Westminster Annotations, Genesis · Chapter 50
CHAP. L.
Vers. 1. ANd Joseph fell upon his face] All the brethren of Joseph it is like (unlesse Simeon and Levi through offence at their fathers reproofe and imprecation were more disposed to anger then griefe) shewed themselves mournfull for the death of Jacob, but if they did, Joseph as in other commendable endowments, so in this exceeded them all: every word of the Text importeth a sad weight of sorrow, whereby we may observe him a better sonne to his father as before, and after this a better brother to his brethren then they were to him; Religion doth not reject naturall affection but rule and governe it, sometimes intending, sometimes abating the force of it, that it may be proportionable to the cause, and the person; and here we see in Joseph the combination of piety and charity in an eminent degree. None of all the sonnes of Jacob more devout towards God, or more kind to his kindred, whether in direct or collaterall line; if then parents would have their children to be good children to themselves, let them by prayer, and precept, and example, doe what they can to make them good children to God. See Deut. 6. 7, 8. Ephes. 6. 4.
wept upon him] Some men account weeping an argument of womanish weaknesse, but we find, that men of an excellent spirit have beene noted for their weeping, as David, 1 Sam. 30 4. 2 Sam. 3. 32. & Chap. 12. 22. & 13. 16. & 18. 33. the man of God, 2 King. 8. 11. Hezekiah, 2 King. 20. 3. Nehemiah, Chap. 1. vers. 4. yea Christ himselfe, who was never knowne to laugh, is recorded twice to have wept, once over dead Lazarus, Joh. 11. 3. another time over the foreseene desolation of Jerusalem, Luk. 19. 41. and Joseph is recorded to have wept seven times; the first time we read of, is Gen. 42. 24. the second, Gen. 43. 30. the third, Chap. 45. 2. the fourth, Chap. 46. vers. 29. the fifth, in this vers. the sixth, vers. 10. and the seventh, vers. 17. of this Chapter. Jacob mourned much for Joseph when he thought he was dead, Chap. 37. vers. 34. now Joseph repaies those tender teares; and notwithstanding his Courtly dignity, his naturall piety seriously laments the losse of the Arch Patriarch, his father: and this affection of sorrow, and expression of teares is lawfull, if it neither be produced from distrust, nor proceed to excesse; yea the want of it is a fault, Isa. 57. 1. See Act. 8. 2.
and kissed him] Though many things were in use with the Patriarchs, before they were put into precept in the Leviticall Law, that which made men uncleane by touching of the dead, Numb. 19. 11. was none of them; yet some take it that the touch of the dead was not forbidden, but if a man did touch he was ceremonially uncleane seven dayes, and was to purifie himselfe by precept in a ceremoniall manner there prescribed, v. 12. which if he did not performe, he was an offender, but not by touching simply, of which there was no expresse prohibition. Howsoever it were then, now there was none; and Joseph expressing his deare affection to his dead father, yet on the earth, and not long after to be laid within it, broke no part of his due obedience to his heavenly father. And here we see that though there be great difference betwixt a living and a dead body, and that difference cause a perpetuall separation of the dead from the living, (how kind soever they have beene in communion of life) yet filiall affection in a good sonne towards a good father dieth not when he dieth, but surviveth, and sheweth it selfe by offices of love afterward, and there are the like workings of good will in other relations both of kindred, and of friendship, which sometimes are manifested by the lips when they are closed to kisse, as well as when they are opened to professe a dearenesse of respect: so was it with Joseph towards Jacob in this place; wherein there might be (and some say there was) somewhat of ceremonie, as a funerall usage in former times; which hath descended to latter ages, and is used in some places among Christians to this day; though not alwaies with such sinceritie as in this act of Joseph, for sometimes it is done with so much hypocrisie, betweene such as have beene unequally yoked, (as where personall liking is not reciprocall) that they have kissed those when they were dead, whom they could have found in their hearts to have killed, while they were alive.
