Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 42
CHAP. XLII. Verſ. 1. Now when Jacob ſaw that there was corn]
A Sale of Corn. Heb. A breaking: ſo called, either becauſe corn breaks famine; or, becauſe it is broken and ground to make bread of: or for that they made their bread in thin cakes, and ſo broke it. Or laſtly, becauſe he that ſelleth it, breakes the heape, and gives part to the buyer.
Why look ye one upon another?] As hopeleſs and helpleſſe; or, as at your wits ends, and not knowing whither to turne you. Youth is one while witleſſe, another while ſhift-leſſe. Let dayes ſpeake, and multitude of yeares teach wiſedome. Convivium ſit ſimile Alphabeto, &.Iob. 32.7. As at feaſts, ſo at other meetings, old men ſhould be vowels, young men, Mutes; or at moſt, but ſemi-vowels.
Verſ. 2. Get you down thither] Here the Divine decree of Iſraels ſojourning and ſuffering in Egypt, begins to be fulfilled, by a wonderful providence. The fulneſs of Joſephs barns invites Jacob, firſt to ſend, and then to go thither himſelf, for relief. Shall not the fulneſs that is in Chriſt, incite and entice us to come to him; as bees to a meddow full of flowers; as Merchants to the Indies full of ſpices and other riches; as the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, full of wiſdom; as Jacob's ſons to Egypt full of corn, in that extream famine, that we may return full fraught with treaſures of truth and grace? It pleaſed God, that in him ſhould all fulneſſe dwell. Joh. 1.16. Coloſ. 1.19.And his fulneſs is not only repletive, but diffuſive; a fulneſs of plenty and abundance, but of bounty alſo, and redundance. He was anointed with the oyl of gladneſs, not only above, but for his fellows.Heb. 1.9.
that we may live, and not dye] Saints have their ſhare in common calamities. Jacob taſted of the famine, as well as his neighbours the Canaanites; ſo had Abraham and Iſaac done before him. Both the good figs and bad figs were carried captive, Ier. 24. the corn, as well as the weeds, is cut down at harveſt, &c.
Verſ. 3. And Joſephs ten brethren went] Fourty or fifty miles anend: Auſtin ſaith three hundred. Should we think much to go a few ſteps, (ſay it be miles) to get food for our ſouls? Beware that famine, Am. 8.11, 12. The ſeven Churches of Aſia, Bohemia, the Palatinate, and many other parts of Germany, are under it already. So is the large Region of Nubia in Africk; which had from the Apoſtles time (as 'tis thought) profeſſed the Chriſtian faith; but now embraced Mahometiſme, through lack of Miniſters. For, as Alvarez hath recorded; at his being in the King of Habaſſia's Court, there were Embaſſadours out of Nubia, Alvar. hiſt. A…thiopic. cap. 137.to intreat him for a ſupply of Miniſters, to inſtruct their Nation, and repair Chriſtianity, gone to ruine among them: but were rejected. O fearful!
Verſ. 4. But Benjamin, Jacob ſent not] Becauſe beſt beloved; as laſt born, and likelieſt to live longeſt; and the leaſt, and leaſt able to ſhift for himſelf; and all that was left of his deareſt Rachel; his only darling, that had been alwayes at hand, and in the fathers eye.
Verſ. 5. And the ſons of Iſrael came] God could have fed them by a miracle, as he did Eliah by the ravens; Dedit cis pluviam eſcatilem, & petram aquatilem. Tertull.and Iſrael in the wilderneſs, (where he rained them down Manna, and ſet the flint abroach:) and Merlin (hid in a haymow in the Maſſacre of Paris) by a hen that came thither, and laid an egg by him, every morning. But he worketh ordinarily by means, and will have them uſed, Dikes Mich. & the drag.but not truſted to.
Verſ. 6. And Joſeph was the Governour] Of the Hebrew word here uſed, is made in Arabick, the title Sultan, given at this day to the great Turk by his Subjects; among whom the Arabick is now the learned language. Their Alchoran is written in it, and prohibited to be tranſlated; which both preſerves the tongue, they ſay, and conceals Religion. [And Joſephs brethren came and bowed] This, thoſe mockers little thought ever to have done, to that Dreamer. But the will of the Lord, that ſhall ſtand.
