352 lines
25 KiB
XML
352 lines
25 KiB
XML
<div2 id="Gen.xlvii" n="xlvii" next="Gen.xlviii" prev="Gen.xlvi" progress="28.53%" title="Chapter XLVI">
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<pb id="Gen.xlvii-Page_247" n="247"/>
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<h2 id="Gen.xlvii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
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<h3 id="Gen.xlvii-p0.2">CHAP. XLVI.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="Gen.xlvii-p1">Jacob is here removing to Egypt in his old age,
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forced thither by a famine, and invited thither by a son. Here, I.
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God sends him thither, <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.1-Gen.46.4" parsed="|Gen|46|1|46|4" passage="Ge 46:1-4">ver.
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1-4</scripRef>. II. All his family goes with him, <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.5-Gen.46.27" parsed="|Gen|46|5|46|27" passage="Ge 46:5-27">ver. 5-27</scripRef>. III. Joseph bids him
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welcome, <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.28-Gen.46.34" parsed="|Gen|46|28|46|34" passage="Ge 46:28-34">ver. 28-34</scripRef>.</p>
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<scripCom id="Gen.xlvii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46" parsed="|Gen|46|0|0|0" passage="Ge 46" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="Gen.xlvii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.1-Gen.46.4" parsed="|Gen|46|1|46|4" passage="Ge 46:1-4" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.46.1-Gen.46.4">
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<h4 id="Gen.xlvii-p1.6">Jacob Sacrifices at
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Beersheba. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlvii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlvii-p2">1 And Israel took his journey with all that he
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had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of
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his father Isaac. 2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions
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of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here <i>am</i>
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I. 3 And he said, I <i>am</i> God, the God of thy father:
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fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a
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great nation: 4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I
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will also surely bring thee up <i>again:</i> and Joseph shall put
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his hand upon thine eyes.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p3">The divine precept is, <i>In all thy ways
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acknowledge God;</i> and the promise annexed to it is, <i>He shall
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direct thy paths.</i> Jacob has here a very great concern before
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him, not only a journey, but a removal, to settle in another
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country, a change which was very surprising to him (for he never
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had any other thoughts than to live and die in Canaan), and which
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would be of great consequence to his family for a long time to
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come. Now here we are told,</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p4">I. How he acknowledged God in this way. He
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<i>came to Beersheba,</i> from Hebron, where he now dwelt; and
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there <i>he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac,</i>
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<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.1" parsed="|Gen|46|1|0|0" passage="Ge 46:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. He chose that
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place, in remembrance of the communion which his father and
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grandfather had with God in that place. Abraham called on God there
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(<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.33" parsed="|Gen|21|33|0|0" passage="Ge 21:33"><i>ch.</i> xxi. 33</scripRef>), so
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did Isaac (<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.25" parsed="|Gen|26|25|0|0" passage="Ge 26:25"><i>ch.</i> xxvi.
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25</scripRef>), and therefore Jacob made it the place of his
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devotion, the rather because it lay in his way. In his devotion, 1.
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He had an eye to God as the God of his father Isaac, that is, a God
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in covenant with him; for by Isaac the covenant was entailed upon
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him. God had forbidden Isaac to go down to Egypt when there was a
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famine in Canaan (<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.2" parsed="|Gen|26|2|0|0" passage="Ge 26:2"><i>ch.</i> xxvi.
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2</scripRef>), which perhaps Jacob calls to mind when he consults
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God as the God of his father Isaac, with this thought, "Lord,
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though I am very desirous to see Joseph, yet if thou forbid me to
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go down to Egypt, as thou didst my father Isaac, I will submit, and
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very contentedly stay where I am." 2. He <i>offered sacrifices,</i>
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extraordinary sacrifices, besides those at his stated times; these
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sacrifices were offered, (1.) By way of thanksgiving for the late
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blessed change of the face of his family, for the good news he had
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received concerning Joseph, and for the hopes he had of seeing him.
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Note, We should give God thanks for the beginnings of mercy, though
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they are not yet perfected; and this is a decent way of begging
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further mercy. (2.) By way of petition for the presence of God with
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him in his intended journey; he desired by these sacrifices to make
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his peace with God, to obtain the forgiveness of sin, that he might
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take no guilt along with him in this journey, for that is a bad
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companion. By Christ, the great sacrifice, we must reconcile
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ourselves to God, and offer up our requests to him. (3.) By way of
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consultation. The heathen consulted their oracles by sacrifice.
