Latest / Sacred Texts Archive / 46 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis

Transcript

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

0:00
Chapter forty three, hear the story of Joseph's brethren is carried on and very
0:06
particularly related Numeral one. Their melancholy parting with their father Jacob and Canaan Verses
0:13
one through fourteen, Numeral two, Their pleasant meeting with Joseph in Egypt verse
0:20
fifteen, and so on. For on this occasion nothing occurs there but what
0:24
is agreeable and pleasant. Jacob unwilling to part with Benjamin b. C.
0:31
Seventeen o seven. And the famine was sore in the land, and it
0:34
came to pass when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out
0:37
of Egypt. Their father said, unto them, go again, buy us
0:41
a little food. And Judas spaken to him, saying, the man did
0:45
solemnly protest unto us, saying, ye shall not see my face except your
0:50
brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we
0:54
will go down and buy thee food. But if thou wilt not send him,
0:58
we will not go down. For the man said unto us, ye
1:00
shall not see my face except your brother be with you. And Israel said,
1:06
wherefore dealt ye so ill with me as to tell the man whether ye
1:11
had yet a brother, And they said. The man asked us straightly of
1:15
our state and of our kindred, saying, is your father yet alive?
1:19
Have ye another brother? And we told him, according to the tenor of
1:23
these words, could we certainly know that he would say, bring your brother
1:27
down? And Judas said, unto Israel his father, send the lad with
1:32
me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not
1:36
die, both we and thou and also our little ones. I will be
1:40
surety for him of my hands. Shalt thou require him if I bring him
1:45
not unto thee and set and before thee. Then let me bear the blame
1:49
forever, for except we had lingered surely now we had returned this second time
1:55
here Number one, Jacob urges his sons to go and buy more co born
2:00
in Egypt Verses one and two. The famine continued, and the corn they
2:05
had brought was all spent, for it is meat that perisheth. Jacob,
2:08
as a good master of a family, is in care to provide for those
2:13
of his own house food convenient, and shall not God provide for his children
2:17
for the household of faith. Jacob bids him go again and buy little food.
2:23
Now in time of scarcity, a little must suffice, for nature is
2:27
content with a little. Number two, Judah urges him to consent that Benjamin
2:32
should go down with them, how much soever it went against his feelings and
2:37
previous determination. Note it is not at all inconsistent with the honor and duty
2:44
which children owe their parents, humbly and modestly to advise them, and as
2:49
occasion is to reason with them. Plead with your mother, plead Josea too
2:55
too. Subscript one, he insists upon the absolute necessity that they were under
3:01
of bringing Benjamin with them, of which he, who was a witness to
3:06
all that had passed in Egypt, was a more competent judge than Jacob could
3:09
be. Joseph's protestation verse three may be alluded to to show upon what terms
3:16
we must draw a knye to God. Unless we bring Christ along with us
3:21
in the arms of our faith, we cannot see the face of God with
3:23
comfort. Subscript two. He engages to take all possible care of him,
3:30
and to do his utmost for his safety. Verses eight and nine. Judas's
3:37
conscience had lately smitten him for what he had done a great while ago against
3:39
Joseph. Chapter forty three, verse twenty one. And as an evidence of
3:45
the truth of his repentance, he is ready to undertake as far as a
3:49
man could do it for Benjamin's security. He will not only not wrong him,
3:54
but will do all he can to protect him. This is a restitution
3:59
as far as the case was, admit, which he knew not how he
4:01
could restore Joseph. He would make some amends for the irreparable journey he had
4:05
done to him by doubting his care. Concerning Benjamin, Joseph's brethren again send
4:12
to Egypt, and their father Israel said unto them. If it must be
4:15
so, now do this, Take of the best fruits of the land in
4:19
your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm,
4:24
and a little honey, spices and mrh nuts and almonds. And take double
4:29
money in your hand. And the money that was brought again in the mouth
4:32
of your sex, carry it again in your hand. Peradventure, it was
4:35
an oversight. Take also your brother and arise, go again unto the man,
4:42
and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send
4:46
away your other brother and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children,
4:50
I am bereaved. Observe here numeral one Jacob's persuasibleness. He would be ruled
4:59
by reason, though they were his inferiors that urged it. He saw the
5:02
necessity of the case, and since there was no remedy, he consented to
5:08
yield to the necessity verse eleven. If it must be so, now take
5:13
your brother, if no corn can be had. But upon those terms we
5:16
may as well expose him to the perils of the journey, as suffer ourselves
5:21
and families, And Benjamin, amongst the rest, to perish for want of
5:25
bread, skin for skin, and all that man has, even a Benjamin,
5:30
the dearest of all, will he give for his life, no death
5:34
so dreadful as that by famine Lamentations four nine. Jacob had said, Chapter
5:43
forty three, verse thirty eight, my son shall not go down. But
5:46
now he is over persuaded to consent. Note it is no fault but our
5:51
wisdom and duty to alter our purposes and resolutions where there is a good reason
5:57
for our doing so. Constancy is a virtue, but obstinacy is not.
