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

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Chapter thirty seven. At this chapter begins the story of Joseph, who,
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in every subsequent chapter but one to the end of this book makes the greatest
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figure. He was Jacob's eldest son by his beloved wife Rachel, born,
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as many eminent men were, of a mother that had been long barren.
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His story is so remarkably divided between his humiliation and his exaltation that we cannot
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avoid seeing something of Christ in it, who was first humbled and then exalted,
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and in many instances so as to answer the type of Joseph. It
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also shows the lot of Christians who must, through many tribulations, enter into
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the kingdom. In this chapter we have Roman. One the malice his brethren
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bore against him. They hated him one because he informed his father of their
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wickedness Verses one to two. Two because his father loved him verses three to
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four. Three because he dreamed of his dominion over them Verses five to eleven,
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roan tie two. The mischiefs his brothers designed and did to him.
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One the kind visit he made them gave them an opportunity Verses twelve to seventeen.
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Two They designed to slay him, but determined to starve him Verses eighteen
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to twenty four. Three, they changed their purpose and sold him for a
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slave Verses twenty five to twenty eight four. They made their father believe that
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he was torn to pieces Verses twenty nine to thirty five. Five. He
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was sold into Egypt to Potiphar verse thirty six. And all this was working
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together for good. The History of Joseph b. C. Seventeen twenty nine,
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Genesis, chapter thirty seven, Verses one two four. And Jacob dwelt
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in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
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These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old,
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was feeding the flock with his brethren, and the lad was with the sons
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of bill Hall, and with the sons of Zilpha, his father's wives.
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And Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Now, Israel loved Joseph
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more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age,
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and he made him a coat of many colors. And when his brethren
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saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him
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and could not speak peaceably unto him. Moses has no more to say of
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the Edomites unless they happen to fall in Israel's way. But now he applies
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himself closely to the story of Jacob's family. These are the generations of Jacob.
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His is not a bare, barren genealogy as that of Esau Chapter thirty
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six, verse one, but a memorable, useful history. Here is one
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Jacob o sojourner, with his father Isaac, who was yet living verse one.
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We shall never be at home till we come to heaven. Two Joseph,
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a shepherd feeding the flock with his brethren verse two. Though he was
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his father's darling, Yet he was not brought up in idleness or delicacy.
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Those do not truly love their children, that do not injure them to business
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and labor and mortification. The fondling of children is, with good reason commonly
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called the spoiling of them. Those that are trained up to do nothing are
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likely to be good for nothing. Three. Joseph beloved by his father verse
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three, partly for his dear mother's sake that was dead, and partly for
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his own sake, because he was the greatest comfort of his old age.
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Probably he waited on him and was more observant of him than the rest of
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his sons. He was the son of the ancient some. That is,
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when he was a child, he was as grave and discreet as if he
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had been an old man. A child but not childish. Jacob proclaimed his
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affection to him by dressing him finer than the rest of his children. He
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made him a coat of divers colors, which probably was significant of further honors
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intended him. Note, though those children are happy that have that in them
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which justly recommends them to their parents particular love. Yet it is the prudence
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of parents not to make a difference between one child and another, unless there
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be a great and manifest cause given for it by the child's dutifulness or undutifulness.
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Parental government must be impartial and manage with a steady hand. For Joseph
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hated by his brethren, One because his father loved him. When parents make
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a difference, children soon take notice of it, and it often occasions feuds
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and quarrels and families. Two because he brought to his father their evil report.
