Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 50
CHAP. L.
1, Ioseph weepeth for, and imbalmeth his father. 4, He getteth leave of Pharaoh, to goe to bury him. 7, The funer all solemnized by the Elders of Egypt; and by Ioseph and his brethren. 13, Iakob is buried in Machpelah. 15, Iosephs brethren aske him for givenesse. 19, He comforteth them. 22, His age, 23, He seeth the third generation of his sonnes. 24, Hee prophesieth unto his brethren, of their returne into Canaan. 25, He taketh an oath of them, to cary his bones. 26, He dieth, is imbalmed, and chested in Egypt.
ANd Ioseph fell, upon his fathers face; and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Ioseph commanded his servants the Physitians; to imbalme his father: and the Physicians imbalmed Israel. And fourtie dayes were fulfilled for him; for so, are fulfilled, the dayes of the imbalmed: and the Egyptians wept for him, seventie dayes. And the dayes of his weeping, were passed; and Ioseph spake, unto the house of Pharaoh, saying: If now, I have found grace, in your eyes; speake I pray you, in the eares of Pharaoh, saying. My father made me swear saying; Loe I, dye: in my grave, which I have digged for me, in the land of Canaan; there shalt thou bury mee: And now, let me g…-up I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come againe. And Pharaoh said: Go-up, and bury thy father, as he made thee sweare. And Ioseph went-up, to bury his father: and with him, went-up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house: and all the elders, of the land of Egypt. And all the house of Ioseph; and his brethren, and his fathers house: onelyonly their little-ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him, both charrets and horsmen: and it was, a very great company. And they came, unto the threshing-floore of Atad; which was beyond Iordan; and they wailed there, with a very great and heavy wayling: and he made a mourning, for his father seven dayes. And the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning, in the threshing-floore of Atad; and they sayd, this is a heavy mourning, to the Egyptians: therefore the name of it was called, The mourning of the Egyptians; which is beyong Iordan. And his sonnes, did unto him; so, as he had commanded them. And his sonnes caried him, into the land of Canaan; and buried him, in the cave of the field of Macpelah: which Abraham bought, with the field, for a possession of a burying place; of Ephron the Chethite, before Mamree. And Ioseph returned into Egypt, he and his brethren; and all that went-up with him, to bury his father: after, he had buried his father. And Iosephs brethren saw, that their father was dead; and they said; Ioseph will peradventure hate us: and rendring will render, unto us; all the evill, which wee have rewarded him. And they commanded (some) unto Ioseph, saying: thy father did command, before he dyed, saying. Thus shall ye say unto Ioseph; I pray thee forgive now, the trespasse of thy brethren and their sinne, for they rewarded thee evill; and now, we pray thee forgive; the trespasse of the servants, of the God of thy father: and Ioseph wept, when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went, and fel downe before him: and said; Behold we be to thee, for servants. And Ioseph sayd unto them, feare not; for, am I in the place of GOD? And you, ye meant against mee evill: God meant it unto good; for to doe, as it is this day, to save-alive much people. And now, feare ye not; I will nourish you, and your little ones: and he comforted them; and spake, unto their heart. And Ioseph dwelt in Egypt; hee, and his fathers house: and Ioseph lived, an hundred and ten yeeres. And Ioseph saw, unto Ephraim; sonnes, of the third generation: also the sonnes of Machir, sonne of Manasses; were borne, upon Iosephs knees. And Ioseph said, unto his brethren; I dye: and God, visiting will visit you, and will, make you goe-up out of this land unto the land, which he sware to Abraham, to Isaak, and to Iakob. And Ioseph, made the sonnes of Israel swear, saying; God visiting will visit you; and yee shall carie up my bones, from hence. And Ioseph dyed, an hundred and ten yeeres old: and they imbalmed him, and hee was put in an arke, in Egypt.
Annotations.
