bility of this Y,Rge at least of the sacred being fulfilled (Kalisch, Pererins) ; or (2} record (vide Hii.vemick, 'Introd.,' § 21), in Leah, as the chief mistress of J acob's house- opposition to Bohlen, who finds in the sym- hold (Willet, Hughes, Inglis); or (3) Bilhah, bolical che.rncter of J oseph's dreams on evi- Rachel's maid, who had probably acted as dence of their unreality, and De Wette, who Joseph's mother after Rachel's death (Jewish exphLins them as the offspring of his aspiring interpreters, Grotius, and others) ; or, what mind. seems more probable, (4) the term "mother" Vor. 10.-And he told it to his father, is here introduced simply for the sake of and to his brethren-whom it manifestly giving completeness to the symbol (Kurtz, concerned, as, for the like reason, he had lliurphy)-and thy brethren indeed come reported the first drenm only to his brethren. to bow down ourselves to thee-Joseph's That he does not tell it to his mother may brethren ultimately did so in Egypt (eh. xii. bo an indication that Rachel was by this 6) ; J oseph's father practically did so when time dead. And his father rebuked him,- he recognised J oseph's greatness and de- either to avoid irritRting his brethren (Cal- pended on him_ for support (eh. xlvii. 12). vin), or to repress an appearance of pride in It is certain that Leah died before the immi- Joseph (Lange, Murphy, Inglis), or to ex- gration to Egypt (eh. xlix. 31 ), and it can- press his own surprise (Candlish) or irritRtion not be determined whether Bilhah or Zilpah (Keil), or sense of the absurdity of the dream went to Egypt-to the earth. Jacob seems (Lawson}, which he further demonstrated here, by intensifying J oseph's language, to when he added-and said unto him, What is resent the claim which it conveyed. this dream that thou hast dreamed 1 Sha.II Ver. 11.-And hie brethren envied him. I aud thy mother-(1) "Rachel, who was The verb tt~i? (unused in Kai), to become neither forgotten nor lost" (Keil}, who may red in the face, seems to indicate that the possibly have been living at the dnte of the hatred of Joseph's brethren revealed itself dream (' Speaker's Commentary'), though in scowling looks. :But his father observed then Jeseph could not have hnd eleven the sayin~-liternlly, kept the 1ot>rd, o,,T,l• brothers ; who, being dead, was referred to PrJ17E TO pijµa (LXX. ). er. Dan. vii. 28 ; in order to show the impossibility of its ever Luke ii 61.
HOMILETICS Vere. 2-11.-Josephinliisfather'shouse. I. JOSEPH EMPLOYED WITH ms BRETHREN. 1. With them in tlie sense of as well as them. That is to say, Joseph no more than the other sons of his father was trained to indolence. It is the duty of parents to educate their children in some useful and honourable calling. Even when not required for procuring daily bread, it is of advantage as a means of withdrawing one from temptations which would otherwise beset him, while it largely enhances the enjoyment of existence, and enables one to contribute more or less directly to the sum of human happiness. Adam, Noah, Abraham, !sane, and even Laban, nil hrought up their sons to honest toil. 2. Witli them in the sense of lil.:e tltem. Thnt is, he was, ns they bad been before him, instructed in the business of a husband man and shepherd. There is evidence that Jacob combined the callings of an agricul- turist ns well ae sheep-farmer, and trained his boys to sow and reap and bind sheave11 ns well ns tend the flocks and herds on his estate. From this, however, it were wrong to argue that all the children in a family should be trained alike, or put to learn the same craft or profession. In J11cob's day and Josepb's there was little choice of openings for young men who had aspirations nbove the crook or the plough. But in these times the avocations of men are as diverse as their gifts ; and in 1111 respects it is better-more beneficial to society at large, and more advantageous for the indi- vidual-that a wise discrimination be exercised by parents and guardians in selecting spheres of labour for those d~endent on or intrusted to them that shall be suited to their gifts and tastes. 3. With them in the sense of betride them. Joseph accom- panied his brethren when they tended the flocks or reaped the ripened grain, and in particular associated himsel£, for reasons suggested in the Exposition, with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpab. It was IL privilege which Joseph enjoyed that he did not need to go from home to learn his trade; and doubtless Joseph's amiable disposition would make the society of bis father's sons more agreeable tc him than the company of strangers. II. JOSEPH PREFEBBED ABOVE HIS BRETHREN. 1. By his/ather. (1) The ground 430 TliE BOOK 01<' GENESIS. [en. XXXVII. 2-11.