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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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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<A NAME="Page243"> </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. XLV.</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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It is a pity that this chapter and the foregoing should be parted,
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and read asunder. There we had Judah's intercession for Benjamin,
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with which, we may suppose, the rest of his brethren
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signified their concurrence; Joseph let him go on without interruption,
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heard all he had to say, and then answered it all in one word,
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"I am Joseph." Now he found his brethren humbled for
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their sins, mindful of himself (for Judah had mentioned him
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twice in his speech), respectful to their father, and very tender
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of their brother Benjamin; now they were ripe for the comfort
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he designed them, by making himself known to them, the story
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of which we have in this chapter. It was to Joseph's brethren
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as clear shining after rain, nay, it was to them as life from the
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dead. Here is,
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I. Joseph's discovery of himself to his brethren,
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and his discourse with them upon that occasion,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:1-15">ver. 1-15</A>.
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II. The orders Pharaoh, hereupon, gave to fetch Jacob and his
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family down to Egypt, and Joseph's despatch of his brethren,
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accordingly, back to his father with those orders,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:16-24">ver. 16-24</A>.
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III. The joyful tidings of this brought to Jacob,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:25-28">ver. 25</A>,
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&c.</P>
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<A NAME="Ge45_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_9"> </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>Joseph Discovers Himself to His Brethren.</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 Then Joseph could not refrain
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himself before all them that stood
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by him; and he cried, Cause every
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man to go out from me. And there
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stood no man with him, while Joseph
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made himself known unto his brethren.
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2 And he wept aloud: and the
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Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh
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heard.
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3 And Joseph said unto his
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brethren, I <I>am</I> Joseph; doth my father
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yet live? And his brethren could
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not answer him; for they were troubled
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at his presence.
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4 And Joseph said
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unto his brethren, Come near to me,
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I pray you. And they came near.
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And he said, I <I>am</I> Joseph your brother,
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whom ye sold into Egypt.
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5 Now
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therefore be not grieved, nor angry
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with yourselves, that ye sold me
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hither: for God did send me before
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you to preserve life.
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6 For these two
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years <I>hath</I> the famine <I>been</I> in the land:
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and yet <I>there are</I> five years, in the
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which <I>there shall</I> neither <I>be</I> earing nor
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harvest.
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7 And God sent me before you
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to preserve you a posterity in the earth,
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and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
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8 So now <I>it was</I> not you <I>that</I>
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sent me hither, but God: and he hath
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made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord
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of all his house, and a ruler throughout
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all the land of Egypt.
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9 Haste
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ye, and go up to my father, and say
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unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph,
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God hath made me lord of all Egypt:
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come down unto me, tarry not:
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10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen,
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and thou shalt be near unto me,
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thou, and thy children, and thy children's
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children, and thy flocks, and thy
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herds, and all that thou hast:
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11 And
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there will I nourish thee; for yet <I>there
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are</I> five years of famine; lest thou,
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and thy household, and all that thou
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hast, come to poverty.
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12 And, behold,
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your eyes see, and the eyes of
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my brother Benjamin, that <I>it is</I> my
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mouth that speaketh unto you.
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13 And ye shall tell my father of all my
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glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have
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seen; and ye shall haste and bring
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<A NAME="Page244"> </A>
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down my father hither.
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14 And he
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fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck,
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and wept; and Benjamin wept upon
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his neck.
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15 Moreover he kissed all
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his brethren, and wept upon them: and
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after that his brethren talked with him.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Judah and his brethren were waiting for
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an answer, and could not but be amazed to
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discover, instead of the gravity of a judge,
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the natural affection of a father or brother.</P>
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<P>
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I. Joseph ordered all his attendants to
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withdraw,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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The private conversations
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of friends are the most free. When Joseph
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would put on love he puts off state, and it
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was not fit his servants should be witnesses
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of this. Thus Christ graciously manifests
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himself and his loving-kindness to his people,
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out of the sight and hearing of the world.</P>
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<P>
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II. Tears were the preface or introduction
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to his discourse,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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He had dammed up
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this stream a great while, and with much ado:
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but now it swelled so high that he could no
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longer contain, but <I>he wept aloud,</I> so that
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those whom he had forbidden to see him
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could not but hear him. These were tears of
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tenderness and strong affection, and with
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these he threw off that austerity with which
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he had hitherto carried himself towards his
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brethren; for he could bear it no longer.
