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

• Chapter forty five. It is a pity that this chapter and the foregoing should be parted and read asunder. There we had Judah's intercession for Benjamin, with which we may suppose the rest of his brethren signified their concurrence. Joseph let him go on without interruption, heard all he had to say, and then answered it all in one word, I am Joseph. Now he found his brethren humbled for their sins, mindful of himself, for Judah had mentioned him twice in his speech, respectful to their father, and very tender of their brother Benjamin. Now they were ripe for the comfort he designed them by making himself known to them, the story of which we have in this chapter. It was to Joseph's brethren as clear shining after rain. Nay, it was to them as life from the dead. Here is Numeral one Joseph's discovery of himself to his brethren, and his discourse with them upon that occasion, Verses one through fifteen, numerl two. The orders Pharaoh hereupon gave to fetch Jacob and his family down to Egypt, and Joseph's despatch of his brethren accordingly back to his father, with those Orders verses sixteen through twenty four, Numeral three. The joyful tidings of this brought to Jacob verse twenty five, and following Joseph discovers himself to his brethren BC. Seventeen o seven. Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him, and he cried, cause every man to go out from me, and there stood no man with him. While Joseph made himself known unto his brethren, and he wept aloud, and the Egyptians in the house of Pharaoh heard, and Joseph said, unto his brethren, I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said, unto his brethren, come near to me, I pray you. And they came near, and he said, I am Joseph, your brother whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither, For God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land, And yet there are five years in which there shall be neither ear ring nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God, and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Haste ye and go up to my father and say unto him, Thus saith, thy son, Joseph. God hath made me lord of all Egypt. Come down unto me, tarry not, and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me Thou and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks and thy herds, and all that thou hast, And there will I nourish thee For yet there are five years of famine. Lest thou and thy household and all that thou hast come to poverty. And behold your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen. And ye shall haste and bring down my father hither, and he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them. And after that his brethren talked with him. Judah and his brethren were waiting for an answer, and could not be but amazed to discover, instead of the gravity of a judge, the natural affection of a father or brother Numeral one. Joseph ordered all his attendants to withdraw Verse one. The private conversations of friends are the most free. When Joseph would put on love, he puts off state, and it was not fit his servants should be witnesses of this. Thus Christ graciously manifests himself and his loving kindness to his people out of the sight and hearing of the world. Numeral two. Tears with a preface or introduction to his discourse. Verse two. He had damned up this stream a great while, and with much ado, But now it swelled so high that he could no longer contain. But he wept aloud, so that those whom he had forbidden to see him could not but hear him. These were tears of tenderness and strong affection, and with these, he threw off that austerity with which he had hitherto carried himself towards his brethren, for he could bear it no longer. This represents the divine compassion towards returning penitence as much as that of the father of the prodigal Luke fifteen twenty Josea fourteen Verses eight and nine, Numeral three. He very abruptly, as one uneasy till it was out, tells them who he was. I am Joseph. They knew him only by his Egyptian name Saphnath Panaea, his Hebrew name being lost and forgotten in Egypt. But now he teaches them to call him by that I am Joseph Nay, that they might not suspect it was another of the same name. He explains himself verse four, I am Joseph, your brother. This would both humble them yet more for their sin in selling him, and would encourage them to hope for kind treatment. Thus, when Christ would convince Paul, he said, I am Jesus, And when he would comfort his disciples, he said, it is I be not afraid. This word at first startled Joseph's brethren. They started back through the fear, or at least stood still astonished. But Joseph called kindly and familiarly to them, Come near, I pray you. Thus, when Christ manifests himself to his people, he encourages them to draw near to him with a true heart. Perhaps being about to speak of their selling him, he would not speak aloud, lest the Egyptians should overhear, and it should make the Hebrews to be yet more an abomination to them. Therefore he would have them come near that he might whisper with them, which, now that the tide of his passion was a little over, he was able to do, whereas at first he could not but cry out Numeral four. He endeavors to assuage their grief for the injuries they had done him by showing them that whatever they designed God meant it for good and had brought much good out of it. Verse five. Be not grieved nor angry with yourselves. Sinners must grieve and be angry with themselves for their sins. Yea, though God by his power brings good out of them, For no thanks are due to the sinner for this, but true penitence should be greatly affected when they see God. Thus springing good out of evil, meet out of the eater. Though we must not, with this consideration extenuate our own sins, and so take off the edge of our repentance. Yet it may be well, thus to extenuate the sins of others, and so take off the edge of our angry resentments. Thus Joseph does here his brethren needed not to fear that he would avenge upon them an injury which God's providence had made to turn so much to his advantage and that of his family. Now he tells them how long the famine was likely to last five years. Yet verse six, what a capacity he was in of being kind to his relations and friends, which is the greatest satisfaction that wealth and power can give to a good man. Verse eight, See what a favorable color he puts upon the injury they had done to him. God sent me before you Verses five and seven. Note number