A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Genesis · Chapter 41
CHAP. XLI.
Verſ. 1. ANd it came to paſſe at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed, &c.]
That is, after he had expounded the Butlers & Bakers dreams; & thus was the faith and patience of this dear ſervant of God the better tryed, that he might be an example unto others to wait patiently upon God in long-continuing afflictions; and withall he was taught not to aſcribe his deliverance to the favour of this Courtier, who never minded him ſo long a time together, but to the watchfull care and providence of God over him.
Verſ. 2. And behold there came up out of the River ſeven well favoured kine, &c.]
The ordinary means of the fruitfulneſſe or barrenneſſe of Egypt was from the overflowing (as it was much or little) of the river Nilus; therefore are both the fat and lean kine ſaid to come out of the river: Neither could any thing be fitter to repreſent the plenty or ſcarcity of a land then were theſe viſions of kine and ears of corn; becauſe indeed corn and cattle are the two principall things which a land yields for the uſe of man, and where theſe abound the ſcarcitie of other things is but little felt.
Verſ. 5. And behold ſeven ears of corn upon one stalk, &c.]
A clear ſigne of incredible plenty.
Verſ. 8. Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.]
Thus God maketh the wiſdome of the wiſe to periſh, Iſaiah 29. 14. For the wiſdome of their wiſe men ſhall periſh.
Verſ. 9. I do remember my faults this day.]
It was not doubtleſſe without a ſpeciall providence, that the chief Butler ſpake not to Pharaoh concerning Joſeph till he had made triall of the Magicians and Wiſe men of Egypt, and could receive no ſatisfaction from them; for this muſt needs make Pharaoh to prize Joſeph the more, and ſo it made way to his advancement. As for the complement, wherewith the chief Butler begins his ſpeech to Pharaoh, it was doubtleſſe to curry favour with his great Lord and Maſter, leſt the mention of his impriſonment, ſhould ſeem to be ſpoken out of diſcontent for that which he then ſuffered (as Kings are full of jealouſies in this kind) by this humbling of himſelf Courtier-like, I do remember my faults, &c. he ſeeks to prevent all ſuſpicion that might ariſe in the Kings mind in this regard.
Verſ. 16. God ſhall give Pharaoh an anſwer of peace.]
An expreſſion of his hope or deſire, namely, that his dream ſhould be a prediction of nothing but peace; yea happely he might by the ſpirit of God be aſſured that the dream vvas ſuch as did portend nothing but peace and proſperitie to Pharaoh and his kingdome.
Verſ. 34. And take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the ſeven plenteous years.]
That this fifth part was taken up for the King, is evident; becauſe he afterwards ſold it to the people, chap. 47. 14. And Joſeph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: but vvhether he took it up by vvay of tribute or purchaſe, buying it of the people, it is not expreſſed; moſt probable it is that both means vvere uſed, and that this ſtore vvas gathered into the Kings granaries and ſtorehouſes, partly upon the Kings payments and ingagements for it, and partly by advancing of his yearly tributes, vvhichwhich might be the more eaſily born by the people, both becauſe of the exceeding plenty of thoſe years, vvherein the remaining foure parts vvere more then the vvhole encreaſe of other years, and abundantly enough and to ſpare for their ovvn ſupply, and becauſe they might knovv that this proviſion vvas made for the ſupply of the countrey againſt a time of ſcarcitie vvhichwhich vvas feared, or knovvn to be coming upon them.
Verſ. 38. A man in whom the ſpirit of God is.]
This he grounds upon that propheticall gift of interpreting dreams, and foretelling things to come, vvhichwhich by a divine povver vvas conferred upon him. And obſervable it is, that as dreams vvere before the occaſion of his bondage, ſo dreams vvere novv again the occaſion of his exaltation.
Verſ. 41. See, I have ſet thee over all the land of Egypt.]
This word ſee, he uſeth, as having reſpect therein to th…ſe outward ornaments and ſignets wherewith this honour was to be conferred and confirmed unto him.
Verſ. 42. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, &c.]
That is, his ſignet, which he was to uſe, as his Vice-roy in his name, and by his authority to publiſh under his ſeal, whatever he ſhould be pleaſed to decree.
Verſ. 43. And he made him to ride in the ſecond chariot he had.]
Kings had two chariots, for more honour and uſe, 2. Chron. 35. 24. His ſervants therefore took him out of the chariot, and put him in the ſecond chariot that he had. By ſetting Joſeph hereon the king honoured him (as Mordecai was by riding on the kings horſe) and ſought to make it known th…t he had taken him to be the next man under himſelf in the kingdome.
Verſ. 44. I am Pharaoh, &c.]
That is, I am king, that authority which I have given thee I am able and will make good unto thee; or elſe it may be a kind of oath, ſo true as I am Pharaoh, without thee ſhall no man lift up his hand, or foot in all the land of Egypt, which is a proverbiall ſpeech, and the meaning is, that the leaſt thing ſhould not be done, to wit, in matters concerning the ordering and government of the kingdome, but by authority from Joſeph.
Verſ. 45. And he gave him to wife Aſenath the daughter of Poti-pherah, &c.]
It is expreſſely noted that Poti-pherah, the father in law of Joſeph, was Prieſt or Prince of On, a chief citie in Egypt, not onelyonly to ſhew into what an honourable family Joſeph was matched, by the care and favour of Pharaoh, but alſo to diſtinguiſh him from Potiphar, the captain of the guard, to whom Joſeph was ſold when he was firſt brought into Egypt (becauſe their names are much alike) neither is it likely that he would marry the daughter of Potiphars wife, whom he knew to be diſhoneſt, and by whoſe falſe accuſation he had ſuffered ſo much reproch and miſery. As for his marrying with the daughter of an idolatrous Prieſt or Prince, vve muſt conſider that it vvas an extraordinary caſe, there being no other in the land of Egypt, neither could he go elſevvhere to ſeek a vvife vvithout deſerting that great office, vvhereto, for the benefit of the Church, God had advanced him; and beſides he might by ſome ſpeciall inſtinct or revelation from God be moved to accept of Pharaohs favour herein.
Verſ. 51. For God, ſaid he, hath made me forget all my fathers houſe.]
By forgetting his fathers houſe, is not meant, that novv he did not at all think upon his father or brethren, or mind the family from vvhichwhich he vvas taken (for this had been ſinfull in Joſeph, and a diſhonour to him, and not a matter to be rejoyced in) but that God had comforted him in regard of his former ſad thoughts for his being ſold avvay from his father and all his friends, by advancing him to a condition vvherein it vvas better vvith him for all outvvard things, then in his fathers houſe it could have been; and beſides he might in theſe vvords have eſpeciall reſpect to his marriage, concerning vvhichwhich it is ſaid that A man muſt then leave his father and his mother, and cleave unto his wife. It is true indeed (and very ſtrange it may ſeem) that Joſeph neither in his bondage, nor in the eight years after his exaltation, did ever ſend vvord to his father vvhere and in vvhat condition he vvas, vvhichwhich vvas doubtleſſe of God in ſome extraordinary vvay; and moſt probably vve may conceive, that having that extraordinary gift of interpreting dreams, even the meaning and event of his own dreams might be revealed to him, to wit, how his brethren ſhould in the famine come down into Egypt for corn, and ſo bow down before him, and that therefore he ſent not to his father, but waited for the accompliſhment of that which God had beforehand revealed to him.
Verſ. 57. And all countreys came into Egypt, &c.]
That is, all the neighbour-countreys round about Egypt.