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Jacob's sons did that when they were from under his eye, which they
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durst not have done if they had been at home with him. But Joseph
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gave his father an account of their bad carriage, that he might reprove and
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restrain them, not as a malicious tale bearer to so discord, but as
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a faithful brother, who, when he durst not admonish them himself, represented
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their faults to one that had authority to admonish them. Note one, It
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is common for friendly monitors to be looked upon his enemies. Those that hate
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to be reformed hate those that would reform them. Verbs Chapter nine, verse
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eight two. It is common for those that are beloved of God to be
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hated by the world, whom Heaven blesses, hell curses to those whom God
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speaks comfortably. Wicked men will not speak peaceably. It is said here of
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Joseph the lad was with the sons of bill Hall. Some read it,
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and he was servant to them. They made him their drudge Verses five to
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eleven. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren,
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and they hated him yet more. And he said, unto them, here
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I pray you this dream which I have dreamed for Behold, we were binding
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sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose and also stood upright,
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and behold, your sheafs stood round about and made obedience to my sheaf.
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And his brethren said unto him, shalt thou indeed reign over us?
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Or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the
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more for his dreams and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream,
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and hold it his brethren, and said, behold, I have dreamed
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a dream more. And behold the sun and the moon and the eleven stars
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made obeisance to me. And he told it his father and to his brethren.
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And his father rebuked him and said, unto him, what is this
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dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed
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come and thou ourselves to thee to the earth. And his brethren envied them,
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but his father observed the saying. Here one Joseph relates the prophetical dreams
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he had Verses six, seven, nine, and ten. Though he was
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now very young, about seventeen years old, yet he was pious and devout
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and well inclined, and this fitted him for God's gracious discoveries of himself.
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To him, Joseph had a great deal of trouble before him, and therefore
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God gave him betimes this prospect of his advancement, to support and comfort him
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under the long and grievous troubles with which he was to be exercised. Thus
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Christ had a joy set before him, and so have Christians. Note God
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has ways of preparing his people beforehand for the trials which they cannot foresee,
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but which he has an eye to in the comforts with which he furnishes them.
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His dreams were one that his brethren sheaves all bowed to his, intimating
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upon what occasion they should be brought to do homage to him, namely,
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in seeking to him for corn, their empty sheaves should bow to his full
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one. Two that the sun and moon and eleven stars did obeisance to him
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Verse nine. Joseph was more of a prophet than a politician, else he
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would have kept this to himself when he could not but know that his brethren
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did already hate him, and that this would but the more exasperate them.
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But if he told in his simplicity, yet God directed it for the mortification
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of his brethren. Observe. Joseph dreamed of his preferment, but he did
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not dream of his imprisonment. Thus, many young people, when they are
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setting out in the world, think of nothing but prosperity and pleasure, and
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never dream of trouble. Two, His brethren take it very ill, and
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are more and more enraged against him Verse eight. Shalt thou indeed reign over
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us? See here one, how truly they interpreted his dream that he should
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reign over them. Those become the expositors of his dream, who were enemies
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to the accomplishment of it. As in Gideon's story Judges chapter seven, Verses
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thirteen fourteen. They perceived that he spoke of them. Matthew Chapter twenty one,
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verse forty five. The event exactly answered to this interpretation Chapter forty two,
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verse six, et cetera. Two. How scornfully they resented it.
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Shalt thou, who are but one, reign over us? Who are many?
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Thou who art the youngest over us who are older. Note the reign
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and dominion of Jesus Christ, our Joseph have been and are despised and striven
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against by a carnal and unbelieving world who cannot endure to think that this man
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should reign over them. The dominion also of the upright in the morning of
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the resurrection is thought of with the utmost disdain. Three His father gives him
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a gentle rebuke for it, yet observes the saying Verses ten and eleven.
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Probably he checked him for it to lessen the offense which his brethren would be
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apt to take at it. Yet he took notice of it more than he
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seemed to do. He insinuated that it was but an idle dream because his
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mother was brought in, who had been dead sometimes since, whereas the sun,
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moon and eleven stars signify no more than the whole family that should have
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dependence upon him and be glad to be beholden to him. Note the faith
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of God's people in God's promises is often sorely shaken by their misunderstanding of the
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promises and then suggesting the improbabilities that attend the performance. But God is doing
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his own work and will do it whether we understand him aright or no.
