Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Book 2 · Chapter 46
CHAP. XLVI.
1. The Method and Argument of the Chapter.
FIrst, we have here set downe Iacobs preparation to his journey. 1. He offereth sacrifice to God. 2. The Lord answereth him by vision, appearing unto him, and encouraging him to goe downe to Egypt, promising him both a prosperous journey, a peaceable end, and the returne of his posterity, vers. 2. to 5.
Secondly, the journey itselfe is described, vers. 5. to vers. 8. with an enumeration of the persons that went downe with Iacob. 1. In particular, the of-spring of Leah and her maid Zilpah, the of-spring likewise of Rachel and her maid Bilhah, of every one by themselves, from v. 8. to 26. they are all summed in grosse: v. 26.27.
Thirdly, Iacobs arrivall in Egypt is declared. 1. How he sent for Ioseph, and of their meeting, greeting and salutation in Goshen, vers. 27. to 31. 2. The counsell and advice given by Ioseph to his brethren, how they should answer Pharaoh, that they might obtaine the land of Goshen, vers. 31. to the end.
2. The divers readings, where the translations differ.
v. 1. he came to the well of the oath. H. S. to Bersheba. caeter.H.S.c. H. c. T.C.H.r.
v. 2. he heard God calling him by a vision of the night. H. God said to Israel in a vision of the night. cat.
v. 3. I am the God of thy fathers. S. I am God, the God of thy father. B. G. I am the mighty God of thy father. caet. he. ha…el. celohe, the strong God.
v. 4. I wil bring thee up againe in thy returne. H. I will bring that back againe in the end.T.P.r. S. I will surely make thee come up againe. C. B. I will bring thee up againe. G. I will cause thee to come up, by comming up with thee. T.P. he.
v. 5. they tooke their substance. S. their father, children, and wives. caeter.S. c. H. S. c.
v. 6. they tooke all that they possessed in Canaan. H. S. they tooke their cattell and goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan▪ caeter. he racash to get goods.
v. 7. their daughters, and daughters daughters. S. their daughters. H. their daughters, and sons daughters▪ caet.S. c. H. d….
v. 10. Iachin, Saher. H. B. Achin Saar. Iachin Sacher. C. Iachin Zohar. G. Iachin Tzochar. T. he. Sochar. P.
….c. H. det. S. alt. S. alter. divers. signif. S. add.v. 12. Ezron Amul. H. C. Esron, Iemuel. S. Hezron. Hamul. B. G. chezron, chamul. T. P. heb.
v. 13. Thola, Phua Semron. H. Thola, Phua, Asum, Sambram. S. Thola, Phuah Iob, Simron. caet.
v. 16. Ar…lis. S. Haeri, caet. v. 17. Ieul. S. Iesui. caet.
v. 20. priest of On. T.P.C.G. cohen, signifieth both, a prince and priest.
v. 21. the sonnes of Manasses, which Syra his concubine bare unto him, were Machir: Machir begat Galaad: the sonnes of Ephraim Manasses brother, Sutalaam, and Taam, the sonnes of Sutalaam, Edem. S. the rest have none of these words.
S. add.v. 21. Mophim, Ophim and Ared. H. Mamphim, Ophim, and Gerah begat Arad. S. Muppim, Huppim, and Arde. caet.
S. cor. S. cor. S. cor. S. ad. divers. signif.v. 22. eighteene soules in all. S. fourteene soules all. caet.
v. 27. all the soules are seventy five. S. seventy. caeter. the sonnes of Ioseph, nine soules. S. two soules. cater.
v. 28. he sent Iudah, &c. that he should meet him at the citie of the nobles, in the land of Ramesse. S. that he should tell him, that he might meet hm in Goshen. H. to prepare before him. C. to direct his face to Goshen. B. to direct his way to Goshen. H. to premonish him to meet him in Goshen. T. to appeare before his face in Goshen. P. he. iarah, to appeare to signifie.
S. det. S. ad.v. 37. said to his brethren. S. said to his brethren, and all his fathers house. caet.
v. 34. in G…sem of Arabia. S. in the land of Goshen. caet.
3. The theologicall explication.
QUEST. I. Why Iacob offered sacrifice in Bersheba.