PHysicians] in Greeke imbalmers. imbalm] which was, with myrrh, aloes, and other spices, that the dead bodies might not stinke or putrifie, Ioh. 19. 39. 40. so laying them as in a bed of sweet odours, 2 Chron. 16. 14. and this with the solemnities of his buriall, was to doe Iakob honor at his death, as 2 Chron. 32. 33. and to keepe his body sweet, for buriall in Canaan: besides further mysterie of the resurrection with incorruption in Christ, who was also imbalmed himselfe, Mark. 14. 8. Ioh. 12. 7. and 19. 40. Of the Egyptian manner of imbalming and burying in ages following it is said by historiographers, that they tooke out the bowels of the dead, cleansed them, and washed them with wine of dates, and after that againe with odours: then filled they the bowels with pure myrrh beaten, and Cassia, and other odours (except frankincense;) and sowed them up. After this they seasoned the corps hidden in nitre, seventy daies, not longer. After seventie daies, they washed the corps, and wrapt it in fine linnen cloth gummed; which gumme the Egyptians often used in stead of glew, &c. The Nitre consumeth the flesh, and leaveth onelyonly the skin and bones of the dead person. Herodot. in Euterpe.
Vers. 5. Idye] or, I, am dying: see Gen. 47. 29. 30. 31. digged] or, bought, as the word sometime signifieth, Deut. 2. 6.
Vers. 7. all the servants] that is, a great multitude of them: so Mat. 3. 5. all Iudea: that is, very many from all parts. elders] or Senators; that is, governours, officers, counsellors, as Ezek. 7. 26. joyned therefore with Princes, Psal. 105. 22.
Vers. 9. very great] Hebrew, vehemently heavie, or weighty; which the Greeke translateth a great campe, (or company.) So a weightie people, 1 Kings 3. 9. is by the Hebrew text elsewhere expounded, agreat people, 2 Chron. 1. 10.
Vers. 10. Atad] by interpretation a bramble, Psal. 58. 10. It seemeth this floore was beset with brambles, and thereof had the name. beyond] in the inside of Iordan, for Moses when hee wrote these things, was on the outside, in the wildernesse; Deut. 1. 1. and 3. 25. seven dayes] so long they were by the law of God uncleane by the dead, whosoever touched the same; Numb. 19. 11. so long also the Iewes custome after was to mourne, as Maimony sheweth in Misn. Tom. 4. treat. of Mourning, chap. 1. and Ben Syrach saith, Seven daies doe men mourne for him that is dead, Eccles. 22. 12. There was also a lesser degree of mourning, which dured thirty dayes, that the Hebrew doctors gathered from Deut. 21. 13. she shall bewaile her father and her mother a monethmonth of daies: those thirtie daies, they might not trim the haire of their head or beard; nor weare white new garments, nor marrie: and the like. Maimony ibidem, ch. 6.
Vers. 11. inhabitants] Hebrew, inhabitant: and Canaanite. See Gen. 10. 16. heavy] in Greek great, as before in verse 9. was called] Hebrew he (that is, every one) called: see the notes on Gen. 16. 14. The mourning] Hebr. Abel Mizaim.
Vers. 15. peradventure] or, it may be. The guilty conscience causeth feare, Levit. 26. 36. rewarded him] that is, done of our owne accord unto him.
Vers. 16. commanded] that is, sent some on their message to Ioseph: and after, went themselves, verse 18. The word command, is effectually to procure a thing to be done: as God commandeth his blessings and mercies, by effectuall sending them; Psal. 42. 9. and Levit. 25. 21. Deut. 28. 8. where the Greeke translateth send. Here, the Greeke expoundeth it, they came unto Ioseph, and said.