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This represents the divine compassion towards
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returning penitents, as much as that of
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the father of the prodigal,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+15:20,Ho+14:8,9">Luke xv. 20; Hos. xiv. 8, 9</A>.</P>
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<P>
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III. He very abruptly (as one uneasy till
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it was out) tells them who he was: <I>I am Joseph.</I>
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They knew him only by his Egyptian
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name, <I>Zaphnath-paaneah,</I> his Hebrew name
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being lost and forgotten in Egypt; but now
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he teaches them to call him by that: <I>I am
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Joseph;</I> nay, that they might not suspect it
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was another of the same name, he explains
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himself
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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<I>I am Joseph, your brother.</I>
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This would both humble them yet more for
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their sin in selling him, and would encourage
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them to hope for kind treatment. Thus
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when Christ would convince Paul he said, <I>I
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am Jesus;</I> and when he would comfort his
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disciples he said, <I>It is I, be not afraid.</I> This
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word, at first, startled Joseph's brethren;
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they started back through fear, or at least
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stood still astonished; but Joseph called
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kindly and familiarly to them: <I>Come near, I
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pray you.</I> Thus when Christ manifests himself
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to his people he encourages them to draw
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near to him with a true heart. Perhaps,
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being about to speak of their selling him, he
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would not speak aloud, lest the Egyptians
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should overhear, and it should make the
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Hebrews to be yet more an abomination to
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them; therefore he would have them come
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near, that he might whisper with them, which,
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now that the tide of his passion was a little
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over, he was able to do, whereas at first he
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could not but cry out.</P>
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<P>
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IV. He endeavours to assuage their grief
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for the injuries they had done him, by showing
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them that whatever they designed God
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meant it for good, and had brought much
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good out of it
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>):
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<I>Be not grieved, nor
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angry with yourselves.</I> Sinners must grieve,
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and be angry with themselves, for their sins;
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yea, though God by his power brings good out
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of them, for no thanks are due to the sinner
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for this: but true penitents should be greatly
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affected when they see God thus bringing
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good out of evil, <I>meat out of the eater.</I>
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Though we must not with this consideration
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extenuate our own sins and so take off the
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edge of our repentance, yet it may be well
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thus to extenuate the sins of others and so
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take off the edge of our angry resentments.
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Thus Joseph does here; his brethren needed
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not to fear that he would avenge upon them
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an injury which God's providence had made
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to turn so much to his advantage and that of
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his family. Now he tells them how long the
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famine was likely to last--<I>five years;</I> yet
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>)
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what a capacity he was in of being kind
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to his relations and friends, which is the
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greatest satisfaction that wealth and power
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can give to a good man,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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See what a
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favourable colour he puts upon the injury
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they had done him: <I>God sent me before you,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:5,7"><I>v.</I> 5, 7</A>.
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Note,
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1. God's Israel is the particular
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care of God's providence. Joseph
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reckoned that his advancement was not so
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much designed to save a whole kingdom of
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Egyptians as to preserve a small family of
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Israelites: <I>for the Lord's portion is his people;</I>
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whatever becomes of others, they shall
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be secured.
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2. Providence looks a great way
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forward, and has a long reach. Even long
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before the years of plenty, Providence was
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preparing for the supply of Jacob's house in
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the years of famine. The psalmist praises
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God for this
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+105:17">Ps. cv. 17</A>):
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<I>He sent a man before
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them, even Joseph.</I> God sees his work
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from the beginning to the end, but we do
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not,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+3:11">Eccl. iii. 11</A>.
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How admirable are the
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projects of providence! How remote its
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tendencies! What wheels are there within
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wheels, and yet all directed by the eyes in
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the wheels, and the spirit of the living creature!
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Let us therefore judge nothing before
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the time.
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3. God often works by contraries.
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The envy and contention of brethren threaten
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the ruin of families, yet, in this instance,
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they prove the occasion of preserving Jacob's
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family. Joseph could never have been <I>the
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shepherd and stone of Israel</I> if his brethren
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had not shot at him, and hated him; even
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those that had wickedly sold Joseph into
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Egypt yet themselves reaped the benefit of
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the good God brought out of it; as those
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that put Christ to death were many of them
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saved by his death.