Vers. 1. ISrael came to Bersheba, &c. 1. This place is interpreted the well of the oath, or of seven: for shabang signifieth both: so called first by Abraham, where he made a covenant with Abimelech, and gave him seven lambs, Gen. 21. and afterward the name was revived by Isaack, Gen. 26. 2. To this place came Iacob, being both in his way as he went to Egypt, for it is in the utmost bounds of Canaan, toward the South: as also because there Abraham and Isaack had long dwelled, built altars there, and consecrated it as a peculiar place for Gods worship. 3. He offereth sacrifice, both to give thanks to God, for the life of Ioseph, and to desire the Lord to make his journey prosperous, Iun.
QUEST. II. Of the Lords calling of Iacob.
Vers. 2. IAcob, Iacob, who answered, I am here, &c. 1. He is called Iacob, not Israel, not because, as the Hebrewes imagine, he should not prevaile against men in Egypt, for he is also called Israel in Egypt, Gen. 48.29. but when as the Lord vouchsafeth to speake familiarly unto him, he calleth him by his name Iacob, Mercer. 2. The name is doubled, to stirre him up to greater attention, Calvin; and to shew the certainty of that which God spake, Perer. …. Iacob answereth readily, here am I, and therefore Iosephus misreporteth this story, that Iacob should say quisnam esset, who it was that spake unto him, as though he had not beene acquainted with Gods voice, lib. 1. antiquit.
QUEST. III. Who it was that spake to Iacob.
Vers. 3. I Am God, the God of thy father. 1. This then was not an Angel, that spake in the person of God, but it was the Lord himselfe, to whom Iacob offered sacrifice, vers. 1. 2. who is called the God of his father, rather than of Abraham, because Iacob so used to call the Lord, the feare of his father Isaack, Genes. …1.53. and for that he had better experience of the mercies shewed to his father Isaack: who also was not many yeares before departed, about the 30 yeare of Iosephs age, when Iacob was 120. Mercer. 3. Where God is said to goe downe with Iacob into Egypt, it is to be understood by the effect; because God was present with him,How the Lord is said to goe downe. in protecting and defending him: for otherwise the God-head neither ascendeth nor descendeth, filling heaven and earth, Mercer.
QUEST. IV. The divers causes why Iacob feared to goe downe into Egypt removed.
Vers. 3. FEare not to goe downe into Egypt, &c. There were divers causes why Iacob feared to goe downe to Egypt: which causes of his feare are here removed by the Lord. 1. He might be somewhat doubtfull, because sometime in the like necessity of famine Isaack was forbidden to goe downe to Egypt, Genes. 26.2. Mercer. therefore to helpe this, the same God that charged his father not to goe downe, biddeth Iacob not to feare to goe downe. 2. He might feare lest his children might be corrupted by the superstition of the idolaters: and about this time, as Augustine thinketh, began that grosse idolatry of the Aegyptians in worshiping Apis, The grosse superstition of the Egyptians in worshipping their god Apis.a king of the Argives, that died in Egypt, calling him by the name of Serapis, which is compounded of the name Apis and Suros, the coffin wherein Apis was entombed: and in memoriall of this Apis, they worshipped a pide Bull, which they named Apis: by which occasion the Israelites learned to worship a calfe, August. lib. 18. de civit. Dei c. 4. This feare Iacob is discharged of, when the Lord saith, I will goe downe with thee, &c. the Lord promiseth to be a guide to him and his, to keepe them in his feare. 3. Iacob was not ignorant of the prophecie given to Abraham, that his seed should be afflicted and kept under in a strange land; therefore the Lord to take away that scruple, telleth him, that his posterity shall increase there, and he will make him a great nation. 4. He might thinke, that his posterity being overtaken with the pleasures of Egypt, would hardly returne from thence, and so he should lose the hope of the inheritance of Canaan: to meet with this doubt, the Lord saith, vers. 4. I will also bring thee up againe. 5. He also might feare, left being a weake old man he should die by the way before he came to Ioseph: therefore the Lord to make him secure in this, telleth him, that Ioseph shall close his eyes when he dyed, vers. 4.
QUEST. V. Of the ancient use of closing the eies of the dead.