Verſ. 7. Spake roughly to them] To bring them the ſooner to a ſight of their ſin. God alſo, for like purpoſe, writes bitter things againſt his people, ſtands afar off, hides his love, as Ioſeph, out of increaſement of love; fights againſt them with his own hand, as he threw his brethren into priſon, Nihil eſt tentatio vel univerſi mundi & totius enferni in unum conflata, ad eam qua Dem contrariu… bomini poni…. Luther.&c. then the which there is no greater affliction, ſaith Luther; and all to ſhew them their ſin, and to bring them home to himſelf by repentance.
Verſ. 8. But they knew not him] As being now altered in ſtature, voyce, viſage, his preſent pomp, and haply alſo, by his former impriſonment and affliction. We read of a young man, that being condemned to dye, was turn'd gray-headed in one night, through fore-thought and fear of death, and was thereupon ſpared.
Verſ. 9. Then Ioſeph remembred the dreams] Event is the beſt interpreter of Divine Oracles. The Diſciples underſtood not many things at firſt, that our Saviour ſaid to them; as that, Ioh. 2.22. Ioh. 12.16. So Iohn Baptiſts preaching wrought not, for ſome years after it was delivered, and then it did, Ioh. 18.41, 42. The Spouſe either heard not, or heeded not that ſpeech of her Beloved, Open unto me my ſiſter, my ſpouſe, till ſome while after he was gone, Cant. 5.2-6. [Ye are spies] This, Ioſeph ſpeaks not, aſſertivè, but tentativè; not ſeriouſly, but by a covert counſel: not as himſelf thought, Exploratores deputo bimini meritomendacii veſtri. Aug.but as the Egyptians ſuſpected: or not abſolutely, but conditionally; ye are ſpies, unleſs you prove what ye have ſpoken.
Verſ. 10. Nay, my Lord] The world is well changed, ſince they ſaid one to another, behold his dreamer cometh. Then they could not finde in their hearts, to c…ll him brother; now they call him Lord. God, when he pleaſeth, can change the note of our worſt enemies to us. There is a promiſe, that they ſhall bow down to us, with their faces toward the earth, and li…k up the dust of our feet, Eſay 49.23.
Verſ. 11. We are all mans ſons] Therefore no Spies; for what one man would hazard all his ſons at once, upon ſo dangerous a deſign? [we are true men] Heb. Recti. The Popiſh Doctors reject thoſe ancient Authors, De Chriſto lib. 1 cap. 4.that are alledged againſt them, with, Non ſunt Recti in Curia. Bellarmine ſaith; To Irenaeus, Tertullian, Euſebius, and Luther; I anſwer, Omnes manifeſti haeretici ſunt; when any thing in the decrees likes not the Pope, he ſets Palea upon it, &c.
Verſ. 12. Nay but to ſee the nakedneſs] That is, the weakneſs, and where we may be beſt invaded; as Num. 13.19. By this wile he gets out of them, that which he much longed to hear of; his father and brother Benjamines health and welfare. See verſ. 9.
Verſ. 13. And one is not] They tell Joſeph, that Ioſeph is not. When God holds mens eyes, they ſee not the truth that lyes before them; who is blind as my ſervant? Iſai. 42.19.
Verſ. 14. This is it that I ſpake unto you] He lays it hard to them ſtill: As who ſhould ſay, the longer I hear you, the worſe I like you; ere while ye ſaid, ye were ten brethren of you: Now you acknowledg two more: lyars had need to have good memories, &c. Be we as jealous of Satan, Me…dacem opertet eſſe memo…m.and as watchfull againſt his wiles, when he comes to ſet out the nakedneſs of our ſouls; that where the hedge is loweſt, this beaſt may leap over; watch him, I ſay, and learn out his haunts, for we have heard and felt, that he is very ſubtle; as Saul ſaid of David, 1 Sam. 23.22.
