Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 47
CHAP. XLVII. Verſ. 1. Then Ioſeph came and told Pharaoh]Scipioni obtrectabat Carbo; Alcibiadi Hyperbolus; Homero Zoilus; Ciceroni Clodius. Habuerunt & ſuos cuculos omnes docti & heroici▪
THis was great wiſdom in him, to do nothing for his friends, (though he were ſo great a favourite) without the Kings privity and approbation. There wanted not thoſe that waited for his halting; envy attends upon honour, and alwayes aymeth at the higheſt; as the talleſt trees are weakeſt at the tops. Melancthon tells us, he once ſaw a certain ancient piece of coyn, having on the one ſide, Manl. loc. com. p. 414. Corn. Nepos in vita Batamis & Hannib. Sal. in Catilin.Zopyrus; on the other, Zoilus: It was an emblem of Kings courts, ſaith He; where calumnies accompany the well-deſerving; as they did Daniel, Datames, Hannibal, &c. Difficilimum inter mortales eſt gloriâ invidiam vincere, ſaith Saluſt. How potent that quick-ſighted and ſharp-fanged malignity is, we may gueſs by that queſtion, Prov. 27.4.
Verſ. 3. Pſal. 104.26.What is your occupation?] That they had an occupation, Pharaoh took for granted. God made Leviathan to play in the ſea, but none to do ſo upon earth. Turks and Pagans will riſe up in judgment againſt the idle. See Notes on Chap. 46.33. Periander made a law at Corinth, that whoſoever could not prove that he lived by his honeſt labour, he ſhould ſuffer as a thief. The Apoſtle bids him that ſtole, Eph. 4.28.ſteal no more, but labour with his hands the thing that is good, &c. Not to labour, then, with hand, or head, or both, is to ſteal. Every one muſt bring ſome honey into the common hive, Ig…avum ſuc…s pecus, &c. Matth. 25.unleſs he will be caſt out as a drone. Thou idle and evil ſervant, ſaith our Saviour. To be idle then, is to be evil; and he ſhall not but do naughtily, that does nothing. God wills that men ſhould earn their bread afore they eat it, 2 Theſſ. 3.12. neither may they make religion a mask for idleneſs, ver. 11.
Verſ. 4. For to ſojourn in the land are we come] And had they returned home again after the death of Ioſeph, they had taken a right courſe for themſelves. But as God had otherwiſe decreed it, ſo they thought it beſt being there; and therefore, not without their own fault, they fell into ſervitude.
Verſ. 5. And Pharaoh ſpake unto Ioſeph] Kind he was, and conſtant, Herodot. lib. 4. Cromerus.to ſo good a ſervant, as Darius likewiſe was to his Zopyrus, whom he preferred before the taking of twenty Babylons; the King of Poland, to his noble ſervant Zeliſlaus, to whom he ſent a golden hand, inſtead of that hand he loſt in his wars.
Verſ. 6. If thou knoweſt any man of activity] Or ability of body and mind; 1 King. 11.28.ſuch as Jeroboam, a mighty man of valour, and fit for the work; prudent and diligent, ingenious and induſtrious, that hath a dexterity and handineſs to the buſineſs. Such S. Paul would have all Chriſtians to be, Tit. 3.8, 14. Let them that have believed in God, foreign. Homer.ſaith He, be careful to maintain good works, or profeſs honeſt trades, for neceſſary uſes, and that therein they be, their craftsmaſters, and excell others, foreign. This was Cicero's poſie from his youth, as himſelf witneſſeth. foreign. Plut.And Plutarch tells us, that all his ſtrife and drift was, all his life long, to leave others behind him, and to be the beſt at any thing he ever undertook. This ſhould be every mans endeavour in his place and ſtation, as that which is good before God, and profitable unto men, as the Apoſtle there ſubjoyneth. Solomon alſo aſſures us, that ſuch ſhall ſtand before Kings, and not live long in a low place, Prov. 22.29.
