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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Genesis, Chapter XLVI].</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="MHC01045.HTM">Previous</A>]
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[<A HREF="MHC01047.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="Page247"> </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. XLVI.</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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Jacob is here removing to Egypt in his old age, forced thither by a
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famine, and invited thither by a son. Here,
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I. God sends him thither,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:1-4">ver. 1-4</A>.
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II. All his family goes with him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:5-27">ver. 5-27</A>.
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III. Joseph bids him welcome,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:28-34">ver. 28-34</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ge46_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_4"> </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 Sacrifices at Beersheba.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1707.</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 And Israel took his journey with
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all that he had, and came to
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Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto
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the God of his father Isaac.
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2 And
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God spake unto Israel in the visions
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of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob.
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And he said, Here <I>am</I> I.
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3 And he
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said, I <I>am</I> God, the God of thy father:
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fear not to go down into Egypt;
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for I will there make of thee a great
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nation:
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4 I will go down with thee
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into Egypt; and I will also surely
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bring thee up <I>again:</I> and Joseph shall
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put his hand upon thine eyes.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The divine precept is, <I>In all thy ways acknowledge
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God;</I> and the promise annexed to
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it is, <I>He shall direct thy paths.</I> Jacob has
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here a very great concern before him, not
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only a journey, but a removal, to settle in
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another country, a change which was very
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surprising to him (for he never had any other
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thoughts than to live and die in Canaan), and
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which would be of great consequence to his
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family for a long time to come. Now here
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we are told,</P>
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<P>
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I. How he acknowledged God in this way.
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He <I>came to Beersheba,</I> from Hebron, where
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he now dwelt; and there <I>he offered sacrifices
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to the God of his father Isaac,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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He chose that place, in remembrance of the communion
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which his father and grandfather had with God
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in that place. Abraham called on God
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there
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+21:33"><I>ch.</I> xxi. 33</A>),
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so did Isaac
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+26:25"><I>ch.</I> xxvi. 25</A>),
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and therefore Jacob made it the place of his
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devotion, the rather because it lay in his way.
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In his devotion,
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1. He had an eye to God as
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the God of his father Isaac, that is, a God in
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covenant with him; for by Isaac the covenant
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was entailed upon him. God had forbidden
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Isaac to go down to Egypt when
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there was a famine in Canaan
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+26:2"><I>ch.</I> xxvi. 2</A>),
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which perhaps Jacob calls to mind when he
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consults God as the God of his father Isaac,
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with this thought, "Lord, though I am very
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desirous to see Joseph, yet if thou forbid me
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to go down to Egypt, as thou didst my father
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Isaac, I will submit, and very contentedly
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stay where I am."
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2. He <I>offered sacrifices,</I>
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extraordinary sacrifices, besides those at his
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stated times; these sacrifices were offered,
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(1.) By way of thanksgiving for the late
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blessed change of the face of his family, for
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the good news he had received concerning
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Joseph, and for the hopes he had of seeing
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him. Note, We should give God thanks for
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the beginnings of mercy, though they are not
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yet perfected; and this is a decent way of
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begging further mercy.
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(2.) By way of
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petition for the presence of God with him in
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his intended journey; he desired by these
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sacrifices to make his peace with God, to obtain
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the forgiveness of sin, that he might
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take no guilt along with him in this journey,
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for that is a bad companion. By Christ, the
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great sacrifice, we must reconcile ourselves
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to God, and offer up our requests to him.
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(3.) By way of consultation. The heathen
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consulted their oracles by sacrifice. Jacob
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would not go till he had asked God's leave:
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"Shall I go down to Egypt, or back to Hebron?"
