shepherd, he was circnmciseu, which, if this the cases of Moses, Exod. ii. 21, and Esther, rite was already observed in Egypt, and did eh. ii. le); that Joseph may have deemed not originate with Joseph, would certainly the religion of Egypt, especially in its early not prove a bar to the contemplated alliance symbolical forms, as perfectly compatible (vide Canon Cook in 'Speaker's Comment- with a pure monotheistic worship, or, if he ary,' vol. i. p. 480 ; Kurst, 'Hist. of Old judged it idolatrous, he may both have Covenant,'§ 88; Hengstenberg, 'Egypt and secured for himself complete toleration 1md the Books of Moses,' pp. 32-35). As to have felt himself strong enough to resist its the probability of Joseph consenting to be- seductions ; that Asenath may have adopted come son-in-law to a heathen priest, it may her husband's faith, though on this, of course, suffice to remember that though marriage nothing can be affirmed ; and lastly, that the with idolaters was expressly forbidden by narrator of this history pronounces no judg- patriarchal commandment (eh. xxiv. 3; men t on the moral quality of Joseph's con- xx:viii. 1), and afterwards by Mosaic statute duct in consenting to this alliance, which, (eh. xxxiv. 16 ; Deut. vii. 3), it was some- though overruled for $ood, may have been, times contracted for what seemed a perfectly considered in itself, a sm. And loaeph went adequate reason, viz., the furtherance of the out over all the land of Egypt in the dis• Divme purposes concerning Israel, and ap- charge of his vice-regal duties. parently too with the Divine sanction (cf.
HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-45.-Joseph before Pharaoh, or from the prison to tlie.throne. I. Ts:E DREAMS OF THE MONARCH. 1. His midnight visions. Two full years have expired since the memorable birthday of Pharaoh which sent the baker to ignominious exe- cution, but restored the butler to the favour of his royal master. Slumbering upon his bed, the king of Egypt seems to stand among the tall grass upon the banks of the Nile. First seven well-formed and full-fleshed heifers appear to climb up one after the other among the reeds from the river's edge, where they have probably been drinking, followed by seven lean and haggard animals, walking up in the same mysterious procession, till they stand side by side with their thriving predecessors, when they suddenly fall upon these predecessors and eat them up. Startled by the strangeness of the scene, the royal sleeper wakes only to discover it a dream. Then composing himself a second time to slumber, he finds himself still standing in the Nile valley, but now looking out towards its luxuriant corn-fields. Again a strange phenomenon occurs. Growing from the soil he sees a tall, massive stalk of corn, with seven fat eara depending from its top ; but scarcely has this arrested bis atten- tion, when be notices another by its aide, spare and feeble, with its seven ears parched and empty, as if they had been burnt up by the bot south-east winds blowing up from the sandy wastes of Arabia. To hie astonishment, aa before, the fat ears are devoured by the thin. Awaking, he a second time discovers that he has been dreaming. 2. His morning agitations. The spirit of the king of Egypt was troubled first because of the dreams, which he obviously regarded as conveying to bis royal mind some supernatural communication, which, however, he failed to understand ; and secondly because the interpretation of them appeared equally to baffle the penetration of all the wise men and magicfans of his empire, whom he had summoned to assist him in deciphering their import. II. THE INTEit.JECTION OF THE DOTLEn. 1. T!te recollection of ltis faults. If this referred to hie ingratitude to Joseph (which is scarcely likely), that was a short- coming which should have been remembered at least two years before, though it was better he should recall it then than never. But it is more than probable the offence spoken of was the crime for which he had been previously imprisoned by Phare.oh, and of which he now confessed himself to be guilty, as without acknowledging the justness of hie royal master's anger he could scarcely hope to experience the mildness of hie royal master's favour. That he only remembers Joseph when he deems it possible by doing so to gratify his master and serve himself indicates a disposition as hypocritical and time-serving as ungrateful and unfeeling. 2. The recital of his mercies. Narrating the story of his imprisonment, he informs the anxious monarch that he and his late companion, the chief baker, while suffering the righteous penalty of their rni8deeda in the round ho1.1se or State prison, had eui:h t GF.NESIS. ll U 46G THE BOOK OF GENESIS. [rn, XLI. 1-45