mh_parser/vol_split/1 - Genesis/Chapter 48.xml

<div2 id="Gen.xlix" n="xlix" next="Gen.l" prev="Gen.xlviii" progress="29.44%" title="Chapter XLVIII">
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<h2 id="Gen.xlix-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xlix-p0.2">CHAP. XLVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xlix-p1">The time drawing nigh that Israel must die,
having, in the former chapter, given order about his burial, in
this he takes leave of his grand-children by Joseph, and in the
next of all his children. Thus Jacob's dying words are recorded,
because he then spoke by a spirit of prophecy; Abraham's and
Isaac's are not. God's gifts and graces shine forth much more in
some saints than in others upon their death-beds. The Spirit, like
the wind, blows where it listeth. In this chapter, I. Joseph,
hearing of his father's sickness, goes to visit him, and takes his
two sons with him, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.1-Gen.48.2" parsed="|Gen|48|1|48|2" passage="Ge 48:1,2">ver. 1,
2</scripRef>. II. Jacob solemnly adopts his two sons, and takes
them for his own, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.3-Gen.48.7" parsed="|Gen|48|3|48|7" passage="Ge 48:3-7">ver.
3-7</scripRef>. III. He blesses them, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.8-Gen.48.16" parsed="|Gen|48|8|48|16" passage="Ge 48:8-16">ver. 8-16</scripRef>. IV. He explains and justifies
the crossing of his hands in blessing them, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.17-Gen.48.20" parsed="|Gen|48|17|48|20" passage="Ge 48:17-20">ver. 17-20</scripRef>. V. He leaves a particular
legacy to Joseph, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.21-Gen.48.22" parsed="|Gen|48|21|48|22" passage="Ge 48:21,22">ver. 21,
22</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Gen.xlix-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48" parsed="|Gen|48|0|0|0" passage="Ge 48" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Gen.xlix-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.1-Gen.48.7" parsed="|Gen|48|1|48|7" passage="Ge 48:1-7" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.48.1-Gen.48.7">
<h4 id="Gen.xlix-p1.8">Jacob's Last Illness. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlix-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1689.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlix-p2">1 And it came to pass after these things, that
<i>one</i> told Joseph, Behold, thy father <i>is</i> sick: and he
took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.   2 And
<i>one</i> told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto
thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.  
3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz
in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,   4 And said unto me,
Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will
make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy
seed after thee <i>for</i> an everlasting possession.   5 And
now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee
in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, <i>are</i>
mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.   6 And thy
issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, <i>and</i>
shall be called after the name of their brethren in their
inheritance.   7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel
died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet <i>there
was</i> but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her
there in the way of Ephrath; the same <i>is</i> Beth-lehem.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p3">Here, I. Joseph, upon notice of his
father's illness, goes to see him; though a man of honour and
business, yet he will not fail to show this due respect to his aged
father, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.1" parsed="|Gen|48|1|0|0" passage="Ge 48:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
Visiting the sick, to whom we lie under obligations, or may have
opportunity of doing good, either for body or soul, is our duty.
The sick bed is a proper place both for giving comfort and counsel
to others and receiving instruction ourselves. Joseph took his two
sons with him, that they might receive their dying grandfather's
blessing, and that what they might see in him, and hear from him,
might make an abiding impression upon them. Note, 1. It is good to
acquaint young people that are coming into the world with the aged
servants of God that are going out of it, whose dying testimony to
the

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goodness of God, and the pleasantness of
wisdom's ways, may be a great encouragement to the rising
generation. Manasseh and Ephraim (I dare say) would never forget
what passed at this time. 2. Pious parents are desirous of a
blessing, not only for themselves, but for their children. "O that
they may live before God!" Joseph had been, above all his brethren,
kind to his father, and therefore had reason to expect particular
favour from him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p4">II. Jacob, upon notice of his son's visit,
prepared himself as well as he could to entertain him, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.2" parsed="|Gen|48|2|0|0" passage="Ge 48:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. He did what he could to
rouse his spirits, and to stir up the gift that was in him; what
little was left of bodily strength he put forth to the utmost, and
<i>sat upon the bed.</i> Note, It is very good for sick and aged
people to be as lively and cheerful as they can, that they may not
faint in the day of adversity. <i>Strengthen thyself,</i> as Jacob
here, and God will strengthen thee; hearten thyself and help
thyself, and God will help and hearten thee. Let the spirit sustain
the infirmity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p5">III. In recompence to Joseph for all his
attentions to him, he adopted his two sons. In this charter of
adoption there is, 1. A particular recital of God's promise to him,
to which this had reference: "<i>God blessed me</i> (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.3" parsed="|Gen|48|3|0|0" passage="Ge 48:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), and let that blessing be
entailed upon them." God had promised him two things, a numerous
issue, and Canaan for an inheritance (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.4" parsed="|Gen|48|4|0|0" passage="Ge 48:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>); and Joseph's sons, pursuant
hereunto, should each of them multiply into a tribe, and each of
them have a distinct lot in Canaan, equal with Jacob's own sons.