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Such must be our enquiries in
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doubtful cases; and, though we cannot expect
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immediate answers from heaven, yet, if
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we diligently attend to the directions of the
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word, conscience, and providence, we shall
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find it is not in vain to ask counsel of God.</P>
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<P>
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II. How God directed his paths: <I>In the
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visions of the night</I> (probably the very next
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night after he had offered his sacrifices, as
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+1:7">2 Chron. i. 7</A>)
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<I>God spoke unto him,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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Note,
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Those who desire to keep up communion
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with God shall find that it never fails on his
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side. If we speak to him as we ought, he
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will not fail to speak to us. God called him
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by name, by his old name, <I>Jacob, Jacob,</I> to
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remind him of his low estate; his present
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fears did scarcely become an Israel. Jacob,
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like one well acquainted with the visions of
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the Almighty, and ready to obey them, answers,
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"<I>Here I am,</I> ready to receive orders:"
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and what has God to say to him?</P>
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<P>
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1. He renews the covenant with him: <I>I
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am God, the God of thy father</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>);
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that is,
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"I am what thou ownest me to be: thou
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shalt find me a God, a divine wisdom and
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power engaged for thee; and thou shalt find
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me the God of thy father, true to the covenant
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made with him."</P>
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<P>
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2. He encourages him to make this removal
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of his family: <I>Fear not to go down into
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Egypt.</I> It seems, though Jacob, upon the
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first intelligence of Joseph's life and glory
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in Egypt, resolved, without any hesitation,
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<I>I will go and see him;</I> yet, upon second
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thoughts, he saw some difficulties in it, which
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<A NAME="Page248"> </A>
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he knew not well how to get over. Note,
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Even those changes that seem to have in
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them the greatest joys and hopes, yet have
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an alloy of cares and fears, <I>Nulla est sincera
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voluptas--There is no unmingled pleasure.</I>
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We must always rejoice with trembling.
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Jacob had many careful thoughts about this
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journey, which God took notice of.
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(1.) He
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was old, 130 years old; and it is mentioned
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as one of the infirmities of old people that
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they are <I>afraid of that which is high, and
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fears are in the way,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+12:5">Eccl. xii. 5</A>.
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It was a
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long journey, and Jacob was unfit for travel,
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and perhaps remembered that his beloved
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Rachel died in a journey.
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(2.) He feared lest
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his sons should be tainted with the idolatry
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of Egypt, and forget the God of their fathers,
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or enamoured with the pleasures of Egypt,
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and forget the land of promise.
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(3.) Probably
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he thought of what God had said to
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Abraham concerning the bondage and affliction
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of his seed
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+15:13"><I>ch.</I> xv. 13</A>),
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and was apprehensive
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that his removal to Egypt would
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issue in that. Present satisfactions should
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not take us off from the consideration and
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prospect of future inconveniences, which
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possibly may arise from what now appears
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most promising.
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(4.) He could not think of
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laying his bones in Egypt. But, whatever
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his discouragements were, this was enough
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to answer them all, <I>Fear not to go down into
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Egypt.</I></P>
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<P>
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3. He promises him comfort in the removal.
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(1.) That he should multiply in Egypt:
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"<I>I will there,</I> where thou fearest that thy
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family will sink and be lost, <I>make it a great
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nation.</I> That is the place Infinite Wisdom
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has chosen for the accomplishment of that
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promise."
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(2.) That he should have God's
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presence with him: <I>I will go down with thee
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into Egypt.</I> Note, Those that go whither
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God sends them shall certainly have God
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with them, and that is enough to secure them
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wherever they are and to silence their fears;
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we may safely venture even into Egypt if
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God go down with us.
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(3.) That neither he
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nor his should be lost in Egypt: <I>I will surely
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bring thee up again.</I> Though Jacob died in
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Egypt, yet this promise was fulfilled,
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[1.] In the bringing up of his body, to be buried
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in Canaan, about which, it appears, he was
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very solicitous,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+49:29,32"><I>ch.</I> xlix. 29, 32</A>.
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[2.] In the
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bringing up of his seed to be settled in Canaan.
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Whatever low or darksome valley we
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are called into at any time, we may be confident,
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if God go down with us into it, that
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he will surely bring us up again. If he go
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with us down to death, he will surely bring
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us up again to glory.
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(4.) That living and
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dying, his beloved Joseph should be a comfort
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to him: <I>Joseph shall put his hand upon
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thine eyes.</I> This is a promise that Joseph
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should live as long as he lived, that he should
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be with him at his death, and close his eyes
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with all possible tenderness and respect, as
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the dearest relations used to do. Probably
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Jacob, in the multitude of his thoughts within
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him, had been wishing that Joseph might do
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this last office of love for him: <I>Ille meos
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oculos comprimat--Let him close my eyes;</I>
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and God thus answered him in the letter of
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his desire. Thus God sometimes gratifies
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the innocent wishes of his people, and makes
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not only their death happy, but the very circumstances
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of it agreeable.</P>
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<A NAME="Ge46_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_23"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_24"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_25"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_26"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge46_27"> </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>Jacob's Removal to Egypt.</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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|
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</TABLE>
|
||
|
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|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba:
|
||
|
|
and the sons of Israel carried
|
||
|
|
Jacob their father, and their little
|
||
|
|
ones, and their wives, in the wagons
|
||
|
|
which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
|
||
|
|
6 And they took their cattle, and their
|
||
|
|
goods, which they had gotten in the land
|
||
|
|
of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob,
|
||
|
|
and all his seed with him:
|
||
|
|
7 His
|
||
|
|
sons, and his sons' sons with him,
|
||
|
|
his daughters, and his sons' daughters,
|
||
|
|
and all his seed brought he with him
|
||
|
|
into Egypt.