V. 2. his servants the Physicians] The word for Servants, in the Originall is ghnabadim, which is used of serving of God, Deut. 6. 13. Isa. 19. 23. Psal. 2. 11. and of man, Gen. 25. 23. 1 Sam. 4. 9. 1 King. 12. 7. and of the tilling of the earth the same word is used, as if it were a serving of the earth, 2 Sam. 9. 10. And the word rendred Physicians is Ropheim, of Rapha, which properly signifieth to heale, or cure, literally the body, metaphorically the mind; the word Rephaim, or Raphaim, as Nephilim, Anachim, Emim, Zuzim, and Zamzummim, are commonly conceived to be Giants; but Jacob Boulduc takes paines to prove them to have beene eminent men for religion and holinesse of life, lib. 1. cap. 3. & cap. 10. & cap. 19. of his Booke of the Church before the Law; but here doubtlesse the word is to be taken not in a religious, but in a civill, or physicall or medicinall sense; where we see the practise of physick, and the approbation of Physicians is very ancient; and it was but the ignorance of the Romanes, who when they came from Greece to Rome, banished them by the counsell of Cato, as sent by the subtle Greeks to torture the Romanes, Morn. de verit. Relig. c. 8. p. 101. And yet some ignorant Physicians there might be who might be as like to kill as to cure; for the knowledge of physick at the first (as it falleth out in other professions) was but little, else should not men have beene Deified for so small a matter as the skill of drawing of a tooth and of loosening the body by a purgation, as AEsculapius was, Cicer. l. 3. de Nat. Deor. p. 248. Nor would Menecrates have taken so much upon him for the curing of his Patients as to assume unto himselfe the title of Jupiter, Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 51. But though Physicians how excellent soever, be not to be esteemed Gods, yet their calling is honourable, and of their calling have beene very excellent men, as Luke who was one of the foure Evangelists, called by Paul the beloved Physician, Col. 4. 14. who though he began in the flesh ended in the spirit, contrary to those carnall and unconstant Galatians, Gal. 3. 3. and was constant to his holy companion Paul when all others forsooke him, 2 Tim. 4. 10, 11. And though it be so honourable, yet might they without disparagemēt be servants to Joseph, because he was so great a man that throughout the whole Kingdome of Egypt none might lift up an hand or a foot without him, Gen. 41. 44.
embalmed] That is, bespiced, or sweetned the dead body, thay it might not be of an offensive smell to such as came neere it. The Egyptians, because they wanted convenient and seasonable buriall places, by reason of the inundation of Nilus, and would not burne their dead bodies (because they thought fire a wild beast, as the Persians did not burne their dead, because they esteemed fire to be a God) betooke themselves to the art of embalming; and therein have been so good proficients, that they have kept some of them thousands of yeares, and from Egypt they are transported into other parts of the world to be used for medicine. And hence the Jewes brought their custome of embalming, which they used in the buriall of Kings and great men, as of Asa, 2 Chron. 16. 14. and of Christ, for which they made use of Myrrhe and Aloes, Job. 19. 39. Myrrhe (so called from the Hebrew word Mor) is a gumme issuing out of a tree, in taste bitter, but in smell very sweet; and therefore the graces of Christ and his Church are compared to it, Cant. 1. 13. This was a principall ingredient into the pretious oyntment of the high Priest, Psal. 133. 2. which with other spices was made into a curious confection by the Apothecary, Exod. 30. 25. Aloes (so named of the Hebrew word ahalim, or ahaloth) is a sweet wood, whereof perfumes were made; with these other sweet odoriferous ingredients were compounded, and the more for that the body was to be carried a great way to the buriall, and because the Egyptians were curious this way, as Herodot. sheweth, lib. 2. and their curiosity now and then proceeded to a ridiculous vanitie, for sometimes they furnished tables with meats, and set them before the dead, as if they were to take their meales like living men; and they used to keep their parents dead bodies at home, and sometimes to pawne them, and he that did not redeem such a pawne was held infamous. By this embalming the godly which survived might be admonished of such a corruption of nature by sinne, as makes the body of the most holy Saint subject to an ill and unsavoury sent; only Christ was embalmed without necessity, for his Body was secured from corruption, Psalm. 16. 10. Act. 2. 31. and 13. 35. though haply they that bestowed that cost and paines upon it, did not thinke so of it: the Papists will not permit him that peculiar priviledge, but as they make the Saints partners with Christ in other his prerogatives, so do they in this; for they tell us of Fr. Xaverius, one of the first ten that set up the Society of the Jesuites, that his dead body after fifteene moneths was found covered with lime, and that it was not only untoucht, or untainted, but that it breathed out a yery sweet smell to them that came neere it. So Bellarm. de notis Ecc. l. 4. c. 14. Tom. 2. p. 274. and of their Saint Catharine, he saith he saw her body at Bononia entire, and uncorrupt, though shee died above an hundred years before his time; and he saith the same of the body of their Saint Clare, though shee had been dead about three hundred yeares before; Bellar. de Reliq. sanct. libr. 2. cap. 3. Tom. 2. p. 933. Lastly, religious persons hereby meant to remember themselves of the resurrection of the body, and the preservation of it eternally afterwards.