Vers. 4. I will bring thee up againe, and Ioseph, &c. 1. The Lord brought Iacob up out of Egypt, when his body was carried to be buried in Canaan: but most of all was it performed in his feed, whom the Lord brought out of Egypt, under the hand of Moses & Aaron. 2. It was the use to close the eyes of the dead, which commonly are opened, when men dying doe lift up their eyes to heaven, Muscul. and therefore they that stand by doe shut them before the body is stiffe. Plinie maketh mention of this solemne use among the Romans, who used to shut the eies of the dead at the time of their death, and to open them againe, when they brought them to the fire, vt neque ab homine supremum eos spectari fas sit, & coelo non ostendi, nefas: that neither (saith he) is it lawfull for men to see them last of all, and it were impious not to shew or open them toward heaven. And this duty of closing the eyes was performed by those which were dearest, and best beloved of the dead: as Ioseph was to Iacob: whose eyes Ioseph did shut up, when he had given up the ghost, although no speciall mention be made of it afterward, Perer.
QUEST. VI. What goods and substance Iacob and his sonnes carryed into Egypt.
Vers. 6. THey tooke their cattell, and their goods, which they had gotten in Canaan, &c. 1. Though no mention be here made of their servants, yet it is like that Iacob carried them also with him, and would not leave them behinde in that hard time of famine, Calvin. 2. Though Pharaoh sent them word, that they should not regard their stuffe, yet they tooke their substance with them, that they might be as little chargeable as they could unto others: as Abraham comming forth out of his country at the Lords commandement into Canaan, brought his substance with him, Gen. 12.5. Luther. Mulcul. 3. Mention is not made of Iacobs goods gotten in Mesopotamia, but onelyonly in Canaan, not because Iacob had given those goods to Esau, which is not like; but because they were not to be compared to his substance, which he got in Canaan, and Moses speaketh also of the goods and substance of his sonnes, that got all they had in Canaan, being not of yeares in Mesopotamia, to provide for themselves, Mercer.
QUEST. VII. Of Iacobs daughters and the order observed by Moses in setting downe their names.
Vers. 8. HIs daughters, and his sonnes daughters, &c. 1. Iacob had but one daughter here named, Dinah of Leah, and but one daughter of his sonnes, Serah of Asher, vers. 17. yet they are put in the plurall number, according to the phrase of the Hebrew, as vers. 23. it is said, the sonnes of Dan, Hushai, he had but one, Muscul. 2. The whole sum of Iacobs posterity borne at this time, is seventy, vers. 27. of which number Iacob himselfe is one, as the head of the rest, Mercer. 3. Moses setteth not downe their names, according to the order of their birth, as in other places, c. 29.30.35. but first he rehearseth such as came of Leah and her maid, then those that came of Rachel and her maid, Mercer.
QUEST. VIII. Of the divers names of the sonnes of the twelue Patriarkes.
Vers. 10. THe sons of Simeon, Iemuel. Many hard and difficult questions are moved out of this chapter, which shall briefly be discussed. First, there is great difference in the names here rehearsed, and in other places of Scripture: the sonnes of Simeon, Iemuel, and Iamin, are called Nemuel and Iarib, 1 Chron. 4.24. Zohar is there named Zerah, vers. 13. Iob the sonne of Issachar, is called Iashub. Numb. 26.24. vers. 16. Ziphion, Ezbon Arodi, are called Zephon, Ozn…, Arod, Numb. 26.15.16.17. vers. 21. the sonnes of Benjamin, Ashbel, Becher, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Chuppim, Ard: are otherwise named, Iediael, Acharah, Nochah, Rapha, Sheph…am, Churam, Addai, 1 Chron. 8.1, 2, 3. It is then no strange thing in Scripture, for the same men to be called by divers names, sometimes with the alteration of some letters, sometimes with a change of the whole name.
QUEST. VIII. Of other differences in the genealogie compared with the 26. Numer. and 1. Chron. 7.8. chap.