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Jacob would not go till he had asked God's leave: "Shall I go down
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to Egypt, or back to Hebron?" Such must be our enquiries in
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doubtful cases; and, though we cannot expect immediate answers from
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heaven, yet, if we diligently attend to the directions of the word,
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conscience, and providence, we shall find it is not in vain to ask
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counsel of God.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p5">II. How God directed his paths: <i>In the
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visions of the night</i> (probably the very next night after he had
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offered his sacrifices, as <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.7" parsed="|2Chr|1|7|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:7">2 Chron. i.
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7</scripRef>) <i>God spoke unto him,</i> <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.2" parsed="|Gen|46|2|0|0" passage="Ge 46:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Note, Those who desire to keep up
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communion with God shall find that it never fails on his side. If
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we speak to him as we ought, he will not fail to speak to us. God
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called him by name, by his old name, <i>Jacob, Jacob,</i> to remind
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him of his low estate; his present fears did scarcely become an
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Israel. Jacob, like one well acquainted with the visions of the
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Almighty, and ready to obey them, answers, "<i>Here I am,</i> ready
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to receive orders:" and what has God to say to him?</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p6">1. He renews the covenant with him: <i>I am
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God, the God of thy father</i> (<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.3" parsed="|Gen|46|3|0|0" passage="Ge 46:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>); that is, "I am what thou ownest
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me to be: thou shalt find me a God, a divine wisdom and power
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engaged for thee; and thou shalt find me the God of thy father,
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true to the covenant made with him."</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p7">2. He encourages him to make this removal
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of his family: <i>Fear not to go down into Egypt.</i> It seems,
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though Jacob, upon the first intelligence of Joseph's life and
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glory in Egypt, resolved, without any hesitation, <i>I will go and
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see him;</i> yet, upon second thoughts, he saw some difficulties in
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it, which
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<pb id="Gen.xlvii-Page_248" n="248"/>
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he knew not well how to get over.
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Note, Even those changes that seem to have in them the greatest
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joys and hopes, yet have an alloy of cares and fears, <i>Nulla est
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sincera voluptas—There is no unmingled pleasure.</i> We must
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always rejoice with trembling. Jacob had many careful thoughts
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about this journey, which God took notice of. (1.) He was old, 130
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years old; and it is mentioned as one of the infirmities of old
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people that they are <i>afraid of that which is high, and fears are
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in the way,</i> <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.12.5" parsed="|Eccl|12|5|0|0" passage="Ec 12:5">Eccl. xii.
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5</scripRef>. It was a long journey, and Jacob was unfit for
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travel, and perhaps remembered that his beloved Rachel died in a
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journey. (2.) He feared lest his sons should be tainted with the
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idolatry of Egypt, and forget the God of their fathers, or
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enamoured with the pleasures of Egypt, and forget the land of
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promise. (3.) Probably he thought of what God had said to Abraham
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concerning the bondage and affliction of his seed (<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.13" parsed="|Gen|15|13|0|0" passage="Ge 15:13"><i>ch.</i> xv. 13</scripRef>), and was
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apprehensive that his removal to Egypt would issue in that. Present
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satisfactions should not take us off from the consideration and
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prospect of future inconveniences, which possibly may arise from
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what now appears most promising. (4.) He could not think of laying
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his bones in Egypt. But, whatever his discouragements were, this
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was enough to answer them all, <i>Fear not to go down into
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Egypt.</i></p>
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<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p8">3. He promises him comfort in the removal.