V. 3. Threescore and ten dayes] The time of mourning for the dead among the Hebrewes was thirty dayes, Numb. 20. 29. Deut. 21. 13. and 34. 8. and the Egyptians mourning seventie dayes, may seeme to out-sorrow them in time, but for degree of griefe doubtlesse the Israelites exceeded them; But in this mourning, it is like there was a meeting of the Egyptians and Israelites custome together; the Israelites agreed with the Egyptians in the long and curious ceremony of embalming for forty dayes, which were dayes of sadnesse, because they were spent in applications to the dead; and the Egyptians agreed with the Hebrews in their thirty dayes of mourning, in the places fore-mentioned. There is afterward mention made of a mourning by the space of seven dayes, vers. 10. those were solemnized in Canaan somewhat neere the buriall, but whether next before, or next after it, is uncertain these were spent in more serious sorrow, the greater number were rather ceremonies of mourning, and consisted much in forbearance of white and glorious apparell, of delicacy in dressing and trimming the body and the haire.
V. 4. Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh] That so great a favourite, so honourable a person as Joseph was, should need mediatours to the King, or that he should use them without need, may seeme not to consist with his preeminence, or prudence; yet there might be many reasons for it; it might be his modesty, to be beholding to some Courtiers to mediate for him with the King, who haply had done the like office for them; and by making them mediatours, he tooke occasion to give them full information, and satisfaction touching his motion, and to engage them to speake for it, who otherwise would be forward enough to frame exceptions against it, and to traduce him for it, as if he meant to desert the King, or did disdain his Kingdome, as not good enough for the interment of his dead Father, which had kept him while he was alive: And he might have cause to feare offence the rather, if (as it may befall the best and worthiest men by the ficklenesse of the Kings favour, or the falshood of supplanting Courtiers) his authority and acceptation were any whit weakned, the times of necessity which caused his advancement being now expired. Or it may be the ceremony of mourning required his residence about the dead corps: Or last of all, perhaps it was against the ceremony of the Court for a man in a mourning habit to appeare in the presence of the King, as Esth. 4. 12. For such reasons as these, (and it may be there were others, which Josephs wisdome might keep to himselfe, or communicate unto the servants of Pharaoh) might he at this time make use of such intercessours, to make knowne and present his request to Pharaoh.
V. 5. Made me sweare] That he may not seeme to disdaine the buriall of the dead among the Egyptians, he pleads the obligation of an oath from his dying father, that so if any exception should arise, it might die with him; for men are not so apt to cavill at the dead, as at their survivers, nor at what is pleaded by necessity, as what is in our liberty to do, or to leave undone; least of all is it offensive which is done out of conscience to God, and fidelity to the dead, whereof the light and instinct of nature makes men piously and affectionately apprehensive, though they want the institution of the true religion.
which I digged] Or, bought. For a word which is a descendent of the same root is put for buying, Deut. 2. 6. Hos. 3. 2. So they that thinke it hard to say, that Jacob digged the buriall place which was prepared by his grand-father Abraham, suppose it to be more like that Jacob might buy it, not in regard he was in the loynes of his grand-father when he bought it, (for so he might as well be said to dig it as to buy it) but because his title might be questioned, and his possession disturbed, and so he might be compelled to pay for that againe, which his grandfather had purchased before. But it is most probable that the buriall place, which Abraham bought, was so spacious that he and his son, and grand-children, might dig themselves severall cells or repositories for their dead bodies in it, as they conceived they might have occasion to make use of them; and it was the manner of many in former times so much to mind their mortality, as to build sepulchres for their dead bodies, as well as to build houses for living habitations.
