Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 37
CHAP. XXXVII. Verſ. 1. In the land of his fathers ſojournings.]
THe Dukes of Edom had habitations in the land of their poſſeſſions, Chap. 36.43. But Jacob, with his father Iſaac, were pilgrims in the land of Canaan; content to dwell in tents here, that they might dwell with God for ever. foreign, &c. Epiſt. ad Diognetum.Justin Martyr ſaith of the Chriſtians of his time; they dwell in their own countries but as ſtrangers; have right to all, as Citizens; but ſuffer hardſhip, as forraigners, &c.
Verſ. 2. Theſe are the generations] That is, events, begotten of time, after he came to live with his father Iſaac, who alſo wept for Ioſeph, verſ. 35, as Iunius. [With the ſons of Bilhah, &c.] It is thought, that theſe ſons of the handmaids, for the baſeneſs of their birth, were more modeſt then the reſt; and that Ioſeph therefore, out of his humility, ſorted himſelf with them. Probable it is, they were more unruly then the reſt, and ill conditioned, (as ſuch are, commonly) whereof Ioſeph made complaint, and was therefore hated. Veritas odium parit. Truth is a good miſtreſs; but he that follows her too cloſe at heels, may hap have his teeth ſtruck out. An expectas ut Quintilianus ametur? ſaid he. Thoſe that are wakened out of ſleep, are uſually unquiet, ready to brawl with their beſt friends. So here.
Verſ. 3. Becauſe he was the ſon of his old-age] The Chaldee Paraphraſt renders it morally, Becauſe he was a wiſe ſon, in quo ante canos ſapientia: ſuch a one as Macarius was, of whom Nicephorus ſaith, that, for his prudence and gravity, whiles he was yet but a youth, he was ſirnamed foreign, The old ſtripling. Ioſephus ſaith, He was very like his mother, Rachel; and therefore his father ſo loved him. But Chryſostome ſaith, better, that it was for his vertuous life, and godly diſpoſition. Goodneſs is lovely in any, much more in an own childe. Iohn was the beſt beloved diſciple, becauſe beſt conditioned. But otherwiſe, Cavete, ſaith Ambroſe, ne quos natura conjunxit, paterna gratia dividat. Parents partiality, may breed heart-burnings, Eph. 6.4.
Verſ. 4. They hated him] There is a paſſion of hatred: This is a kinde of averſneſs, and riſing of the heart againſt a man, when one ſeeth him; ſo that he cannot away with him, nor ſpeak to him, nor look courteouſly or peaceably upon him; but ones countenance falls when he ſees him, and he even turns away, and, by his good will, would have nothing to do with him. 2. There is a habit of hatred: when the ſoul is ſo ſowred with this leven, ſo ſetled in this alienation and eſtrangement, that it grows to wiſh, and deſire, and ſeek his hurt. And this is one difference betwixt Hatred and Envie: whom men hate, they will harm; but ſometimes mens gifts are envied, againſt whom no hurt is intended.
Verſ. 5. And Ioſeph dreamed] Of divine dreams to be regarded as Oracles, ſee the Notes on Chap. 20. verſ. 3. [They hated him yet the more] So the Jews did Jeſus, for his parables; eſpecially, when he ſpake of his exaltation.
Verſ. 7. We were binding ſheaves] This was fulfilled, when they came to him for corn into Egypt. Here Ioſeph dreams of his advancement, but not of his impriſonment: So do many profeſſors, which therefore prove apoſtates.
Verſ. 8. Shalt thou indeed raign over us?] They rightly interpreted the dream, yet ſtubbornly reſiſt the revealed will of God. This leaves ſin without a cloke, Ioh. 15.22, as it did in the Phariſees. They rightly interpreted that place in Micah, Matth. 2, &c. and yet, when Chriſt, to whom all their own ſignes did ſo well agree, came amongſt them, they would by no means receive him; nay, they ſent a meſſage after him, ſaying, We will not have this man to raign over us.
Verſ. 9. Beheld, the ſun, and the moon] The father of the family ſhould be as the ſun, full of heavenly light, and illightning all about him: The mother, as the moon, ſhining out in her husbands abſence, and veiling to him, when he is in place. The children, as ſtars of light, or rather, as a heaven full of ſtars, as one ſaith well of Ioſeph: Fuit Ioſephi vita coelum quoddam lucidiſſimis virtutum ſtellis exornatum. The people of God are called, the host of heaven, Dan. 8.10: and are bid to ſhine as lamps, or rather, as thoſe great lights of heaven, Phil. 2.15.