6:01
It is God's prerogative not to repent and to make unchangeable resolves. Numeral two
6:10
Jacob's prudence and justice, which appeared in Three Things. Number one, he
6:14
sent back the money which they had found in the sax mouths with this discreete
6:18
construction of it, peradventure it was an oversight. Note, honesty obliges us
6:25
to make restitution not only of that which comes to us by our own fault,
6:30
but of that which comes to us by the mistakes of others. Though
6:32
we get it by oversight, if we keep it when the oversight is discovered,
6:38
it is kept by deceit. In the stating of accounts, errors must
6:42
be accepted, even those that make for us, as well as those that
6:46
make against us. Jacob's words furnish us with a favorable construction to put upon
6:51
that which we are tempted to resent as an injury and affront pass it by,
6:57
and say, peradventure it was an oversightight. Number two he sent double
7:02
money as much again as they took the time before, upon supposition that the
7:08
price of corn might have risen, or that if it should be insisted upon,
7:12
they might pay a ransom for Simeon or his prison fees, or to
7:16
show a generous spirit that they might be the more likely to find generous treatment
7:20
with the man the lord of the land. Number three, he set a
7:25
present of such things as the land afforded, and as were scarce in each
7:30
balm and honey, and so forth. Verse eleven. The commodities that Canaan
7:33
exported Chapter thirty seven, Verse twenty five. Note Subscript one. Providence dispenses
7:42
its gifts variously. Some countries produce one commodity, others another, that commerce
7:47
may be preserved. Subscript two. Honey and spice will never make up the
7:54
want of bread corn. The famine was sore and canaan, and yet they
7:58
had balm and mirrh. And so we may live well enough upon plain food
8:03
without dainties, but we cannot live upon Danny's without plain food. Let us
8:09
thank God that that which is most needful and useful is generally most cheap and
8:13
common. Subscript three. A gift in secret pacifies wrath. Proverbs twenty one,
8:20
verse fourteen. Jacob's sons were unjustly accused as spies, Yet Jacob was
8:26
willing to be at the expense of a present to pacify the accuser. Sometimes
8:31
we must not think it too much to buy peace, even where we may
8:35
justly demand it and insist upon it as our right. Numeral three Jacob's piety,
8:43
appearing in his prayer, God Almighty, give you mercy before the man
8:48
Verse fourteen. Jacob had formerly turned an angry brother into a kind one with
8:54
a present and a prayer, And here he betakes himself to the same tried
8:58
method and its bad will. Note those that would find mercy with men must
9:03
seek it of God, who has all hearts in his hands and turns them
9:07
as he pleases. Numeral four Jacob's patience. He concludes all with this.
9:15
If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved. If I must
9:20
part with them thus one after another, I must acquiesce and say the will
9:24
of the Lord be done. Note it is our wisdom to reconcile ourselves to
9:30
the sorest afflictions and make the best of them, for there is nothing God
9:35
by striving with our maker. Second Samuel fifteen, Verses twenty five and twenty
9:39
six. Joseph entertains his brethren, and the men took that present, and
9:46
they took double money in their hand. And Benjamin and rose up and went
9:50
down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them,
9:56
he said to the ruler of his house, bring these men home and
10:00
slay, and make ready, for these men shall dine with me at noon.
10:05
And the man did as Joseph bade. And the man brought the men
10:09
into Joseph's house. And the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's
10:13
house. And they said, because of the money that was returned in our
10:18
sacks at the first time, are we brought in that he may seek occasion
10:22
against us and fall upon us and take us for bondmen and our asses.
10:28
And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they commune with
10:31
him at the door of the house, and said, oh, sir,
10:35
we came indeed down at the first time to buy food. And it came
10:39
to pass when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks,
10:43
and behold, every man's money was in the mouth of a sack, our
10:46
money and full weight, and we have brought it again in our hand.
10:50
And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food. We
10:54
cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. And he said, peace
11:00
be to you, fear not your God and the God of your father.
11:03
Hath given you treasure in your sex, I had your money. And he
11:09
brought Simeon out unto them. And the man brought the men into Joseph's house
11:13
and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he gave their
11:16
asses provender. And they made ready. The present against Joseph came at noon,
11:22
for they heard that they should eat bread there. Jacob's sons, having
11:28
got leave to take Benjamin with them, were observant of the orders their father
11:31
had given them, and went down the second time into Egypt to buy corn.
