Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Book 2 · Chapter 40
CHAP. XL.
1. The Method or Argument.
THis chapter sheweth first, what favour Ioseph found for the time present at the hands of the keeper, and how he was set over the other prisoners, vers. 1. to vers. 5. Secondly, how by the interpretation of certaine dreames he made away for his deliverance, and preferment following: where first the dreames are rehearsed unto him; the dreame of Pharaohs chiefe Butler apart, as also the dreame of the chiefe Baker: then Ioseph expoundeth the dreames: the interpretation of the one was good, of the other unhappie: lastly is shewed, the divers successe of these dreames, according to Iosephs interpreta…n, vers. 19. to the end.
2. The divers readings.
H. ad.v. 1. It happened that two Eunuches offended. H. the rest have not this clause: but onelyonly, that the Butler and Bak…r offended.
S. ad. T.r.The chiefe Butler and chiefe Baker. S. The Butler and Baker, caet.
v. 1 The Butler and Cooke. T. Butler and Baker. caet. aphah, signifieth to bake, and to seeth and dresse meat: it appeareth, v. 17 that he had charge of the Kings meat.
T.r.v. 2. Pharaoh was angrie with them. H. angrie with his two Eunuches. S. two princes. C. officers. G. B. Courtiers. T. Saris, signifieth both and Eunuch, and ge…ded man, as likewise a principall officer, S. det▪or man in authoritie.
v. 3. He sent them into the prison of the Captaine of the souldiers. H.C. of the chiefe steward. G. B. praefecti satellitum, master of the guard. T. principis lanionum, the chiefe slaughter-man. P. see before, chap. 37.36. of the divers readings▪ of the word tabach.
v. 3. In the place where Ioseph lay. S. lay bound. caet. the house of them that were bound, where Ioseph lay bound.T.r. G. the round tower. T. So…ar, a round vaulted place.
v. 5. They dreamed both a dreame the same night. H. both one dreame in one night. S. every one his dreame▪ H.S.c.cat…r.
Their visions were of their dreame. S. each mans dreame of a divers interpretation.S.B.c. S. according to the interpretation thereof. c…t.
The Butler and Baker of the King of Egypt, which were bound in prison: all have this clause but the Latin.H. det. T.r.
v. 13. Pharaoh shall remember thee C. remember thy service. H. thine office. S. …mber thy head, or …eavie thine head. T. lift up thy head. B.G.P. heb.
v. 16. Three baskets of meale. S. filled with principall or white bread.divers. sig. T.r. C. three white baskets, G. P. three white wicker baskets. B. baskets full of holes. T. char, signifieth white, and full of holes.
v. 17. All kinde of baken meats for Pharaoh. cat. all kind of meats dressed by the art of coquerie. T. see before, v. 1.
v. 23. He forgot his interpreter. H. remembred not Ioseph, but forg…t him. caet.H. det.
3. The explanation of doubtfull questions.
QUEST. I. What the offence was of Pharaohs chiefe Butler and Baker.
Vers. 1. THe Butler offended, &c. 1. This Butler and Baker that offended, were not the under officers, and therefore they which were set over them were punished, as R. Ephraim Carus thinketh: for it had not beene justice to punish one for an others fault: but the same parties, which offended were committed. 2. Neither was this their offence, because Pharaoh found a flye in the cup, and a little stone in the bread, as some Hebrewes imagine; it is not like that so wise a Prince would punish so small offences with death: some thinke they had attempted the chastitie of Pharaohs daughters, but it is most like, that it was some conspiracie or treason against the life of Pharaoh, as we reade in the booke of Esther, that two Eunuchs conspired against Assuerus, Mercer.
QUEST. 2. How the chiefe Butlers head is said to be lift up.
Vers. 13. WIthin three daies shall Pharaoh lift up, or leavie thy head, &c. 1. Iunius exposition here is too curious; that referreth this to that use and custome of tables made with rowes and ranks of holes, with pegges, against the which were written the names of the officers with their ministerie and services: and that this peg is called the head, and the boord or table, the base, or seat, to the which the peg should be removed: which signified the restoring of him to this place againe. 2. I had rather with Mercerus, understand by lifting up or leavying the head, the numbering of him among the rest: as the phrase is used, Exod. 30.12. When thou liftest the head of the children of Israel, that is, takest the summe of them. 3. But we neede not search further, than with Musculus, to take the plaine and ordinarie sense; who by lifting up or leavying the head, understandeth his advancement, and restoring to his former condition: as the head of Ioachim King of Iudah is said to be lift up, when he was delivered out of prison, 2. King. 25.27.
