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723 lines
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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Genesis, Chapter XLVIII].</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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<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="MHC01047.HTM">Previous</A>]
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[<A HREF="MHC01049.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="Page255"> </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. XLVIII.</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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The time drawing nigh that Israel must die, having, in the former
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chapter, given order about his burial, in this he takes leave of
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his grand-children by Joseph, and in the next of all his children.
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Thus Jacob's dying words are recorded, because he then spoke
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by a spirit of prophecy; Abraham's and Isaac's are not. God's
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gifts and graces shine forth much more in some saints than in
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others upon their death-beds. The Spirit, like the wind, blows
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where it listeth. In this chapter,
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I. Joseph, hearing of his
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father's sickness, goes to visit him, and takes his two sons with
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him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
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II. Jacob solemnly adopts his two sons, and takes
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them for his own,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:3-7">ver. 3-7</A>.
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III. He blesses them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:8-16">ver. 8-16</A>.
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IV. He explains and justifies the crossing of his hands in
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blessing them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:17-20">ver. 17-20</A>.
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V. He leaves a particular legacy to
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Joseph,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:21,22">ver. 21, 22</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ge48_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_7"> </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's Last Illness.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1689.</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 it came to pass after these
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things, that <I>one</I> told Joseph,
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Behold, thy father <I>is</I> sick: and he took
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with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
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2 And <I>one</I> told Jacob, and
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said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh
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unto thee: and Israel strengthened
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himself, and sat upon the bed.
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3 And
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Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty
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appeared unto me at Luz in the land
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of Canaan, and blessed me,
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4 And
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said unto me, Behold, I will make thee
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fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will
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make of thee a multitude of people;
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and will give this land to thy seed after
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thee <I>for</I> an everlasting possession.
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5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and
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Manasseh, which were born unto thee
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in the land of Egypt before I came
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unto thee into Egypt, <I>are</I> mine; as
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Reuben and Simeon, they shall be
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mine.
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6 And thy issue, which thou
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begettest after them, shall be thine,
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<I>and</I> shall be called after the name of
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their brethren in their inheritance.
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7 And as for me, when I came from
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Padan, Rachel died by me in the land
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of Canaan in the way, when yet <I>there
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was</I> but a little way to come
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unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in
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the way of Ephrath; the same <I>is</I>
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Beth-lehem.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here,
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I. Joseph, upon notice of his father's
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illness, goes to see him; though a man of
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honour and business, yet he will not fail to
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show this due respect to his aged father,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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Visiting the sick, to whom we lie under
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obligations, or may have opportunity of doing
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good, either for body or soul, is our duty.
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The sick bed is a proper place both for
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giving comfort and counsel to others and
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receiving instruction ourselves. Joseph took
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his two sons with him, that they might receive
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their dying grandfather's blessing, and
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that what they might see in him, and hear
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from him, might make an abiding impression
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upon them. Note,
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1. It is good to acquaint
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young people that are coming into the world
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with the aged servants of God that are going
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out of it, whose dying testimony to the
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<A NAME="Page256"> </A>
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goodness of God, and the pleasantness of wisdom's
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ways, may be a great encouragement
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to the rising generation. Manasseh and
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Ephraim (I dare say) would never forget
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what passed at this time.
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2. Pious parents
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are desirous of a blessing, not only for themselves,
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but for their children. "O that they
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may live before God!" Joseph had been,
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above all his brethren, kind to his father, and
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therefore had reason to expect particular
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favour from him.</P>
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<P>
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II. Jacob, upon notice of his son's visit,
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prepared himself as well as he could to entertain
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him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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He did what he could to
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rouse his spirits, and to stir up the gift that
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was in him; what little was left of bodily
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strength he put forth to the utmost, and <I>sat
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upon the bed.</I> Note, It is very good for sick
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and aged people to be as lively and cheerful
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as they can, that they may not faint in the
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day of adversity. <I>Strengthen thyself,</I> as
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Jacob here, and God will strengthen thee;
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hearten thyself and help thyself, and God
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will help and hearten thee. Let the spirit
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sustain the infirmity.</P>
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<P>
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III. In recompence to Joseph for all his
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attentions to him, he adopted his two sons.