V. 15. By the life of Pharaoh] Ioſeph, that he might ſeem enough an Egyptian, ſweares heathenniſhly; Egyptians, partly of flattery, and partly of ſuperſtition, uſed to ſweare by the life, or, (as the greek here hath it,) by the health of their King. The Spaniards, in the pride of their Monarchy, are grown alſo now to ſweare by the life of their King. The Hebrews write, to this day, Sands his relation of Weſt. Relig.that he which falſely ſweares by the Kings head, in a money-matter, ſhall be put to death; as Pererius upon this text tells us. This grew, doubtleſs, of that curſed cuſtome of deifying their Kings; as Antiochus ſirnamed, foreign; and Caligula would be ſtiled Dominus Deus: as at this day the Popes Paraſites call him Dominum Deum noſtrum papam. To be ſworn by, is an honour peculiar to God, Iſai. 65.16. Ier. 12.6. That of Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 15.31. Is not an oath but an obteſtation; or, a taking of his afflictions for Chriſt, to witneſs. That of the Spouſe, Cant. 3.5. is not an oath, but an adjuration: for he chargeth his Churches enemies not to trouble her; and if they do, Roes and Hindes ſhall teſtifie againſt them; which would not do ſo, had they but Reaſon. This of Ioſeph likewiſe, Non eſt forma juramenti, led aſſeverationit ſeria, & o…teſ… tionis dome, …is by ſome ſaid to be not an oath, but an earneſt aſſeveration: as who ſhould ſay; as true as Pharaoh liveth; or, ſo Pharaoh live. Be it what it will, Ioſeph cannot altogether be excuſed, for conforming him ſelf to the Egyptians. The place had ſomewhat tainted him; and he might well take up that of the Prophet Iſaiah; Wee is me, for I am a man of unclean lips; and why? for I dwell amidſt a people of unclean lips. Iſai. 6.5.Courts and great places are ill ayre, for zeal to breathe in: 'tis hard for ſuch, not to remit ſomewhat of their former fervor, and contract filth of ſin, which is as catching as the plague. As ſheep among thornes loſe part of their fleece; ſo do the Saints, part of their goodneſs, among the wicked.
Verſ. 16. By the life of Pharaoh, ſurely &c.] See how eaſily ſin entreth twice, where it had once entred. Be not overcome of evill, Rom. 12.21. Some ſweare, and finde it not; they would be ſorry their excrements ſhould paſs from them, and they feel it not. Oh, croſs this ill cuſtome; and though ye cannot ſo ſoon turn the ſtreame, yet ſwim againſt it. It is the devill that ſaith unto thee, as thoſe Iewes did to Pilate; do as thou haſt ever done, Mark 15.8. God alſo will anſwer ſuch, when they plead for their ſwearing, that they have got a cuſtome, and cannot leave it; as the judg did that theefe, that deſired him to ſpare him; for ſtealing, had been his cuſtome from his youth: the judg replyed, it was alſo his cuſtome, Barker on the command. Iam. 5.12.to give judgment againſt ſuch malefactours, therefore he mu…t be condemned. Sweare neither by heaven, nor by earth, leſt ye fall into condemnation, ſaith Saint Iames, to the converted Iewes. This they had learned of the Phariſees, to whom it was familiar, to ſwear by creatures, Hoc foreign a judaiſmo converſis tenaciter adbaerebat Pareus in lac. 5.12.Mat. 5. & 23. And though now converted, they could not leave it: but they muſt, or be damned for it, chuſe them which; as the Apoſtle there aſſures them. And whereas ſuch kind of oaths, are now grown a piece of gallantry; and ſuch as cannot ſweare them, are thought to want their tropes and figures, befitting a gentleman: God will deal with ſuch, as that judg did with one that pleaded for his life, that he might not be hang'd, becauſe he was a gentleman; he told him, that therefore, You keep a good watch, my Lord. Act. and Mon.he ſhould have the gallows made higher for him: So ſhall theſe have a deeper damnation, becauſe better bred, and ſhould have kept a better watch; as that Martyr, told the ſwearing Biſhop Bonner.
Verſ. 17. En conclave aliquod ubi cuſto…iebantur. Piſcat Doctor Chetwind Deane of Briſtow.And he put them all together into ward three dayes] Not into cloſe priſon, but into ſome chamber, or private roome, where they might have opportunity of reflecting upon themſelves, and repenting. I have heard of a grave Divine (lately living,) that did much good upon many, that came to him to …ave almes; by ſhutting them up in a room by themſelves, having firſt taken great pains with them by way of direction, what to do to be ſaved, joyning in prayer, ſetting them in a courſe of better living, and then providing for them fit ſervices.