one. God's Israel is a particular care of God's providence. Joseph reckoned that his advancement was not so much designed to save a whole kingdom of Egyptians as to preserve a small family of Israelites. For the Lord's portion is his people. Whatever becomes of others, they shall be secured. Number two, Providence looks a great way forward and has a long reach. Even long before the years of plenty, Providence was preparing for the supply of Jacob's house in the years of famine. The Psalmist praises God for this Psalm one O five, verse seventeen. He sent a man before them, even Joseph. God sees his work from the beginning to the end, but we do not. Ecclesiastes three, verse eleven. How admirable are the projects of Providence, How remote its tendencies, What wheels there are within wheels, and yet all directed by the eyes in the wheels and the spirit of living creature. Let us therefore judge nothing before the time. Number three. God often works by contraries. The envy and contention of brethren threatened the ruin of families, Yet in this instance they prove the occasion of preserving Jacob's family. Joseph could never have been the shepherd and son of Israel if his brethren had not shot at him and hated him. Even those that had wickedly sold Joseph in Egypt, yet themselves reaped the benefit of the good God brought out of it, as those that put Christ to death were many of them saved by his death. God must have all the glory of the seasonable preservations of his people by what waysoever they are affected. It was not you that sent me hither, but God. Verse eight. As on the one hand, they must not fret at it because it ended so well. So on the other hand, they must not be proud of it, because it was God's doing and not theirs. They designed by selling him into Egypt to defeat his dreams, but God thereby designed to accomplish them. Isaiah tend verse seven, howbeit he meaneth not so. Numeral five. He promises to take care of his father and all the family during the rest of the years of famine. Number one. He desires that his father may speedily be made glad with the tidings of his life and dignity. His brethren must hasten to Canaan and must inform Jacob that his son Joseph was lord of all Egypt. Verse nine. They must tell him of all his glory there Verse thirteen. He knew it would be a refreshing oil to his hoary head and a sovereign cordial to his spirits. If anything would make him young again, this would He desires them to give themselves and to take with them to their father all possible satisfaction of the truth of these surprising ties. Your eyes see that it is my mouth verse twelve. If they would recollect themselves, they might remember something of his features, speech, and so forth, and be satisfied. Number two. He is very earnest that his father and all his family should come to him to Egypt, come down unto me, tarry not. Verse nine. He allots his dwelling in Goshen, that part of Egypt which lay towards Canaan, that they might be mindful of the country from which they were to come out. Verse one he promises to provide for him. I will nourish thee Verse eleven. Note it is the duty of children, if the necessity of their parents do at any time require it, to support and supply them to the utmost of their ability, and Corbyn will never excuse them Mark seven, Verse eleven. This is showing piety at home Verse Timothy IV. Our Lord Jesus, being like Joseph, exalted to the highest honors and powers of the upper world. It is his will that all that are his should be with him where he is John seventeen twenty four. This is his commandment that we be with him now in faith and hope and heavenly conversation. And this is his promise that we shall be forever with him Numeral six. Endearments were interchanged between him and his brethren. He began with the youngest, his own brother, Benjamin, who was but about a year old. When Joseph was separated from his brethren, they wept on each other's neck verse fourteen, perhaps to think of their mother, Rachel, who died in travail of Benjamin. Rachel and her husband Jacob had been lately weeping for her children because, in his apprehension, they were not Joseph gone and Benjamin going, And now they were weeping for her because she was not. After he had embraced Benjamin, he in like matter caressed them all verse fifteen. And then his brethren talked with him freely and familiarly of all the affairs of the father's house. After the tokens of true reconciliation followed the instances of a sweet communion, Pharaoh's kindness to Joseph and the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come. And it pleased fare were well and his servants, and Pharaoh said unto Joseph, say unto thy brethren, this, do ye lay your beasts and go get you unto the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households, and come unto me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Now thou art commanded this, do ye take your wagons out of the land of Egypt, for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come also regard not your stuff, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. And the children of Israel did so, And Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the way. To all of them, he gave each man changes of raiment. But to Menjament he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment. And to his father he sent after this manner ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed, and he said under them, see that ye fall not out by the way. Here is number one the kindness of Pharaoh to Joseph and to his relations. For his sake, he bade his brethren welcome for sixteen, though it was a time of scarcity, and they were likely to be a charge to him. Nay, because it pleased Pharroh. It pleased his servants too, at least they pretended to be pleased, because Pharaoh was. He engaged Joseph to send for his father down to Egypt, and promised to furnish them with all conveniences, both for his removal thither and his settlement there. If the good of all the land of Egypt, as it was not better stocked than any other land thanks to Joseph under God, would suffice him, he was welcome to it all. It was all his own, even the fat of the land verse eighteen. So that they need not regard their stuff verse twenty. What they had in Canaan he reckoned, but stuff in comparison with what he had for them in Egypt. And therefore, if they should be constrained to leave some of that behind them. Let them not be discontented. Egypt would afford them enough to make up the losses of their removal. Thus, those for whom Christ intends