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In this charter of adoption there is,
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1. A
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particular recital of God's promise to him,
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to which this had reference: "<I>God blessed
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me</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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and let that blessing be entailed
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upon them." God had promised him two
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things, a numerous issue, and Canaan for an
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inheritance
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>);
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and Joseph's sons, pursuant
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hereunto, should each of them multiply
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into a tribe, and each of them have a
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distinct lot in Canaan, equal with Jacob's
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own sons. See how he blessed them by
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faith in that which God had said to him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+11:21">Heb. xi. 21</A>.
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Note, In all our prayers, both
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for ourselves and for our children, we ought
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to have a particular eye to, and remembrance
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of, God's promises to us.
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2. An express
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reception of Joseph's sons into his family:
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"<I>Thy sons are mine</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>),
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not only my grand-children,
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but as my own children." Though
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they were born in Egypt, and their father
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was then separated from his brethren, which
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might seem to have cut them off from the
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heritage of the Lord, yet Jacob takes them
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in, and owns them for visible church members.
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He explains this at
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>,
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<I>Let my
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name be named upon them, and the name of
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my fathers;</I> as if he had said, "Let them
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not succeed their father in his power and
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grandeur here in Egypt, but let them succeed
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me in the inheritance of the promise
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made to Abraham," which Jacob looked
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upon as much more valuable and honourable,
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and would have them to prize and
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covet accordingly. Thus the aged dying
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patriarch teaches these young persons, now
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that they were of age (being about twenty-one
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years old), not to look upon Egypt as
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their home, nor to incorporate themselves
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with the Egyptians, but to take their lot
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with the people of God, as Moses afterwards
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in the like temptation,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+11:24-26">Heb. xi. 24-26</A>.
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And because it would be a piece of self-denial
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in them, who stood so fair for preferment
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in Egypt, to adhere to the despised
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Hebrews, to encourage them he constitutes
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each of them the head of a tribe. Note,
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Those are worthy of double honour who,
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through God's grace, break through the
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temptations of worldly wealth and preferment,
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to embrace religion in disgrace and
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poverty. Jacob will have Ephraim and
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Manasseh to believe that it is better to be
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low and in the church than high and out of
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it, to be called by the name of poor Jacob
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than to be called by the name of rich Joseph.
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3. A proviso inserted concerning the children
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he might afterwards have; they should
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not be accounted heads of tribes, as Ephraim
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and Manasseh were, but should fall in with
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either the one or the other of their brethren,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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It does not appear that Joseph had
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any more children; however, it was Jacob's
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prudence to give this direction, for the preventing
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of contest and mismanagement.
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Note, In making settlements, it is good to
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take advice, and to provide for what may
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happen, while we cannot foresee what will
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happen. Our prudence must attend God's
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providence.
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4. Mention is made of the
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death and burial of Rachel, Joseph's mother,
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and Jacob's best beloved wife
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
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referring to that story,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+35:19"><I>ch.</I> xxxv. 19</A>.
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Note,
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(1.) When
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we come to die ourselves, it is good to call
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to mind the death of our dear relations and
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friends, that have gone before us, to make
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death and the grave the more familiar to us.
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See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+27:13">Num. xxvii. 13</A>.
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Those that were to us
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as our own souls are dead and buried; and
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shall we think it much to follow them in the
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same path?
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(2.) The removal of dear relations
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from us is an affliction the remembrance
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of which cannot but abide with us a
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great while. Strong affections in the enjoyment
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cause long afflictions in the loss.</P>
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<A NAME="Ge48_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge48_22"> </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 Blesses the Sons of Joseph; Jacob's Dying Prophecy.</I></FONT></TD>
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|
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1689.</TD></TR>
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||
|
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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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|
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<FONT SIZE=+1>8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons,
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and said, Who <I>are</I> these?