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Jacob, like Mary Luke, Chapter two, verse five, kept these things
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in his heart, and no doubt remembered them long afterwards. When the event
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answered to the prediction Verses twelve to twenty two, and his brethren went to
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feed their father's flock at Shechem, and Israel said, unto Joseph, do
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not thy brethren feed the flock at Shechem. Come, and I will send
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thee unto them. And he said to him, here am I, And
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he said to him, go, I pray thee, seek whether it be
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well with thy brethren and well with the flocks, and bring me word again.
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So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came
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to Shechem, and a certain man found him, and behold, he was
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wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, what seekest
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thou, And he said, I seek my brethren. Tell me I pray
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THEE where they feed their flocks. And the man said, they are departed.
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Hence, for I heard them say, let us go to Dothan.
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And Joseph went after his brethren and found them at Dothan. And when they
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saw him afar off even before he came near unto them, they conspired against
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him to slay him. And they said, one to another, behold,
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the dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him and cast
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him into some pit. And we will say some evil beast hath devoured him.
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And we shall see what will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard
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of it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said,
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let us not kill him. And Reuben said, unto them, shed no
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blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and
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lay no hand upon him, that he might rid him out of their hands,
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to deliver him again to his father. Here is one the kind visit
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which Joseph, in obedience to his father's command, made to his brethren,
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who were feeding the flock at Shechem, many miles off. Some suggest that
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they went thither on purpose, expecting that Joseph would be sent to see them,
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and that then they should have an opportunity to do him mischief. However,
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Joseph and his father had, both of them more of the innocence of
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the dove than of the wisdom of the serpent. Else he had never come
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thus into the hands of those that hated him. But God designed it all
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for good. See in Joseph an instance one of dutifulness to his father.
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Though he was his father's darling, yet he was made and was willing to
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be his father's servant. How readily does he wait his father's orders. Here
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I am verse thirteen. Note those children that are best beloved by their parents
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should be most obedient to their parents, and then their love is well bestowed
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and well returned. Two of kindness to his brethren. Though he knew they
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hated him and envied him, yet he made no objections against his father's commands,
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either from the distance of the place or danger of the journey, but
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cheerfully embraced the opportunity of showing his respect to his brethren. Note it is
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a very good lesson, though it is learnt with difficulty and rarely practiced,
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to love those that hate us. If our relations do not their duty to
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us, yet we must not be wanting in our duty to them. This
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is thankworthy. Joseph who was sent by his father to Shechem to see whether
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his brethren were well there, and whether the country had not risen upon them
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and destroyed them in revenge of their barbarous murder of the Shechemites some years before.
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But Joseph, not finding them there, went to Dothan, which showed
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that he undertook this journey not only in obedience to his father, for then
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he might have returned when he missed them at Shechem. Having done what his
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father told him, but out of love to his brethren, and therefore he
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sought diligently till he found them. Thus, let brotherly love continue, and
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let us give proofs of it. Two, the bloody and malicious plot of
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his brethren against him, who rendered good for evil and for his love were
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his adversaries. Observe one, how deliberately they were in the contrivance of this
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mischief. When they saw him afar off, they conspired against him verse eighteen.
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It was not in a heat or upon a sudden provocation that they thought
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to slay him, but from malice, prepense, and in cold blood.
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Note whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, for he will be one if
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he have an opportunity. First John, Chapter three, Verse fifteen. Malice
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is the most mischievous thing, and is in danger of making bloody work where
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it is harbored and indulged. The more there is of a project and contrivance
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in a sin, the worse it is. It is bad to do evil,
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but worse to devise it. Two, how cruel they were in their
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design. Nothing less than blood would satisfy them. Come and let us slay
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him Verse twenty Note the old enmity hunts for the precious life. It is
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the blood thirsty that hate the upright Proverbs Chapter twenty nine, verse ten.
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And it is the blood of the saints that the harlot is drunk with.
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Three. How scornfully they reproached him for his dreams verse nineteen. This dreamer
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cometh, and verse twenty, we shall see what will become of his dreams.