bury me] The bodies of the dead have in divers ages and countreys been diversly disposed of; some have been embalmed and not buryed, as hath been noted of the manner of the Egyptians, some buryed without embalming, as the ordinary people every where, some embalmed and buryed, and of them some had the Aromatick spices incorporated into their bodies, and some had their dead bodies laid upon them and so were buryed; for some sweet odours were burned at their buriall, 2 Chron. 16. 14. & Chap. 21. 19. and sometimes the bodies themselves were burned, 2 Sam. 31. 12. And this among the Jewes; among the Romanes burning was taken up by Sylla, that others might not doe by him, as he did by Marius, whose reliques he removed from their buriall place, and scattered them abroad: Cic. lib. 2. de leg. pag. 340, 341. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 54. and some people wrapped their dead in skinnes, and hanged them up upon trees; so did the Colchi. A…ian. Var. Hist. lib. 4. cap. 1. Yet buriall, as it is most ancient, so it is most ordinary; so that to want it is complained of as a calamitie in respect of Gods people, Psal. 79. 3. and threatned as a judgement on the wicked in generall, Jer. 7. 33. and on Jehojakim in particular, of whom the Lord saith, He shall be buried with the buriall of an asse, Jer. 22. 19. that is, not buried at all, but cast out of the gates to the common dunghill, where dogs and fowles may devoure his body as the body of an Asse. Dub. But is not burning better then burying? Answ. In some respects it is, for so neither men nor devils can abuse the body of the dead; but in this respect buriall is better: First, because it is more answerable to Gods decree and doome concerning man; Gen. 3. 19. Secondly, because it is a sowing of the body in the earth, with expectation of the resurrection of the dead, as of the sowen corne, to which the Apostle compareth it, 1 Cor. 15. 36. 42, 43. and in this respect it is not fit that any creatures, who are not raised from the dead, should be solemnly buried; which was practised by Poliarchus, who used with great solemnitie to bury his dead dogs, and cocks, which he tooke delight in, and to set up pillars, and write Epitaphs upon their graves, which is noted as a luxurious vanitie by Aelian; Var. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 4.
V. 6. as he made thee sweare] The very infidels would have oathes performed.
V. 7. all the servants] A very great number of them; for all is sometimes used for many, as Matth. 3. 5. as many is put sometimes for all, as Rom. 5. 19. By one mans disobedience many were made sinners, that is, all. It is not usuall for Court grace to hold out so long as Josephs did, especially to one of another nation; but being the favorite of God he made him the favourite of great men; and such was his prudence, and sweetnesse of disposition, that he kept the height of honour without hate or envy.
V. 8. onelyonly their little ones, and their flocks and herds] The little ones could not looke to themselves, much lesse to their flocks and herds, therefore some great ones were to be left, to take the charge, and care of both.
V. 9. a very great company] Some for defence and inforcement in case they should be assaulted by the Canaanites in the way, or their way stopped, or the buriall place denied; and for Jacobs more constant and honourable memoriall, for as he honoured God in his life, so he is honoured at his death; for them that honour me (saith God) I will honour, 1 Sam. 2. 30.
V. 10. valley of Atad] The place is so called from the multitude of brambles or thistles, for atad signifieth a bramble or thistle; in after times it was called Bethagla, that is, the house of the wayne or circuit, (as many expound it) for the first part it is Beth, a house, and for the rest, some conceive it is derived from galal which signifieth (among other acceptions) to lead or compasse about, as those that mourned for Jacob went about to bring him to his buriall place, or compassed his corps, or grave, about with great solemnitie.
beyond Jordan] If they went the next way from Egypt to the buriall place (which was the cave of Machpelah before Mamre) that was in respect of Egypt on this side Jordan; and then their mourning at Atad or Bethagla was well toward fiftie miles beyond the sepulchre; if so, they buried the corps afterward, and then there were so many miles of lost labour in comming backe to do it, for which no good reason can be rendered. It may be more probable that they went about, though not for feare of the Canaanites, (for the Egyptians at that time were more formidable to the Canaanites, then the Canaanites to them) nor that they mystically went that way, by which the Israelites afterwards were to passe from Egypt into Canaan, yet for more commodious passage for so great a company, which could not conveniently travell in a narrow way, they fetched a compasse about, which occasioned them to passe the river Jordan before they could come to Atad or Machpelah, which was beyond Jordan, not onelyonly in respect of Moses his abode when he wrote this story, but in respect of the locall situation in the order of their journy. Some learned Hebricians make a great difference betwixt begneber and megneber, the former they will have to signifie on this side, the latter beyond; but they make not good their observations by any fit instances, nor will their exposition sort with the situation of places, according to the exact topography of this journey.
sore lamentation] The Egyptians made very great shews of much mourning; see the Annot. on v. 3. They mourned by themselves, and Joseph and his company by themselves; and howsoever that mourning of the Egyptians were full of vanitie and superstition, yet that of Joseph (it is like) was grave, religious, and sincere, with such discourse as so holy an example might minister unto them.