Verſ. 10. And his father rebuked him] Either as not yet underſtanding the myſtery, or diſſembling it. It is wiſdom, at ſome time, and in ſome place, to pretend a diſlike of another mans fact, (ſo far as we may with truth) for the preventing of envie. This, ſome think, was Iacobs drift here. And therefore he draws an argument, ab impoſſibili & abſurdo; Shall thy dead mother riſe and reverence thee? A likely matter: and yet, as light as Iacob made of it, (to deonerate Ioſeph of the envie) he laid it to heart, verſ. 11.
Verſ. 11. And his brethren envied him] Envie is a filthy fruit of the fleſh, Gal. 5.25. and the devil; who is called, the envious man, Matth. 13.20. and ſuch wiſdom is ſaid to be devilliſh, Jam. 3.15. The Phariſees, envying our Saviour, did the devils Work, Joh. 8. So did Cain, the devils Patriarch, when he laid his cruel club on the innocent head of his brother Abel. And Saul, when ſeized upon by the evil ſpirit, (more then a melancholy humour) he envied David, and ſought his death. For, this vice, as it makes the heart to boil with helliſh venom; ſo it bliſters out at the tongue, as here; They could not ſpeak peaceably to Ioſeph, but ſcoff, and conſult his ruine. It ſits alſo looking out at the windows of the eyes; Neſcio quis teneros, &c. faſcino, foreign, i. e. foreign.and, as a Baſilisk, blaſteth the object. Hence invidere, to ſee with an evil eye, and naughty minde: And our Engliſh ſaith, to over-look a thing; that is, to bewitch it. This very looking upon others precellencies, whereby we are over-ſhined, ſo as to luſt to have that light put out, that our candle might ſhine above it, (this is every mans ſin;) though it act nothing, yet it is abominable, Iam. 4.5. As on the other ſide, to rejoyce in the good parts of others, though it eclipſeth our light; and this from the heart; this is indeed more then to excel others in any excellency, if this be wanting. For this, it is good to get the heart fraught with mercy, meekneſs of wiſdom, fear of God, (whoſe providence cuts us out our ſeveral conditions and proportions) zeal for his glory, as Moſes; humility, charity, (Love envieth not, 1 Cor. 13.4.) And to take heed of ſtrife, Rom. 13.13. Envie and ſtrife go coupled; they are brought in there by the brace: and as it were twiſted together. Likewiſe, of pride, and vainglory, Phil. 2.3. covetouſneſs, Prov. 28.22, logomachies, 1 Tim. 6.4. ſelf-love, ignorance, &c. all which, make the ſoul ſick of the fret, and to pierce it ſelf thorow with many ſorrows. Pſal. 37. Pſal. 73. foreign, of foreign, to conſume.For this ſin killeth the ſilly one, Job 5.2, if it kill no other. Envie and murder go coupled, Rom. 1. Gal. 5. An hectick it is to it ſelf, however; the ſame that ruſt is to iron, blaſting to corn, or a moth to the cloth it breeds in. It drinketh the moſt part of its own venom, gnaws on its own heart, is conſumed in its own fire as Nadab and Abih… were; and, like the ſnake in the fable, licks off its own tongue, as envying teeth to the file in the forge. Serram a…imae.Socrates called it, The Saw of the ſoul. David compares it to fire in billets of Juniper, which burns vehemently; and continues, they ſay, more years then one. Simul peccat & plectitur: expedita juſtitia, ſaith Petrarch. Other ſins have ſome pleaſure; this hath none, but torment. It is a very hell-aboveground, and paves a way to the unpardonable ſin, as in Saul, and the Phariſees.
Verſ. 13. And he ſaid unto him, Here am I.] Children obey your parents, (quorum divina eſt dignitas, ſaith Chryſoſtom: Our parents are foreign, ſaith Another; and Philo, for this maketh the fifth Commandement a part of the firſt table,) for this is right, Epheſ. 6.1. Blind Nature ſaw it to be ſo. foreign. Ariſtot. Rhetor.For it is not fit (ſaith the Philoſopher) to croſs the gods, a mans own father, and his Tutor, or Teacher.