Verſ. 18. And Ioſeph ſaid unto them the third day] So God, after two dayes, will revive his; in the third day he will raiſe them up, and they ſhall live in his ſight, Hoſ. 6.2. Pſal. 125.3.The rod of the wicked ſhall not reſt on the lot of the righteous, leſt they put forth their hand to folly; leſt their ſpirits fail before him: for others he cares not ſo much, as for the choyce ſpirits of his faithfull people: when we beat ordinary ſpices, we care not for every duſt, but let ſome flye out, and fall on the ground. But if Bezoar-ſtone, or ſome ſuch precious ſtuff, every little is lookt to. So here. [For I fear God] Deum illum, ſaith Iunius, that true God, the proper object of fear; and therefore you need not doubt of fair dealing. See the Notes, on Chap. 20.11. Learn here, that confeſſion of our faith is to be made as oft, as thereby God may be glorified, and our brethren edified.
Verſ. 19. Let one of your brethren be bound] By binding Simeon, he brought down Benjamin to himſelf. So doth God, by chaſtening our bodies, ſave our ſouls.
Verſ. 20. But bring your youngeſt brother unto me] So ſaith God to all his worſhippers, See that you bring your hearts with you, whatever you leave behind you. And as David ſent to Abner, Thou ſhalt not ſee my face, 2 Sam. 3.13.except thou bring Michal Sauls daughter: ſo here. The poor widows heart, being put to her mite, gaue it weight, above the greater, but heartleſs largeſſes of the Phariſees.
Verſ. 21. We are very guilty, &c.] See here the force of Conſcience, and fruit of affliction; to bring old ſins to a new reckoning. Conſcience, though for a while ſtill, and ſeemingly aſleep, yet is faithful in recording, and fearful in accuſing. It writes bitter things, and will article againſt the ſinner in the evil day. Therefore as B. Latimer took ſpecial heed to the placing of his words in his examination before Bonner, Act. & Mon.when he heard the pen walking in the chimney behind the cloth, and deſcribing whatſoever he ſaid; So ſhould we; ſith Conſcience is not only Gods Spy, but Notary: And albeit it doth not alwayes execute the acts of accuſing, yet hath alwayes the habit of it. And that we ſhall know, when trouble overtakes us; then ſhall we feel thoſe darts of the Almighty, dagging at the heart, and thoſe arrows of his, drinking up the ſpirit. Daniel choſe rather to be caſt into the den of Lions, then to carry about a Lion in his boſome, an inraged Conſcience.
Verſ. 22. Spake not I unto you, &c.] Fellows in ſin oft fall out, and then all comes to light. Mahomet the great Turk, had with great rewards, procured two Turks, to undertake to kill Scanderbeg. Theſe traytors came to Scanderbeg, making ſuch a ſhew of the deteſtation, both of Mahomet his tyrannical government, and vain ſuperſtition, that they were, both of Scanderbeg and others, reputed to be indeed the men they deſired to be accounted: And ſo, after they had learned the principles of the Chriſtian Religion, were, by their own deſire, baptized. But ſo it fell out by Gods good providence, that theſe falſe traytors, expecting nothing but opportunity to perform their devilliſh device, upon ſome occaſion, fell at variance betwixt themſelves; and in their heat, let ſome ſuch words fall, as being taken up by ſome there preſent, drew them both into ſuſpition. And thereupon, being ſtraightly examined, it was, Turk. hiſt. fol. 400.at laſt, by them confeſſed, That they were ſent for ſuch a purpoſe; for which they were both preſently executed, as they had well deſerved. Evill men are as glaſs that is ſoddered together; as ſoon as the ſodder is melted, the glaſs falls in pieces, and all is diſcovered.
Verſ. 24. And wept, and returned, &c.] The better any one is, the more inclined to weeping; 1 Sam. 20.as David, then Jonathan.
Nam faciles motus mens generoſa capit.
Paulus non tam atramento quam lachrymis chartas inficiebat, ſaith Lorinus.