See how he blessed them by faith in that which God had said to him,
<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.21" parsed="|Heb|11|21|0|0" passage="Heb 11:21">Heb. xi. 21</scripRef>. Note, In all
our prayers, both for ourselves and for our children, we ought to
have a particular eye to, and remembrance of, God's promises to us.
2. An express reception of Joseph's sons into his family: "<i>Thy
sons are mine</i> (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.5" parsed="|Gen|48|5|0|0" passage="Ge 48:5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>), not only my grand-children, but as my own children."
Though they were born in Egypt, and their father was then separated
from his brethren, which might seem to have cut them off from the
heritage of the Lord, yet Jacob takes them in, and owns them for
visible church members. He explains this at <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.16" parsed="|Gen|48|16|0|0" passage="Ge 48:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>, <i>Let my name be named upon
them, and the name of my fathers;</i> as if he had said, "Let them
not succeed their father in his power and grandeur here in Egypt,
but let them succeed me in the inheritance of the promise made to
Abraham," which Jacob looked upon as much more valuable and
honourable, and would have them to prize and covet accordingly.
Thus the aged dying patriarch teaches these young persons, now that
they were of age (being about twenty-one years old), not to look
upon Egypt as their home, nor to incorporate themselves with the
Egyptians, but to take their lot with the people of God, as Moses
afterwards in the like temptation, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.24-Heb.11.26" parsed="|Heb|11|24|11|26" passage="Heb 11:24-26">Heb. xi. 24-26</scripRef>. And because it would be a
piece of self-denial in them, who stood so fair for preferment in
Egypt, to adhere to the despised Hebrews, to encourage them he
constitutes each of them the head of a tribe. Note, Those are
worthy of double honour who, through God's grace, break through the
temptations of worldly wealth and preferment, to embrace religion
in disgrace and poverty. Jacob will have Ephraim and Manasseh to
believe that it is better to be low and in the church than high and
out of it, to be called by the name of poor Jacob than to be called
by the name of rich Joseph. 3. A proviso inserted concerning the
children he might afterwards have; they should not be accounted
heads of tribes, as Ephraim and Manasseh were, but should fall in
with either the one or the other of their brethren, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.6" parsed="|Gen|48|6|0|0" passage="Ge 48:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. It does not appear that
Joseph had any more children; however, it was Jacob's prudence to
give this direction, for the preventing of contest and
mismanagement. Note, In making settlements, it is good to take
advice, and to provide for what may happen, while we cannot foresee
what will happen. Our prudence must attend God's providence. 4.
Mention is made of the death and burial of Rachel, Joseph's mother,
and Jacob's best beloved wife (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.7" parsed="|Gen|48|7|0|0" passage="Ge 48:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), referring to that story,
<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.19" parsed="|Gen|35|19|0|0" passage="Ge 35:19"><i>ch.</i> xxxv. 19</scripRef>. Note,
(1.) When we come to die ourselves, it is good to call to mind the
death of our dear relations and friends, that have gone before us,
to make death and the grave the more familiar to us. See <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p5.10" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.13" parsed="|Num|27|13|0|0" passage="Nu 27:13">Num. xxvii. 13</scripRef>. Those that were to us
as our own souls are dead and buried; and shall we think it much to
follow them in the same path? (2.) The removal of dear relations
from us is an affliction the remembrance of which cannot but abide
with us a great while. Strong affections in the enjoyment cause
long afflictions in the loss.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Gen.xlix-p5.11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.8-Gen.48.22" parsed="|Gen|48|8|48|22" passage="Ge 48:8-22" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.48.8-Gen.48.22">
<h4 id="Gen.xlix-p5.12">Jacob Blesses the Sons of Joseph; Jacob's
Dying Prophecy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlix-p5.13">b. c.</span> 1689.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlix-p6">8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who
<i>are</i> these?   9 And Joseph said unto his father, They
<i>are</i> my sons, whom God hath given me in this <i>place.</i>
And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless
them.   10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, <i>so
that</i> he could not see. And he brought them 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

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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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p7">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 (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.21" parsed="|Heb|11|21|0|0" passage="Heb 11:21">Heb. xi. 21</scripRef>), 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 class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p8">1. Jacob was blind for age, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.10" parsed="|Gen|48|10|0|0" passage="Ge 48:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. It is one of the common
infirmities of old age. <i>Those that look out at the windows are
darkened,</i> <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.12.3" parsed="|Eccl|12|3|0|0" passage="Ec 12:3">Eccl. xii. 3</scripRef>.