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This shows what it was that fretted and enraged them. They could not
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endure to think of doing homage to him. This was what they were plotting
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to prevent by the murder of him. Note men that fret and rage at
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God's counsels are impiously aiming to defeat them, But they imagine a vain thing.
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Psalm two, Verses one to three. God's counsels will stand four.
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How they agreed to keep one another's counsel and to cover the murder with a
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lie. We will say, some evil beast hath devoured him. Whereas in
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thus consulting to devour him, they prove themselves worse than the most evil beasts,
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For evil beasts pray not on those of their own kind. But they
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were tearing a piece of themselves three Reuben's project to deliver him Verses twenty one
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to twenty two. Note God can raise up friends for his people, even
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among their enemies, for he has all hearts in his hands. Reuben,
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of all the brothers, had most reason to be jealous of Joseph, for
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he was the first born, and so entitled to those distinguishing favors which Jacob
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was conferring on Joseph. Yet he proves his best friend. Reuben's temper seems
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to have been soft and effeminate, which had betrayed him to the sin of
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uncleanness, while the temper of the next two brothers, Simeon and Levi,
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was fierce, which betrayed them to the sin of murder, a sin which
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Reuben startled at the thought of. Note our natural constitution should be guarded against
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those sins to which it is most inclinable, and improved, as reubens here
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against those sins to which it is most averse. Reuben made a proposal which
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they thought would effectually answer their intention of destroying Joseph, and yet which he
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designed should answer his intention of rescuing Joseph out of their hands and restoring him
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to his father, probably hoping thereby to recover his father favor, which he
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had lately lost. But God overruled all to serve his own purpose of making
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Joseph an instrument to save much people alive. Joseph was here a type of
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Christ, though he was the beloved son of his father and hated by a
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wicked world. Yet the Father sent him out of his bosom to visit us
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in great humility and love. He came from heaven to earth to seek and
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save us. Yet then malicious plots were laid against him. He came to
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his own, and his own not only received him not but consulted against him.
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This is the Heir, Come. Let us kill him, crucify him,
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crucify him. This he submitted to in pursuance of his design to redeem
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and save us Verses twenty three, two thirty. And it came to pass
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when Joseph was coming unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his
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coat, his coat of many colors that was on him, and they took
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him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty, there
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was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread, and
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they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold a company of Ishmaelites come
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from Gilead with their camels, bearing spicery and balm, and myrrhr, going
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to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said, unto his brethren,
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what profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come
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and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be
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upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren
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were content. Then there passed by midy Nite merchantmen, and they drew and
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lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for
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twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. And Reuben returned
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unto the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit, and
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he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren and said, the
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child is not and I whither shall I go? We have here the execution
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of their plot against Joseph. One they stripped him, each striving to see
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the envied coat of many colors Verse twenty three. Thus in imagination they degraded
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him from the birthright of which Perhaps this was the badge grieving him, affronting
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their father and making themselves sport while they insulted over him. Now, Joseph,
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where is thy fine coat? Thus our Lord Jesus was stripped of his
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seamless coat, and thus his suffering saints have first been industriously divested of their
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privileges and honors, and then made the off scouring of all things. Two,
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they went about to starve him, throwing him into a dry pit to
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perish there with hunger and cold. So cruel were their tender mercies verse twenty
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four. Note where envy reigns, pity is banished, and humanity itself is
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forgotten. Proverbs Chapter twenty seven, verse four. So full of deadly poison
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is malice, that the more barbarous anything is, the more grateful it is.
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Now Joseph begged for his life in the anguish of his soul. Chapter
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forty two, verse twenty one, Treated by all imaginable endearments that they would
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be content with his coat and spare his life. He pleads innocence, relation,
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affection, submission. He weeps and makes supplication, but all in vain.
