Genesis 42

NOW when Jacob saw (i. e.) heard, as the word is used, Exod. 20. 18. as seeing is put for smelling, Exod. 5. 21. and for tasting, Psal. 34. 8. and for touching, Ioh. 20. 29. that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another Like lazy, careless, and helpless persons, each one expecting relief from the other, but none offering either counsel or help for all our subsistence.?

And he said, Behold I have heard This word explains the word saw, ver. 1. that there is corn in Egypt: get you down For Egypt was lower than Canaan; whence on the contrary they are said to go up to Canaan, Gen. 45. 9. thither, and buy for us from thence, that we may live, and not die An emphatical repetition of the same thing used here to make them more sensible of their danger..

And Josephs ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

But Benjamin Josephs brother, Jacob sent not Because he was very young, and now his best beloved son. with his brethren: for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befal him.

And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

And Joseph was the governour over the land, and he it was that sold Either 1. by his Ministers and Commissioners appointed to that end, as men in Scripture and in all Authors are said to do that which others do by their authority and command? Or 2. he himself immediately contracted with the buyers, or at least with such as were forreigners; which he did upon prudential reasons, both because he would not have them to pry into the state of Egypt, ver. 12. and because he would by that opportunity understand the state of other lands and improve that knowledge for his masters service. to all the people of the land: and Josephs brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him Thus unwittingly fulfilling Iosephs dream, Gen. 37. 7., with their faces to the earth.

And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them Partly to bring their sin to remembrance; partly to get the knowledge of the true state of his Father and Family; and partly to further the following design and make way for his and their greater happiness.: and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him Because his visage was much altered by his beard and by other things, it being about 20 years since they saw him, and his Egyptian Language and Habit and Carriage together with the great dignity of his place prevented all suspicious concerning their brother..

And Joseph remembred the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies This he says not because they were so, or he thought them to be so, but that he might search out the truth of their affairs, speaking too much like a Courtier or Politician.: to see the nakedness of the land (i. e.) The weak parts of it, and where it may be best assaulted or surprized. you are come.

And they said unto him, Nay, my Lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

We are all one mans sons And therefore not spies; for it is not likely either that a father would venture so many of his sons upon so hazardous an employment: or that such a work would have been trusted in the hands of one family, only.; we are true men Who honestly and truly mean what we pretend and have no other design in our coming hither.: thy servants are no spies.

And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land you are come.

And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan: and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not (i. e.) Is dead, as that phrase oft signifies both in Scripture, as Gen. 37. 30. and 44. 2.... I... r. 31. 15. Mat. 2. 18, 18. and in other Authors, as Homer, E... ripides, &c. They concluded with great probability that he was dead, chap. 44. 20. because for 20 years together they had heard nothing either of him, or from him; which may seem strange considering the nearness of Egypt and Canaan: but this came to pass partly from his own long imprisonment and afterward from his great and high employments; partly from his loathness to bring so much mischief to his father and brethren as the discovery of his case might have produced; and principally from the overruling Providence of God, which for its own glorious design disposed of Iosephs mind and affairs so that he either did not send to his fathers house, or that the messages were intercepted, there being not then those conveniencies for mutual correspondencies which now there are. And it is not improbable that Ioseph might be further acquainted with the mind of God in this matter by dreams, which may seem to have been familiarly afforded to him together with the interpretation of them. See Gen. 40. 8. and 41. 16..

And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies This justifies my accusation; for it is not probable, that one man should have so many so... s all grown up and living together in one Family and that he should expose them all to the perils of such a journey..

Hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh As sure as Pharaoh lives. It seems to be the form of an oath in use among the Egi... tians, as afterwards the Romans used to swear by the Name, Genius, Health and Life of their Emperors. Compare 1 Sam. 1. 26. and 17. 55. 2 King. 2. 2. Ezek. 33. 11. And it is not strange that Ioseph through humane infirmity was carried by the stream of the general practise of the Court, especially when the law of God was not yet delivered concerning the appropriation of Oaths unto God., ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

And he put them all together into ward seven days.

And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live I will spare your lives, and not punish you with death as spies, and you shall carry provisions that your family also may live.: for I fear God And therefore will not be cruel to you, nor to your brother whom you shall leave with me. This might have raised some suspition concerning Ioseph, but that they knew there were divers among the heathens who did own the true God, though they worshipped Idols with him..

If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison In which you are now imprisoned, and are still like to be so, if you accept not this condition.: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses.

But bring your youngest brother unto me, so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die: and they did so (i. e.) Resolved and promised to do so. Th... se things are oft said to be done in Scripture which were sincerely resolved upon, as has been noted before..

And they said one to another, We are verily guilty This is the just punishment of that great wickedness, which though we could cover from men, yet we now see and feel was known to God who is now reckoning with us for it. Thus divine Vengeance overtakes them and conscience tortures them for a sin committed above 20 years before, and their affliction brings them to repentance. concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us Compare Gen. 49. 23. Yet this passage is not mentioned in that history, chap. 37. Learn hence, that the silence of the Scripture, is no good argument that such or such a thing was not said or done, except in some special cases., and we would not hear: therefore is this distress come upon us He is inexorable to us, as we were to him..

And Reuben answered them, saying, spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child, and ye would not hear? therefore behold also, his blood The punishment of his blood or death occasioned by us. is required.

And they knew not that Joseph understood them: for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

And he turned himself about from them, and wept Tears partly of natural affection and compassion towards his brethren, now in great distress and anguish; and partly of joy to see the happy success of his design and rigorous carriage in bringing them to the sight of their sins., and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon Whom he chuseth to punish, partly because next to Reuben, he was the eldest, and, as it may be probably gathered from his bloody disposition, Gen. 34. 25. and 49. 6. the most fierce and forward against Iosep..., when Reuben was for milder counsels as we see here, ver. 22. and chap. 37. 29. and partly because the detainment of one of so perverse and furious a temper would least afflict his father, and most secure Benia... in, who was to come with his Brethren., and bound him before their eyes That it might make deeper impression upon their hard hearts, and make their repentance more effectual..

Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every mans money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way, and thus did he unto them.

And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

And as one of them And after him the rest by his example and information, did so, as is affirmed, chap. 43. ver. 21. and it is not denied here. opened his sack, to give his ass provender in the Inne, he espied his mony, for behold, it was in his sacks mouth.

And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored, and lo, it is even in my sack, and their heart failed them, and they were afraid Lest this should be a design to entrap and so destroy them., saying one to another, What is this that God has done unto us Whoever were the instruments, they knew that God was the chief author of this occurrent, and wisely reflect upon his providence in it, and their own guilt which provoked him against them.?

And they came unto Jacob their father, unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them, saying;

The man who is the Lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the countrey.

And we said unto him, We are true men, we are no spies.

We be twelve brethren, sons of our father: one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

And the man the lord of the countrey, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men: leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your housholds, and be gone.

And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that you are no spies, but that you are true men: so will I deliver you your brother and ye shall traffick in the land.

And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that behold every mans bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid (i. e.) Their fear returned upon them with more violence, having now more leisure to consider things, and their wise and experienced father suggesting new matters to them which might more deeply affect them..

And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not He gave him up for lost, as being, as he thought, in the power of a cruel enemy. and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me I am the great sufferer in all these things: you carry your selves as if you were neither concerned nor affected with them..

And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons Two of the four mentioned, Gen. 46. 9. An absurd proposition, neither fit for him to make, nor for Iacob to accept., if I bring him not to thee, deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone To wit, of his mother, my dear Rachel.: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my grayhairs with sorrow to the grave.