Page images
PDF
EPUB

Jofeph went out over all the land of Egypt.

and Governor of On, or Heliopolis, fay the Greek. He might be

both Prince and Priest, ch. 14. 18.

46. And Jofeph was thirty years old when he food before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Jofeph went out from the prefence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

47. And in the feven plenteous years the earth brought forth by bandfulls.

47. By handfulls: i.e. In great abundance, (v. 49.)

48. And be gathered up all the food of the Seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field which was round about every city, laid he up in the fame.

49. And Jofeph gathered corn as the fand of the fea, very much, untill be left numbering: for it was without number.

50. And unto Fofeph were born two sons before the years of famine came which Afenath the daughter of Poti pherah priest of On, bare unto him.

51. And Jofeph called the name of the first-born Manaffeh: for God, faid he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's boufe.

52. And the name of the fecond called he Ephraim: "for God hath caused me to be fruitfull in the land of my affliction.

53. And the feven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

54. And the feven years of dearth began to come, according as fofeph had said, and the dearth was in all lands: but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh faid unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Jofeph: what he faith to you

do.

$6. And

56. And the famine was over all the face of the earth, and fofeph opened all the ftore-houses, and fold unto the Egyptians and the famine waxed fore in the land Egypt.

57.

of

And all countries came into Egypt to Jofeph for to buy corn, because that the famine was fo fore in all lands.

CHAP. XLII.

The ARGUMENT.

[ocr errors]

Jacob fendeth his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn Jofeph chargeth them as being Spies. They make their Anfwer. They are imprisoned, and fet at liberty upon condition that they would bring Benjamin into Egypt. Their remor fe for their former ill ufage of Jofeph. Simeon is left in Egypt as a pledge. The rest are fent back with Corn, and their Money in their Sacks of Corn. They relate to Jacob what had befallen them, who is not willing to fend Benjamin.

1.

Now when Jacob saw that

there was corn in Egypt, Facob faid unto his fons, Why do ye look one upon another

[ocr errors]

2010 bas

SAw: The Scrip.

ture fometimes

puts fecing for hear ing. Thus all the people faw the thun

drings Exod. 20. 18. And fo here, when Jacob faw; i. e. when Jacob heard, as it is expreffed, Acts 7. 12. and v. 2. of this Chapter. Corn: The Hebrew word fignifies breaking, Corn being a principal thing wherewith we break our falt or hunger, Pfal. 104. 11. Why do ye look one upon another: i.e. Why are ye negligent or flothfull, as the Greek and Vulgar render it.

2. And be faid, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt : get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

2. Get you down' thither: Egypt was lower than the Land of Canaan. And we find the coming from

P

Egypt

Egypt thither, expreffed by a word that fignifies to afcend, as the going from Canaan to Egypt is expreffed by going down, ch. 45.9, 13.

3. And Jofeph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt

4. But Benjamin, Jofeph's brother, Jacob fent not with his brethren: for he said, Left peradventure mischief befall him.

4. Left peradventure: He was the more concerned for Benjamin, as being the onely Son (as

he supposed) of Rachel, whom he loved.

5. And the fans of Ifrael came to buy corn among thofe that came for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6. And Jofeph was the governor over the land, and he it was that fold to all the people of the land and Jofeph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him, with their faces to the earth. He did it partly in his own Perfon, vants and Officers. Bowed down: filled the Dream, ch. 37. 7.

6. Governor: The word in the Hebrew hath great saffinity with the word Sultan, and feems to be its Original. He it was that fold i, e. and partly by his SerAnd by doing fo ful

7. And fofeph Saw his brethren, and he knew thems but made himself frange unto them, and Spake roughly unto them; and he faid unto them, whence come ye? And they faid, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

8. And Jofeph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

out Walls or Garrison: And Jofeph might the more plaufibly charge his Brethren as Spies, because the way which they came from Canaan into Egypt is obferved to be the 7 way that was leaft defenfible against Spies or Common Ene

mies,

10. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy = food are thy fervants come.

II. We are all one man's fons, we are true men; thy fervants are no spies.

11. One man's fons: And it is not likely that one man would venture fo many chil dren upon fo dangerous a defign as that of fpying the nakedness of a Land; nor need a whole Country apprehend any danger from one Family.

+

[ocr errors]

12. And he faid unto them, Nay, but to fee the nas kedness of the land you are come.

13. And they faid, Thy fervants are twelve brethren, the fons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

13. Is not: i.e. Is dead, ch. 44. 10.

14. And fofeph faid unto them, That is it that I Spake unto you, faying, Te are fpies.

15. Hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest

brother come hither,

15. By the life of Pharaoh: This is at

leaft a vehement afleveration, or appreca

tion of life and health

to Pharaoh, which Jofeph ufeth to affure his Brethren of his intentions. Thus much the phrafe elfewhere seems to import, 1 Sam. 1.26. And then the fenfe of Jofeph's words is, as if he had faid, As fure as Pharaoh lives: Or, As fincerely as I defire the life and welfare of Pharaoh, vid. Ezek. 33. II. Te fhall not go: i. e. Ye fhall not all go. Ex cept, &c. ie. Unless you do agree to bring with you your youngest Brother.

16. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prifon, that your words may be proved,

Pi

proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh furely ye are spies.

17. And he put them all together into ward, three days.

18. And Jofeph faid unto them the third day, This do, and live for I fear God.

19. If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prifon go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses.

20. But bring your youngest brother unto me; fo fhall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did fo.

21. And they faid one to another, We are verily guilty concern. ing our brother in that we saw the anguish of his foul, when he befought us; and we would not hear therefore is this diftrefs come upon us.

the time when they

22. And Reuben anfwered them, faying, Spake I not unto you, faying, Do not fin against the child, and ye would not hear? therefore behold alf, his blood is required.

23. And they knew not that foSeph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

21. We are verily guilty, &c. Thus their affliction brings their Hof.5. 15. When they ftand in need of mer

fin to remembrance,

[ocr errors]

cy, they remember refufed to fhew it.

22. Reuben anfwer ed: Compare ch. 37°

21, 22.

23. By an Inter

preter: Who poffi bly was out of the way at this time.

24. Simeon: The eldelt Son next to Reuben, (who endeavoured his deliverance,) and was the

more blameable for ch. 34. 25. and ch. 49.5. not pleading for Jo

Jeph: He was of a cruel difpofition,
and 'tis like had thewed it in his carriage to Jofeph.

25. Then

« PreviousContinue »