QUEST. III. Whether Ioseph offended in making request to the Butler to remember him.
Vers. 14. HAve me in remembrance, &c. 1. The Hebrewes doe reprehend Ioseph, for trusting to this meanes of his deliverance, & say that for this cause he was chastised with two yeares longer imprisonment: to the same purpose writeth Augustin. serm. 82. de temp. But although Ioseph was content to use the meanes which was offered, yet there is no doubt he relied upon Gods providence still, & theerfore Ioseph is here reprehended without cause. 2. Neither doth he make sale of his spirituall and propheticall gift, requiring this as a reward and recompence for this good tidings. But by this he sheweth the certaintie of the Butlers good successe and favour with the King, that if he made but mention of him to Pharaoh, he might be delivered: neither doth he aske this as a reward, but taketh this occasion to do himselfe good: for it is lawfull for a man to use all honest meanes for his libertie, as the Apostle saith, Art thou called being a servant, care not for it, yet if thou canst be free use it rather, 1 Cor. 7.21. Calvin. 3. It may be that Ioseph was some what too confident upon this meanes, as though this were the way that God had appointed for his deliverance; and therefore God would exercise Iosephs patience still; so that Ioseph failed not in diffidence and distrust, in betaking himselfe to the meanes: but rather herein, that he limiteth Gods providence, both for the meanes, and the time, that even now, and by this meanes, he hasteth to be delivered, Calvin. Mercer.
QUEST. IIII. How Ioseph is said to be stollen away.
Vers. 15. I Was stolen away by theft out of the land of the Hebrewes ▪ 1. This theft was not committed by the Ismaelites, who bought Ioseph for their money but by his owne bretheren: who committed a theft two waies, both because they sold a freeman, not taken in battel, nor brought into bondage, which by Moses Law was punished with death, Exod. 21.16. and in that they did robbe their father of his child, Perer. 2. Hebron is not here meant by the land of the Hebrews, as Ramban, Canaan why called the land of the Hebrewesbecause that was the principall place of abode, for Abraham, Isaack, and Iacob: but the land of Canaan is thus called, where the Hebrewes dwelt; which Ioseph so calleth, rather than Canaan, because he abhorred to be counted of that nation, Mercer.
QUEST. V. How the chiefe Baker his head is said to be lifted up … leavied.
Vers. 19. WIthin three daies Pharaoh shall take thine head from thee, or leavie thine head off from thee, &c. 1. Iunius readeth thus▪ Pharaoh numbering thee, shall cause the… no more to be numbered: and hee referreth it as before, to the removing or taking away of his pegge (which he taketh for his head) out of his hole or place in the table: but this seemeth to be too curious. 2. Neither with some other, doe I thinke, that the chiefe Baker was beheaded, for the text saith, he was hanged upon a t…ee, which needed not, if he were first beheaded. 3. Some make the meaning of the phrase to be this, that Pharaoh would take away his life from him: and the Latines say, capite plecti, to lose the head, that is, to be put to death; hence they are called capitall crimes, that are punished by the losse of the head, or life, Mercer. 4. The most reade, shall take thine head from thee: but he was hanged, not beheaded. 5. Some thinke he was first beheaded, and then hanged, as the manner is yet in some countries, Osiand. But in that the Butlers head was lift up as well as the Bakers, vers. 20. this phrase doth not shew his punishment, for then the effect, vers. 20. should not answer to the prophecie. 6. Some understand it of his hanging, that his head was lift up upon him: as our Saviour calleth his hanging upon the crosse, his exaltation or lifting up, Ioh. 3.14. Pellican. But this cannot be the meaning, because the same phrase is used both of the Butler, and Baker. 7. This therefore is the sense, that Pharaoh should lift up his head aloft out of prison, and cause his name to be rehearsed, and so his head to be leavied among the rest of his servants, and take cognizance of both their causes, but the one he should hang, and restore the other: So Ioseph doth foretell unto them three things: whereof the first, the leavying of the head, and examining their cause, is common to them both: the other two things are peculiar to either: the Butler shall be restored to his office, and minister the cup to the King, vers. 13. the Baker shall be put from his office, and no more reckoned or leavied among the officers, and be hanged: this then is the true reading of the words, Pharaoh shall leavie thine head from upon thee: that is, that no more leavying or reckoning be made upon thee: which words may be supplied by the contrarie, vers. 13. and the exposition of the praeposition, ghal used there, to thine office, and (m…ghal) from off expressed here, doe insinuate as much: so also the same word meghaleca, from off thee, is used in the end of this verse: and Deut. 8.4. Thy garments … not waxe old (from off thee): that is, to be no more upon thee, and so to be used by thee.