Vers. 10. THe sonnes of Simeon, Iemuel, Iamin, Ohad. 1, It is to be considered, that divers of these here named, are else-where omitted: as Ohad, is not reckoned among the sonnes of Simeon, Numb. 26.12, 1 Chron. 4.24. it should seeme that he died without issue, Muscul. so likewise three of Benjamins sonnes, Echi, Gera, Rosh, are omitted by Moses, Numb. 26.40. of whom there came no families. 2. Hee that is there named Achiram and Acharah, 1 Chron. 8.1. was not Echi, as Iunius thinketh upon that place, and Muscul. in Gen. 46. vers. 26. but Becher, who was one of the three chiefe fathers of Benjamin, 1 Chron. 7.6. and therefore it is not like, that Moses setting downe the chiefe families of Benjamin, would make no mention of him, Numb. 26.3. whereas here are rehearsed ten sons of Benjamin, they were not all properly his sons, but two of them, Ard and Naaman were the sons of Bela, and Benjamins nephewes, Numb. 26, 40. It was not then Gerah, as the Septuagint reade, but Bela that bega… Ard. 4. Whereas Bela is made to have six sonnes, 1 Chron. 8.3, 4. and here he hath but two, the reason is: because these two were only borne, when Iacob went downe to Egypt,Reconciliation of some difference in the genealogie of the Belahites in the Chronicles. the rest were borne afterward. 5. And whereas 1 Chron. 7.7. five sonnes of Bela are named altogether, divers from those six rehearsed, 1 Chron. 8.3. in the first place, not the immediate sonnes of Bela are mentioned, but such as were the chiefe Princes of that family in the time of David, when Ioab numbred the people: in the other place, they which were the next sonnes of Bela are rehearsed. 6. Moses in this place doth confusedly set them together, not according to their order of birth, Bela, Bech…r, Ashbel, &c. whereas Ashbel was the second, Becher or Aharah the third, Nocah or Echi the fourth, Rapha or Rash the fift: as may appeare, 1 Chron. 8.1.
QUEST. IX. How Pharez is said to have two sonnes at Iacobs comming into Egypt.
Vers. 12. THe sonnes of Phares, Ezron and Hamul, &c. Whereas it may seeme strange, that Phare… the son of Iudah by Thamar, should have two children, that are said to come downe with Iacob into Egypt. 1. The right solution is not to say with Augustine, that these two children are said to goe downe, because they were in Pharez loynes; and not yet borne, in this sense, all those children which were afterward borne in Egypt, might be said to goe downe, and so we should have not seventy, but 700. persons. 2. Neither is Pererius answer sufficient for the same reason, who understandeth by Iacobs comming into Egypt, the whole time of his and Iosephs life: for so we might account 7000. soules to have descended with Iacob. 3. Therefore according to Moses narration, we say, that these two sonnes of Pharez we…e then borne, but very young: who himselfe being begotten of Thamar at Iudahs 30. yeare, might take a wife at 14. or 15. yeares: for Pererius conjecture is untrue, that Pharez was borne but the yeare before Iacobs descending into Egypt. 4. The like may be said of Bela Benjamins sonne, that had two sons, Ard and Naaman, Benjamin a grandfather at Iacobs going downe to Egypt.borne at Iacobs going downe: Benjamin was now at 30. yeares a grandfather, and Bela his eldest sonne at 15. a father, Mercer. there is no other way to give satisfaction to those doubts. And it is most like that Iacobs sonnes married very soone, and their sonnes also: for how else could they in the space of 215. yeares, which was the time of their aboad in Egypt, from 70. increase to 600. thousand, when as in 215. yeares before, from the 75. yeare of Abraham, till Iacobs going downe, they increased but to 70. soules in all. 5. Whereas Selah and Zerah also had issue as well as Pharez, as appeareth▪ Numb. 26.20. it is not as Pererius thinketh, for the prerogative of Pharez of whom the Messiah should come, that Pharez posterity is remembred, the others omitted, but because Pharez sons were now borne, the others afterward in Egypt.
QUEST. X. Of Dinah Iacobs daughter, and whether Iacob had any more daughters.
Vers. 15. THese be the sonnes of Leah, &c. which she bare to Iacob in Pa…an Aram, with his daughter Dinah. 1. All these before named, were not borne in Mesopotamia, but only the six sonnes of Leah, for she onelyonly bare them and Dinah: the rest were borne in Canaan, Mercer. Iun. 2. This Dinah some Hebrewes say, was married to Iob, but that is uncertaine: some thinke that Simeon tooke her to wife,Hebrewes conceits. having pitty upon her, after Sichem the Canaanite had defloured her, and that therefore she is called a Canaanite, the mother of Saul before named: but it is absurd to thinke, that Simeon would marry his owne sister, or that Iacob would have suffered it. 3. Likewise whereas Dinah of Leah, and Serah of Asher are all the women here rehearsed, that came of Iacob, that appeareth to be but a fable of the Hebrews, that Iacob with every sonne had a twin daughter borne, which were his sonnes wives: for there is no question but that Moses would have made some mention of them, either in this place, or some other.