|
||
|
|
8 And these <I>are</I> the
|
||
|
|
names of the children of Israel, which
|
||
|
|
came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons:
|
||
|
|
Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
|
||
|
|
9 And the
|
||
|
|
sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu,
|
||
|
|
and Hezron, and Carmi.
|
||
|
|
10 And the
|
||
|
|
sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin,
|
||
|
|
and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar,
|
||
|
|
and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish
|
||
|
|
woman.
|
||
|
|
11 And the sons of Levi;
|
||
|
|
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
|
||
|
|
12 And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan,
|
||
|
|
and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah:
|
||
|
|
but Er and Onan died in the land of
|
||
|
|
Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were
|
||
|
|
Hezron and Hamul.
|
||
|
|
13 And the sons
|
||
|
|
of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and
|
||
|
|
Job, and Shimron.
|
||
|
|
14 And the sons
|
||
|
|
of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and
|
||
|
|
Jahleel.
|
||
|
|
15 These <I>be</I> the sons of Leah,
|
||
|
|
which she bare unto Jacob in Padan-aram,
|
||
|
|
with his daughter Dinah: all the
|
||
|
|
souls of his sons and his daughters
|
||
|
|
<I>were</I> thirty and three.
|
||
|
|
16 And the
|
||
|
|
sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi,
|
||
|
|
Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi,
|
||
|
|
and Areli.
|
||
|
|
17 And the sons of Asher;
|
||
|
|
Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and
|
||
|
|
Beriah, and Serah their sister: and
|
||
|
|
the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
|
||
|
|
18 These <I>are</I> the sons of Zilpah,
|
||
|
|
whom Laban gave to Leah his
|
||
|
|
daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob,
|
||
|
|
<I>even</I> sixteen souls.
|
||
|
|
19 The sons
|
||
|
|
of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and
|
||
|
|
Benjamin.
|
||
|
|
20 And unto Joseph in
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Page249"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
the land of Egypt were born Manasseh
|
||
|
|
and Ephraim, which Asenath
|
||
|
|
the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of
|
||
|
|
On bare unto him.
|
||
|
|
21 And the sons
|
||
|
|
of Benjamin <I>were</I> Belah, and Becher,
|
||
|
|
and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi,
|
||
|
|
and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and
|
||
|
|
Ard.
|
||
|
|
22 These <I>are</I> the sons of Rachel,
|
||
|
|
which were born to Jacob: all
|
||
|
|
the souls <I>were</I> fourteen.
|
||
|
|
23 And the
|
||
|
|
sons of Dan; Hushim.
|
||
|
|
24 And the
|
||
|
|
sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni,
|
||
|
|
and Jezer, and Shillem.
|
||
|
|
25 These <I>are</I>
|
||
|
|
the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave
|
||
|
|
unto Rachel his daughter, and she
|
||
|
|
bare these unto Jacob: all the souls
|
||
|
|
<I>were</I> seven.
|
||
|
|
26 All the souls that
|
||
|
|
came with Jacob into Egypt, which
|
||
|
|
came out of his loins, besides Jacob's
|
||
|
|
sons' wives, all the souls <I>were</I> threescore
|
||
|
|
and six;
|
||
|
|
27 And the sons of
|
||
|
|
Joseph, which were born him in Egypt,
|
||
|
|
<I>were</I> two souls: all the souls of the
|
||
|
|
house of Jacob, which came into Egypt,
|
||
|
|
<I>were</I> threescore and ten.