QUEST. VI. Whether Ioseph used any preamble to his interpretation.
Vers. 19. THe birds shall eat thy flesh. 1. It is like that Ioseph being to deliver so hard an interpretation of the Bakers dreame, did use some preface to excuse himselfe, as Philo bringeth him in thus speaking, Vtinam tale somnium non vidisses, &c. I would thou hadst either not seene this dreame, or not declared it to me: and it is not unlike, but that Ioseph used some such preparation as Daniel did when he was to expound Nebuchadnezzars dreame, The dreame be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies, Dan. 4.16. 2. This hanging of malefactors upon a tree, seemeth to have beene an ancient punishment, and it was counted a most ignominious death: and therefore Saint Paul setteth forth the great humilitie of Christ, that humbled himselfe even to the death of the crosse, Philip. 2. The Latine translator readeth, he shall hang thee on the crosse: which kinde of death was used also among the Romanes:The hanging upon the crosse an ancient punishment. as Tully saith, Facinus est vincire civem Romanum, scelus verberare, quid dicam in crucem toller… ; It is a great offence to binde a Citizen of Rome, a greater to beat him, the greatest to set him on the Crosse, Cicer. Verrem. 7. 3. Such as were hanged to death among the Israelites, by the law were to be taken downe and buried the same day, Deut. 21.23. But it seemeth, that this use was not observed among the Gentiles, but their bodies did hang to be meat to the fowles of the ayre, Perer. which may be noted, as a great judgement of God, when the Lord suffereth his owne image in man to be so defaced, and his flesh to be given for meat to the fowles and beasts, whose flesh is appointed to be mans food: as the Lord threatned against Ieroboam and his house, that they which died in the Citie should be eaten of dogges, they which died in the fields should be devoured of the fowles of heaven, 1 King. 14.11. Muscul.
QUEST. VII. Whether lawfull to keepe the memorie of the birth-day.
Vers. 20. PHaraohs birth-day. 1. This was a very ancient custome to celebrate the birth-daies of Kings and Princes; both among the Medes and Persians, as witnesseth Xenophon, lib. 1. as also, such was the use among the Romans, as Gellius maketh mention of an Epistle written by Augustus to Caius: Celebrasse me sexagesimum & quartum natalem meum; That he had celebrated the 64. yearely day of his nativitie. 2. Yet doe wee not reade of any of the righteous in the Scripture, that kept their birth-day, but rather cursed it as the beginning of sinne and sorrow, as Iob did, cap. 3. and Ierem. cap. 20. only we reade of this Pharaoh, and Herod the tyrant, that kept a memorie of their birth-daies, Perer. yet it is not unlawfull to celebrate the memoriall of the nativitie daies of Kings, and other worthy men and women, so that we take heed of superstition, in giving the honour of such daies unto men, as the Church of Rome doth: and that we abuse not such daies, to prophanesse and wantonnesse, as the Heathen did: but only thereby take occasion to give God thankes for such worthy instruments, which he in merciemercy raised up to the Church or Common-wealth. Calvin. Mercer.
4. Places of Doctrine.
1. Doct. …
…
2. Doct. …
…
3. Doct. Ministers that sow spirituall things, may reape temporall.
Vers. 14. HAve me in remembrance. Ioseph was worthy to have this kindnesse shewed him, that had beene an interpreter and messenger of so good tidings: according to the same rule, it is lawfull for the Ministers of God, the interpreters of the word, that sow spirituall things to the people, to reape temporall, Muscul.
