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877 lines
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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Genesis, Chapter XLII].</TITLE>
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"This site is for those friends and family members who may or may not know Our Lord Jesus Christ, and if not, they may come to know Our Lord through His Prophets."> <meta name="author" content="Brian Duncalfe">
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"Prophecy, Rapture,hope,bible map,bible maps, God, tribulation,Second Coming,Christ,large print bible,commentary,complete">
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</HEAD>
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<body background="../sueback.jpg" bgproperties="fixed" >
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1></center>
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<HR>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
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<TR>
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<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC01041.HTM">Previous</A>]
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[<A HREF="MHC01043.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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</TD></TR></TABLE>
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<A NAME="Page232"> </A>
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>G E N E S I S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XLII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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We had, in the foregoing chapter, the fulfilling of the dreams which
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Joseph had interpreted: in this and the following chapters we
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have the fulfilling of the dreams which Joseph himself had
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dreamed, that his father's family should do homage to him.
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The story is very largely and particularly related of what passed
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between Joseph and his brethren, not only because it is an entertaining
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story, and probably was much talked of, both among the
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Israelites and among the Egyptians, but because it is very
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instructive, and it gave occasion for the removal of Jacob's
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family into Egypt, on which so many great events afterwards
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depended. We have, in this chapter,
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I. The humble application
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of Jacob's sons to Joseph to buy corn,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:1-6">ver. 1-6</A>.
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II. The fright
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Joseph put them into, for their trial,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:7-20">ver. 7-20</A>.
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III. The conviction
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they were now under of their sin concerning Joseph long
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before,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:21-24">ver. 21-24</A>.
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IV. Their return to Canaan with corn, and
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the great distress their good father was in upon hearing the
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account of their expedition,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:25-38">ver. 25</A>,
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&c.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ge42_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Jacob Sends to Egypt to Buy Corn.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1706.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now when Jacob saw that there
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was corn in Egypt, Jacob said
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unto his sons, Why do ye look one
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upon another?
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2 And he said, Behold,
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I have heard that there is corn
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in Egypt: get you down thither, and
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buy for us from thence; that we may
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live, and not die.
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3 And Joseph's ten
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brethren went down to buy corn in
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Egypt.
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4 But Benjamin, Joseph's
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brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren;
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for he said, Lest peradventure
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mischief befal him.
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5 And the sons
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of Israel came to buy <I>corn</I> among
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those that came: for the famine was
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in the land of Canaan.
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6 And Joseph
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<I>was</I> the governor over the land,
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<I>and</I> he <I>it was</I> that sold to all the people
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of the land: and Joseph's brethren
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came, and bowed down themselves before
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him <I>with</I> their faces to the earth.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Though Jacob's sons were all married, and
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had families of their own, yet, it should
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seem, they were still incorporated in one society,
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under the conduct and presidency of
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their father Jacob. We have here,</P>
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<P>
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I. The orders he gave them to go and buy
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corn in Egypt,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>.
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Observe,
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1. The
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famine was grievous in the land of Canaan.
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It is observable that all the three patriarchs,
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to whom Canaan was the land of promise,
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met with famine in that land, which was not
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only to try their faith, whether they could
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trust God though he should slay them,
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though he should starve them, but to teach
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them to seek the better country, that is, the
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heavenly,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+11:14-16">Heb. xi. 14-16</A>.
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We have need
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of something to wean us from this world,
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and make us long for a better.
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2. Still,
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when there was famine in Canaan, there was
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corn in Egypt. Thus Providence orders it,
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that one place should be a succour and supply
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to another; for we are all brethren. The
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Egyptians, the seed of accursed Ham, have
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plenty, when God's blessed Israel want:
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thus God, in dispensing common favours,
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often crosses hands. Yet observe, The plenty
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Egypt now had was owing, under God, to
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Joseph's prudence and care: if his brethren
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had not sold him into Egypt, but respected
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him according to his merits, who knows but
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he might have done the same thing for
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Jacob's family which now he had done for
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Pharaoh, and the Egyptians might then have
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come to them to buy corn? but those who
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drive away from among them wise and good
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men know not what they do.