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4. God must have all
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the glory of the seasonable preservations of
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his people, by what way soever they are effected.
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<I>It was not you that sent me hither,
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but God,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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As, on the one hand, they
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must not fret at it, because it ended so well,
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so on the other hand they must not be proud
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<A NAME="Page245"> </A>
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of it, because it was God's doing, and not
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theirs. They designed, by selling him into
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Egypt, to defeat his dreams, but God thereby
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designed to accomplish them.
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+10:7">Isa. x. 7</A>,
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<I>Howbeit he meaneth not so.</I></P>
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<P>
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V. He promises to take care of his father
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and all the family during the rest of the years
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of famine.
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1. He desires that his father
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may speedily be made glad with the tidings
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of his life and dignity. His brethren must
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hasten to Canaan, and must inform Jacob
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that his son Joseph was <I>lord of all Egypt;</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>):
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they must tell him of all his glory
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there,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
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He knew it would be a refreshing
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oil to his hoary head and a sovereign
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cordial to his spirits. If any thing would
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make him young again, this would. He desires
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them to give themselves, and take with
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them to their father, all possible satisfaction
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of the truth of these surprising tidings:
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<I>Your eyes see that it is my mouth,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>.
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If they would recollect themselves, they might
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remember something of his features, speech,
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&c., and be satisfied.
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2. He is very earnest
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that his father and all his family should come
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to him to Egypt: <I>Come down unto me, tarry
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not,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>.
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He allots his dwelling in Goshen,
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that part of Egypt which lay towards Canaan,
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that they might be mindful of the country
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from which they were to come out,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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He promises to provide for him: <I>I
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will nourish thee,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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Note, It is the duty
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of children, if the necessity of their parents do
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at any time require it, to support and supply
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them to the utmost of their ability; and
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<I>Corban</I> will never excuse them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mk+7:11">Mark vii. 11</A>.
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This is showing piety at home,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1ti+5:4">1 Tim. v. 4</A>.
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Our Lord Jesus being, like Joseph, exalted
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to the highest honours and powers of the
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upper world, it is his will that all that are
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his should be with him where he is,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+17:24">John xvii. 24</A>.
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This is his commandment, that we
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be with him now in faith and hope, and a
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heavenly conversation; and this is his promise,
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that we shall be for ever with him.</P>
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<P>
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VI. Endearments were interchanged between
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him and his brethren. He began with
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the youngest, his own brother Benjamin, who
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was but about a year old when Joseph was
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separated from his brethren; they wept on
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each other's neck
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>),
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perhaps to think of
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their mother Rachel, who died in travail of
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Benjamin. Rachel, in her husband Jacob,
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had been lately weeping for her children, because,
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in his apprehension, they were not--Joseph
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gone, and Benjamin going; and now
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they were weeping for her, because she was
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not. After he had embraced Benjamin, he,
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in like manner, caressed them all
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>);
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and then <I>his brethren talked with him</I> freely and
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familiarly of all the affairs of their father's
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house. After the tokens of true reconciliation
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follow the instances of a sweet communion.</P>
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<A NAME="Ge45_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_23"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_24"> </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>Pharaoh's Kindness to Joseph.</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>16 And the fame thereof was heard
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in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's
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brethren are come: and it pleased
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Pharaoh well, and his servants.
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17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say
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unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade
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your beasts, and go, get you unto the
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land of Canaan;
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18 And take your
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father and your households, and come
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unto me: and I will give you the good
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of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat
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the fat of the land.
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19 Now thou art
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commanded, this do ye; take you
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wagons out of the land of Egypt for
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your little ones, and for your wives,
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and bring your father, and come.
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20 Also regard not your stuff; for the
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good of all the land of Egypt <I>is</I> yours.
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21 And the children of Israel did so:
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and Joseph gave them wagons, according
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to the commandment of Pharaoh,
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and gave them provision for the way.
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22 To all of them he gave each man
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changes of raiment; but to Benjamin
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he gave three hundred <I>pieces</I> of silver,
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and five changes of raiment.
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23 And
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to his father he sent after this <I>manner;</I>
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ten asses laden with the good
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things of Egypt, and ten she asses
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laden with corn and bread and meat
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for his father by the way.