Verſ. 14. Well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks] His firſt care is for the welfare of his children. Many a Laban is more ſollicitous of his flock, then of his family. Macrob.It was better being Herods ſwine, then his ſon, ſaid Auguſtus. Hawks and Hounds are better tended and tutoured in ſome great houſes, then children. Or if they be taught manners, and handſome behaviour, that's all that's cared for. But piety muſt be principally planted, where Gods bleſſing upon poſterity is expected: the promiſe whereof, is therefore ſpecially annexed to the ſecond Commandment.
Verſ. 15. What ſeekeſt thou?] This was not the Angel Gabriel, (as the Hebrews will have it) but ſome courteous paſſenger, that thus offereth himſelf to wandring Joſeph, and ſets him in his way again. At Athens, Dion. Lambin. in Corn. Nep.there were publike curſes appointed againſt ſuch as ſhewed not thoſe their errour, that were out of the way. See the like, Deut. 27.18. Brethren, ſaith St. James, Jam. 5.19, 20.if any of you do erre from the truth, and one convert him, Let him know that he ſaves a ſoul from death; yea, he pulls him out of the fire of hell, ſaith St. Jude: for they that erre from Gods Commandments, Jude 23. Ex igne gehe… nali. Pareus.are curſed, Pſal. 11.21.
Verſ 16. I ſeek my brethren] He ſtaid not at Sh…ch em, whither his father ſent him; but miſſing of them there, he ſeeks further, till he found them. This is true obedience, whether to God or man; when we look not ſo much to the letter of the law, as to the mind of the Law-maker; Apices juris non ſunt jus.
Verſ. 17. He found them in Dothan] That is, in defection; So found our Saviour his loſt ſheep, in utter defection, both of doctrine and manners: ſome four, or fewer, that looked for the conſolation of Iſrael.
Verſ. 18. They conſpired againſt him] So did the husbandmen againſt Chriſt, Luk. 20.14 This is t…e heir, ſay they, &c. The word is by one rendred, They craftily conſpired. The Greek hath it malignantly: craft, and cruelty, go uſually together in the Churches adverſaries. The Devil lends them his ſeven heads to plot, and his ten horns, to puſh poor Joſeph, that dreads no danger.
Verſ. 19. Behold this dreamer] This Captain-dreamer, or, this Architect of dreams, A lewd ſcoffe, and withal, a cruel calumny. Envy, ſo it may gall, or kill, cares not how true or falſe it be, that it alledgeth: it uſually aggravates the matter beyond truth, to do miſchief, as here. Their hearts were ſo big-ſwollen with ſpite and ſpleen, foreignthat they could not call him by his name, but this dreamer. So the Phariſees called our Saviour, this fellow. And the Jews ſought him at the feaſt, Joh. 7.11.and ſaid, Where is He? they could not find in their hearts to ſay, Where is Jeſus? as Saul asked not for David, but for the ſon of Jeſſe, by way of contempt. Chriſt tells his Diſciples, that men ſhall, in hatred of them caſt out their names for evil, Sic apud Latinos dicebautur capitis dimi…utiouem pati, qui ex albo a cenſoribus expungebant…r.for his ſake, Luk. 6.22. Their perſons ſhould be proſcribed, and their names expunged, as unworthy to breathe on the common a…r. That like as we give names to new-born-babes; ſo when we cannot afford to mention a mans name, it ſhews, we wiſh him out of the world: Nomine Chriſtianorum deleto, qui Remp. exercebant. So thoſe bloody tyrants of the primitive times, ſounded the triumph before-hand, and engraved the victory they never got, upon Pillars of Marble; Ʋbicunque invenitur nomen Calvini, deleatur, ſaith the Index expurgatorius. After Stephen Brune the Martyrs death, his adverſaries commanded it to be cryed, Act. & Mon. fol. 820.that none ſhould make any more mention of him, under pain of hereſie. So in Queen Maries dayes, one Tooly hanged for fellony, for defying the Pope, was, after his death, ſuſpended and excommunicated; and ſtrict charge given, that no man ſhould eat or drink with him; or if any met him by the way, he ſhould not bid him good morrow, Ibidem. 1439.or call him by his name. It was not for nothing, ſurely, that our Saviour, in token of hearty reconciliation, requires men to ſalute their enemies, and to call them friendly by their names, Matth. 5.47.
Verſ. 20. And we will ſay] So they conſult, to cover their murder with a lie. One ſin admitted, makes way for another. He that hath fallen down one round of Hells ladder, knowes not where he ſhall ſtop, till he break his neck at the bottome.