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3. <I>Jacob saw
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that there was corn in Egypt;</I> he saw the
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corn that his neighbours had bought there
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and brought home. It is a spur to exertion
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to see where supplies are to be had, and to
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see others supplied. Shall others get food
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for their souls, and shall we starve while it is
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to be had?
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4. He reproved his sons for
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delaying to provide corn for their families.
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<I>Why do you look one upon another?</I> Note,
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When we are in trouble and want, it is folly
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for us to stand looking upon one another,
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that is, to stand desponding and despairing,
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as if there were no hope, no help,--to stand
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disputing either which shall have the honour
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of going first or which shall have the safety
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of coming last,--to stand deliberating and
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debating what we shall do, and doing nothing,--to
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stand dreaming under a spirit of
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slumber, as if we had nothing to do, and to
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stand delaying, as if we had time at command.
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Let it never be said, "We left that
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to be done to-morrow which we could as
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well have done to-day."
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5. He quickened
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them to go to Egypt: <I>Get you down thither.</I>
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Masters of families must not only pray for
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daily bread for their families, and food convenient,
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<A NAME="Page233"> </A>
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but must lay out themselves with
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care and industry to provide it.</P>
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<P>
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II. Their obedience to these orders,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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They <I>went down to buy corn;</I> they did not
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send their servants, but very prudently went
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themselves, to lay out their own money.
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Let none think themselves too great nor too
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good to take pains. Masters of families
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should see with their own eyes, and take
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heed of leaving too much to servants. Only
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Benjamin went not with them, for he was
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his father's darling. To Egypt they came,
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among others, and, having a considerable
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cargo of corn to buy, they were brought before
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Joseph himself, who probably expected
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they would come; and, according to the
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laws of courtesy, <I>they bowed down themselves
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before him,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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Now their empty sheaves
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did obeisance to his full one. Compare this
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with
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+60:14,Re+3:9">Isa. lx. 14 and Rev. iii. 9</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="Ge42_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Joseph Speaks Roughly to His Brethren.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1706.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and
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he knew them, but made himself
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strange unto them, and spake roughly
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unto them; and he said unto them,
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Whence come ye? And they said,
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From the land of Canaan to buy food.
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8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but
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they knew not him.
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9 And Joseph
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remembered the dreams which he
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dreamed of them, and said unto them,
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Ye <I>are</I> spies; to see the nakedness of
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the land ye are come.
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10 And they
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said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to
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buy food are thy servants come.
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11 We <I>are</I> all one man's sons; we <I>are</I>
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true <I>men,</I> thy servants are no spies.
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12 And he said unto them, Nay, but
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to see the nakedness of the land ye
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are come.
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13 And they said, Thy
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servants <I>are</I> twelve brethren, the sons
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of one man in the land of Canaan;
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and, behold, the youngest <I>is</I> this day
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with our father, and one <I>is</I> not.
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14 And Joseph said unto them, That <I>is
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it</I> that I spake unto you, saying, Ye
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<I>are</I> spies:
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15 Hereby ye shall be
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proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye
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shall not go forth hence, except your
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youngest brother come hither.
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16 Send one of you, and let him fetch
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your brother, and ye shall be kept in
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prison, that your words may be proved,
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whether <I>there be any</I> truth in you: or
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else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye
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<I>are</I> spies.
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17 And he put them all
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together into ward three days.
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18 And Joseph said unto them the third
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day, This do, and live; <I>for</I> I fear
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God:
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19 If ye <I>be</I> true <I>men,</I> let one of
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your brethren be bound in the house
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of your prison: go ye, carry corn for
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the famine of your houses:
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20 But
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bring your youngest brother unto me;
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so shall your words be verified, and
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ye shall not die. And they did so.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We may well wonder that Joseph, during
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the twenty years that he had now been in
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Egypt, especially during the last seven years
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that he had been in power there, never sent
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to his father to acquaint him with his circumstances;
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nay, it is strange that he who
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so often <I>went throughout all the land of
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Egypt</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+41:45,46"><I>ch.</I> xli. 45, 46</A>)
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never made an excursion
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to Canaan, to visit his aged father,
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when he was in the borders of Egypt, that
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lay next to Canaan. Perhaps it would not
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have been above three or four days' journey
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for him in his chariot. It is a probable conjecture
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that his whole management of himself
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in this affair was by special direction
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from Heaven, that the purpose of God concerning
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Jacob and his family might be
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accomplished. When Joseph's brethren
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came, he knew them by many a satisfactory
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token, but they knew not him, little thinking
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to find him there,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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He <I>remembered the
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dreams</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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but they had forgotten them.