Vers. 17. of the God] by this speech, they seem, both to insinuate their repentance, and faith to obtaine mercy at Gods hand; and use a reason to obtaine the like at Iosephs. For if we forgive men their trespasses, our heavenly Father will also forgive us, otherwise not. Mat. 6 12. 14. 15. Wherefore it is said, forgive one another, even as God for Christs sake forgave you. Ephes. 4. 32. But the Hebrew Doctors observe a difference betweene dammage to our neighbour in his goods, and hurts, or injurie to his person, (which here was Iosephs cause.) They say: hee that doth his neighbour dammage in his goods, when hee hath paid that which hee ought to pay; atonement is made for him. But he that hurteth his neighbour, although hee gave unto him (for satisfaction) the five things. (namely, 1. dammage it selfe, as when eye must bee given for eye, tooth for tooth, 2. for the smart, 3. for his healing, 4. for his resting from his labour, 5. for his shame or dishonour; of which see the notes on Exod. 21. 19.) yet atonement is not made for him: yea though he should sacrifice (to God) all the Rams of Nebaioth, (Esay 60. 7.) yet atonement is not made for him, nor his iniquitie forgiven; unill he request it of him that was hurt, and he doe forgive him. Maimony in Misneh, Tom. 4. treat. of Hurt and dammage, chap. 5. S. 9.
Vers. 21. unto their hart] that is, friendly, comfortably, and which pleased them: as, that which came into Solomons heart, 2 Chron. 7. 11. is expounded, that which he was pleased to do, 1 King. 9. 1. See also the notes on Gen. 34. 3. Here Ioseph is an example of lenitie, and readinesse to forgive; and to doe good for evill, as Christ teacheth all: Matt. 5. 44. So the Hebrew canons say, It is unlawfull for him that is hurt, to bee cruell and not to forgive: this is not the way of the seed of Israel. But when hee that did the hurt, doth request it, and aske grace of him, once or twise, and hee kneweth that hee turnes from his sinne, and repenteth of his evill: hee shall forgive him, Maimony in his said treat. of Hurt and dammage, ch. 5. S. 10.
Vers. 23. third generation] or third sonnes. So was his blessing begun to bee accomplished, Gen. 49. 22. and 28. 19. borne] that is, brought up: Of Machir, see Num. 32. 39.
Vers. 24. visiting, &c.] that is, will surely visit, meaning in mercy: See Gen. 21. 1. This was a testification of his faith in Gods promises; as is written, by faith Ioseph at his ending, made mention of the departure of the sonnes of Israel, and gave commandement concerning his bones, Heb. 11. 22. The land of Canaan, was a signe of their heavenly inheritance, as before is shewed, on Gen. 12. 5. & 17. 8. Heb. 11. 13. 14. 16. and there Christ rising from the dead, should bee the first fruits of them that slept, by whom the resurrection of the dead (which Ioseph exspected) was to come, 1 Cor. 15. 20. 21. 22. And there many bodies of the Saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves, after Christs resurrection: Matt. 27. 52. 53.
Vers. 25. from hence] or, from this place: the Greeke addeth with you. This charge was fulfilled, when at their going out of Egypt, Moses tooke the bones of Ioseph with him, Exod. 13. 19. which afterward were buried in Sechem, Iakobs purchase, and Iosephs sonnes heritage, Ios. 24. 32. Stephen sheweth that the other Patriarchs (the sonnes of Iakob,) were buried also in Sychem in the land of Canaan, Act. 7. 16.
Vers. 26. old] Hebrew, sonne of 110. yeeres Gen. 5. 32. The same was the age of Iesus (or Iosuah) when he dyed; the conqueror of Canaan, and one of Iosephs seed: Ios. 24. 29. an arke] or chist, coffin: to be ready, at their removall out of Egypt. This death of Ioseph, (whereat the first book of Moses endeth,) was after the creation of the world, 2369. yeeres.
ANNOTATIONS VPONUPON THE SECOND BOOKE OF MOSES, CALLED EXODVS: VVHEREIN, BY CONFERRING THE HOly Scriptures, comparing the Chaldee and Greeke versions, and other records of the Hebrewes: MOSES his Words, Lawes and Ordinances, are explained.
BY HENRY AINSWORTH.
