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48 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Commentary on The Book of Genesis

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