QUEST. XI. How the number of 33. that came of Leah is to be counted.
Vers. 15. ALL the soules of his sonnes and daughters were thirty three. But the whole number, with Er and Onan, maketh thirty foure: to make this account to agree; 1. We neither thinke with Lyranus that Dinah, because she is a woman, should be excluded, seeing afterward Serah the daughter of Asher is numbred among the rest, vers. 17. 2. Nor yet is Saul to be excluded, vers. 10. as though he were not Simeons sonne, but the sonne of the Canaanitish woman, by a former husband, as some thinke; for then to what purpose would mention be made of him here, being none of Iacobs posterity? 3. Neither with some Hebrewes doe we here understand Iochebed, Moses mother, seeing she is not expressed, and she was borne in Egypt, Numb. 26.59. &c. 4. Therefore this is the just account: Er and Onan, because they were dead, a…e not to be reckoned: there remaine then thirty two, and Iacob being added to that number maketh thirtie three: and that Iacob is one of this account, it is evident out of the 8. vers. Iacob and his sonnes.
QUEST. XII. The erronious computation of the Septuagint neither agreeing with themselves nor the Hebrew.
Vers. 22. FOurteene soules in all: The Septuagint doth reade, eighteene, wherein a three-fold error may be observed. 1. They beside Manasses and Ephraim doe reckon five more, Machi…, and Gilead his sonne of Manasseh, Sutalam, and Tuhan, and Edem the sonne of Sutalam of Ephraim these could not be borne at Iacobs comming downe to Egypt: for Manasseh was not then above nine yeare old: for Ioseph tooke a wife in the beginning of the seven plentifull yeares, which were expired, and two of the deare yeares: to say that these are rehearsed for Iacobs honour, though they were borne ofterward in Iosephs life time, doth not satisfie: for onelyonly Moses accounteth those which were then borne at Iacobs comming downe, which in all make seventy. 2. The Septuagint doe manifestly corrupt the Hebrew text, reading here for fourteene, 18. and vers. 27. for two, they reade nine. 3. They agree not with themselves: for the five, which are by them added, put to 14. make 19. not 18. and Ioseph with his two sons, and the other five, make not nine, but onelyonly eight. Augustine and Eucherius thinke this knot to be insoluble, and would picke a mystery out of it, August. quaest. 152. in Genes. But we need not much to trouble ourselves to free the Septuagint here from error, seeing they so manifestly decline from the Hebrew verity.
QUEST. XIII. The two numbers of 66. and 70. agree together.
Vers. 26. THreescore and six. In this number Iacob is not comprehended, for only they are here summed that came out of Iacobs loines, though Iacob be one of the first number of 33. But let all these numbers be joyned together, 33. of …eah, 16. of Zilpah, 11. of Rachel, Ioseph and his two sonnes being deducted, 7. of Bitha, and the sum will be 66. Iacob beeing taken out: unto which number of 66. Iacob together with Ioseph, and his two sonnes being added; wee shall have in all 70. soules: for here in this last number Moses saith not, as before, vers. 26. all the soules which came out of Iacobs loynes, but all the soules of the house of Iacob are 70. so that in this speech Iacob himselfe may bee very well included.
QUEST. XIV. The number of seventy in Moses, and of seventy five in the Acts, reconciled.
Vers. 27. BUt whereas Moses nameth only seventy, and yet Stephen according to the Septuagint, saith, that they were seventy five, Act. 7.14. the question is, how these may be reconciled.
1. We neither answer with Augustine (to whom Pererius subscribeth) that the Septuagint are here in no error, nor yet Stephen following them: for they reckon five more, by way of anticipation,The Septuagint, whether here in an errour. which were borne afterward in Egypt, while Ioseph lived: who because he was the cause of Iacobs comming downe into Egypt, introitus ejus accipiendus est, quam diu vixit Ioseph; his entrance into Egypt is to be taken all the while Ioseph lived, quast. ulrim. in Genes. but by this account there should not only be 70. but 7000. and more, if all they should be numbred that were borne while Ioseph lived, which was seventy yeare after Iacobs comming into Egypt: for Ioseph was then 39. yeare old, and he lived 110. yeares: beside, it is evident, that in the Hebrew, onelyonly seventy soules are accounted, and Deut. 10.22. the Septuagint reade but seventy, though in this place, and Exod. 1. they translate seventy five.