shares in his heavenly glory ought not to regard the stuff of this world. The best of its enjoyments are but stuff, but lumber. We cannot make sure of it while we are here, much less can we carry it away with us. Let us not therefore be solicitous about it, nor set our eyes or hearts upon it. There are better things reserved for us in that blessed land whither our Joseph has gone to prepare a place. Numerl two the kindness of Joseph to his father and brethren. Pharaoh was respectful to Joseph in gratitude, because he had been an instrument of much good to him and his kingdom, not only preserving it from the common calamity, but helping to make it considerable among the nations. For all their neighbors would say, surely, the Egyptians are wise and understanding people that are so well stocked in the time of scarcity. For this reason, Pharaoh never thought anything too much that he could do for Joseph Note there is a gratitude owing even to inferiors, and when any have shown us kindness, we should study to requite it not only to them, but to their relations. And Joseph likewise was respectful to his father and brethren in duty, because they were his near relations, though which brethren had been his enemies, and his father long a stranger. Number one, he furnished them for necessity verse twenty one. He gave them wagons and provisions for the way, both going and coming. For we never find that Jacob was very rich, and at this time, when the famine prevailed, we may suppose he was rather poor. Number two. He furnished them for ornament and delight to his brethren. He gave two suits a piece of good clothes to Benjamin, five suits and money besides in his pocket Verse twenty two. To his father he sent a very handsome present of the varieties of Egypt. Verse twenty five. Note those that are wealthy should be generous and devise liberal things. What isn't abundus good for but to do good with it? Number three He dismissed them with a seasonable caution, see that you fall not out by the way. Verse twenty four, he knew they were but too apt to be quarrelsome and what had lately passed which revived the remembrance of what they had done formally against their brother, might give them occasion to quarrel. Joseph had observed them to contend about it. Chapter thirteen, verse twenty two to one, they would say, it was you that first upbraided him with his dreams to another. It was you that said, let us kill him to another. It was you that stripped him of his fine coat to another. It was you that threw into the pit, and so forth. Now Joseph, having forgiven them all, lays this obligation upon them not to upbraid one another. This charge our Lord Jesus has given to us that we love one another, that we live in peace, that whatever occurs, or whatever former occurrences are remembered, we fall not out. For a sub point one, we are brethren. We have all one father. Some point two we are his brethren, and we shame our relation to him, who is our peace. If we fall out some point three, we are guilty, verily guilty. And instead of quarreling with one another, have a great deal of reason to fall out with ourselves. Some point four we are, or hope to be forgiven of God, whom we have all offended, and therefore should be ready to forgive one another. Some point five. We are by the way, a way that lies through the land of Egypt, where we have many eyes upon us that seek occasion and advantage against us, A way that leads to Canaan, where we hope to be forever in perfect peace. The History of Joseph BC. Seventeen o seven. And they went up out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan under Jacob, their father, and he told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said unto them. And when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived, and Israel said, it is enough, Joseph, my son is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die. We have here the good news brought to Jacob. Number one. The relation of it at first sunk his spirits when without any preamble. His sons came in, crying, Joseph is yet alive, each striving which should first proclaim it. Perhaps he thought they battered him, and the affront grieved him, or the very mention of Joseph's name revived his sorrow so that his heart fainted. It was a good while before he came to himself. He was in such care and fear about the rest of them, that at this time it would have been joy enough to him to hear that Simeon was released, and that Benjamin had come safely home, for he had been ready to despair concerning both these. But to hear that Joseph is alive is too good news to be true. He faints, for he believes it. Not Note we faint because we do not believe. David himself had fainted if he had not believed Psalm twenty seven, verse thirteen, number two. The confirmation of it by degrees revived his spirit. Jacob had easily believed his sons formerly when they told Joseph is dead, but he can hardly believe them now that they tell him Joseph is alive. Weak and tender spirits are influenced more by fear than hope, and are more apt to receive impressions that are discouraging than those that are encouraging. But at length Jacob is convinced of the truth of the story, especially when he sees the wagons which were sent to carry him. Foreseeing is believing, then his spirit revived. Death is as the wagons which are sent to fetch us to Christ. The very sight of it approaching should revive us. Now Jacob is called Israel verse twenty eight, for he begins to recover his wonted vigor. Some point one, it pleases him to think that Joseph is alive. He says nothing of Joseph's glory, of which they told him. It was enough to him that Joseph was alive. Note those that would be content with less degrees of comfort are best prepared for greater. Some point two, it pleases him to think of going to see him, though he was old and the journey long. Yet he would go to see Joseph because Joseph's business would not permit him to come to see him. Observe. He says, I will go and see him, not I will go and live with him. Jacob was old and did not expect to live long. But I will go and see him before I die, And then let me depart in peace. Let my eyes be refreshed with this sight before they are closed. And then it is enough. I need no more to make me happy in this world. No, it is good for us all to make death familiar to us, and to speak of it as near, that we may think how little we have to do before we die, that we may do it with all our might, and may enjoy our comforts as those it must quickly die and leave them. End of Chapter forty five.