And took from them Simeon, and bound him.] He is thought to have been the chief doer in the ſale of Joſeph; and is therefore ſingled out for puniſhment. Judas Iſcariot is ſaid to come of his tribe. Of a turbulent and reſtleſs ſpirit, Joſeph knew him to be; and therefore detained him, ſaith Muſculus, leſt he ſhould have hindered the motion of bringing down Renjamin.
Verſ. 25. Then Joſeph commanded to fill their ſacks] This was the revenge he took upon them, for their many miſuſages. So Joſhua marched all night, and fought all day, for the Gibeonites, that had deceived him. So Eliſha ſet bread and water before the Syrians that came to ſurprize him. So S. Paul bids, If thine enemy hunger, feed him, &c. Injuries are more bravely overcome with benefits, then recompenced with the pertinacy of a mutual hatred, Speci…ſius aliquanto injuriae beneficiis vincuntur, quam mu…ni odii pertinacia penſantur. Val. Max. lib. 4. c. 2.ſaid a very Heathen.
Verſ. 27. To give his Aſſe provender in the Inne.] Their Innes then, were not ſo well furniſhed as ours are; but they were forced to carry their provender, which was a trouble.
Verſ. 28. My money is reſtered] Joſeph had ſtollen this benefit upon them, which they miſ-interpret; their own miſgiving hearts telling them, that Gods juſt hand was in it for their hurt. Conſcience, being now awakened, meets them at every turn; till they were ſoundly humbled, and had made their peace. Better a ſore, then a ſeared conſcience; as, better a tormentful ſtrangury, then a ſenſeleſs lethargy. Bee-maſters tell us, that thoſe are the beſt hives, that make the greateſt noiſe.
Verſ. 29. And they came to Iacob] Who had looked many a long look for them, no doubt, and was now glad to ſee their faces, and full ſacks. But this joy laſted but a little while; for no ſooner had he heard them ſpeak, but he was thunderſtruck, as it were: ſo little ſtability is there in any worldly felicity. The Saints have all here their back-burdens of afflictions; yet ſome have more then ſome; as Iacob, who was ſeldom without: God not only gave him a draught of them, but made him a dyet-drink. Look how your refiners of ſugar, taking ſugar, out of the ſame cheſt, ſome thereof they melt but once; other, again and again: not that it hath more droſs in it, but becauſe they would have it more refined: So is it here.
Verſ. 35. And it came to paſſe, as they emptied] Calvin's note on this text, is, that Ioſeph was herein overſhot, and ill-adviſed; for that intending to ſuccour his father, by ſending back his money, he grieved and frighted him. But this might be Iacob's fault, more then Ioſephs. We many times miſtake God himſelf, through ſelfguiltineſs; as if he meant to kill us with kindneſs, which is a great unthankfulneſs. See my Love-tokens, p. 32.
Verſ. 36. Simeon is not] That is, As good he were not; for ye have left him priſoner, and unleſs ye return the ſooner with Benjamin, (which I cannot yeeld to) is like to be put to death, as a Spie. See here the pangs and paſſions of a parent, and how love deſcends!
Verſ. 37. Slay my two ſons] A ſimple and ſinfull offer. Reuben was the eldeſt, but not the wiſeſt. Age is no juſt meaſure of wiſdome. Howbeit, of him we may learn, in our parents fear, no be hardy and hearty; in our brethrens diſtreſs, to be eager and earneſt.
Verſ. 38. Ye ſhall bring down my gray haires, &c.] To the ſtate of the dead, not to hell, or Limbus Patrum. Many of the Ancients erroneouſly held, that mens ſouls were not judged, till the laſt day; nor rewarded, or puniſhed, but reſerved in ſome ſecret Receptacles, Bell. de Purg. lib. 1.unto the general Judgment. Bellarmine would hence prove Purgatory. Luther alſo ſeems to approve of that figment of the Fathers. For in his notes upon this text, he will have Sheol here tranſlated the grave, to be an under-ground-receptacle of all ſouls, where they reſt and ſleep till the coming of Chriſt. But gray haires deſcend not further then the grave. And Luther ſomewhere intreats his Readers, that if they find any thing in his books, that ſmelleth of the old cask, they ſhould conſider, he was not only a man, but ſometime had been a poor Monk, &c.