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9 And
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Joseph said unto his father, They <I>are</I>
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my sons, whom God hath given me
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in this <I>place.</I> And he said, Bring
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them, I pray thee, unto me, and I
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will bless them.
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10 Now the eyes of
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Israel were dim for age, <I>so that</I> he
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could not see. And he brought them
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||
|
|
near unto him; and he kissed them,
|
||
|
|
and embraced them.
|
||
|
|
11 And Israel
|
||
|
|
said unto Joseph, I had not thought
|
||
|
|
to see thy face: and, lo, God hath
|
||
|
|
showed me also thy seed.
|
||
|
|
12 And
|
||
|
|
Joseph brought them out from between
|
||
|
|
his knees, and he bowed himself
|
||
|
|
with his face to the earth.
|
||
|
|
13 And
|
||
|
|
Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Page257"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
right hand toward Israel's left hand,
|
||
|
|
and Manasseh in his left hand toward
|
||
|
|
Israel's right hand, and brought <I>them</I>
|
||
|
|
near unto him.
|
||
|
|
14 And Israel stretched
|
||
|
|
out his right hand, and laid <I>it</I> upon
|
||
|
|
Ephraim's head, who <I>was</I> the younger,
|
||
|
|
and his left hand upon Manasseh's
|
||
|
|
head, guiding his hands wittingly; for
|
||
|
|
Manasseh <I>was</I> the firstborn.
|
||
|
|
15 And
|
||
|
|
he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before
|
||
|
|
whom my fathers Abraham and
|
||
|
|
Isaac did walk, the God which fed me
|
||
|
|
all my life long unto this day,
|
||
|
|
16 The
|
||
|
|
Angel which redeemed me from all
|
||
|
|
evil, bless the lads; and let my name
|
||
|
|
be named on them, and the name of
|
||
|
|
my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and
|
||
|
|
let them grow into a multitude in the
|
||
|
|
midst of the earth.
|
||
|
|
17 And when Joseph
|
||
|
|
saw that his father laid his right
|
||
|
|
hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased
|
||
|
|
him: and he held up his father's
|
||
|
|
hand, to remove it from Ephraim's
|
||
|
|
head unto Manasseh's head.
|
||
|
|
18 And
|
||
|
|
Joseph said unto his father, Not so,
|
||
|
|
my father: for this <I>is</I> the firstborn;
|
||
|
|
put thy right hand upon his head.
|
||
|
|
19 And his father refused, and said,
|
||
|
|
I know <I>it,</I> my son, I know <I>it:</I> he also
|
||
|
|
shall become a people, and he also
|
||
|
|
shall be great: but truly his younger
|
||
|
|
brother shall be greater than he, and
|
||
|
|
his seed shall become a multitude of
|
||
|
|
nations.
|
||
|
|
20 And he blessed them that
|
||
|
|
day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless,
|
||
|
|
saying, God make thee as Ephraim
|
||
|
|
and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim
|
||
|
|
before Manasseh.
|
||
|
|
21 And Israel said
|
||
|
|
unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God
|
||
|
|
shall be with you, and bring you again
|
||
|
|
unto the land of your fathers.
|
||
|
|
22 Moreover I have given to thee one
|
||
|
|
portion above thy brethren, which I
|
||
|
|
took out of the hand of the Amorite
|
||
|
|
with my sword and with my bow.
|
||
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Here is,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
I. The blessing with which Jacob
|
||
|
|
blessed the two sons of Joseph, which is the
|
||
|
|
more remarkable because the apostle makes
|
||
|
|
such particular mention of it
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+11:21">Heb. xi. 21</A>),
|
||
|
|
while he says nothing of the blessing which
|
||
|
|
Jacob pronounced on the rest of his sons,
|
||
|
|
though that also was done in faith. Observe
|
||
|
|
here,</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
1. Jacob was blind for age,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
|
||
|
|
It is
|
||
|
|
one of the common infirmities of old age.