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(1.) That he should multiply in Egypt: "<i>I will there,</i> where
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thou fearest that thy family will sink and be lost, <i>make it a
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great nation.</i> That is the place Infinite Wisdom has chosen for
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the accomplishment of that promise." (2.) That he should have God's
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presence with him: <i>I will go down with thee into Egypt.</i>
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Note, Those that go whither God sends them shall certainly have God
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with them, and that is enough to secure them wherever they are and
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to silence their fears; we may safely venture even into Egypt if
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God go down with us. (3.) That neither he nor his should be lost in
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Egypt: <i>I will surely bring thee up again.</i> Though Jacob died
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in Egypt, yet this promise was fulfilled, [1.] In the bringing up
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of his body, to be buried in Canaan, about which, it appears, he
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was very solicitous, <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.29 Bible:Gen.49.32" parsed="|Gen|49|29|0|0;|Gen|49|32|0|0" passage="Ge 49:29,32"><i>ch.</i>
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xlix. 29, 32</scripRef>. [2.] In the bringing up of his seed to be
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settled in Canaan. Whatever low or darksome valley we are called
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into at any time, we may be confident, if God go down with us into
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it, that he will surely bring us up again. If he go with us down to
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death, he will surely bring us up again to glory. (4.) That living
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and dying, his beloved Joseph should be a comfort to him: <i>Joseph
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shall put his hand upon thine eyes.</i> This is a promise that
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Joseph should live as long as he lived, that he should be with him
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at his death, and close his eyes with all possible tenderness and
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respect, as the dearest relations used to do. Probably Jacob, in
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the multitude of his thoughts within him, had been wishing that
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Joseph might do this last office of love for him: <i>Ille meos
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oculos comprimat—Let him close my eyes;</i> and God thus answered
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him in the letter of his desire. Thus God sometimes gratifies the
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innocent wishes of his people, and makes not only their death
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happy, but the very circumstances of it agreeable.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="Gen.xlvii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.5-Gen.46.27" parsed="|Gen|46|5|46|27" passage="Ge 46:5-27" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.46.5-Gen.46.27">
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<h4 id="Gen.xlvii-p8.3">Jacob's Removal to Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlvii-p8.4">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlvii-p9">5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the
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sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones,
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and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
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6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they
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had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and
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all his seed with him: 7 His sons, and his sons' sons with
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him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed
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brought he with him into Egypt. 8 And these <i>are</i> the
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names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and
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his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn. 9 And the sons of
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Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi. 10 And
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the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and
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Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. 11 And the
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sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 And the sons
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of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er
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and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were
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Hezron and Hamul. 13 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and
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Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. 14 And the sons of Zebulun;
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Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These <i>be</i> the sons of
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Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter
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Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters <i>were</i>
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thirty and three. 16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and
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Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. 17 And
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the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and
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Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
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18 These <i>are</i> the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to
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Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, <i>even</i>
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sixteen souls. 19 The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph,
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and Benjamin. 20 And unto Joseph in
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<pb id="Gen.xlvii-Page_249" n="249"/>
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the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the
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daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him. 21 And
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the sons of Benjamin <i>were</i> Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel,
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Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
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22 These <i>are</i> the sons of Rachel, which were born to
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Jacob: all the souls <i>were</i> fourteen. 23 And the sons
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of Dan; Hushim. 24 And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and
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Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These <i>are</i> the sons
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of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare
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these unto Jacob: all the souls <i>were</i> seven. 26 All
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the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his
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loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls <i>were</i>
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threescore and six; 27 And the sons of Joseph, which were
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born him in Egypt, <i>were</i> two souls: all the souls of the
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house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, <i>were</i> threescore and
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ten.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p10">Old Jacob is here flitting. Little did he
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think of ever leaving Canaan; he expected, no doubt, <i>to die in
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his nest,</i> and to leave his seed in actual possession of the
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promised land: but Providence orders it otherwise. Note, Those that
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think themselves well settled may yet be unsettled in a little
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time. Even old people, who think of no other removal than that to
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the grave (which Jacob had much upon his heart, <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.35 Bible:Gen.42.38" parsed="|Gen|37|35|0|0;|Gen|42|38|0|0" passage="Ge 37:35,42:38">ch. xxxvii. 35; xlii. 38</scripRef>), sometimes
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live to see great changes in their family. It is good to be ready,
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not only for the grave, but for whatever may happen betwixt us and
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the grave. Observe, 1. How Jacob was conveyed; not in a chariot,
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though chariots were then used, but in a waggon, <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.5" parsed="|Gen|46|5|0|0" passage="Ge 46:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Jacob had the character of a
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plain man, who did not affect any thing stately or magnificent; his
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son rode in a chariot (<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.43" parsed="|Gen|41|43|0|0" passage="Ge 41:43"><i>ch.</i> xli.