2. Neither is it like that the translation of the Septuagint was herein corrupted by the ignorance of the writers or pen-men, and so that place in the Acts accordingly depraved: as Eugubinus: for the Septuagint doe of purpose adde five more of Iosephs posterity, to make up the number of 75.
3. Neither yet doth Iunius exposition fully satisfie: who thinketh that Stephen meaneth the whole number that are named in this chapter, as Iacobs two wives, and his two concubines, and Iudahs two sonnes, Er and Onan, who beside Iacob make the number 75. for Moses himselfe excludeth Er and Onan: neither are Iacobs wives accounted in the particular sums: and seeing Iacob is included in the number of 70. why should he be excluded in this other number of 75. Further, Steven meaneth those of Iacobs kinred that Ioseph sent for, and caused to be brought into Egypt: but Iudahs sons were dead, and so it is thought were Iacobs wives also.
4. Neither can I thinke, that Saint Luke, either as ignorant of the Hebrew, as Hierome reporteth from the opinion of others: or yeelding unto those times, because the translation of the Septuagint was of great authority among the Gentiles, did herein follow them: especially it being but a matter of story: as thinketh Eugubinus, Mercerus: for it is like that Saint Stephen speaking to the Hebrewes, did follow the Hebrew Scriptures: and Saint Luke did not otherwise report or write, than Stephen spake: this onelyonly reason staieth me from approving this answer and solution.
5. Wherefore in this so great difficulty, nothing remaineth to answer, but that Luke did write, and Stephen spake according to the originall story, that 70. soules came into Egypt. And afterward by some mistaking, pente, which signifieth five, might creepe into the text, for pantes, as Master Beza conjectureth; or some might take upon them to correct S. Lukes report, according to the Septuagint, which was of greater authority and credit then in the world, Calvin. And yet against this answer it may be objected, that the Syriacke translation, which is most ancient, readeth in like manner 75. therefore, if Saint Lukes text were altered or changed, such change was made, before it was translated into the Syriacke language. One of these two last answers I prefer before the rest, and the latter rather:Why 70: persons descended into Egypt let the reader make his choice. Howsoever, the Hebrew verity must be received, that onelyonly 70. soules descended into Egypt of the twelve Patriarkes: in remembrance whereof, the Israelites pitched in Elim, where were twelve fountaines, and seventy palme trees: this number answereth the seventy fathers of the world that came of Noah, Gen. 10. according to this proportion were the seventy Elders chosen to be Moses assistants, Numb. 11. Our Saviour Christ also did choose unto him 12. Apostles, and 70. Disciples, to be the spirituall fathers of the Church, Muscul. Mercer.
QUEST. XV. Of the sending of Iudah before to Ioseph.
Vers. 28. HE sent Iudah before him unto Ioseph, &c. 1. It seemeth that Iudah was of authority among his brethren, as a man of more excellent parts, and therefore Iacob thinketh him the fittest to be imployed in this message. 2. He sendeth to Ioseph to meet him in Goshen, that countrie which Ioseph had made choice of before for his father, and it was neerest to Canaan: it is like that some certaine place was appointed, where they should meet: the Septuagint read, in the citie of the nobles, Whether Iacob or Ioseph fell one upon the others necke.but what citie that was it is unknowne. 3. The Hebrewes write that Ioseph when he came neere his father, did cast away his bonnet, and other ornaments of honour, that his father might the better discerne him, which is not unlike. 4. Where it is said, he fell upon his necke: Rasi referreth it to Ioseph, to whom subscribeth Mercerus: Ramban to Iacob, whom Iunius followeth: though the construction favour the first opinion, because Ioseph is named in the verse, and not Iacob at all: yet the circumstance and usage of those times maketh for the other: for it is more beseeming the parents to fall upon their sonnes neck, who doe humble and bow themselves to their father: as the father fell upon the prodigall childs necke, and kissed him, Luke 15.20.
QUEST. XVI. The causes why Ioseph desired that Iacob should dwell in Goshen.