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The laying up of God's oracles in our hearts
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will be of excellent use to us in all our conduct.
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Joseph had an eye to his dreams,
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which he knew to be divine, in his carriage
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towards his brethren, and aimed at the accomplishment
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of them and the bringing of
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his brethren to repentance for their former
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sins; and both these points were gained.</P>
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|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
I. He showed himself very rigorous and
|
||
|
|
harsh with them. The very manner of his
|
||
|
|
speaking, considering the post he was in, was
|
||
|
|
enough to frighten them; for <I>he spoke
|
||
|
|
roughly to them,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
|
||
|
|
He charged them
|
||
|
|
with bad designs against the government
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
|
||
|
|
treated them as dangerous persons,
|
||
|
|
saying, <I>You are spies,</I> and protesting <I>by the
|
||
|
|
life of Pharaoh</I> that they were so,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
|
||
|
|
Some make this an oath, others make it no
|
||
|
|
more than a vehement asseveration, like that,
|
||
|
|
<I>as thy soul liveth;</I> however it was more than
|
||
|
|
yea, yea, and nay, nay, and therefore came of
|
||
|
|
evil. Note, Bad words are soon learned by
|
||
|
|
converse with those that use them, but not
|
||
|
|
so soon unlearned. Joseph, by being much
|
||
|
|
at court, got the courtier's oath, <I>By the life
|
||
|
|
of Pharaoh,</I> perhaps designing hereby to
|
||
|
|
confirm his brethren in their belief that he
|
||
|
|
was an Egyptian, and not an Israelite. They
|
||
|
|
knew this was not the language of a son of
|
||
|
|
Abraham. When Peter would prove himself
|
||
|
|
no disciple of Christ, he cursed and swore.
|
||
|
|
Now why was Joseph thus hard upon his
|
||
|
|
brethren? We may be sure it was not from
|
||
|
|
a spirit of revenge, that he might now
|
||
|
|
trample upon those who had formerly
|
||
|
|
trampled upon him; he was not a man of
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Page234"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
that temper. But,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
1. It was to enrich his
|
||
|
|
own dreams, and complete the accomplishment
|
||
|
|
of them.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
2. It was to bring them to
|
||
|
|
repentance.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
3. It was to get out of them
|
||
|
|
an account of the state of their family, which
|
||
|
|
he longed to know: they would have discovered
|
||
|
|
him if he had asked as a friend,
|
||
|
|
therefore he asks as a judge. Not seeing his
|
||
|
|
brother Benjamin with them, perhaps he
|
||
|
|
began to suspect that they had made away
|
||
|
|
with him too, and therefore gives them occasion
|
||
|
|
to speak of their father and brother.
|
||
|
|
Note, God in his providence sometimes
|
||
|
|
seems harsh with those he loves, and speaks
|
||
|
|
roughly to those for whom yet he has great
|
||
|
|
mercy in store.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
II. They, hereupon, were very submissive.
|
||
|
|
They spoke to him with all the respect imaginable:
|
||
|
|
<I>Nay, my lord</I>
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>)--a
|
||
|
|
great change since they said, <I>Behold, this dreamer comes.</I>
|
||
|
|
They very modestly deny the charge: <I>We
|
||
|
|
are no spies.</I> They tell him their business,
|
||
|
|
that they came to buy food, a justifiable
|
||
|
|
errand, and the same that many strangers
|
||
|
|
came to Egypt upon at this time. They
|
||
|
|
undertake to give a particular account of
|
||
|
|
themselves and their family
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>),
|
||
|
|
and this
|
||
|
|
was what they wanted.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
III. He clapped them all up in prison for
|
||
|
|
three days,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
|
||
|
|
Thus God deals with the
|
||
|
|
souls he designs for special comfort and
|
||
|
|
honour; he first humbles them, and terrifies
|
||
|
|
them, and brings them under a spirit of
|
||
|
|
bondage, and then binds up their wounds by
|
||
|
|
the Spirit of adoption.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
IV. He concluded with them, at last, that
|
||
|
|
one of them should be left as a hostage, and
|
||
|
|
the rest should go home and fetch Benjamin.