V. 13. field of] The most ancient buriall, even of the best beleevers, and most religious persons, was in the field; for that purpose Abraham bought this field of the children of He…h. Chap. 23. v. 17, 18, 19. And Moses was buryed in a valley, though the particular place of his sepulchre be unknown, Deut. 34. 6. And so were Kings also buryed, some in their fields, 2 Chron. 26. 23. and some in gardens, 2 King 21. 18. And so was our Saviour buried▪ Joh. 19. 41. The heathens in their burials observed a double caution; the one that the dead should not be buryed in cities▪ which was forbidden by the Emperour Adrian, upon a penaltie of fourtie crownes upon them that did it, and the Magistrate that suffered it: Coel. Rhodig. Antiq. Lect. lib. 17. cap. 19. The other, that out of cities buriall places should not be made in fruitfull, but in barren ground▪ ib c. 20. So Plat. in his second book of Laws among the lawes of Lycurgus, one was that buriall places should be in the ground neere to Churches and round about them, that youth accustomed to the sight of graves might be the more hardened against the apprehension of death. Plutarch in the life of Lycurgus, p. 58. Among Christians the places of interment are used with much difference; some bury in places remote from the communion of men, some in Churches, and Churchyards; At the first, buriall in the Church was allowed onelyonly to the patrone or incumbent; after, such as were of eminency for holinesse, or estate, were admitted to it, as by especiall priviledge; now it is so common, that it becomes very incommodious to humane society; besides, many are so tainted with superstition in it (though they be not Papists, who most abound with that vanitie) that if their friends, children, or other kindred dye of the pestilence, they thinke they are not buryed like Christians, unlesse they b… laid where others are, who did not dye of a contagious disease. Dub. But is it not better ordinarily to bury in Churches and Churchyards then else-where? Answ. First, In respect of the dead it is all one whether he be drowned, or burnt, or buried; and if buried, all one where the grave is made for him. Secondly, in respect of the living, it is noysome and unwholesome to bury there whither the living have often occasion to make their recourse; especially, in pestilentiall times, and most of all if the graves b… not digged very deep. Thirdly, though we put no religion in places in the time of the Gospel, yet it is not comely for religious persons to make the house of God a Golgotha. Dub. But is it not lawfull for any to be buried there? Answ. Yes, for the bodies of the Saints, having been living Temples of the holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 19. are better then the materiall Temples of wood and stone. But yet they that survive (if a living dog be better the… a dead lion, Eccles. 9. 4.) are more to be respected then the bodies of the dead; esp…cially, in this locall ceremony, which doth them neither good nor hurt; and so it were simply better that none at all should be buried in Churches, then that it should be so common as now it is.
of Machpelah] See Annot. on Chap. 23. 9. & Chap. 49. 30.
V. 16. sent a messenger] Hebr. they gave charge, or, advertisement to Joseph, without any expresse mention of a messenger, or messengers; yet such were used, two say some Hebrewes, and they name them, Dan and Naphthali, who were brought up together with Joseph, and sociably imployed in attendance on Jacob… flocks, Chap. 37. 2. Others take it to be rather Benjamin, who was most gracious with Joseph; both are uncertaine; all that may be safely affirmed in this matter is, that some one was employed in the message who was no stranger, and such a one as was worthy of such trust.
thy father did] It is not like their father knew it, (so charitable was Joseph to his brethren, so chary of his good fathers contentment) for if he had known, he would have given some touch of it in his speech to his sonnes, Chap. 49. as well as he did of the faults of Reuben, Simeon and Levi; and if he had known it, Jacob knew Joseph to be so good that he would need no such message to doe them no hurt; It is probable then, that their guilt making them afraid, they fained somewhat in their fathers name that might deliver them from their brothers displeasure.