Vers. 34. THat ye may dwell in the land of Goshen. Divers reasons moved Ioseph to procure his brethren their dwelling in Goshen: 1. Because it was a most fruitfull place, and fit for their keeping of cattell, Calvin. 2. That they might dwell apart from the Egyptians, and so not be corrupted with their idolatry and supestition, Mercer. Muscul. 3. Lest that being dispersed among the Egyptians, they might have beene distracted, and so one divided from another, Iosephus. 4. Because the Egyptians abhorred keepers of sheep, it would have beene an occasion of envy and hatred, if they had lived among the Egyptians. 5. lastly, the land of Goshen stood more commodious for the Israelites returne and passage out of Egypt, being situate in the utmost bounds toward Canaan: whereas if the Israelites had beene seated in the inward or remote parts of the Countrey, they could not afterward so conveniently have escaped, Pererius.
QUEST. XVII. Why keepers of sheepe were an abomination to the Egyptians.
Vers. 34. FOr every sheepe-keeper is an abomination to the Egyptians. &c. These are the words of Moses rather than of Ioseph, as the like reason is inserted by Moses▪ Gen. 43.34. why the Hebrewes and Egyptians might not eat together: the Egyptians then abhorred shepherds and keepers of sheepe: 1. Not onelyonly because they were a proud people, and despised shepherds as base and servile men, as Rupertus: for they were an abomination unto them, which is more than to contemne and despise them. 2. Neither did they abhorre shepherds as though there were none of that condition among the Egyptians, for they had their flocks of sheepe, Genes. 47.17. 3. Neither yet is it like that the Egyptians did altogether abstaine from all eating of flesh, (Aben Ezra reporteth of the Indians that they kill no flesh, neither doe so much as eat of the milke that commeth of cattell) and that for this cause the Egyptians abhorred the Hebrewes. 4. Therefore I thinke rather that the Egyptians especially detested keepers of sheepe rather than of other cattell, because they superstitiously adored that kinde, and so abstained altogether from slaying of sheepe, and eating the flesh thereof, keeping them for their milke and wooll: whereas the Hebrew shepherds did without any scruple eat of their flocks: other kinds of cattell it is like they did eat of, as Mercerus reporteth the opinion of some writers, that it was lawfull for the Egyptians to kill and eat foure kinds of creatures, Oxen, Calves, Swine, and Geese.
4. Places of Doctrine.
1. Doct. Not to depend upon meanes, or put any confidence in Princes.
Vers. 4. I Will goe downe with thee into Egypt. Although Ioseph were Lord of Egypt, and a man of great power, able to provide for Iacob, and protect him from danger, yet the Lord would not have Iacob to depend upon the meanes, but to trust to his providence, Muscul. Whereby also wee are taught not to put our confidence in men, but to wait upon God: as it is in the Psalme, It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man: it is bette… to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in Princes, Psal. 118.9.
2. Doct. The Lord will never forsake his elect.
Vers. 4. I Will also bring thee up againe, &c. The Lord promiseth his presence and gracious assistance to Iacob, both going downe into Egypt, and returning: the Lord then will never forsake his elect; Whom he once loveth, he loveth to the end, Ioh. 13.1. and as he said to Iosua, I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee, Iosu. 15. so the same promise belongeth unto all the faithfull servants of God, as the Apostle …pplieth it, Heb. 13.5.
3. Doct. A man is not bound to reveale all his counsell, so he speake the truth and lie not.
Vers. 34. THen ye shall say, thy servants are men occupied about cattell. This also was true which Ioseph taught his brethren to answer, that they might dwell in the land of Goshen, but there was another reason which Ioseph would have them to conceale: because it was the most fruitfull and fertile soyle of all Egypt. We see then that a man is not bound to utter all his minde, but speaking the truth in the rest, he may conceale that which he thinketh will bee prejudiciall to his suit and businesse, Calvin. and in such affaires that precept of our Saviour taketh place, To be wise as serpents, but innocent as doves, Matth. 10.16.
5. Places of Confutation.
1. Confut. No Sacraments without the spirit and life of the word.
Vers. 2. GOd spake unto Iacob in a vision. The Lord doth not onelyonly appeare and shew a vision to Iacob, but hee also speaketh unto him, to the vision he adjoyneth a voyce: of this nature and kinde are all Gods signes and ceremonies, they are not dead or dumbe, but the word of God putteth life unto them. Wherefore it is presumption in the Church of Rome to impose signes and Sacraments upon the Church, which receive not their life from the Word, Calvin. as our Saviour saith, It is the spirit that quickneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, Ioh. 6.63. so the fleshie and terrene part in signes and sacraments profiteth not without the spirit and life, which they receive from the Word.