Verſ. 7. Jacob bleſſed Pharaoh] That is, he prayed God to bleſs him, both at meeting and parting. To ſalute, is comely, but ſee that ye be hearty, not frothy; prayerful, not complementall. We are heirs of bleſſing, and muſt therefore be free of it, 1 Pet. 3.9.
Verſ. 8. And Pharaoh ſaid unto Iacob] This King took not pleaſure (as thoſe Perſian Kings did) in a wild retiredneſs, or ſtern auſterity, but in a mild affableneſs, and heart-attracting courteſie. He ſhews not himſelf ſtrange, or Stoicall; but ſweet and ſociable. So Atticus ſeemed in his carriage, communis infimis, Cor. Nepos Spartan. Dio.par principibus. Adrian the Emperour would moſt courteouſly confer with the meaneſt. Veſpaſian was wont, not only to ſalute the chief Senatours, but even private perſons; inviting them many times to his table; himſelf again going to their houſes, eſpecially, if he found them learned and vertuous. Pharaoh might find Iacob both theſe; and ſo make very good uſe of him, as his faithful Counſellour. Princes had learned men ever with them, called Monitours, or Remembrancers; as Dio, had his Plato; Scipio, his Polybius, foreign. Patriarchae prae…ipue profeſſionis medicae ſtudi…ſi fuerunt, ut Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob: unde regibus grati, quos poſtea in doctrina Chriſtiana ſimul inſtitucru…t. Meclancth.&c. Abimelech made much of Abraham, and afterwards of Iſaac; ſome think it was for their skill in Phyſick and Aſtronomy. Why might not Pharaoh find and favour the ſame worth in Iacob, and learn the ſame wiſdom from him, that his Senatours, by his appointment, did of his ſon Ioſeph?
Verſ. 9. The dayes of the years of my pilgrimage] All Saints here are Sojourners, all good people pilgrims and ſtrangers, 1 Pet. 2.11. Heb. 11.13, 14. Far they are from home, meet with hard meaſure; as Iſrael did in Egypt, as thoſe three worthies in Babylon, Dan. 3. Their manners, are of another manner: hence the world owns them not, Ioh. 15.19. But God both owns, Iſa. 63.13. Pſal. 32.8. Iſa. 40.11.and honours them: he knows …heir whole way, Pſal. 1.6. Leades them in his hand, guides them with his eye, bears them in his boſome, when wayes are rough and rugged: provides manſions for them, Joh. 14.3.where they ſhall reſt in their beds; Iſa. 57.2. Matth. 8.11. Gen. 25.8. Jer. 50.4, 5. Pſal. 84.7. Ruth 2.10. Gal. 4. Pſal. 119.63. Neh. 2.3. 1 Pet. 2.11. Philip. 3.21.feaſt with Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob; walk arme in arme with Angels, Zach. 3.7. Be gathered to their people, Heb. 12.23. to their God, to their Chriſt, &c. Provided that in the mean while, they ſet their faces towards Sion; enquiring the way, that they walk therein, from ſtrength to ſtrength; that they take in good part any kindneſs, as Ruth did; that they put up any unkindneſs, as Paul did; that they make much of any company, ſend home by any hand, abſtain from fleſhly luſts, and have their converſation in Heaven; eating, drinking, and ſleeping eternall life; ſo wiſhing to be at home, yet waiting the Fathers call: ſighing out, when moved to be merry; as the French King did, when priſoner here in England, in the days of King Edward the third: how can we ſing ſongs, in a ſtrange land?
Verſ. 11. In the land of Rameſes] That is, in the whole territory where Ramaſes was afterwards built, Exod. 1.11.
Verſ. 12. And Joſeph nouriſhed his Father] For which end, he was ſent before by God: and for whoſe ſake, ſo many thouſands were preſerved, that elſe would have periſhed. What fools then are they, that hunt out the Saints, their only ſafeguard! and hate them, to whom they owe all the good they have? This is, with the fooliſh deere, to eate up the leaves, that hid them from the hunter.