|
||
|
|
It was a very encouraging word he said to
|
||
|
|
them
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>):
|
||
|
|
<I>I fear God;</I> as if he had said,
|
||
|
|
"You may assure yourselves I will do you
|
||
|
|
no wrong; I dare not, for I know that, high
|
||
|
|
as I am, there is one higher than I." Note,
|
||
|
|
With those that fear God we have reason to
|
||
|
|
expect fair dealing. The fear of God will be
|
||
|
|
a check upon those that are in power, to restrain
|
||
|
|
them from abusing their power to oppression
|
||
|
|
and tyranny. Those that have no
|
||
|
|
one else to stand in awe of ought to stand in
|
||
|
|
awe of their own consciences. See
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+5:15">Neh. v. 15</A>,
|
||
|
|
<I>So did not I, because of the fear of God.</I></P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge42_21"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge42_22"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge42_23"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge42_24"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge42_25"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge42_26"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge42_27"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge42_28"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
|
||
|
|
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Reflections of Joseph's Brethren.</I></FONT></TD>
|
||
|
|
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1706.</TD></TR>
|
||
|
|
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
|
||
|
|
</TABLE>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>21 And they said one to another,
|
||
|
|
We <I>are</I> verily guilty concerning our
|
||
|
|
brother, in that we saw the anguish
|
||
|
|
of his soul, when he besought us, and
|
||
|
|
we would not hear; therefore is this
|
||
|
|
distress come upon us.
|
||
|
|
22 And Reuben
|
||
|
|
answered them, saying, Spake I
|
||
|
|
not unto you, saying, Do not sin
|
||
|
|
against the child; and ye would not
|
||
|
|
hear? therefore, behold, also his blood
|
||
|
|
is required.
|
||
|
|
23 And they knew not
|
||
|
|
that Joseph understood <I>them;</I> for he
|
||
|
|
spake unto them by an interpreter.
|
||
|
|
24 And he turned himself about from
|
||
|
|
them, and wept; and returned to them
|
||
|
|
again, and communed with them, and
|
||
|
|
took from them Simeon, and bound
|
||
|
|
him before their eyes.
|
||
|
|
25 Then Joseph
|
||
|
|
commanded to fill their sacks
|
||
|
|
with corn, and to restore every man's
|
||
|
|
money into his sack, and to give them
|
||
|
|
provision for the way: and thus did
|
||
|
|
he unto them.
|
||
|
|
26 And they laded
|
||
|
|
their asses with the corn, and departed
|
||
|
|
thence.
|
||
|
|
27 And as one of them opened
|
||
|
|
his sack to give his ass provender in
|
||
|
|
the inn, he espied his money; for, behold,
|
||
|
|
it <I>was</I> in his sack's mouth.
|
||
|
|
28 And he said unto his brethren, My
|
||
|
|
money is restored; and, lo, <I>it is</I> even
|
||
|
|
in my sack: and their heart failed
|
||
|
|
<I>them,</I> and they were afraid, saying one
|
||
|
|
to another, What <I>is</I> this <I>that</I> God
|
||
|
|
hath done unto us?
|
||
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Here is,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
I. The penitent reflection Joseph's
|
||
|
|
brethren made upon the wrong they had formerly
|
||
|
|
done to him,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>.