2. Confut. Antiquity no good argument of the truth.
Vers. 3. I Am the God of thy father. He saith not of thy fathers, as of thy great Grandfather, for Terah was an idolater, Iosu. 24.4. Iacob could not goe beyond Abraham, for divers hundred yeares to fetch his faith: though the most ancient Patriarks, Noe, Se…, Heber, were of the same faith and religion. Wee see then that antiquity is no good argument to prove true religion by, unlesse wee run unto the first beginning: for so truth is more ancient than errour. In like manner wee deny not but that of late yeares wee cannot derive the profession of the Gospell from our fathers and ancestors past the third degree, because all the world was blinded with superstition and ignorance for divers hundred yeares: but leaving the meane generations, which were corrupted, we are able to fetch and derive our faith, from the Apostles of Christ▪ this the Romanists doe call in derision, a probation of our faith▪ persalium, by leaping. But Iacob could prove his faith no otherwise; he must leape from Abraham, to Heber and Sem: So Steven would not prove his faith from the immediate descent of his father: for of them he saith, ye have alwayes resisted the holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so doe you, Act. 7. he ascendeth up to Abraham, and Moses, and the prophets times: and in such manner doe we prove and justifie our faith and profession.
3. Confut. Against Perer that holdeth the Septuagint in their number of 75. not to … error.
Vers. 27. ALL the soules of the house of Iacob, &c. are 70. yet the Septuagint reade 75. notwithstanding Pererius justifieth the Septuagint, and freeth them from errour, although they set downe five more of Iosephs race, than Moses hath▪ which were born in Egypt afterward: If this, saith he, be an error in them, then was it in Moses, for he also numbreth among the rest, the sonnes of Phares, and Benjamin, which were borne afterward in Egypt: and beside he reckoneth Manasses and Ephraim, which came not downe with Iacob, but were in Egypt, Perer. in Genes. 46. numer. 25.
Contra. 1. It is untrue, that Phares and Benjamins sonnes were then unborne at Iacobs going downe into Egypt: I have shewed before▪ quast. 9. how it is not unlikely, but they might very well, be all then borne: otherwise Moses words should not be true: all the soules which came with Iacob into Egypt, vers. 26: if these came not with him. 2. Ephraim and Manasses came not downe with Iacob, and therefore they are not in the first number of 66. but they were borne before Iacob descended, not afterward, and therefore are fitly comprehended in the other account of 70. 3. Wherefore seeing the Septuagint reade 75. Moses numbreth but seventy in all, eyther Moses must be in an error, or they: for both cannot agree with truth.
6. Places of morall use.
1. Mor. Not to take a journey in hand without prayer.
Vers. 1. IAcob offered sacrifice to God. Iacob would not take this long and perilous journey in hand, but first he calleth upon God, to consult with him, and prayeth that his journey bee prosperous: which example teacheth us, not to enterprise any journey or to take in hand any businesse of waight without prayer, Muscul. so did Abrahams servant. Gen. 24. so did Iacob, Gen. 28.
2. Mor. To provide as much as in us lieth not to be chargeable to others.
Vers. 6. THey tooke their cattell and their goods. Though Pharaoh sent them word to take no care for their stuffe: yet they provided, having of their owne, to be as little chargeable as they might to others; not like to some, that are carelesse for themselves, and rely altogether vponupon the helpe of others, Muscul. this made S. Paul to labour with his owne hands, that he should not be grievous to others, although it was their dutie to maintaine him, 2 Cor. 11.8.
3. Mor. The hatred of the world maketh us cleave faster to God.
Vers. 34. EVery sheepe-keeper is an abomination to the Egyptians: God turned the hatred of the Egyptians to their great good: for by this meanes they had a place provided by themselves, where they might quietly serve God, Calvin. so when the righteous are hated of the world, it causeth them to sequester themselves from the vaine delights thereof, and cleave more nearely to God, as the prophet David did, when his enemies hated him, but I gave my selfe to prayer, Psal. 109.5.