Verſ. 13. The famine was very ſore] Of this famine, mention is made by Juſtin: lib. 1. and Oroſius, lib. 1. cap. 8. [So that the land of Egypt fainted] Furebat, See Prov. 26.18.ſaith Junius. The Egyptians in the fifth year of the famine began to rage, if they could have told at what; and were well-nigh mad. So Mark 3.21. Our Saviours friends, went out to lay hold of him: for they ſaid, he is beſides himſelf. Or, as ſome render it, he will faint: for, verſ. 20. The multitude came ſo together, foreign So Gen. 45.26. foreign. Sept.that they could not ſo much as eate bread. Theſe Egyptians, whether they fainted or fretted, it was for want of bread, Joſeph had foretold them, of this ſeven years famine: but ſaturity and ſecurity had ſo beſotted them, that they feared nothing, till they felt it. Fulneſs bred forgetfulneſs; and now, they are ready to let fly at others; becauſe pinched with that penury, Prov. 19.3.that they might have prevented. The Wickedneſs of a man perverts his way, and his heart fret a againſt the Lord. See it in that furious King, 2 King. 6.33.
Verſ. 14. And Ioſeph gathered up all the money] There is ſomething then (beſides grace,) that is better then money: though Miſers will as eaſily part with their blood, as with their good: Chaldaei nummum foreign, id eſt, Sanguinem appellant.Conſtantinople was loſt, through the Citizens covetouſneſs: the like is reported of Heydelberg. Worthy they were, in this name, to have been ſerved, as the great Chaliph of Babylon was, by the great Cham of Tartary. He was ſet in the middeſt of thoſe infinite treaſures, which he and his predeceſſours had moſt covetouſly amaſſed; and bidden to eate of that gold, ſilver, Turk. hiſt. fol. 113.and precious ſtones, what he pleaſed, and make no ſpare. In which order, the covetous Caytiffe kept for certain dayes, miſerably dyed for hunger: Money is a baſer thing, then food and raiment: 1 Tim. 6.8.theſe if we have, let us be content.
Verſ. 15. Why ſhould we dye, in thy preſence] When it is in thy power, to ſave us alive, in this our extreame indigency. Qui non cum poteſt, juvat, occidit, ſaith the Proverb. And is it lawfull on the Sabbath, to do good, or to do evill; to ſave, or to deſtroy a life? Mark. 3.4.Intimating, that not to ſave, when we may, is to deſtroy. The Egyptians therefore put Joſeph to it: Money they had none, but muſt have anſwered, if now it had been required of them, as thoſe Inhabitants of Andros, did Themiſto…les. Ingens telum. Neceſſitas.He being ſent by the Athenians for tribute money, told them, that he came on that errand accompanied with two goddeſſes; Eloquence to perſwade, and Violence to inforce them. Whereunto the Andraeans made this anſwer; that they had on their ſide, alſo, two goddeſſes as ſtrong; Piutarch.neceſſity (they had it not;) and impoſſibility, whereby they could not part with that, which they poſſeſt not.
Verſ. 17. And Ioſeph gave them bread in exchange] An ancient, and yet uſuall way of trafick, with Savages and Barbarians eſpecially; as in Virginia, &c. Where they uſually change, as Glaucus did with Diomedes; foreign.Homer. II. lib. 6
Verſ. 18. We will not hide it from my Lord] Confeſs we our pittifull indigence alſo to God, and he will furniſh us, with food and feed. Say with learned Pomeran; Eltamſi non ſum dignus, nihi lominus tamen ſum indigens.
Verſ. 19. Buy us, and our land for bread] It was their own deſire, therefore no injury. Nay it was charity in Ioſeph, in remitting their ſervices, and taking only their ands: yea liberallity, in reſerving the fifth part, only, to the King; when husbandmen uſually till, for halfe the encreaſe. And this the Egyptians thankfully acknowledg, Verſ. 25.
Verſ. 20. So the land became Pharaoh's] Regi acquiſivit imperium deſpoticum. This the Egyptians would never have yielded unto, but that ſtark hunger drove the wolfe out of the wood, as the proverb is. Philo Iudaeus reports, of an heatheniſh people, who in their warrs, uſed only this expreſſion, to put ſpirit into their ſouldiers; Dan. hiſt. of Engl.Eſtote viri, libertas agitur. The contention was hot in this land, between Prince and people, for fourſcore years together, about liberty, and property; and ceaſed not, till the great Charter, made to keep the beame right, bet wixt ſoveraignty, and ſubjection, was in the maturity of a judiciall Prince, Edward the firſt, freely ratified.