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 class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p9">2. Jacob was very fond of Joseph's sons:
<i>He kissed them and embraced them,</i> <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.10" parsed="|Gen|48|10|0|0" passage="Ge 48:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. 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 (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.17.6" parsed="|Prov|17|6|0|0" passage="Pr 17:6">Prov.
xvii. 6</scripRef>), <i>Children's children are the crown of old
men.</i> With what satisfaction does Jacob say here (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.11" parsed="|Gen|48|11|0|0" passage="Ge 48:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), <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
(<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.9" parsed="|Gen|48|9|0|0" passage="Ge 48:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), <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 class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p10">3. Before he entails his blessing, he
recounts his experiences of God's goodness to him. He had spoken
(<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.3" parsed="|Gen|48|3|0|0" passage="Ge 48:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>) 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 (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.15-Gen.48.16" parsed="|Gen|48|15|48|16" passage="Ge 48:15,16"><i>v.</i> 15,
16</scripRef>) 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> <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.15" parsed="|Gen|48|15|0|0" passage="Ge 48:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. 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> <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.16" parsed="|Gen|48|16|0|0" passage="Ge 48:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. 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

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all evil, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.4.18" parsed="|2Tim|4|18|0|0" passage="2Ti 4:18">2 Tim. iv. 18</scripRef>. 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 class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p11">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, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.15" parsed="|Gen|48|15|0|0" passage="Ge 48:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. 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> <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1" parsed="|Gen|17|1|0|0" passage="Ge 17:1"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 1</scripRef>. 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 class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p12">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, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.12-Gen.48.13" parsed="|Gen|48|12|48|13" passage="Ge 48:12,13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>. But Jacob would put it
on the head of Ephraim the younger, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.14" parsed="|Gen|48|14|0|0" passage="Ge 48:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. This displeased Joseph, who was
willing to support the reputation of his first-born, and would
therefore have removed his father's hands, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.17-Gen.48.18" parsed="|Gen|48|17|48|18" passage="Ge 48:17,18"><i>v.</i> 17, 18</scripRef>. 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 (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.32-Num.1.33 Bible:Num.1.35 Bible:Num.2.18 Bible:Num.2.20" parsed="|Num|1|32|1|33;|Num|1|35|0|0;|Num|2|18|0|0;|Num|2|20|0|0" passage="Nu 1:32,33,35,2:18,20">Num. i. 32, 33, 35; ii. 18, 20</scripRef>),
and is named first, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.2" parsed="|Ps|80|2|0|0" passage="Ps 80:2">Ps. lxxx.
2</scripRef>. 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 <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p12.6" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.16.7" parsed="|1Sam|16|7|0|0" passage="1Sa 16:7">1 Sam. xvi. 7</scripRef>. He tied the Jews to
observe the birthright (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p12.7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.17" parsed="|Deut|21|17|0|0" passage="De 21:17">Deut. xxi.
17</scripRef>), 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 <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p12.8" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.27" parsed="|Gal|4|27|0|0" passage="Gal 4:27">Gal. iv. 27</scripRef>.
Thus free grace becomes more illustrious.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p13">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> <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.21" parsed="|Gen|48|21|0|0" passage="Ge 48:21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. Accordingly, Joseph, when he died, left it with his
brethren, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.24" parsed="|Gen|50|24|0|0" passage="Ge 50:24"><i>ch.</i> l. 24</scripRef>.
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,
<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.22" parsed="|Gen|48|22|0|0" passage="Ge 48:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. The lands
bequeathed are described to be those which he <i>took out of the
hand of the Amorite with his sword, and with his bow.</i> He
purchased them first (<scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.32" parsed="|Josh|24|32|0|0" passage="Jos 24:32">Josh. xxiv.
32</scripRef>), and, it seems, was afterwards disseized of them by
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, <scripRef id="Gen.xlix-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:John.4.5" parsed="|John|4|5|0|0" passage="Joh 4:5">John iv.
5</scripRef>. 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 as our own in this earth.</p>
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