5. Places of confutation.
1. Confut. The interpretation of Scripture must be taken from the spirit of God, …
Vers. 8. ARe not interpretations of God? As God by the spirit of God did … dreame: so the interpretations of the secrets of Gods word proceed from the spirit of God: as our Saviour interpreted the Scriptures to the two disciples, and opened their … them, Luk. 24.45. wherefore we are not to depend upon the tradition of the Church▪ opinion of …, conceit of Pope and Cardinals, for the understanding of the word, but wee must … God speaking in the Scriptures, Muscul.
2. Confut. Against the superstitious festivall of the virgin Marie.
Vers. 20. PHaraohs birth-day. Perer. taketh occasion hereby to justifie the practice of the Church in celebrating the birth-daies of three, of our Saviour, the virgin Marie, and Iohn Baptist, in Gen. c. 40. numer. 11.
Contra. 1. The Nativitie of our Saviour is worthily celebrated: because in himselfe he was the rarest birth that ever came into the world, being without sinne; and in respect of us, the most beneficiall, by whom our redemption and everlasting salvation was purchased. 2. The nativitie of Iohn Baptist is solemnized, as a matter indifferent, by the Church, not to the honour of Iohn, but to the praise of Christ, whose forerunner he was: and we finde mention made in Scripture, of his strange and extraordinarie birth. 3. But the Nativitie of the virgin Marie is a superstitious solemnitie, because they consecrate it to the honour of the virgin: it is blasphemous, in that they hold her to have beene without sinne, which prerogative is onelyonly peculiar to our blessed Saviour: it is also vaine, false, and frivolous, because there is no mention made of it in Scripture.
6. Places of exhortation.
1. Observ. Of the slipperie state of Courtiers.
Vers. 2. PHaraoh was angrie against his two officers, &c. These two were principall officers in Pharaohs court; yet suddenly cast out of their Princes favour: wherein wee see the slipperie state and condition of Courtiers, who are to day in favour, to morrow in disgrace, as Haman was with Akassuerus, Muscul. Little doe men consider, that ambitiously desire to be great in Court, how soone their faire weather may be overcast with clouds.
2. Observ. Compassion toward the afflicted.
Vers. 7. WHerefore looke ye so sadly to day? Iosephs humanitie appeareth, that first offereth himselfe to these men in miserie, to comfort and cheare them up: as our Saviour asked the two disciples walking by the way, why they were so sad, Luk. 24.17. and to Mar… Magdalene he said, why weepest thou? Iohn 20.15. such ready compassion should we shew to them that are in heavines, Marlorat.
3. Observ. No man to presume beyond his strength and gifts.
Vers. 8. TEll me them now, &c. Daniel having received a greater gift of interpretation, was able both to tell the King what he had dreamed, which was gone from him, and the interpretation of it, Dan. 28. Ioseph presumeth not beyond his gift, but first desireth these dreames to be rehearsed unto him▪ whereby we learne, that every man consider his strength and gift from God, and put not himselfe forward beyond that, Calvin. this is that which the Apostle saith, that everie man understandeth according to sobrietie, as God hath dealt the measure of faith, Rom 12.3.
4. Observ. Carnall men heare the word for worldly profit.
Vers. 16. WHen the chiefe Baker saw that the interpretation was good, &c. Hee desired an interpretation of his dreame, not because hee had a minde to bee instructed thereby, but for that he expected some good also: So many men make semblance of some love toward the preaching of the word, not of any conscience, but onelyonly seeking thereby their pleasure and prosperitie: which missing of, then they depart heavie and fact, as the rich young man did goe from Christ, Mark. 10. Calvin.
5. Observ. Ministers must not be afraid to denounce Gods Judgements.
Vers. 19. WIthin three daies shall Pharaoh take thine head. Ioseph sheweth himselfe a faithfull messenger, that would not conceale the interpretation from the Baker, though he knew it should not bee welcome: so it is the dutie of faithfull Ministers, not to feare to denounce the judgements of God to his people, though they have shall thankes for their labour, Calvin. … the Prophet, Mich…ah did frankly and freely deliver his message to wicked Ahab, 1 King. 22.
6. Observ. Courtiers all for themselves.
Vers. 23. THe chiefe Butler did all remember Ioseph. Here wee have a right patterne of a temporizing Courtier, who partly for feare to move the King, partly being addicted to his profit, to serve his owne turne, would make no mention of Ioseph, Muscul. The like minde was at the first in Esther, who fearing the Kings displeasure, refused to make sute for her people, but Mordrehai roused her up from that court-like sleepe, and awaked her, Esther 4.