Verſ. 21. And as for the people, he removed them] So to alter the property of their land, and to ſettle it upon Pharaoh; who with his own money, had bought it. See his prudence, and policy, for his Lord and Maſter. So Daniel, though ſick, did the Kings buſineſs, with all his might. Theſe were, as the Philoſopher ſaith, foreign; few ſuch now a dayes. Great need we have all to fly to Chriſt, who dwels with prudence Prov. 8.12. as Agur did, when he found his own fooliſhneſs: It was he, that made Aholiab wiſe-hearted.
Verſ. 22. Only the land of the Prieſts, bought he not] Miniſters maintenance, we ſee, is of the law of nature. Jezabel provided for her Prieſts; 1 Cor. 9.13.Micah for his Levite. Doe ye not know (ſaith that great Apoſtle,) that they which Miniſter about holy things, live of the things of the Temple … and they which waite at the altar, are partakers with the altar? Where, by holy things, Saint Ambroſe underſtands the law of the Gentiles: by the Altar, the law of the Iewes. Before them both, Melchizedec foreign, tithed Abraham; by the ſame right, whereby he bleſſed him, Heb. 7.6. As after them, the Apoſtle rightly inferrs, Even ſo, hath the Lord ordained, 1 Cor. 9.14.that they which preach the Goſpell, ſhould live of the Goſpell. But where hath the Lord ordained it? Mat. 10.10. The labourer is worthy of his meate, ſaith Mathew; of his hire, ſaith Luke: of both, no doubt; as the labourers in harveſt, who have better fare provided, then ordinary, and larger wages. See Nehemiah's zeal, for Church-maintenance; Chap. 13.10, 14. He knew well, that a ſcant offering, makes a cold Altar; and that, ad tenuitatem beneficiorum neceſſariò ſequitur ignorantia ſacerdotum; Panormitan. Heyl. Geog. pag. 504.as in Ireland, where, in former time, ſome of the Biſhops had no more revenue, then the paſture of two milch-kine, &c. In the whole Province of Connaught, the ſtipend of the incumbent is not above forty ſhillings; in ſome places, but ſixteen ſhillings. Melancthon complains of his Germany, that the Miniſters, for moſt part, were ready to ſay with him in Plautus: Ego non ſervio Manl. loc. co…. 472.libenter: herus meus me non habet libenter, tamen utitur me ut lippis oculis. Such uſe Micah made of his Levite; more fit to have made a Gibeonite, to cleave wood, then to divide the word; and yet he maintained him; and doubted not, thereupon, to promiſe himſelf Gods bleſſing. He is a niggard to himſelf, that ſcants his beneficence to a Prophet; whoſe very cold water, ſhall not go unrewarded. Many rich, Mat. 10.refuſe to give any thing to the Miniſters maintenance; becauſe they cannot be tithed. Perſtringit tenaces. Par…us.But be not deceived; God is not mocked (ſaith the Apoſtle, in this very caſe, Gal, 6.6, 7.) Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him, that teacheth, in all his goods. Such tribes as had more cityes in their inheritance, were to part with more, to the Prieſts: ſuch as had leſs, with fewer, Num. 35.8. The equity of which proportion, is ſtill in force. The Iewes, at this day, though not in their own country, nor have a Leviticall Prieſthood; yet thoſe who will be reputed religious among them, do diſtribute, in lieu of tithes, the tenth of their encreaſe, unto the poor: being perſwaded, that God doth bleſs their encreaſe the more; Godw. Heb. Antiq. 