11:37
If we should ever know what a famine of the word means, let
11:39
us not think it much to travel as far for spiritual food as did they
11:43
for corporal food. Now Here we have an account of what passed between them
11:48
and Joseph's steward, who some conjecture was in the secret and knew them to
11:54
be Joseph's brethren, and helped to humor the thing. I rather think not,
12:00
because no man was permitted to be present when Joseph afterwards made himself known
12:03
to them. Chapter forty five, Verse one observed Number one joseph steward had
12:11
orders from his master, who was busy selling corn and receiving money to take
12:16
them to his house and make ready for their entertainment. Though Joseph saw Benjamin
12:20
there, he would not leave his work at working time, nor trust another
12:24
with it. Note business must take place of civility in its season. Our
12:31
needful employments must not be neglected. No, not to pay respects to our
12:35
friends number two. Even this frightened them. They were afraid because they were
12:41
brought into Joseph's house verse eighteen. The just challenges of their own consciences and
12:48
Joseph's violent suspicions of them forbade them to expect any favor, and suggested to
12:54
them that this was done with a bad design upon them. Note those that
13:00
are guilty and timorous are apt to make the worst of everything. Now they
13:03
thought they should be reckoned with about the money and the sack mouths, and
13:07
should be charged as cheats and men not fit to be dealt with, who
13:11
had taken advantage of the hurry of the market to carry off their corn unpaid
13:16
for. They therefore laid the case before the steward that he being apprized of
13:20
it, might stand between them in danger and as a substantial proof of their
13:26
honesty. Before they were charged with taking back their money, they produced it.
13:31
Note integrity and uprightness will preserve us and will clear themselves as the light
13:37
of the morning. Number three, The steward encouraged them. Verse twenty three,
13:41
Peace be to you. Fear not though he knew not what his master
13:46
drove at, yet he was aware of these were men whom he meant no
13:48
harm to while he thus amused them. And therefore he directs them to look
13:54
at the divine providence in the return of their money. Your God and the
13:58
God of your father has given you treasure in your sex observe Subscript one.
14:05
Hereby he shows that he had no suspicion at all of dishonesty in them.
14:09
For of what we get by deceit, we cannot say God gives it to
14:13
us. Sub point two. Hereby he silences their further inquiry about it.
14:20
Ask not how it came thither, Providence brought it to you, and let
14:24
that satisfy you. Subscript three. It appears by what he said, that
14:30
by his good master's instructions, he was brought to the knowledge of the true
14:33
God, the God of the Hebrews. It may justly be expected that those
14:39
who are servants in religious families should take all fit occasions to speak of God
14:43
and his providence with reverence and seriousness. Subscript four. He directs them to
14:50
look up to God and acknowledge his providence in the good bargain they had,
14:56
we must own ourselves indebted to God as our God, and the God God
15:00
of our fathers, a God in covenant with us and them, for all
15:03
our successes and advantages and the kindnesses of our friends. For every creature is
15:11
that to us, and no more which God makes it to be. The
15:15
Steward encouraged them, not only in words, but in deeds, for he
15:18
made very much of them till his master came Verse twenty four. And when
15:24
Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand,
15:28
into the house and bowed themselves to him to the earth. And he asked
15:33
them of their welfare, and said, is your father will, the old
15:35
man of whom you spake, Is he yet alive? And they answered,
15:41
thy servant, our father is in good health. He is yet alive.
15:45
And they bowed down their heads and made obeisance. And he lifted up his
15:48
eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, is
15:54
this your younger brother, of whom you spake unto me? And he said,
15:58
God be gracious unto thee my son. And Joseph made haste, for
16:03
as Bowels did, yearned upon his brother, and he sought where to weep.
16:07
And he entered into his chamber and wept there, and he washed his
16:11
face and went out and refrained himself, and said, set on bread.
16:17
And they set on for himself by himself, and for them by themselves,
16:22
and for the Egyptians, which to eat with him by themselves, because the
16:26
Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination unto
16:30
the Egyptians. And they sat before him, the first born, accorded to
16:33
his birthright, and the youngest accorded to his youth. And the men marveled
16:38
one at another, and he took and sent messes unto them from before him.