Verſ. 21. And he delivered him out of their bands] Joſephus relates his Arguments, whereby he prevailed with them: As 1. That God would ſurely ſee them. 2. Their father would extreamly grieve at it. 3. That Ioſeph was but a child, and their brother. 4. That they would bring upon themſelves the guilt of innocent blood, &c. It was happy they hearkned to him. God would have it ſo: And he will ever have one Reuben or another, to deliver his. It is not in vain, for ſome one to ſtand for God and his people, againſt many adverſaries. When the Phariſees had deſtined our Saviour to death, Ioh. 7. Nicodemus, though he had none in the Counſel to ſecond him, ſpoke in his behalf, ver. 51. and for that time, fruſtrated their bloody intention. See the like, Ier. 26.24.
Verſ. 22. Shed no blood] Every drop of it hath a tongue to cry for vengeance. Well might K. James ſay, that if God did leave him to kill a man, he would think God did not love him. David, Gods darling, falling into that crimſon ſin, carried the bruiſe of that fall with him to his grave, Woe to thoſe Italians, Sands his Relation of Weſt. Relig. Sect. 13.that blaſpheme oftner, then ſwear; and murther more, then revile or ſlander.
Verſ. 23. They ſtript Joſeph out of his coat] For, 1. It was an eye-ſore to them. 2. Therewith they would colour their cruelty. And this whiles they were doing, Ioſeph uſed many intreaties for himſelf, but they would not hear him, Gen. 42.21. Reuben alſo pleaded hard for the child, but all to no purpoſe, Gen. 42.22. their tender mercies were cruelties.
Verſ. 24. They caſt him into a pit] Where they meant he ſhould pine and periſh with hunger, which is a more cruel death, Druſo adcò alimenta ſubducta, ut tomentum a culcitra tentaverit mandere. Tacit.then to dye by the ſword, Lam. 4.5. Thus dyed Druſus by the command of Tiberius; meat being denyed him, he had eaten the ſtuffings of his bed. I have heard of a certain Biſhop (ſaith Melancthon) who having caſt ten men into a dungeon for their religion ſake, kept them there ſo long without all manner of meat, that they devoured one another.Joh. Manl. loc. com. 124.
Verſ. 25. And they ſate down to eat] To weep for their wickedneſs, they ſhould have ſate down rather. But the Devill had drawn a hard hoof over their hearts, that either they felt no remorſe of what they had done, for preſent; or elſe, they ſought to eaſe themſelves of it, by eating, and merry-making. They drank wine in bowles; but no man was ſorry for the affliction of Joſeph. Nay, perhaps, Amos 6.8.they had ſo tyred themſelves with making away their brother, that they were even ſpent again, and ſtood in need of ſome refreſhing. The good providence of God was in it howſoever, that they ſhould there ſit down, till the Merchants came by from Gilead, which was a Mart for Merchants, Ier. 8.22. & 22.6. All things co-operate for good to them that love God, Rom. 8.28.
Verſ. 26. What profit is it, &c.] Cui bono? ſaid that old Judge in Rome. Cic. orat. pro C. Rabir.This is a ſong that moſt men will liſten to, As the Jaſſians in Strabo, delighted with the muſick of an excellent Harper, ran all away, when once they heard the Market-bell ring, ſave a deaf old man, that could take little delight in the Harpers ditties. But it were to be wiſht, that whenever we are tempted to ſin, we would ask our ſelves this queſtion, What profit is it? &c.
Verſ. 27. For he is our brother, and our fleſh] This conſideration ſhould be, as the Angels call to Abraham, to ſtay our hand from ſtriking another; 1. That he is our brother, in reſpect of God, for have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? Mal. 3.10. Next, that he is our fleſh, in regard of our firſt parents, Act. 17.26. Eſay 58.7.