|
||
|
|
They talked the
|
||
|
|
matter over in the Hebrew tongue, not suspecting
|
||
|
|
that Joseph, whom they took for a
|
||
|
|
native of Egypt, understood them, much less
|
||
|
|
that he was the person they spoke of.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
1. They remembered with regret the barbarous
|
||
|
|
cruelty wherewith they persecuted
|
||
|
|
him: <I>We are verily guilty concerning our
|
||
|
|
brother.</I> We do not read that they said this
|
||
|
|
during their three days' imprisonment; but
|
||
|
|
now, when the matter had come to some
|
||
|
|
issue and they saw themselves still embarrassed,
|
||
|
|
now they began to relent. Perhaps
|
||
|
|
Joseph's mention of <I>the fear of God</I>
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>)
|
||
|
|
put them upon consideration and extorted
|
||
|
|
this reflection. Now see here,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) The office
|
||
|
|
of conscience; it is a remembrancer, to bring
|
||
|
|
to mind things long since said and done, to
|
||
|
|
show us wherein we have erred, though it
|
||
|
|
was long ago, as the reflection here mentioned
|
||
|
|
was above twenty years after the sin
|
||
|
|
was committed. As time will not wear out
|
||
|
|
the guilt of sin, so it will not blot out the
|
||
|
|
records of conscience; when the guilt of this
|
||
|
|
sin of Joseph's brethren was fresh they made
|
||
|
|
light of it, and sat down to eat bread; but
|
||
|
|
now, long afterwards, their consciences reminded
|
||
|
|
them of it.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) The benefit of
|
||
|
|
affliction; they often prove the happy and
|
||
|
|
effectual means of awakening conscience, and
|
||
|
|
bringing sin to our remembrance,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+13:26">Job xiii. 26</A>.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(3.) The evil of guilt concerning our
|
||
|
|
brethren; of all their sins, it was this that
|
||
|
|
conscience now reproached them for. Whenever
|
||
|
|
we think we have wrong done us, we
|
||
|
|
ought to remember the wrong we have done
|
||
|
|
to others,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+7:21,22">Eccl. vii. 21, 22</A>.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
2. Reuben alone remembered, with comfort,
|
||
|
|
that he had been an advocate for his
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Page235"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
brother, and had done what he could to prevent
|
||
|
|
the mischief they did him
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>):
|
||
|
|
<I>Spoke I not unto you, saying, Do not sin
|
||
|
|
against the child?</I> Note,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) It is an aggravation
|
||
|
|
of any sin that it was committed
|
||
|
|
against admonitions.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) When we come
|
||
|
|
to share with others in their calamities, it
|
||
|
|
will be a comfort to us if we have the testimony
|
||
|
|
of our consciences for us that we
|
||
|
|
did not share with them in their iniquities,
|
||
|
|
but, in our places, witnessed against them.
|
||
|
|
This shall be our rejoicing in the day of evil,
|
||
|
|
and shall take out the sting.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
II. Joseph's tenderness towards them
|
||
|
|
upon this occasion. He retired from them
|
||
|
|
to weep,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:24"><I>v.</I> 24</A>.
|
||
|
|
Though his reason directed
|
||
|
|
that he should still carry himself as a stranger
|
||
|
|
to them, because they were not as yet humbled
|
||
|
|
enough, yet natural affection could not
|
||
|
|
but work, for he was a man of a tender
|
||
|
|
spirit. This represents the tender mercies of
|
||
|
|
our God towards repenting sinners. See
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+31:20">Jer. xxxi. 20</A>,
|
||
|
|
<I>Since I spoke against him I do
|
||
|
|
earnestly remember him still.</I> See
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jdg+10:16">Judg. x. 16</A>.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
III. The imprisonment of Simeon,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:24"><I>v.</I> 24</A>.
|
||
|
|
He chose him for the hostage probably because
|
||
|
|
he remembered him to have been his
|
||
|
|
most bitter enemy, or because he observed
|
||
|
|
him now to be least humbled and concerned;
|
||
|
|
he bound him <I>before their eyes</I> to affect them
|
||
|
|
all; or perhaps it is intimated that, though
|
||
|
|
he bound him with some severity before
|
||
|
|
them, yet afterwards, when they were gone,
|
||
|
|
he took off his bonds.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
IV. The dismission of the rest of them.
|
||
|
|
They came for corn, and corn they had; and
|
||
|
|
not only so, but every man had his money
|
||
|
|
restored in his sack's mouth. Thus Christ,
|
||
|
|
our Joseph, gives out supplies without money
|
||
|
|
and without price. Therefore the poor are
|
||
|
|
invited to buy,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+3:17,18">Rev. iii. 17, 18</A>.