V. 17. so shall ye say unto Joseph] To make their peace with Joseph, whose goodnesse was suspected by their guilt, they plead for pacification and pardon by many arguments; First, by the desire of his most honoured, and dead father, whose request to Joseph had the power of a command, which he might have charged upon him with an oath, as vers. 5. Secondly, the relation of brethren, who under that title were to be tenderly dealt withall, though (when time was) they did not deale with him accordingly. Thirdly, as penitents, they confesse a fault and crave pardon, and as unworthy to be called Jacobs sonnes, they call him Josephs father, wherein also they insinuate his paternall tendernesse to Joseph, loving him more then all his other children, Gen. 37. 3. Fourthly, they adde to these motives of charitie a motive of pietie, which is, their agreement and consent in the service of God; Forgive the trespasse of the servants of the God of thy father; by which phrase the God of thy father, they seeme to imply, that as Joseph loved his father for Gods sake and his own, so they would have him love God for his fathers sake; and by pleading thus they meane that having one God they should be at one among themselves.
wept] As pitying their perplexity, and grieving that they made doubt of his good will towards them, of whom they had so good proofe before his fathers departure out of this life.
V. 18. fell downe] Here againe they confirme the prediction of Josephs dreame, Chap. 37 vers. 7, &c.
V. 19. am I in the place of God] Or (as some Hebricians render the words) am not I under God? First of the former reading. They had called themselves Gods servants, vers. 17. and presently they fall downe before him, vers. 18. and call themselves his servants, as if they put him in Gods stead, by fearing him more then God; for it seemes they feared his revenge more then Gods vengeance; This might make him thinke worse of their homage done unto him, then at other times before, and give him occasion to aske this question▪ Am I in the place of God? that is, in Gods stead to revenge my selfe, or take vengeance into mine hands, which belongeth to him; See Deut. 32. 35. Rom. 12. 19. Heb. 10. 30. Or, may I take upon me to turne that to your hurt which God hath ordered and disposed for your good, as if I were a God as well as he? The former exposition hath best coherence with the words that went before, and the latter with those that follow after; and either may be true. Secondly, the other reading, am I not under God? may beare this sense; If God who is rich in mercy doth abundantly pardon the penitent, why should I, who am under him, and in subordination to him, be obdurate against my relenting brethren?
V. 20. but God] You plotted, but being but men could not performe; but God, whose will is his deed, really made good his gracious purpose towards you. Gods godnesse over-masters the malignitie of men, turning their evill into good, and making a medicine of a poyson; See Psal. 119. 71. In this acknowledgement Joseph taketh off the thankes and praise of their preservation from himselfe, and giveth it to God. See Gen. 45. 5. Act. 3. 12, 13.
much people] The Egyptians, and other people, who in the famine were furnished with corn, by the store which Josephs providence had laid up in the years of plenty.
V. 21. nourish you] By their plot Joseph was like to perish, or famish in a pit, but he, when he had them in his power was so farre from returning them like for like, that he recompensed their wrongs with beneficence, doing good for evill, (which our Saviour requireth of Christians, Matth. 5. 44.) overcoming evill with good, as the Apostle prescribeth, Rom. 12. 21.
V. 22. fathers house] That is, his houshold, or family, called the house by a figure which putteth the thing containing for the thing contained.
V. 23. third generation] In the Originall they are called sonnes of the third, that is, grandchildren to Ephraim in the fourth, and to Joseph in the fifth degree; so Ephraim (though younger then Manasseh) exceeded him two descents; for Joshua was the seventh from Ephraim inclusively, 1 Chron. 7. 26, 27. but Zelophehad (who was contemporary with Joshua and died in the wildernesse) was but the fifth from Manasseh inclusively, Numb. 27. 1. and so Jacobs Prophecie of Ephraims more numerous posteritie, Chap. 48. 19. took effect betime, even while Joseph lived.
the children also of Machir] Or, the sonnes of Machir: (for the word in Hebrew is of the Masculine gender) whereby some understand onelyonly Gilead, by an Enallage of number, the plurall number for the singular; as Gen. 46. 23. Matth. 27. 44. Luk. 23. 36. Yet we find in the genealogie of Manasseh that Machir had two wives, and though by the one he had but one sonne, who was named Gilead, by the other he had two sonnes, Peresh, and Sheresh, 1 Chron. 7. 16. but these of the second marriage haply were not borne in Josephs time, for he lived but fiftie three yeares after his father Jacob.
brought up upon Josephs knees] The words according to the Originall are, they were borne on Josephs knees; a phrase most properly used of the female sexe, Gen. 30. 3. as that of coming from between the feete, Deut. 28. 57. yet as this latter is sometimes figuratively applied to men, as Gen. 49. 10. so may the former be, in that loving fathers delight to see their new borne babes, children, or grandchildren, and to shew such kindnesse to them, as may well be exprest by laying on the knees, or sitting on the lap.
