The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 312

thnt his God required him to express hie other with that of Joseph's which f111lows. ucknowledgmont of this need e.nd this claim For thc benedictions of Isoe.c and .Ja~ob, by not withholding from him e.e much as when a-dying, PX pressed faith in revelations even the hentlien were e.ccustomed to offer me.de to them abo11t the severe.I races of th~ir to their gods, is consistont with God's future seed ; the dee.thberl chnrges of Jacob genere.l we.y of educnting men to e. full e.nd Joseph expressed faith in the chosen knowledge of the truth. But tho sacrifice seed's inherite.nce of the promised land. we.s in the end emphationlly forbidden by e. Though in the verse before us Jacob's voice from henven: to Abrnliam thenceforth, charge to Joseph, with a. view to this inheri- e.nd to hie seed for ever, it we.s made clearly tance, is not mentioned, yet the q not.a tion known the.t, though God does require atone- from the aceonnt of it in Genesis, " and ment for sin e.nd entire submission to his worshipped," etc., would be sufficient, in will, he does not require violence to he done this concise summary of instances, to recall to tender humun feeling, or e.ny cruel rites. it to the mind of readers, and so intimate Ver. 20.-By fe.ith Ise.ao blessed Jacob the writer's meaning. The variation of the and Esau, even (or, also) ooncerning things LXX., which is here followed e.s usue.l, to oome. Here the word 1<11I (omitted in from the Me.ssoretic text, in reading" staff" the Textue Receptue) gives force to what ie instead of" bed," is due to the ambiguity of mee.nt; words uttered by tlrn patriarchs in the Hebrew word, which has one meaning the spirit of prophecy being now adduced e.e or the other according to its pointing. "Bed" furtl,er evidence of their fe.ith. To those seems more likely to ha.ve been intended, inspired by this spirit even the diste.nt inasmuch e.s the bed on which the pe.trie.rch future ie ree.lized e.s present: e.nd faith ie la.y is twice again mentioned (Gen. xlviii. 2; not only a condition of such Hropheticvisione xlix. 33) in the account of the closing scene; being granted to them, but ie e.lso evinced and we find e.lso e. similar expression userl by theix trusting the visions ae D'hine of David in his old age (1 Kings i. 47). But revelations, e.nd speaking with confidence the variation is unimportant, the essence of accordingly. The prophet seems as though the passage being in the word translate,\ able himself to control the future by giving "bowed himself," which in the Hebrew as or withholding blessing (cf. Jer. i. 10); but well as the Greek certainly expresses au it is really that hie mind and will are at act of wor~hip, The only difference is that, one with the mind and will of God : a according to one rendering, this worship Divine voice speaks within him, anci. through was expressed by his bowing over the start' faith he ie receptive of it and gives it utter- on which he leant 11B he sat upon the bed ance. Thus it was that even the future (Gen. xlviii. 2); according to the other, by his che.rscters, o.nd changing relations to each turning rolllld to prostr.. te himself with hi~ other, of the yet unborn races of Israel e.nd hee.d upon the pillow. The view of some of Edom are represented as he.ving been fore- the Fathers, who, adopting the LXX. render- shadowed in the blessings of that dying ing a.nd supposing the staff to be Joseph's, patrie.rch. regard the a.et as expressing reverence to Ver. 21.-By fe.ith Jaoob, when he was a- Joseph himself, in fulfilment of Gen. x:u.viii. dying, blessed eaoh of the sons of Joseph ; 5--11, has litUe probe.bility in its favour, and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his e.nd is controverted by St. Augustine. But staft'. Here two distinct incidents are so Chrysostom, and apparently Theodoret. referred to, both at the close of ,Ta.cob's life. And rnitably to this idea., the Vulgate has That first mentioned, the blessing of the in Hebrews, "et adora.vit fa.stigium virgm sons of Joseph (Gen. xlviii. 2), closely ejus," though in Genesis, "11doravit Ism~! resembles the dying o.ct of Isaac already Ueum, conversUll ad lectuli caput." Quite spoken of, and hns a similor signi.ficanoe. In untene.ble, and only worthy of mention both cases, too, hum1m intention is over- because of the use that has been me.do of it ruled, in the.t the younger son obtains the in support of im11ge-worship, is the idea. higher blessing; e.nd each patrie.rch accepts that Joseph's stuff was surmounted by 1ome alike the Divine intimation to this effect, sarrcd ime.ge which Jacob e.dored. thus further evincing faith in a power and Ver. 22.-By faith Joseph, when dyi.n!f, a will e.bove hfa own. The lat ler pa.rt of made mention of the departing (Exodus) of the verse," and worshipped," eto., is quoted the ohildren of Israel; and gave commaud- from Gen. xlvii. 31, and refers to a. previous ment concerning his bones. The reference• 1e instance of the dying Ja.cob's faith, in his to Gen. 1. 2-1, 25, which, e.fter what has been charge to Joseph to bury him with his said above, requixes no further commeut. fathers in the land of promise. The reversal Ver. 23.-By fe.ith Moses, when he we.a in the text of tho historical order of the two born, wa.a hid three months of his pa.rent.,, instonces may be because the one reforred because they sa.w that he was e. proper to first is cog1rnto with the instance of (a.neiov, tho word Ulle,l of. tllo child in I,a.ac•~ faith which hus i;ono l,ciore, the El:QU. ii. 2, tllere tru.Wllntod •' goodly," arul  304, THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [on. xr. 1-40.