|
||
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Old Jacob is here flitting. Little did he
|
||
|
|
think of ever leaving Canaan; he expected,
|
||
|
|
no doubt, <I>to die in his nest,</I> and to leave his
|
||
|
|
seed in actual possession of the promised land:
|
||
|
|
but Providence orders it otherwise. Note,
|
||
|
|
Those that think themselves well settled may
|
||
|
|
yet be unsettled in a little time. Even old
|
||
|
|
people, who think of no other removal than
|
||
|
|
that to the grave (which Jacob had much
|
||
|
|
upon his heart,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+37:35,42:38">ch. xxxvii. 35; xlii. 38</A>),
|
||
|
|
sometimes live to see great changes in their family.
|
||
|
|
It is good to be ready, not only for the grave,
|
||
|
|
but for whatever may happen betwixt us and
|
||
|
|
the grave. Observe,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
1. How Jacob was
|
||
|
|
conveyed; not in a chariot, though chariots
|
||
|
|
were then used, but in a waggon,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
|
||
|
|
Jacob
|
||
|
|
had the character of a plain man, who did not
|
||
|
|
affect any thing stately or magnificent; his
|
||
|
|
son rode in a chariot
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+41:43"><I>ch.</I> xli. 43</A>),
|
||
|
|
but a waggon
|
||
|
|
would serve him.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
2. The removal of what
|
||
|
|
he had with him.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) His effects
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>),
|
||
|
|
<I>cattle and goods;</I> these he took with him
|
||
|
|
that he might not wholly be beholden to
|
||
|
|
Pharaoh for a livelihood, and that it might
|
||
|
|
not afterwards be said of them, "that they
|
||
|
|
came beggars to Egypt."
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) His family,
|
||
|
|
<I>all his seed,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
|
||
|
|
It is probable that they had
|
||
|
|
continued to live together in common with
|
||
|
|
their father; and therefore when he went
|
||
|
|
they all went, which perhaps they were the
|
||
|
|
more willing to do, because, though they had
|
||
|
|
heard that the land of Canaan was promised
|
||
|
|
them, yet, to this day, they had none of it
|
||
|
|
in possession. We have here a particular
|
||
|
|
account of the names of Jacob's family, <I>his
|
||
|
|
sons' sons,</I> most of whom are afterwards mentioned
|
||
|
|
as heads of houses in the several
|
||
|
|
tribes. See
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+26:5-65">Num. xxvi. 5</A>,
|
||
|
|
&c. Bishop
|
||
|
|
Patrick observes that Issachar called his
|
||
|
|
eldest son <I>Tola,</I> which signifies a <I>worm,</I> probably
|
||
|
|
because when he was born he was a
|
||
|
|
very little weak child, a worm, and no man,
|
||
|
|
not likely to live; and yet there sprang from him
|
||
|
|
a very numerous offspring,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+7:2">1 Chron. vii. 2</A>.
|
||
|
|
Note, Living and dying do not go by probability.
|
||
|
|
The whole number that went down
|
||
|
|
into Egypt was sixty-six
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:26"><I>v.</I> 26</A>),
|
||
|
|
to which add
|
||
|
|
Joseph and his two sons, who were there
|
||
|
|
before, and Jacob himself, the head of the
|
||
|
|
family, and you have the number of seventy,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:27"><I>v.</I> 27</A>.
|
||
|
|
The LXX. makes them seventy-five,
|
||
|
|
and Stephen follows them
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+7:14">Acts vii. 14</A>),
|
||
|
|
the reason of which we leave to the conjecture of
|
||
|
|
the critics; but let us observe,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
[1.] Masters
|
||
|
|
of families ought to take care of all under
|
||
|
|
their charge, and to provide for those of their
|
||
|
|
own house food convenient both for body and
|
||
|
|
soul. When Jacob himself removed to a
|
||
|
|
land of plenty, he would not leave any of his
|
||
|
|
children behind him to starve in a barren
|
||
|
|
land.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
[2.] Though the accomplishment of
|
||
|
|
promises is always sure, yet it is often slow.