Verſ. 28. For twenty peeces of ſilver] A goodly price; not all out the price of a ſlave, Exod. 21.32. Here they ſold the juſt one for ſilver, Pirke R. Eliez. ch. 38.and the poor for a pair of ſhooes, Amos 2.6. The Hebrews tell us, that of theſe twenty ſhekels, every of the ten brethren had two, to buy ſhooes for their feet. [And they brought Ioſeph into Egypt] Little knowing what a price they had in their hand, even the Jewel of the world, and him that ſhould one day be Lord of Egypt. The Saints for their worth, are called Princes in all lands, Many righteous, are many Kings. Compare Matth. 13.17. with Luk. 10.24.Pſal. 45. Kings in righteouſneſs, though ſomewhat obſcure ones; as Melchizedek Heb. 7. They are called the world, Joh. 3.16. every creature, Mark 16.16. all things, Col. 1.20. Gods portion, Deut. 32.9. the dearly beloved of his ſoul, Jer. 12.7. a royal Diadem in the hand of Iehovah, Eſay, 62.3. This the cock on the dunghill, the Midianitiſh muck-worms take no notice of. They could ſee no comlineſs in Chriſt, (though the faireſt of ten thouſand) nothing more then a deſpicable man. Joh. 6.How can this man give us his fleſh to eat? God had hid him (in whom all the treaſures of worth and wiſdom were hid) under the Carpenters ſon: Coloſ. 2.This pearl was covered with a ſhell-fiſh; ſo are all Gods precious people, for moſt part, abjects in the worlds eye; their glory is within; their life is hid: they are great heirs, but as yet in their non-age; Kings, but in a ſtrange country, heads deſtinated to the diadem; but this the world knows not, 1 Ioh. 3.1. Let it ſuffice us, that God, and all that can ſpiritually diſcern, know it; and ſo ſhall others: as Ioſeph's brethren did him, in his bravery. For when Chriſt, our life, ſhall appear, we ſhall appear with him in glory.
Verſ. 30. The child is not, and I, &c:] In an old Manuſcript, I met with theſe words thus pathetically rendred; Heu quid agam! periit puer ille, puer puer ille: Reuben was the eldeſt, and therefore thought he ſhould be moſt blamed. Beſides, he had not forgot how highly his father had been lately offended with him, for his deteſtable inceſt.
Verſ. 32. Know now whether it be thy ſons coat] One Philip, Biſhop of Beau-vieu in France, in the time of our Richard the firſt, being a martial man, and much annoying our borders, was by King Richard in a skirmiſh happily taken, and put in priſon. The Biſhop hereupon complained to the Pope, who wrote in the behalf of his ſon, as an Eccleſiaſticall perſon, &c. The King ſent to the Pope, the armour he was taken in, with theſe words engraven thereon, Know whether this be thy ſons coat, or not. Heyl. Geog. pag. 108.Which the Pope viewing, ſware it was rather the coat of a ſon of Mars, then a ſon of the Church; and ſo bad the King uſe his pleaſure.
Verſ. 33. It is my ſons coat, &c.] The Lord may well ſay as much of hypocrites. Their outward from of godlineſs is the garb of my ſons and daughters; but ſome evil ſpirit hath devoured them, who uſe it only in hypocriſie. They are fair profeſſors, but foul ſinners. And when the filthy ſinner goes dam…ed to hell, what ſhall become of the zealous profeſſor? As the Churl ſaid to the Biſhop of Cullen, praying in the Church like a Biſhop; but as he was a Duke, going guarded like a tyrant; Whither thinkeſt thou the Biſhop ſhall go, when the Duke ſhall be damned?
Verſ. 34. Mourned for his ſon many dayes] Puerilitas eſt periculorum pelagus; Few live to be old, for one evil beaſt or another that devours them: As for one apple, that hangs till it falls, many are endgel'd down, or gathered off the tree. We ſhould learn to bury children and friends, whiles yet alive; by acting their death to our ſelves aforehand.
Verſ. 35. And all his ſons, &c.] Oh faces hatcht with impudence! Oh hearts hewen out of a rock! Could they cauſe his wo, and then comfort him? Miſerable comforters were they all; ſuch as the Uſurer is to the young Novice; or the Crocodile that weeps over the dead body that it is devouring. Theſe were the evill beaſts that devoured Ioſeph. *Nullae infeſtae hominibus beſtiae ut ſunt ſibi f…ales plerique Chriſti…ti. Am. Marcell. l. 2. c. 2. A ſad thing, that a Heathen ſhould ſee cauſe to ſay ſo. Heb. 11.34.[But he refuſed to be comforted] Wherein he ſhewed his fatherly love, but not his ſon-like ſubjection to Gods good providence: without the which, no evil beaſt could have ſet tooth in Joſeph; whom he was ſure alſo to receive ſafe and whole again at the Reſurrection: which was a great comfort to thoſe afflicted Iews, Dan. 12.2. and thoſe mangled Martyrs. [His father alſo wept for him] Iacobs father Iſaac, ſaith Iunius; which might very well be; for he lived twelve years after this, and likely loved Ioſeph beſt, for his great towardlineſſe.
Verſ. 36. And the Midianites] Little knew Ioſeph what God was in doing. Have patience, till he have brought both ends together.