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24 So he
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sent his brethren away, and they departed:
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and he said unto them, See
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that ye fall not out by the way.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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1. The kindness of Pharaoh to
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Joseph, and to his relations for his sake: he
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bade his brethren welcome
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>),
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though it
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was a time of scarcity, and they were likely to
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be a charge to him. Nay, because it pleased
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Pharaoh, it pleased his servants too, at least
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they pretended to be pleased because Pharaoh
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was. He engaged Joseph to send for
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his father down to Egypt, and promised to
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furnish them with all conveniences both for
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his removal thither and his settlement there.
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If the good of all the land of Egypt (as it
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was not better stocked than any other land,
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thanks to Joseph, under God) would suffice
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him, he was welcome to it all, it was all his
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own, even <I>the fat of the land</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>),
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so that
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they need not <I>regard their stuff,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>.
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What
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they had in Canaan he reckoned but stuff, in
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comparison with what he had for them in
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Egypt; and therefore if they should be constrained
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to leave some of that behind them,
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let them not be discontented; Egypt would
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afford them enough to make up the losses of
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their removal. Thus those for whom Christ
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intends shares in his heavenly glory ought
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not to regard the stuff of this world: The
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best of its enjoyments are but stuff, but
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<A NAME="Page246"> </A>
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lumber; we cannot make sure of it while we are
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here, much less can we carry it a way with us;
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let us not therefore be solicitous about it, nor
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set our eyes or hearts upon it. There are
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better things reserved for us in that blessed
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land whither our Joseph has gone to prepare
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a place.</P>
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<P>
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II. The kindness of Joseph to his father
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and brethren. Pharaoh was respectful to
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Joseph, in gratitude, because he had been an
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instrument of much good to him and his
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kingdom, not only preserving it from the
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common calamity, but helping to make it
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considerable among the nations; for all their
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neighbours would say, "Surely the Egyptians
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are a wise and an understanding people,
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that are so well stocked in a time of scarcity."
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For this reason Pharaoh never thought any
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thing too much that he could do for Joseph.
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Note, There is a gratitude owing even to inferiors;
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and when any have shown us kindness
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we should study to requite it, not only
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to them, but to their relations. And Joseph
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likewise was respectful to his father and
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brethren in duty, because they were his near
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relations, though his brethren had been his
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enemies, and his father long a stranger.
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1. He furnished them for necessity,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>.
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He gave them wagons and provisions for the
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way, both going and coming; for we never
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find that Jacob was very rich, and, at this
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time, when the famine prevailed, we may
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suppose he was rather poor.
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2. He furnished
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them for ornament and delight. To
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his brethren he gave two suits apiece of good
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clothes, to Benjamin five suits, and money
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besides in his pocket,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>.
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To his father
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he sent a very handsome present of the varieties
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of Egypt,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:23"><I>v.</I> 23</A>.
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Note, Those that are
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wealthy should be generous, and devise liberal
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things; what is an abundance good for,
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but to do good with it?
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3. He dismissed
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them with a seasonable caution: <I>See that
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you fall not out by the way,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:24"><I>v.</I> 24</A>.
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He knew
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they were but too apt to be quarrelsome; and
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what had lately passed, which revived the
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remembrance of what they had done formerly
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against their brother, might give them
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occasion to quarrel. Joseph had observed
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them to contend about it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+42:22"><I>ch.</I> xlii. 22</A>.
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To one
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they would say, "It was you that first upbraided
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him with his dreams;" to another,
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"It was you that said, Let us kill him;" to
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another, "It was you that stripped him of
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his fine coat;" to another, "It was you that
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threw him into the pit," &c. Now Joseph,
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having forgiven them all, lays this obligation
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upon them, not to upbraid one another.
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This charge our Lord Jesus has given to
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us, <I>that we love one another,</I> that we live in
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peace, that whatever occurs, or whatever former
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occurrences are remembered, we fall not
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out. For,
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(1.) We are brethren, we have all
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one Father.
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(2.) We are his brethren, and
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we shame our relation to him <I>who is our
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|
peace,</I> if we fall out.
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(3.) We are guilty,
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<I>verily guilty,</I> and, instead of quarrelling with
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one another, have a great deal of reason to
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|
fall out with ourselves.