277.according to that proverb of theirs, tithe and be rich. But how is both the word, and the world, now altered amongſt us? All's thought, by the moſt, to be well ſaved, that is kept from the Miniſter; whom to deceive, is held neither ſin, nor pitty. Fiſco potius apud multos conſulitur quam Chriſto, ac tonſioni potius gregis, Epiſc. Winton.quam attentioni; as one complaineth. Covetous Patrons, Virgill.care not to ſauce their meate, with the blood of ſouls; whiles by them, Et ſuccus pecori, lac et ſubducitur agnis: Beſides, they beſtow their Benefices, non ubi optimè, ſed ubi quaeſtuoſiſſime; being herein worſe then theſe Egyptians, ſhall I ſay? nay then the traytour Iudas. He ſold the head, they the members: he the ſhepherd, they the ſheep; he but the body, they the ſouls; like that Romiſh ſtrumpet, Rev. 18.13. of whom they have learnt it. But let them look to it, leſt they rue their wages of wickedneſs, with Iudas. In the mean while, let them give us a juſt commentary upon that, Prov. 20.25. and tell us, M. Harris.who hath authority to take that (from a Church ſhall I ſay? nay,) from God, that hath been once given him? We can tell them a ſad ſtory, of five ſervants of Cardinal Wolſey's, employed by him, in tot priorum hominum, donariis intervertendis, Sculter. Annal. pag. 332.ſaith the Annaliſt, and came all to fearful ends. Two of them fell out; and challenging the field, One killed the other, and was hang'd for it. A third drowned himſelf in a Well. The fourth, from great riches, fell to extreme beggery, and was hunger-ſtarved. The laſt, one Doctor Alan, being Archbiſhop of Dublin, was there cruelly murthered by his enemies. Now, if Divine Juſtice ſo ſeverely and exemplarily purſued and puniſhed theſe, that converted thoſe abuſed goods of the Church, to better uſes without queſtion, though they looked not at that, but at the ſatisfying of their own greedy luſts: What will be the end of ſuch Sacrilegious perſons, as enrich themſelves with that, which ſhould be their Miniſters maintenance? Sacrum, ſacrove commendatum qui clepſerit rapſerit que Ex duod. tab. Neand. Chron.parricida eſto, ſaid the Romane law. It is not only ſacriledg, but parricide, to rob the Church.
Verſ. 25. Let us find grace] That is, do us the favour, to intercede for us to Pharaoh, that we may be his perpetual farmers, and hold of him. It ſeems that Pharaoh was no proper name, but common to the Kings of Egypt; as Caeſar, to the Emperours of Rome; a title of honour, as (His Majeſty) amongſt us. Otherwiſe theſe poor people had been over-bold with his name.
Verſ. 27. Grew and multiplyed exceedingly] Here that promiſe, Chap. 46.3. began to be accompliſhed. God dyes not in any mans debt.
Verſ. 28. Iacob lived in the land of Egypt ſeventeen years] So long he had nouriſhed Ioſeph; and ſo long Ioſeph nouriſhed him; paying his foreign to the utmoſt penny. Theſe were the ſweeteſt dayes that ever Iacob ſaw. God reſerved his beſt to the laſt. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for (be his beginning and his middle never ſo troubleſome) the end of that man is peace. Pſal. 37.47.A Goſhen he ſhall have, either here, or in heaven.
Verſ. 29. Bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt] This he requeſted, partly, to teſtifie his faith concerning the promiſed land, heaven, and the reſurrection; partly, to confirm his family in the ſame faith; and that they might not be glewed to the pleaſures of Egypt, but wait for their return to Canaan. And partly alſo, to declare his love to his anceſtours, together with the felicity he took in the communion of Saints.
Verſ. 30. Bury me in their burying-place] That he might keep poſſeſſion, at leaſt, by his dead body, of the promiſed land. There they would be buried, not pompouſly, but, reverently, that they might riſe again with Chriſt. Some of the Fathers think, that theſe Patriarches were thoſe that roſe corporally with him, Matth. 27.57.
Verſ. 31. And Iſrael bowed himſelf] In way of thankfulneſs to God, framing himſelf to the lowlieſt geſture he was able; rearing himſelf up upon his pillow, leaning alſo upon his third leg, his ſtaffe, Heb. 11.21. In effoeta ſenecta, fides non effoeta.