|
||
|
|
This put
|
||
|
|
them into great consternation
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:28"><I>v.</I> 28</A>):
|
||
|
|
<I>Their
|
||
|
|
heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying
|
||
|
|
one to another, What is this that God hath
|
||
|
|
done to us?</I></P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
1. It was really a merciful event; for I
|
||
|
|
hope they had no wrong done to them when
|
||
|
|
they had their money given them back, but
|
||
|
|
a kindness; yet they were thus terrified by
|
||
|
|
it. Note,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) Guilty consciences are apt to
|
||
|
|
take good providences in a bad sense, and to
|
||
|
|
put wrong constructions even upon those
|
||
|
|
things that make for them. They flee when
|
||
|
|
none pursues.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) Wealth sometimes brings
|
||
|
|
as much care along with it as want does, and
|
||
|
|
more too. If they had been robbed of their
|
||
|
|
money, they could not have been worse
|
||
|
|
frightened than they were now when they
|
||
|
|
found their money in their sacks. Thus he
|
||
|
|
whose ground brought forth plentifully said,
|
||
|
|
<I>What shall I do?</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+12:17">Luke xii. 17</A>.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
2. Yet in their circumstances it was very
|
||
|
|
amazing. They knew that the Egyptians
|
||
|
|
abhorred a Hebrew
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+43:32"><I>ch.</I> xliii. 32</A>),
|
||
|
|
and therefore,
|
||
|
|
since they could not expect to receive
|
||
|
|
any kindness from them, they concluded
|
||
|
|
that this was done with a design to pick a
|
||
|
|
quarrel with them, and the rather because
|
||
|
|
the man, the lord of the land, had charged
|
||
|
|
them as spies. Their own consciences also
|
||
|
|
were awake, and their sins set in order before
|
||
|
|
them; and this put them into confusion.
|
||
|
|
Note,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) When men's spirits are
|
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sinking every thing helps to sink them.
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(2.) When the events of Providence concerning
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us are surprising it is good to enquire what
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it is that God has done and is doing with us,
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and to consider the operation of his hands.</P>
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<A NAME="Ge42_29"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_30"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_31"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_32"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_33"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_34"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_35"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_36"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_37"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge42_38"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec4"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Report Made to Jacob.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1706.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>29 And they came unto Jacob their
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father unto the land of Canaan, and
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told him all that befell unto them;
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saying,
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30 The man, <I>who is</I> the lord
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of the land, spake roughly to us, and
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took us for spies of the country.
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31 And we said unto him, We <I>are</I> true
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<I>men;</I> we are no spies:
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32 We <I>be</I>
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twelve brethren, sons of our father;
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one <I>is</I> not, and the youngest <I>is</I> this
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day with our father in the land of Canaan.
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33 And the man, the lord of
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the country, said unto us, Hereby
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shall I know that ye <I>are</I> true <I>men;</I>
|
||
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|
leave one of your brethren <I>here</I> with
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|
|
me, and take <I>food for</I> the famine of
|
||
|
|
your households, and be gone:
|
||
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|
34 And bring your youngest brother unto
|
||
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|
me: then shall I know that ye <I>are</I> no
|
||
|
|
spies, but <I>that</I> ye <I>are</I> true <I>men: so</I>
|
||
|
|
will I deliver you your brother, and
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||
|
|
ye shall traffic in the land.
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||
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|
35 And
|
||
|
|
it came to pass as they emptied their
|
||
|
|
sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle
|
||
|
|
of money <I>was</I> in his sack: and when
|
||
|
|
<I>both</I> they and their father saw the
|
||
|
|
bundles of money, they were afraid.
|
||
|
|
36 And Jacob their father said unto
|
||
|
|
them, Me have ye bereaved <I>of my
|
||
|
|
children:</I> Joseph <I>is</I> not, and Simeon
|
||
|
|
<I>is</I> not, and ye will take Benjamin
|
||
|
|
<I>away:</I> all these things are against me.
|
||
|
|
37 And Reuben spake unto his father,
|
||
|
|
saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring
|
||
|
|
him not to thee: deliver him into my
|
||
|
|
hand, and I will bring him to thee
|
||
|
|
again.
|
||
|
|
38 And he said, My son shall
|
||
|
|
not go down with you; for his brother
|
||
|
|
is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief
|
||
|
|
befal him by the way in the
|
||
|
|
which ye go, then shall ye bring down
|
||
|
|
my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
|
||
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Here is,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
1. The report which Jacob's sons
|
||
|
|
made to their father of the great distress
|
||
|
|
they had been in in Egypt; how they had
|
||
|
|
been suspected, and threatened, and obliged
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Page236"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
to leave Simeon a prisoner there, till they
|
||
|
|
should bring Benjamin with them thither.
