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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Genesis, Chapter XLVI].</TITLE>
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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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[<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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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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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba:
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and the sons of Israel carried
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Jacob their father, and their little
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ones, and their wives, in the wagons
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which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
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6 And they took their cattle, and their
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goods, which they had gotten in the land
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of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob,
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and all his seed with him:
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7 His
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sons, and his sons' sons with him,
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his daughters, and his sons' daughters,
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and all his seed brought he with him
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into Egypt.
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8 And these <I>are</I> the
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names of the children of Israel, which
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came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons:
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Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
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9 And the
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sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu,
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and Hezron, and Carmi.
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10 And the
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sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin,
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and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar,
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and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish
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woman.
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11 And the sons of Levi;
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Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
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12 And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan,
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and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah:
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but Er and Onan died in the land of
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Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were
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Hezron and Hamul.
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13 And the sons
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of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and
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Job, and Shimron.
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14 And the sons
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of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and
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Jahleel.
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15 These <I>be</I> the sons of Leah,
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which she bare unto Jacob in Padan-aram,
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with his daughter Dinah: all the
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souls of his sons and his daughters
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<I>were</I> thirty and three.
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16 And the
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sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi,
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Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi,
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and Areli.
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17 And the sons of Asher;
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Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and
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Beriah, and Serah their sister: and
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the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
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18 These <I>are</I> the sons of Zilpah,
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whom Laban gave to Leah his
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daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob,
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<I>even</I> sixteen souls.
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19 The sons
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of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and
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Benjamin.
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20 And unto Joseph in
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<A NAME="Page249"> </A>
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the land of Egypt were born Manasseh
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and Ephraim, which Asenath
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the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of
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On bare unto him.
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21 And the sons
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of Benjamin <I>were</I> Belah, and Becher,
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and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi,
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and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and
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Ard.
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22 These <I>are</I> the sons of Rachel,
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which were born to Jacob: all
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the souls <I>were</I> fourteen.
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23 And the
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sons of Dan; Hushim.
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24 And the
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sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni,
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and Jezer, and Shillem.
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25 These <I>are</I>
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the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave
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unto Rachel his daughter, and she
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bare these unto Jacob: all the souls
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<I>were</I> seven.
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26 All the souls that
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came with Jacob into Egypt, which
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came out of his loins, besides Jacob's
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sons' wives, all the souls <I>were</I> threescore
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and six;
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27 And the sons of
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Joseph, which were born him in Egypt,
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<I>were</I> two souls: all the souls of the
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house of Jacob, which came into Egypt,
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<I>were</I> threescore and ten.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Old Jacob is here flitting. Little did he
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think of ever leaving Canaan; he expected,
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no doubt, <I>to die in his nest,</I> and to leave his
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seed in actual possession of the promised land:
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but Providence orders it otherwise. Note,
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Those that think themselves well settled may
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yet be unsettled in a little time. Even old
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people, who think of no other removal than
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that to the grave (which Jacob had much
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|
upon his heart,
|
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+37:35,42:38">ch. xxxvii. 35; xlii. 38</A>),
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sometimes live to see great changes in their family.
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It is good to be ready, not only for the grave,
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but for whatever may happen betwixt us and
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the grave. Observe,
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1. How Jacob was
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|
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,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:31"><I>v.</I> 31</A>.
|
|
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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