16:44
But Benjamin's mess was five times as much as any of theirs. And
16:48
they drank and were merry with him. Here is numero one the great respect
16:53
that Joseph's brethren paid to him. When they brought him the present, they
16:57
bowed themselves before him Verse twenty six. And again when they gave him an
17:03
account of their father's health. They made obeisance and called him thy servant,
17:07
our father verse twenty eight. Thus were Joseph's dreams fulfilled more and more,
17:14
and even the father by the sons bowed before him. According to the Dream
17:18
Chapter thirty seven, verse ten. Probably Jacob had directed them, if they
17:23
had occasion to speak of him to the man, the lord of the land,
17:26
to call him his servant. Numeral two. The great kindness that Joseph
17:33
showed to them, while they little thought it was of brotherly kindness. Here
17:37
is number one his kind inquiry concerning Jacob, is he yet alive? A
17:44
very fit question to be asked concerning any especially concerning old people, For we
17:48
are dying daily. It is strange that we are yet alive. Jacob had
17:53
said many years before, I will go to the grave to my son.
17:57
But he is yet alive. We must not die when we will. Number
18:03
two the kind notice he took of Benjamin, his own brother. Subscript one,
18:08
he put up a prayer for him. God be gracious unto thee my
18:12
son. Verse twenty nine. Joseph's favor, though he was the lord of
18:18
the land, would do him little good unless God were gracious to him.
18:22
Many seek the ruler's favor, but Joseph directs him to seek the favor of
18:27
the ruler of rulers. Subscript two. He shed some tears for him verse
18:33
thirty. His natural affection to his brother, his joy to see him,
18:38
his concern at seeing him and the rest of them in distress for bread,
18:42
and the remembrance of his own griefs since he last saw him, produced a
18:47
great agitation in him, which perhaps was the more uneasy because he endeavored to
18:52
stifle and suppress it. But he was forced to retire into his closet there
18:56
to give vent to his feelings by tears. Note sub point one, tears
19:02
of tenderness and affection are no disparagement at all, even to great and wise
19:07
men. Subscript two. Gracious weepers should not proclaim their tears. My soul
19:12
shall weep in secret, says the prophet Jeremiah thirteen, verse seventeen. Peter
19:18
went out and wept bitterly. See Matthew twenty six, verse seventy five,
19:25
number three, his kind entertainment of them all. When his weeping had subsided,
19:30
so that he could refrain himself, he sat down to dinner. With
19:33
them, treated them nobly, and yet contrived everything to amuse them. Subscript
19:40
one he ordered three tables to be spread, one for his brethren, another
19:45
for the Egyptians that dined with him, for so different were their customs that
19:49
they did not care to eat together. Another for himself, who durst not
19:53
own himself a Hebrew, and yet would not sit with the Egyptians. See
19:59
here and in distance. Sub Point one of hospitality and good housekeeping, which
20:03
are very commendable, according as the ability is. Sub Point two of compliance
20:10
with people's humors, even whimsical ones, as Bishop Patrick calls this of the
20:15
Egyptians not eating with the Hebrews. Though Joseph was the lord of the land
20:19
and orders were given that all people should obey him, yet he would not
20:22
force the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews against their minds, but let them
20:27
enjoy their humors spirits truly generous hate to impose sub Point three. Of the
20:34
early distance between Jews and Gentiles, one table would not hold them. Subscript
20:41
two. He placed his brethren according to their seniority Verse thirty three, as
20:45
if he could certainly divine. Some think they placed themselves so according to their
20:51
custom. But if so, I see not why such particular notice is taken
20:56
of it, especially as a thing they marveled at. Subscript three. He
21:00
gave them a very plentiful entertainment, sent messes to them from his own table
21:06
Verse thirty four. This was the more generous in him, and the more
21:10
obliging to them, because of the present scarcity of provisions. In a day
21:15
of famine, it is enough to be fed, But here they were feasted.
21:19
Perhaps they had not had such a good dinner for many months. It
21:23
is said they drank and were merry. Their cares and fears were now over,
21:27
and they ate their bread with joy, concluding they were now upon good
21:32
terms with the man, the lord of the land. If God accept our
21:36
works are present, we have reason to be cheerful get when we sit,
21:40
as they here did, to wait with the ruler. We should consider what
21:44
is before us, and not indulge our appetite, nor be desirous of dainties.
21:48
Proverbs twenty three, Verses one through three. Joseph gave them to understand
21:53
that Benjamin was his favorite, for his mess was five times as much as
21:57
any of theirs, not as if he would have him eat so much more
22:02
than the rest, For then he must eat more than would do him good.
22:06
And is no act of friendship, but rather an injury and unkindness to
22:10
press any either to eat or drink to excess. But thus he would testify
22:15
his particular respect for him, that he might try whether his brother would envy
22:18
Benjamin his larger messes, as formerly they had envied himself his finer coat.
22:25
And it must be our rule in such cases to be content with what we
22:29
have, and not to grieve at what others have. End of Chapter forty three.