|
||
|
|
It was now 215 years since God had promised
|
||
|
|
Abraham to make of him a great nation
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+12:2"><I>ch.</I> xii. 2</A>);
|
||
|
|
and yet that branch of his seed on
|
||
|
|
which the promise was entailed had increased
|
||
|
|
only to seventy, of which this particular
|
||
|
|
account is kept, that the power of God in
|
||
|
|
multiplying these seventy to so vast a multitude,
|
||
|
|
even in Egypt, may appear the more
|
||
|
|
illustrious. When God pleases, <I>a little one
|
||
|
|
shall become a thousand,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+60:22">Isa. lx. 22</A>.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge46_28"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge46_29"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge46_30"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge46_31"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge46_32"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge46_33"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Ge46_34"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
|
||
|
|
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
|
||
|
|
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Meeting between Jacob and Joseph.</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>28 And he sent Judah before him
|
||
|
|
unto Joseph, to direct his face unto
|
||
|
|
Goshen; and they came into the land
|
||
|
|
of Goshen.
|
||
|
|
29 And Joseph made
|
||
|
|
ready his chariot, and went up to
|
||
|
|
meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and
|
||
|
|
presented himself unto him; and he
|
||
|
|
fell on his neck, and wept on his neck
|
||
|
|
a good while.
|
||
|
|
30 And Israel said unto
|
||
|
|
Joseph, Now let me die, since I have
|
||
|
|
seen thy face, because thou <I>art</I> yet
|
||
|
|
alive.
|
||
|
|
31 And Joseph said unto his
|
||
|
|
brethren, and unto his father's house,
|
||
|
|
I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and
|
||
|
|
say unto him, My brethren, and my
|
||
|
|
father's house, which <I>were</I> in the land
|
||
|
|
of Canaan, are come unto me;
|
||
|
|
32 And the men <I>are</I> shepherds, for their
|
||
|
|
trade hath been to feed cattle; and
|
||
|
|
they have brought their flocks, and
|
||
|
|
their herds, and all that they have.
|
||
|
|
33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh
|
||
|
|
shall call you, and shall say, What
|
||
|
|
<I>is</I> your occupation?
|
||
|
|
34 That ye shall
|
||
|
|
say, Thy servants' trade hath been
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Page250"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
about cattle from our youth even until
|
||
|
|
now, both we, <I>and</I> also our fathers:
|
||
|
|
that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen;
|
||
|
|
for every shepherd <I>is</I> an abomination
|
||
|
|
unto the Egyptians.
|
||
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
We have here, I. The joyful meeting
|
||
|
|
between Jacob and his son Joseph, in which
|
||
|
|
observe,</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
1. Jacob's prudence in sending Judah
|
||
|
|
before him to Joseph, to give him notice of
|
||
|
|
his arrival in Goshen. This was a piece of
|
||
|
|
respect owing to the government, under the
|
||
|
|
protection of which these strangers had come
|
||
|
|
to put themselves,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:28"><I>v.</I> 28</A>.
|
||
|
|
We should be very
|
||
|
|
careful not to give offence to any, especially
|
||
|
|
not to the higher powers.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
2. Joseph's filial respect to him. He went
|
||
|
|
in his chariot to met him, and, in the interview,
|
||
|
|
showed,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) How much he honoured
|
||
|
|
him: <I>He presented himself unto him.</I> Note,
|
||
|
|
It is the duty of children to reverence their
|
||
|
|
parents, yea, though Providence, as to outward
|
||
|
|
condition, has advanced them above
|
||
|
|
their parents.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) How much he loved him.
|
||
|
|
Time did not wear out the sense of his obligations,
|
||
|
|
but his tears which he shed abundantly
|
||
|
|
upon his father's neck, for joy to see
|
||
|
|
him, were real indications of the sincere and
|
||
|
|
strong affection he had for him. See how
|
||
|
|
near sorrow and joy are to each other in this
|
||
|
|
world, when tears serve for the expression of
|
||
|
|
both. In the other world weeping will be
|
||
|
|
restrained to sorrow only; in heaven there is
|
||
|
|
perfect joy, but no tears of joy: all tears,
|
||
|
|
even those, shall there be wiped away,
|
||
|
|
because the joys there are, as no joys are
|
||
|
|
here, without any alloy. When Joseph embraced
|
||
|
|
Benjamin he <I>wept upon his neck,</I> but
|
||
|
|
when he embraced his father he <I>wept upon
|
||
|
|
his neck a good while;</I> his brother Benjamin
|
||
|
|
was dear, but his father Jacob must be
|
||
|
|
dearer.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
3. Jacob's great satisfaction in this meeting:
|
||
|
|
<I>Now let me die,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:30"><I>v.</I> 30</A>.