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43</scripRef>), but a waggon would serve him. 2. The removal of
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what he had with him. (1.) His effects (<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.6" parsed="|Gen|46|6|0|0" passage="Ge 46:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), <i>cattle and goods;</i> these
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he took with him that he might not wholly be beholden to Pharaoh
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for a livelihood, and that it might not afterwards be said of them,
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"that they came beggars to Egypt." (2.) His family, <i>all his
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seed,</i> <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.7" parsed="|Gen|46|7|0|0" passage="Ge 46:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. It is
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probable that they had continued to live together in common with
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their father; and therefore when he went they all went, which
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perhaps they were the more willing to do, because, though they had
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heard that the land of Canaan was promised them, yet, to this day,
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they had none of it in possession. We have here a particular
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account of the names of Jacob's family, <i>his sons' sons,</i> most
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of whom are afterwards mentioned as heads of houses in the several
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tribes. See <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.5-Num.26.65" parsed="|Num|26|5|26|65" passage="Nu 26:5-65">Num. xxvi. 5</scripRef>,
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&c. Bishop Patrick observes that Issachar called his eldest son
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<i>Tola,</i> which signifies a <i>worm,</i> probably because when
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he was born he was a very little weak child, a worm, and no man,
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not likely to live; and yet there sprang from him a very numerous
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offspring, <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.7" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.7.2" parsed="|1Chr|7|2|0|0" passage="1Ch 7:2">1 Chron. vii. 2</scripRef>.
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Note, Living and dying do not go by probability. The whole number
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that went down into Egypt was sixty-six (<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.26" parsed="|Gen|46|26|0|0" passage="Ge 46:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), to which add Joseph and his
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two sons, who were there before, and Jacob himself, the head of the
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family, and you have the number of seventy, <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.27" parsed="|Gen|46|27|0|0" passage="Ge 46:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. The LXX. makes them
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seventy-five, and Stephen follows them (<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.10" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.14" parsed="|Acts|7|14|0|0" passage="Ac 7:14">Acts vii. 14</scripRef>), the reason of which we leave to
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the conjecture of the critics; but let us observe, [1.] Masters of
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families ought to take care of all under their charge, and to
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provide for those of their own house food convenient both for body
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and soul. When Jacob himself removed to a land of plenty, he would
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not leave any of his children behind him to starve in a barren
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land. [2.] Though the accomplishment of promises is always sure,
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yet it is often slow. It was now 215 years since God had promised
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Abraham to make of him a great nation (<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.2" parsed="|Gen|12|2|0|0" passage="Ge 12:2"><i>ch.</i> xii. 2</scripRef>); and yet that branch of his
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seed on which the promise was entailed had increased only to
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seventy, of which this particular account is kept, that the power
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of God in multiplying these seventy to so vast a multitude, even in
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Egypt, may appear the more illustrious. When God pleases, <i>a
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little one shall become a thousand,</i> <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p10.12" osisRef="Bible:Isa.60.22" parsed="|Isa|60|22|0|0" passage="Isa 60:22">Isa. lx. 22</scripRef>.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="Gen.xlvii-p10.13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.28-Gen.46.34" parsed="|Gen|46|28|46|34" passage="Ge 46:28-34" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.46.28-Gen.46.34">
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<h4 id="Gen.xlvii-p10.14">Meeting between Jacob and
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Joseph. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.15">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlvii-p11">28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to
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direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
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29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet
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Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and
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he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30
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And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy
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face, because thou <i>art</i> yet alive. 31 And Joseph said
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unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and
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show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house,
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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
|
||
|
||
<pb id="Gen.xlvii-Page_250" n="250"/>
|
||
|
||
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.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p12">We have here, I. The joyful meeting between
|
||
Jacob and his son Joseph, in which observe,</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p13">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,
|
||
<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.28" parsed="|Gen|46|28|0|0" passage="Ge 46:28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. We should be
|
||
very careful not to give offence to any, especially not to the
|
||
higher powers.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p14">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 class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p15">3. Jacob's great satisfaction in this
|
||
meeting: <i>Now let me die,</i> <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.30" parsed="|Gen|46|30|0|0" passage="Ge 46:30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. 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 class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p16">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,
|
||
<scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.31" parsed="|Gen|46|31|0|0" passage="Ge 46:31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. 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, <scripRef id="Gen.xlvii-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.24" parsed="|1Cor|7|24|0|0" passage="1Co 7:24">1 Cor. vii. 24</scripRef>. 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>
|
||
</div></div2> |