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Reuben alone relents and intercedes for him. Chapter forty two, verse twenty
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two. But he cannot prevail to save Joseph from the horrible pit in which
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they resolve. He shall die by degrees and be buried alive. Is this
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he to whom his brethrens must do homage. Note God's providences often seem to
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contradict his purposes, even when they are serving them and working at a distance
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toward the accomplishment of them. Three They slighted him when he was in distress,
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and were not greed for the affliction of Joseph. For when he was
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pining away in the pit, bemoaning his own misery, and with a languishing
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cry, calling to them for pity, they sat down to eat bread verse
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twenty five one. They felt no remorse of conscience for the sin. If
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they had, it would have spoiled their appetite for their meat and the relish
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of it. Note. A great force put upon conscience commonly stupefies it and
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for the time deprives it both of sense and speech. Daring sinners are secure
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ones. But the consciences of Joseph's brethren, though asleep now, were roused
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long afterwards. Chapter forty three, verse twenty one two. They were pleased
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to think how they were freed from the fear of their brother's dominion over them,
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and that, on the contrary, they had turned the wheel upon him.
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They made merry over him, as the persecutors over the two witnesses that
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had tormented them. Revelations, Chapter eleven, verse ten. Note those that
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oppose God's counsels may possibly prevail so far as to think they have gained their
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point, and yet be deceived. Four They sold him a caravan of merchants,
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very opportunely passed by providence. So ordering it and Judah made the motion
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that they should sell Joseph to them, to be carried far enough off into
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Egypt, where in all probability he would be lost and never heard of more.
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One Judah proposed it in compassion to Joseph verse twenty six. What profit
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is it if we slay our brother? It will be less guilt and more
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gained to sell him. Note when we are tempted to sin, we should
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consider the unprofitableness of it. It is what there is nothing to be got
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by. Two. They acquiesced in it because they thought that if he were
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sold for a slave, he would never be a lord. If sold into
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Egypt, he would never be their lord. Yet all this was working towards
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it. Note the wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of
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wrath he will restrain. Psalm seventy six, Verse ten. Joseph's brethren were
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wonderfully restrained from murdering him, and their selling him was as wonderfully turned to
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God's praise. As Joseph was sold by contrivance of Judah for twenty pieces of
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silver, so was our Lord for thirty, and by one of the same
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name too, Judas. Reuben, it seems, had gone away from his
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brethren when they sold Joseph, intending to come round some other way to the
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pit and to help Joseph out of it and return him safely to his father.
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This was a kind project. But if it had taken effect, what
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had become of God's purpose concerning his preferment in Egypt. Note there are many
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devices in man's heart, many devices of the enemies of God's people to destroy
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them, and of their friends to help them, which perhaps are both disappointed
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as these were. But the counsel of the Lord that shall stand. Reuben
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thought himself undone, because the child was sold. I whither shall I go
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Verse thirty. He being the eldest his father, would expect from him an
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account of Joseph. But as it proved, they would all have been undone
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if he had not been sold Verses thirty one to thirty six. And they
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took Joseph's coat and killed a kid of the goats, and dip the coat
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in the blood. And they sent the coat of many colors, and they
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brought it to their father and said this we have found. Know now whether
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it be thy son's coat or no. And he knew it, and said,
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it is my son's coat. An evil beast hath devoured him. Joseph
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is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes and put sackcloth
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upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days, and all his
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sons and his daughters rose up to comfort him. But he refused to be
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comforted, and said, for I will go down into the grave unto my
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son mourning. Thus his father wept for him, and the Midianites sold him
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into Egypt. Unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's and captain of the guard.
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One Joseph would soon be missed great inquiry would be made for him.
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And therefore his brethren have a further design to make the world believe that Joseph
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was torn into pieces by a wild beast. And this they did one to
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clear themselves that they might not be suspected to have done him any Mista note,
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we have all learned of Adam to cover our transgression job chapter thirty one,
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Verse thirty three. When the devil has taught men to commit one sin,
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he then teaches them to conceal it with another, theft and murder,
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with lying in perjury. But he that covers his sin shall not prosper long.