|
||
|
|
<I>Those that look out at the windows are darkened,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+12:3">Eccl. xii. 3</A>.
|
||
|
|
It is folly to <I>walk in the
|
||
|
|
sight of our eyes,</I> and to suffer our hearts to
|
||
|
|
go after them, while we know death will
|
||
|
|
shortly close them, and we do not know but
|
||
|
|
some accident between us and death may
|
||
|
|
darken them. Jacob, like his father before
|
||
|
|
him, when he was old, was dim-sighted.
|
||
|
|
Note,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) Those that have the honour of
|
||
|
|
age must therewith be content to take the
|
||
|
|
burden of it.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) The eye of faith may be
|
||
|
|
very clear even when the eye of the body is
|
||
|
|
very much clouded.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
2. Jacob was very fond of Joseph's sons:
|
||
|
|
<I>He kissed them and embraced them,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
|
||
|
|
It is common for old people to have a very particular
|
||
|
|
affection for their grand-children, perhaps
|
||
|
|
more than they had for their own children
|
||
|
|
when they were little, which Solomon
|
||
|
|
gives a reason for
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+17:6">Prov. xvii. 6</A>),
|
||
|
|
<I>Children's
|
||
|
|
children are the crown of old men.</I> With
|
||
|
|
what satisfaction does Jacob say here
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>),
|
||
|
|
<I>I had not thought to see thy face</I> (having many
|
||
|
|
years given him up for lost), <I>and, lo, God has
|
||
|
|
shown me also thy seed!</I> See here,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) How
|
||
|
|
these two good men own God in their comforts.
|
||
|
|
Joseph says
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
|
||
|
|
<I>They are my sons
|
||
|
|
whom God has given me,</I> and, to magnify the
|
||
|
|
favour, he adds, "<I>In this place</I> of my banishment,
|
||
|
|
slavery, and imprisonment." Jacob
|
||
|
|
says here, <I>God has shown me thy seed.</I> Our
|
||
|
|
comforts are then doubly sweet to us when
|
||
|
|
we see them coming from God's hand.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) How often God, in his merciful providences,
|
||
|
|
outdoes our expectations, and thus greatly
|
||
|
|
magnifies his favours. He not only prevents
|
||
|
|
our fears, but exceeds our hopes. We may
|
||
|
|
apply this to the promise which is made to
|
||
|
|
us and to our children. We could not have
|
||
|
|
thought that we should have been taken into
|
||
|
|
covenant with God ourselves, considering
|
||
|
|
how guilty and corrupt we are; and yet, lo, he
|
||
|
|
has shown us our seed also in covenant with him.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
3. Before he entails his blessing, he recounts
|
||
|
|
his experiences of God's goodness to
|
||
|
|
him. He had spoken
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>)
|
||
|
|
of God's appearing
|
||
|
|
to him. The particular visits of his
|
||
|
|
grace, and the special communion we have
|
||
|
|
sometimes had with him, ought never to be
|
||
|
|
forgotten. But
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:15,16"><I>v.</I> 15, 16</A>)
|
||
|
|
he mentions the
|
||
|
|
constant care which the divine Providence
|
||
|
|
had taken of him all his days.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) He had
|
||
|
|
<I>fed him all his life long unto this day,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
|
||
|
|
Note, As long as we have lived in this world
|
||
|
|
we have had continual experience of God's
|
||
|
|
goodness to us, in providing for the support
|
||
|
|
of our natural life. Our bodies have called
|
||
|
|
for daily food, and no little has gone to feed
|
||
|
|
us, yet we have never wanted food convenient.
|
||
|
|
He that has fed us <I>all our life long</I> surely
|
||
|
|
will not fail us at last.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) He had by his
|
||
|
|
angel <I>redeemed him from all evil,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
|
||
|
|
A great deal of hardship he had known in his
|
||
|
|
time, but God had graciously kept him from
|
||
|
|
the evil of his troubles. Now that he was
|
||
|
|
dying he looked upon himself as <I>redeemed
|
||
|
|
from all evil,</I> and bidding an everlasting farewell
|
||
|
|
to sin and sorrow. Christ, the Angel
|
||
|
|
of the covenant, is he that redeems us from
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Page258"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
all evil,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ti+4:18">2 Tim. iv. 18</A>.