|
||
|
|
Not but that it was
|
||
|
|
further desirable to live with Joseph, and to
|
||
|
|
see his honour and usefulness; but he had
|
||
|
|
so much pleasure and satisfaction in this first
|
||
|
|
meeting that he thought it too much to
|
||
|
|
desire or expect any more in this world,
|
||
|
|
where our comforts must always be imperfect.
|
||
|
|
Jacob wished to die immediately, and
|
||
|
|
lived seventeen years longer, which, as our
|
||
|
|
lives go now, is a considerable part of a man's
|
||
|
|
age. Note, Death will not always come just
|
||
|
|
when we call for it, whether in a passion of
|
||
|
|
sorrow or in a passion of joy. Our times
|
||
|
|
are in God's hand, and not in our own; we
|
||
|
|
must die just when God pleases, and not
|
||
|
|
either just when we are surfeited with the
|
||
|
|
pleasures of life or just when we are overwhelmed
|
||
|
|
with its griefs.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
II. Joseph's prudent care concerning his
|
||
|
|
brethren's settlement. It was justice to
|
||
|
|
Pharaoh to let him know that such a colony
|
||
|
|
had come to settle in his dominions. Note,
|
||
|
|
If others repose a confidence in us, we must
|
||
|
|
not be so base and disingenuous as to abuse
|
||
|
|
it by imposing upon them. If Jacob and his
|
||
|
|
family should come to be a charge to the
|
||
|
|
Egyptians, yet it should never be said that
|
||
|
|
they came among them clandestinely and by
|
||
|
|
stealth. Thus Joseph took care to pay his
|
||
|
|
respects to Pharaoh,
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:31"><I>v.</I> 31</A>.
|
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But how shall
|
||
|
|
he dispose of his brethren? Time was when
|
||
|
|
they were contriving to get rid of him; now
|
||
|
|
he is contriving to settle them to their satisfaction
|
||
|
|
and advantage: this is rendering
|
||
|
|
good for evil. Now,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
1. He would have
|
||
|
|
them to live by themselves, separate as much
|
||
|
|
as might be from the Egyptians, <I>in the land
|
||
|
|
of Goshen,</I> which lay nearest to Canaan, and
|
||
|
|
which perhaps was more thinly peopled by
|
||
|
|
the Egyptians, and well furnished with pastures
|
||
|
|
for cattle. He desired they might live
|
||
|
|
separately, that they might be in the less
|
||
|
|
danger both of being infected by the vices of
|
||
|
|
the Egyptians and of being insulted by the
|
||
|
|
malice of the Egyptians. Shepherds, it seems,
|
||
|
|
<I>were an abomination to the Egyptians,</I> that is,
|
||
|
|
they looked upon them with contempt, and
|
||
|
|
scorned to converse with them; and he
|
||
|
|
would not send for his brethren to Egypt to
|
||
|
|
be trampled upon. And yet,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
2. He would
|
||
|
|
have them to continue shepherds, and not to
|
||
|
|
be ashamed to own that as their occupation
|
||
|
|
before Pharaoh. He could have employed
|
||
|
|
them under himself in the corn-trade, or
|
||
|
|
perhaps, by his interest in the king, might
|
||
|
|
have procured places for them at court or in
|
||
|
|
the army, and some of them, at least, were
|
||
|
|
deserving enough; but such preferments
|
||
|
|
would have exposed them to the envy of the
|
||
|
|
Egyptians, and would have tempted them to
|
||
|
|
forget Canaan and the promise made unto
|
||
|
|
their fathers; therefore he contrives to continue
|
||
|
|
them in their old employment. Note,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) An honest calling is no disparagement,
|
||
|
|
nor ought we to account it so either in ourselves
|
||
|
|
or in our relations, but rather reckon
|
||
|
|
it a shame to be idle, or to have nothing to
|
||
|
|
do.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) It is generally best for people to
|
||
|
|
abide in the callings that they have been bred
|
||
|
|
to, and used to,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+7:24">1 Cor. vii. 24</A>.
|
||
|
|
Whatever employment or condition God, in his providence,
|
||
|
|
has allotted for us, let us accommodate
|
||
|
|
ourselves to it, and satisfy ourselves with it,
|
||
|
|
and <I>not mind high things.</I> It is better to be
|
||
|
|
the credit of a mean post than the shame of
|
||
|
|
a high one.</P>
|
||
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