be said that they came among them clandenndestinely and
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by stealth. Thus Joseph took care to pay his respect to Pharaoh Verse thirty
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one. But how shall we dispose of his brethren? Time was when they
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were contrived to get rid of him. Now he is contriving to settle them
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to their satisfaction and advantage. This is rendering good for evil. Now one
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he would have them to live by themselves, separate, as much as might
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be from the Egyptians, in the land of which lay nearest to Canaan,
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and which perhaps was more thinly peopled by the Egyptians, and well furnished with
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pastures for cattle. He desired that they lived separately, that they might be
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in the less danger both of being infected by the vices of the Egyptians and
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of being insulted by the malice of the Egyptians. Shepherds, it seems,
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were an abomination to the Egyptians, that is, they looked upon them with
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contempt and scorned to converse with them. And he would not send for his
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brethren to Egypt to be trampled upon. And yet too, he would have
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them to continue shepherds, and not to be ashamed to own that as their
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occupation. Before Pharaoh, he could have employed them under himself in the corn
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trade, or perhaps by his interest in the king might have procured places for
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them at court or in the army, and some of them at least were
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deserving enough. But such preferments would have exposed them to the envy of the
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Egyptians, and would have tempted them to forget Canaan and the promises made unto
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their fathers. Therefore, he contrives to continue them in their old employment.
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Note one, an honest calling is no disparagement, nor ought we to account
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it so, either in ourselves or in our relations, but rather reckon it
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as a shame to be idle or to have nothing to do. Two.
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It is generally best for people to abide in the callings that they have been
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bred to and used to. Verse Corinthians, Chapter seven, verse twenty four.
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Whatever employment or condition God in his providence has allotted for us, let
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us accommodate ourselves to it, and satisfy ourselves with it, and not mind
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high things. It is better to be the credit of the mean poet than
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the shame of a highland and of Chapter forty six.