|
||
|
|
Who would have thought of this when they
|
||
|
|
left home? When we go abroad we should
|
||
|
|
consider how many sad accidents, that we
|
||
|
|
little think of, may befal us before we return
|
||
|
|
home. <I>We know not what a day may bring
|
||
|
|
forth;</I> we ought therefore to be always ready
|
||
|
|
for the worst.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
2. The deep impression this
|
||
|
|
made upon the good man. The very bundles
|
||
|
|
of money which Joseph returned, in kindness
|
||
|
|
to his father, frightened him
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:35"><I>v.</I> 35</A>);
|
||
|
|
for he
|
||
|
|
concluded it was done with some mischievous
|
||
|
|
design, or perhaps suspected his own sons
|
||
|
|
to have committed some offence, and so to
|
||
|
|
have run themselves into a <I>præmunire--a
|
||
|
|
penalty,</I> which is intimated in what he says
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:36"><I>v.</I> 36</A>):
|
||
|
|
<I>Me have you bereaved.</I> He seems to
|
||
|
|
lay the fault upon them; knowing their characters,
|
||
|
|
he feared they had provoked the
|
||
|
|
Egyptians, and perhaps forcibly, or fraudulently,
|
||
|
|
brought home their money. Jacob is
|
||
|
|
here much out of temper.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) He has very
|
||
|
|
melancholy apprehensions concerning the
|
||
|
|
present state of his family: <I>Joseph is not,
|
||
|
|
and Simeon is not;</I> whereas Joseph was in
|
||
|
|
honour and Simeon in the way to it. Note,
|
||
|
|
We often perplex ourselves with our own
|
||
|
|
mistakes, even in matters of fact. True
|
||
|
|
griefs may arise from false intelligence and
|
||
|
|
suppositions,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+13:31">2 Sam. xiii. 31</A>.
|
||
|
|
Jacob gives
|
||
|
|
up Joseph for gone, and Simeon and Benjamin
|
||
|
|
as being in danger; and he concludes,
|
||
|
|
<I>All these things are against me.</I> It proved
|
||
|
|
otherwise, that all these were for him, were
|
||
|
|
working together for his good and the good
|
||
|
|
of his family: yet here he thinks them all
|
||
|
|
against him. Note, Through our ignorance
|
||
|
|
and mistake, and the weakness of our faith,
|
||
|
|
we often apprehend that to be against us
|
||
|
|
which is really for us. We are afflicted in
|
||
|
|
body, estate, name, and relations; and we
|
||
|
|
think all these things are against us, whereas
|
||
|
|
these are really working for us the weight of
|
||
|
|
glory.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) He is at present resolved that
|
||
|
|
Benjamin shall not go down. Reuben will
|
||
|
|
undertake to bring him back in safety
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:37"><I>v.</I> 37</A>),
|
||
|
|
not so much as putting in, <I>If the Lord will,</I>
|
||
|
|
nor expecting the common disasters of travellers;
|
||
|
|
but he foolishly bids Jacob slay his
|
||
|
|
two sons (which, it is likely, he was very
|
||
|
|
proud of) if he brought him not back; as if
|
||
|
|
the death of two grandsons could satisfy
|
||
|
|
Jacob for the death of a son. No, Jacob's
|
||
|
|
present thoughts are, <I>My son shall not go
|
||
|
|
down with you.</I> He plainly intimates a distrust
|
||
|
|
of them, remembering that he never
|
||
|
|
saw Joseph since he had been with them;
|
||
|
|
therefore, "Benjamin shall not go with you,
|
||
|
|
by the way in which you go, for <I>you will bring
|
||
|
|
down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.</I>"
|
||
|
|
Note, It is bad with a family when children
|
||
|
|
conduct themselves so ill that their parents
|
||
|
|
know not how to trust them.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<!-- (End Body) -->
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
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<HR>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
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<TR>
|
||
|
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<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
|
||
|
|
[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
|
||
|
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[<A HREF="MHC01041.HTM">Previous</A>]
|
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[<A HREF="MHC01043.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
|
||
|
|
Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
|
||
|
|
</TABLE>
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||
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