25. Then Jofeph commanded to fill their facks with corn, and to reStore every man's money into his fack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them,

25. To reftore: An act of Mercy in Jofeph this was, confidering his Father's neceffity at present.

26. And they laded their affes with the corn, and departed thence.

27. And as one of them opened his fack to give his afs provender in the inn, he efpied his money: for behold, it was in his fack's mouth.

28. And be faid unto his brethren, My money is restored; and lo, it is even in my fack: and their beart failed them, and they were afraid, faying one to another, what is this that God hath done unto us?

28. Afraid: Guilt makes Men fo, Levit. 26,36. God hath done: They juftly own the

hand of God.

29. And they came unto Facob their father, unto the = land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them, Saying,

30. The man who is the lord of the land, Spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

31. And we faid unto him, We are true men; we are no Jpies.

32. we be twelve brethren, fons of our father one is not, and the youngeft is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33. Take food for the famine: The words are Elliptical in the Hebrew, and thould take that import that they provifion which was

wanting in their family: As the Chaldee hath it. 34. And bring your youngest brother unto me: then Shell I know that you are no fpies, but that you are true

men: fo will I deliver you your brother, and ye fhall traffick in the land.

4

35. And it came to pass as they emptied their facks, that behold, every man's bundle of money was in his fack and when both they and their father faw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

35. Afraid: They might fear to be ac cufed of Theft, cb, 43.22.

36. And Facob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Jofeph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

37. And Reuben Spake unto his father, faying, Slay my two fons, if I bring him not to thee; deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

in

38. And he faid, My fon fhall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way the which ye go, then fhall ye bring down my gray hairs with forrow to the grave.

38. Alone: i. e The onely Child as he fuppofed of his

Mother. See v. 4.

CHA P. XLIII.

The ARGUMENT.

Jacob is hardly perfwaded to fend Benjamin into Egypt. Jofeph entertaineth his Brethren at a Feaft.

ND the famine was fore I Sore:

Į.

A in the land."

Grievous

or heavy, as the

Hebrew word fignifies.

2. A little food: At leaft fo much as will ferve the prefent neceffity.

2. And it came to pass when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father faid unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

3. And Judah Spake unto him, faying, The man did folemnly proteft unto us, faying, Ye shall not fee my face, except your brother be with

you.

3. Solemnly proteft: Or, protesting protested, as in the Hebrew.

See the Notes on ch. 42.15. See my face: i.e. Come into my

prefence, nor be admitted to buy any Corn. See 2 Sam. 14.24, 32. Acts 20. 25, 38.

4. If thou wilt fend our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food.

5. But if thou wilt not fend him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not fee my face, except your brother be

with you.

5. We will not go down: It will be to no purpose. We cannot go down, ch. 44.

26.

6. And Ifrael faid, Wherefore dealt ye fo ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

7. And they faid, The man asked us ftraitly of our ftate, and of our kindred, faying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: Could we certainly know that he would fay, Bring your brother down?

8. And Judah faid unto Ifrael his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arife and that we go; may live and not die, both we, and thou, and alfo our little ones.

8. The Lad: He was the youngest of Jacob's Sons, and might therefore be

called the Young man

by thofe of Jacob's

family. He was at this time the Father of feveral Children, (ch.46.21.) And the Hebrew word we render Lad, does not imply him to be a fripling, but a young man onely, 2 Sam, 18.5, 12. Gen. 22. 5.

P 4

9. I will

9. I will be furety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not unto thee, and fet him be fore thee, then let me bear the blame for ever.

10. For except we had lingred, furely now we had returned this fecond time.

11 And their father Ifrael faid unto them, If it must be fo now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your veffels, and carry down the man a prefent, a little balm, and a little honey, Spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds.

:

12. And take double money in your hand and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your Jacks, carry it again in your hand; per adventure it was an over-fight.

11. A prefent: To gain Jofeph's favour. This courfe Jacob had fore, ch. 32. 20. See fuccessfully tried beProv. 18. 16. ch.21.

14.

12. Double money: i. e. Other money, (v. 22.) befides the found in their Sacks. fumm which they Over-fight: An er

ror or mistake, as the Hebrew word fignifies.

13. Take also your brother, and arife, go again unto the man.

14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that be may fend away your other brother, and Benjamin: if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

14. God Almighty: Who ought to be our refuge, and who able to turn the hearts of Men, Prov. 21. I. If I be be

is

reaved of my children, I am bereaved: q. d. Having taken this courfe, I intirely commit the fuccefs to God, and referr my felf to him. "Be it now as it will; If I am bereaved, I am bereaved. See the like expression, Estk. 4. 16. If I perish, I perib.

15. And the men took that prefent, and they took double raoney in their hand, and Benjamin; and refe up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Jofeph.

I.C

16. And

16. And when fofeph Saw Benjamin with them, he faid to the ruler of his houfe, Bring these men home, and play, and make ready: for thefe men fhall dine with me

at noon.

16. At noon: At the ufual time of eating. See the Chal

dee.

17. And the man did as Jofeph bad and the man brought the men into Jofeph's house. 18. And the men were afraid, because they were brought into FoSepb's houfe, and they faid, Because of the money that was returned in our Jacks at the first time, are we brought in, that he may feek occafion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our affes.

18. That he may Seek occafion against us: Or, Roll himself upon us, Hebr. They who had not fhewed Mercy are very prone to believe they fhall receive none.

19. And they came near to the Steward of Jofeph's houfe, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

.

20. And faid, O fir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food.

21. And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our facks, and behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his fack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our band.

21. Every man's money: As appeared his Sack and found after one had opened his money, and told his Brethren of it, ch.42. 27, 28.

22. And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our facks.

23. And he faid, Peace be to 204, fear not your God, and the God of your father bath given you

23. Your God, &c, This Servant of Fofeph was taught the knowledge