55 And whenall the land of Egypt was famiſhed the people cried to Pharaoh + for bread : and Pharaoh ſaid unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joſeph: what he ſaith to you, do. | | TAs to their King and common Father. Compare 2 Kings 6: 2. | $56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth ;
"Chap, XLI.
I
Il IF
"4
LI
it 15 dl;
105
- Un 38; t.
Chap. XL: + Heb. all earth : and Foſeph opened all + the Rtore-houſes, and. wherein {1d unto the Egyptians, and the famine waxed fore in
OY all the land of Egypt- | | | 57 And all countries came into Egypt to Foleph for | to buy corn, becauſe that the famine was ſo ſore inall
lands. | CHAP. XIE
Jacob hioring there was corn in Egypt, ſends all his ſons thither, but Benja-
” min, 4 -*-= $: They bow before Joſeph, who knew them,b11 not they him;
he treats them roughly, 6 —- 8: Remembers his Dreams; charges them
for ſpies, 9 12: They to vindicatethemſelves, declare that they
were all ſons of one father, -and had a younger brother at home, 13: Joſeph
impriſons them, but releaſes all but Simeon, and ſends the r-(t to fetch their
brother, and ſo preve their words true, 14. Their con-
ſciences are awakned, and charge them with their ſim againſt Joſeph ; they
accuſe one another, 21, 22: Joſeph hears them; weeps; binds Simeon,
23, 24: Joſeph orders their ſacks to be filled with corn,and to return their
money, 25, 26: Inthe way one finds his money in his lack ; they arethe
more afraid, 27, 28: At homethey relate to Jacob what hapne# to them,
ſo far as to perſwade Jacob to let Benjamin go, 29 ' 35: He
complains ; Reuben undertakes for him ; he cannot conſent to let himgo,
2 36 * Atts 7.
I2,
20;
38. | ;
OW when * Facob faw a that there was cornin Egypt, Facob ſaid unto his ſons, why do ye
look one upon another b ? =
a (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 touch- ing, John 20 29. 6 Like lazy, careleſs, and helpleſs perſons, each one expeCting relief from the other, but none offering either coun- ſel or help for all our ſubſiſtance; :
2 And he ſaid, Behold, I have heard c that there is corn in Egypt 2 get you down « thither, and buy for us from thence, that we may * live and not die e«
c This word explains the word ſaw, werſe 1: 4 For Egypt was lower than Canaan; whence on the contrary they are faid to go upto Cannon, Gen: 45: 9: e Anempharicalrepetition of the ſame thing, uſed here to make them more ſenſible of their danger:
2 4 4nd Foleph's ten brerhren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
4 But Benjamin, Foſeph's brother, Facob ſentnot f with his brethren : for he ſaid, Leſt peradventure miſ- chief befal him, |
f Becauſe he was very young, and now his beſt beloved ſon.
5 And the ſons of Irael came to buy corn among thoſe that came : for the famine was inthe land of Ca- Naan,
6 And Foſeph was the governour over the land, and he it as that ſold g to all the people of theland: and Foſeph's brethren came, and bowed down themſelves before himb, ith their faces tc the earth,
£ Either 1.By his Miniſters and Commiſſioners appointed to that end,as men in Scripture and in all Authors are ſaid ro do that which others do by their authority and command. Or 2: he himſelf im- mediatly contratted with the Buyers, or at leaſt with ſuch as were foreigners; which he did upon prudential reaſons; both becauſe he would not have ther to pry into the ſtate of Egypr, ver: 12: and be- cauſe he would by that opportunity underſtand the ſtate of other lands,and improve that knowledgefor his maſter's ſervice. þ Thus unwittingly fulfilling Joſeph's dream, Gen: 37:7:
7 And Foſeph ſaw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himſelf ſtrange unto them, andſpake t roughly untothem z. and he ſaid unto them, Whence come ye? and they ſaid, From the land of Canaan to buy food-
7 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.
8 And Foſeph knew his brethren, but they knew not him &.
k Becauſe his viſage was much altered by his beard, and by other things, it being about 20 years ſince they faw him ; and his Egyp- tian Language, and Habit, and Carriage, together with the great © ani of his Place, prevenzcd all ſuſpicions concerning their Bro- racr.
| 9 And Joſeph * remembred the dreams which he dreamed of them, and ſaid unto them, Ye arefpies }: to ſee the nakedneſs of the land » you are come.
/ Thus he faith, notbecauſe they were ſo, or he thought them to beſo, but that he might ſearch out the truth of their Affair, ſpeak- ing too much like a Courtier or Politician. m2 (7z.e. ) The weak parts of it, and where it may be beſt aſſaulted or ſurprized.
10 And th:y faid unto him, Nay, mylord, but to buy food are thy ſervants come. |
it Weare all one man's fons » ; weare true men o: thy ſeryants are no ſpies,
» And therefore not Spies; for it is not likely either that a Fa- ther would venture ſo many of his Sons upon ſo hazardous an em- ployment 3 or that ſuch a work would have been rruited in the
ands of one Family only. o Who honeftly and truly mean what we pretend, and have noother defign in our coming hither.
12 And he faid unto them, Nay, bur to ſee the na- kedneſs of the tand you are come.
3 And they ſaid, "Fhy ſervants are twelve brethren, the ſons of one man in the land of Canaan : and be-
hold, the youngelt ;s this day with our father, and one
*Chap.43. 8. Pal. I18, 17,
Tt Heb. hard things with :hem.
* Chap. Z7- 5+
*Lam.5.7 * 15 Not. 6
GENESIS.
} man ſhould have ſo many Sons, all grown up and living together
|
, eftectuil