V. 24. surely visit] He speaketh this by the Spirit of Prophecie to exhort his brethren to have full trust in Gods promises for their deliverance, and to stirre up their memories and meditations of them, by bringing of his bones to take possession for him, though dead before.
V. 25. tooke an oath] As his father tooke an oath of him, vers. 5. so did he of his brethren, and kinsmen, though not for his buriall, yet for the bringing of his bones into the promised Land upon their deliverance from the Egyptian Tyranny, which was not to beginne untill Josephs person were out of sight, and his good deeds out of mind, Exod. 1. 8. This deliverance was accomplished about one hundred and fourtie years after his death, which fell out in the yeare of the world (as some reckon) 2309. as others, 2399. the reason of which difference ariseth from the divers account of the birth of Abraham; which some referre to the seventieth yeare of Terah▪ some to the one hundred and thirty, and some place Cainan in the genealogie, and allow thirty yeares to his age, whom others omit.
of the children of Israel] It is not said, of his brethren, because they might all of them be dead before the Israelites departure out of Egypt, and it is like were so, for all of them (but Benjamin) being elder then Joseph, it is not probable that they, or any of them, outlived him one hundred and fourty yeares; of Levi we find that he lived one hundred thirty seven yeares, Exod. 6. 16. the Scripture being silent of the age and time of the rest; therefore it is most like that this oath concerning the translation of Josephs bones, was so often renued and taken againe, or at least remembred and reported by the parents and their children, that it might be surely performed by that generation, in whose tim… their deliverance was brought to passe.
ye shall carry] After God hath visited you in mercy, you shall depart hence, and take possession of the promised Land; in the meane time he desired not his body to be carried out of Egypt, as his fathers was, for the Egyptians would have taken it ill from him, though from his father they did not: besides, it was some comfort to his surviving kindred, that he was (though but in his body, and at last, but in his bones) remaining with them; whereby his memoriall was had in more honour with the Egyptians; and the Israelites might expect the more favour from them while Joseph their brother was remembred among them.
my bones from hence] From Egypt, which was accordingly done, Exod. 13. 19▪ and the place whither they were brought was the Land of Canaan, which was the Land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as is said in this place, v. 24. and they were not carried thither, or kept here, for reliques to be worshipped, but to be bu…ied, and so they were, Josh. 24. 32. Nor were they brought to Canaan as by way of restitution, because Joseph was sold thence, for that had been but as if he that had stollen a bagge of gold, should restore the empty bagge, when the gold is gone; besides he was sold from Dothan, Gen. 37. 17, &c. and the remainders of him were buried at Shech…m, Josh. 24. 32. Nor did h… desire to be removed into the Land of Canaan, because (as some Jewes have conceived) there will be a readier resurrection from that soyle, then from any other, for that is but a vaine fancie, which Josephs wisdome could not imagine: But to testifie his assured beliefe that God would make good his promise for the Israelites deliverance from Egypt, and their settlement in the Land of Canaan; and his love to his Progenitors, with whom he desired communion both living and dead; and to stirre up the memories and meditations of his brethren and kindred, concerning the promises that God had made to their Progenitors for the possession of the Land of Canaan.
V. 26. an hundred and tenne yeares old] Whereof fourescore yeares passed in an honourable Principalitie in Egypt; for he was advanced in the thirtieth yeare of his age, Gen. 41. 46. and about nine yeares after he received his father in Egypt, and presented him before Pharaoh, after the seven plentifull yeares and two of the yeares of famine were expired: See Gen. 45. 11. & 47. 1. after which time he held on his dignitie and authoritie seventy one yeares; which added to the thirty, and the nine yeares forementioned make up the just number of an hundred and ten yeares.
embalmed him] See Annot. on vers. 2.
in a coffin] Chest, or Arke; for the word aron here used is the same which is used for the Arke of the Testimonie or Covenant, Deut. 31. 9. yet though they agreed in name, they differed much in their fabrick, both for matter and figure; and were placed at a distance one from the other; for the Arke of the Testimonie was kept in the Holy of holies of the Tabernacle, where no other Arke or Coffin was admitted; so there were two Arkes when th… Temple was built; that of the Covenant, and another which had an hole in the top of it, to receive the oblations for the repaire of the Temple, which was placed neere the Altar on the right side, at the entrance into the house of the Lord, 2 King. 12. 9, 10.