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(4.) We are, or hope
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|
to be, forgiven of God whom we have all offended,
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and therefore should be ready to forgive
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one another.
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(5.) We are <I>by the way,</I> a
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way that lies through the land of Egypt,
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where we have many eyes upon us, that seek
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occasion and advantage against us, a way
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that leads to Canaan, where we hope to be
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for ever in perfect peace.</P>
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<A NAME="Ge45_25"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_26"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_27"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ge45_28"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The History of Joseph.</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>25 And they went up out of Egypt,
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and came into the land of Canaan unto
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Jacob their father,
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26 And told him,
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saying, Joseph <I>is</I> yet alive, and he <I>is</I>
|
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governor over all the land of Egypt.
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And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed
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them not.
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27 And they told
|
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him all the words of Joseph, which he
|
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had said unto them: and when he saw
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the wagons which Joseph had sent to
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carry him, the spirit of Jacob their
|
|
father revived:
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28 And Israel said, <I>It
|
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is</I> enough; Joseph my son <I>is</I> yet alive:
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I will go and see him before I die.
|
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here the good news brought to
|
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Jacob.
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1. The relation of it, at first, sunk
|
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his spirits. When, without any preamble,
|
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his sons came in, crying, <I>Joseph is yet alive,</I>
|
|
each striving which should first proclaim it,
|
|
perhaps he thought they bantered him, and
|
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the affront grieved him; or the very mention
|
|
of Joseph's name revived his sorrow, so that
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his heart fainted,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:26"><I>v.</I> 26</A>.
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It was a good while
|
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before he came to himself. He was in such
|
|
care and fear about the rest of them that at
|
|
this time it would have been joy enough to
|
|
him to hear that Simeon was released, and
|
|
that Benjamin had come safely home (for he
|
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had been ready to despair concerning both
|
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these); but to hear that <I>Joseph is alive</I> is too
|
|
good news to be true; he faints, for he believes
|
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it not. Note, We faint, because we do
|
|
not believe; David himself had fainted if he
|
|
had not believed,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+27:13">Ps. xxvii. 13</A>.
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2. The confirmation
|
|
of it, by degrees, revived his spirit.
|
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Jacob had easily believed his sons formerly
|
|
when they told him, <I>Joseph is dead;</I> but he
|
|
can hardly believe them now that they tell
|
|
him, <I>Joseph is alive.</I> Weak and tender spirits
|
|
are influenced more by fear than hope, and
|
|
are more apt to receive impressions that are
|
|
discouraging than those that are encouraging.
|
|
But at length Jacob is convinced of the truth
|
|
of the story, especially when he sees the
|
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waggons which were sent to carry him (for
|
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seeing is believing), then his <I>spirit revived.</I>
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|
Death is as the waggons which are sent to
|
|
fetch us to Christ: the very sight of it approaching
|
|
should revive us. Now Jacob is
|
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called Israel
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+45:28"><I>v.</I> 28</A>),
|
|
for he begins to recover
|
|
his wonted vigour.
|
|
|
|
(1.) It pleases him to
|
|
think that Joseph is alive. He says nothing
|
|
of Joseph's glory, of which they told him; it
|
|
|
|
<A NAME="Page247"> </A>
|
|
|
|
was enough to him that Joseph was alive.
|
|
Note, Those that would be content with less
|
|
degrees of comfort are best prepared for
|
|
greater.
|
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|
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(2.) It pleases him to think of going
|
|
to see him. Though he was old, and the
|
|
journey long, yet he would go to see Joseph,
|
|
because Joseph's business would not permit
|
|
him to come to see him. Observe, He says,
|
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"<I>I will go and see him,</I>" not, "I will go and
|
|
live with him;" Jacob was old, and did not
|
|
expect to live long; "But I will go and see
|
|
him <I>before I die,</I> and then let me depart in
|
|
peace; let my eyes be refreshed with this
|
|
sight before they are closed, and then it is
|
|
<I>enough,</I> I need no more to make me happy
|
|
in this world." Note, It is good for us all
|
|
to make death familiar to us, and to speak of
|
|
it as near, that we may think how little we
|
|
have to do before we die, that we may do it
|
|
with all our might, and may enjoy our comforts
|
|
as those that must quickly die, and
|
|
leave them.</P>
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