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Joseph's brethren kept their own in one another's counsel for some time, but
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their villainy came to light at last, and it is here published the world
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and the remembrance of it, transmitted to every age two to grieve their good
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father. It seemed designed by them on purpose to be revenge upon him for
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his distinguishing love of Joseph. It was contrived on purpose to create the utmost
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vexation to him. They sent him Joseph's coat of many colors, with one
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color more than it had had, a bloody color. Verse thirty two,
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they pretended that they had found it out in the fields, and Jacob himself
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must be scornfully asked, is this thy son's coat? Now? The badge
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of his honor is the discovery of his fate. And it is rashly inferred
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from the bloody coat that Joseph, without doubt is reent in pieces. Love
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is always apt to fear the worst concerning the person beloved. There is a
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love that casteth out fear, but that is perfect love. Now, let
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those that know the heart of a parent suppose the agonies of poor Jacob and
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put their souls into his soul's stead. How strongly does he represent to himself
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the direful idea of Joseph's misery. Sleeping or waking, he imagines he sees
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the wild beast setting upon Joseph, thinks he hears his piteous shrieks when the
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lion roared against him, and makes himself tremble and grow chill many a time
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when he fancies how the beast sucked his blood, tore him limb from limb,
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and left no remains of him but the coat of many colors to carry
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the tidings, And no doubt it added no little to the grief that he
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had exposed him by sending him, and sending him all alone on this dangerous
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journey, which proves so fatal to him. This cuts him to the heart,
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and he is ready to look upon himself as an accessory to the death
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of his son. Now one endeavors were used to comfort him. His sons
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basely pretended to do it verse thirty five. But miserable hypocritical comforters were they
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all. Had they really desired to comfort him, they might easily have done
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it by telling him the truth. Joseph is alive. He is indeed sold
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into Egypt. But it will be an easy thing to send thither and ransom
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him. This would have loosened his sackcloth and girded him with gladness. Presently,
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I wonder their countenance did not betray their guilt. And with what face
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they could pretend to condole with Jacob on the death of Joseph when they knew
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he was alive. Note the heart is strangely hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
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But two it was all in vain. Jacob refused to be comforted Verse
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thirty five. He was an obstinate mourner resolved to go down into the grave
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mourning. It was not a sudden transport of passion like that of David.
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Would God I had died for thee my son, my son, But like
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Job he hardened himself in sorrow. Note One, great affliction to any creature
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does not prepare for so much the greater affliction, when it is either removed
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from us or embittered to us. Inordinate love commonly ends in immoderate grief.
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As much as the sway of the pendulum throws one way, so much it
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will throw the other way. Two. Those consult neither the comfort of their
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souls nor the credit of their religion, that are determined in their sorrow.
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Upon any occasion whatever, we must never say we will go to our grave
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mourning, because we know not what joyful days Providence may yet reserve for us,
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and it is our wisdom and duty to accommodate ourselves to Providence. Three.
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We often perplex ourselves with imaginary troubles. We fancy things worse than they
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are, and then afflict ourselves more than we need. Sometimes there needs no
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more to comfort us than to undeceive us. It is good to hope the
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best Two the Ishmaelites and Midianites, having bought Joseph only to make their market
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of him. Here we have him sold again, with gain enough to the
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merchants, no doubt to Potiphar Verse thirty six. Joseph was lamenting the loss
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of his life. Had he known all, he would have lamented, though
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not so passionately, the loss of liberty. Shall Jacob's free born son exchange
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the best robe of his family for the livery of an Egyptian lord and all
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the marks of servitude? How soon was the land of Egypt made a house
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of bondage to the seed of Jacob. Note it is the wisdom of parents
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not to bring up their children too delicately, because they know not to what
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hardships and mortifications Providence may reduce them before they die. Jacob little thought that
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his ever beloved Joseph would be thus bought and sold for a servant. End
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of Chapter thirty seven.