|
||
|
|
Note,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
[1.] It becomes
|
||
|
|
the servants of God, when they are old
|
||
|
|
and dying, to witness for our God that they
|
||
|
|
have found him gracious.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
[2.] Our experiences
|
||
|
|
of God's goodness to us are improvable,
|
||
|
|
both for the encouragement of others to
|
||
|
|
serve God, and for encouragement to us in
|
||
|
|
blessing them and praying for them.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4. When he confers the blessing and name
|
||
|
|
of Abraham and Isaac upon them he recommends
|
||
|
|
the pattern and example of Abraham
|
||
|
|
and Isaac to them,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
|
||
|
|
He calls God the
|
||
|
|
<I>God before whom his fathers Abraham and
|
||
|
|
Isaac walked,</I> that is, in whom they believed,
|
||
|
|
whom they observed and obeyed, and with
|
||
|
|
whom they kept up communion in instituted
|
||
|
|
ordinances, according to the condition of the
|
||
|
|
covenant. <I>Walk before me,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+17:1"><I>ch.</I> xvii. 1</A>.
|
||
|
|
Note,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) Those that would inherit the blessing of
|
||
|
|
their godly ancestors, and have the benefit
|
||
|
|
of God's covenant with them, must tread in
|
||
|
|
the steps of their piety.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) It should recommend
|
||
|
|
religion and the service of God to us
|
||
|
|
that God was the God of our fathers, and that
|
||
|
|
they had satisfaction in walking before him.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
5. In blessing them, he <I>crossed hands.</I>
|
||
|
|
Joseph placed them so as that Jacob's right
|
||
|
|
hand should be put on the head of Manasseh
|
||
|
|
the elder,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:12,13"><I>v.</I> 12, 13</A>.
|
||
|
|
But Jacob would put
|
||
|
|
it on the head of Ephraim the younger,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
|
||
|
|
This displeased Joseph, who was willing to
|
||
|
|
support the reputation of his first-born, and
|
||
|
|
would therefore have removed his father's
|
||
|
|
hands,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:17,18"><I>v.</I> 17, 18</A>.
|
||
|
|
But Jacob gave him to
|
||
|
|
understand that he know what he did, and
|
||
|
|
that he did it not by mistake, nor in a humour,
|
||
|
|
nor from a partial affection to one
|
||
|
|
more than the other, but from a spirit of prophecy,
|
||
|
|
and in compliance with the divine
|
||
|
|
counsels. Manasseh should be great, but
|
||
|
|
truly Ephraim should be greater. When the
|
||
|
|
tribes were mustered in the wilderness,
|
||
|
|
Ephraim was more numerous than Manasseh,
|
||
|
|
and had the standard of that squadron
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+1:32,33,35,2:18,20">Num. i. 32, 33, 35; ii. 18, 20</A>),
|
||
|
|
and is named first,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:2">Ps. lxxx. 2</A>.
|
||
|
|
Joshua was of that tribe, so
|
||
|
|
was Jeroboam. The tribe of Manasseh was
|
||
|
|
divided, one half on one side Jordan, the
|
||
|
|
other half on the other side, which made it
|
||
|
|
the less powerful and considerable. In the
|
||
|
|
foresight of this, <I>Jacob crossed hands.</I> Note.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(1.) God, in bestowing his blessings upon
|
||
|
|
his people, gives more to some than to others,
|
||
|
|
more gifts, graces, and comforts, and more
|
||
|
|
of the good things of this life.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
(2.) He often
|
||
|
|
gives most to those that are least likely. He
|
||
|
|
chooses the weak things of the world; raises
|
||
|
|
the poor out of the dust. Grace observes
|
||
|
|
not the order of nature, nor does God prefer
|
||
|
|
those whom we think fittest to be preferred,
|
||
|
|
but as it pleases him. It is observable how
|
||
|
|
often God, by the distinguishing favours of
|
||
|
|
his covenant, advanced the younger above
|
||
|
|
the elder, Abel above Cain, Shem above
|
||
|
|
Japheth, Abraham above Nahor and Haran,
|
||
|
|
Isaac above Ishmael, Jacob above Esau;
|
||
|
|
Judah and Joseph were preferred before
|
||
|
|
Reuben, Moses before Aaron, David and
|
||
|
|
Solomon before their elder brethren. See
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+16:7">1 Sam. xvi. 7</A>.