PSAL. 103. 7.
The Lord made knowne his wayes unto Moses: his acts, unto the sonnes of Israel.
ACTS, 7. 38.
This is that Moses, which was in the Chruch in the wildernesse, with the Angel; which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively Oracles, to give unto us.
IOHN, 1. 17.
The Law, was given by Moses: but Grace and Truth, came by Iesus Christ.
LONDON, ¶ Printed by Miles Flesher for John Bellamine, and are to be sold at his shop neere the ROYALL EXCHANGE. 1626.
The Summe of EXODVS.
THis second booke of Moses, sheweth the increase and oppression of Israel in Egypt: the sending of Moses to deliver them: the tenne plagues of God upon Egypt: the bringing out of Israel with strong hand: the leading of them through the sea, where Pharaoh was drowned: the safe conducting of them in the wildernesse: the Covenant betweene God and them at Mount Sina, where he gave them Lawes and Iudgements and Statutes; ordaining a Priesthood, for his service; and erected a Tabernacle, for to dwell therein among them.
More particularly.
ISrael increase, are oppressed in Egypt, and their sonns drowned. Chap. 1
Moses his birth, education, pietie, and persecution. 2
Moses keeping sheepe, seeth a vision; and is sent to deliver Israel. 3
He is confirmed by signes, is sent with Aaron to Pharaoh and Israel. 4
Pharaoh resisteth, and vexeth Israel: they cry out of Moses, and grieve him. 5
God incourageth Moses, and sends him again to Israel and Pharaoh. 6
Moses worketh miracles; and is resisted by Pharaohs sorcerers. 7
Egypt is plagued, with Frogs, Lice, and Flies: Pharaoh is hardned. 8
Moe plagues of Murrain, Boyls, and Haile: yet Pharaoh resisteth. 9
Plagues of Locusts, and Darknesse: Pharaoh is more hardned. 10
Egypt is appointed to the spoile: all their first-borne threatned to die. 11
The Passover is kept: the first borne of Egypt slaine: Israel departeth. 12
Their first-born are sanctified to God: he conducteth Israel, with a pillar. 13
Pharaoh pursueth Israel: they passe through the sea, where Pharaoh is drowned. 14
Israel …ingeth Gods praise. They murmur for water, and have it sweetned. 15
They murmur for bread: God feeds them with Quailes, and Manna. 16
They murmur for water, and have it from th… Rocke. They overcome Amaleck. 17
Iethro meeteth Moses. Officers are set over Israel. 18
Israel is sanctified to receive Gods fiery Law at Sina mount. 19
God giveth the morall Law, with terrour: all … is afraid. 20
Iudiciall lawes, concerning the bodies and lives of men. Chap. 21
Lawes concerning goods and cha…tels. 22
Moe lawes concerning justice; and religious duties. 23
The couenant of the law is approved and confirmed with sacrifice, 24
God commandeth to make an Arke, a Table, and a Candlesticke. 25
To make a Tabernacle wherein they should bee placed. 26
To make a brazen Altar: and Court of the Tabernacle. 27
To make priestly garments for Aaron and his sonnes. 28
To consecrate the Priests, and Altar: to sacrifice daily. 29
To make the golden Altar; the brazen Laver: anointing oile, and perfume. 30
The workemen of the Tabernacle: the Sabbath: and Tables of stone. 31
Israels Idolatry: for which God would have destroyed them. 32
They are brought to repentance. Moses would see Gods glory. 33
The covenant is renewed: Moses face shineth, and is veiled. 34
The people bring gifts, for the making of the Tabernacle. 35
Bezaleel and Aholiab, make the Tabernacle it selfe. 36
The Arke, Table, Candlesticke, golden Altar, Oile▪ and perfume are made. 37
The brazen Altar, Laver; and Court. The sum of the offrings. 38
The Priests garments are made. All the worke is approved. 39
The Tabernacle is set up; and anoynted: and filled with Gods glorie. 40