|
||
|
|
He tied the Jews to observe
|
||
|
|
the birthright
|
||
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+21:17">Deut. xxi. 17</A>),
|
||
|
|
but he never
|
||
|
|
tied himself to observe it. Some make this
|
||
|
|
typical of the preference given to the Gentiles
|
||
|
|
above the Jews; the Gentile converts were
|
||
|
|
much more numerous than those of the Jews.
|
||
|
|
See
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Gal+4:27">Gal. iv. 27</A>.
|
||
|
|
Thus free grace becomes
|
||
|
|
more illustrious.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
II. The particular tokens of his favour to
|
||
|
|
Joseph. 1. He left with him the promise of
|
||
|
|
their return out of Egypt, as a sacred trust:
|
||
|
|
<I>I die, but God shall be with you, and bring you
|
||
|
|
again,</I>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>.
|
||
|
|
Accordingly, Joseph, when he
|
||
|
|
died, left it with his brethren,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+50:24"><I>ch.</I> l. 24</A>.
|
||
|
|
This
|
||
|
|
assurance was given them, and carefully preserved
|
||
|
|
among them, that they might neither
|
||
|
|
love Egypt too much when it favoured them,
|
||
|
|
nor fear it too much when it frowned upon
|
||
|
|
them. These words of Jacob furnish us with
|
||
|
|
comfort in reference to the death of our
|
||
|
|
friends: <I>They die;</I> but God shall be with
|
||
|
|
us, and his gracious presence is sufficient to
|
||
|
|
make up the loss: they leave us, but he will
|
||
|
|
never fail us. Further, He will bring us to
|
||
|
|
the land of our fathers, the heavenly Canaan,
|
||
|
|
whither our godly fathers have gone before
|
||
|
|
us. If God be with us while we stay behind
|
||
|
|
in this world, and will receive us shortly to
|
||
|
|
be with those that have gone before to a better
|
||
|
|
world, we ought not to sorrow as those that
|
||
|
|
have no hope.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
2. He bestowed one portion
|
||
|
|
upon him above his brethren,
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+48:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>.
|
||
|
|
The
|
||
|
|
lands bequeathed are described to be those
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which he <I>took out of the hand of the Amorite
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with his sword, and with his bow.</I> He purchased
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them first
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+24:32">Josh. xxiv. 32</A>),
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and, it
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|
seems, was afterwards disseized of them by
|
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the Amorites, but retook them by the sword,
|
||
|
|
repelling force by force, and recovering his
|
||
|
|
right by violence when he could not otherwise
|
||
|
|
recover it. These lands he settled upon
|
||
|
|
Joseph; mention is made of this grant,
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+4:5">John iv. 5</A>.
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|
Pursuant to it, this parcel of ground
|
||
|
|
was given to the tribe of Ephraim as their
|
||
|
|
right, and the lot was never cast upon it;
|
||
|
|
and in it Joseph's bones were buried, which
|
||
|
|
perhaps Jacob had an eye to as much as to
|
||
|
|
any thing in this settlement. Note, It may
|
||
|
|
sometimes be both just and prudent to give
|
||
|
|
some children portions above the rest; but a
|
||
|
|
grave is that which we can most count upon
|
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|
|
as our own in this earth.</P>
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