Genesis 37

AND Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

These are the generations (i. e.) The events or occurrences which happened to Iacob in his Family and issue. So that word is used, Gen. 6. 9. and Numb. 3. 1. Or the word, These, may relate to what is said Gen. 35. 22. &c. The Genealogy of Esau being brought in by way of parenthesis, and that being finished, Moses returns to the Generations of Iacob, as his principal business, and proceeds in the History of their concerns. of Jacob: Joseph being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren, and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah Iacob placed Ioseph, with them rather then with the sons of Leah, either to keep Ioseph humble: Or for Iosephs security, because the other sons retained the old grudge of their Mother, and were more like to envy, contemn, hate and abuse him; Or as an observer of their actions whom he most suspected, as the following words may seem to imply., his fathers wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report Acquainted him with their lewd and wicked courses to the dishonour of God and of their Family, that so his Father might apply such remedies as he thought meet..

Now Israel loved Joseph more then all his children; because he was the son of his old age Being born when Iacob was Ninety one years old. Such Children are commonly best beloved by their Parents, either because such are a singular blessing of God, and a more then common testimony of his favour, and a mercy least expected by them and therefore most prized; or because they have more pleasing conversation with them, and less experience of their misbehaviour, of which the elder oft times are guilty, whereby they alienate their Parents affections from them. The antient Translations, Chaldee, Persian, Arabick and Samaritan, render the words thus, a wise or prudent son, old age being oft mentioned as a token of prudence, one born old, one wise above his years, one that had a gray head, as we say, upon green shoulders. This may seem the more probable, both because Ioseph was indeed such a Child, and gave good evidence of it in a prudent observation of his brethrens trespasses, and a discreet choice of the fittest remedy for them; and because the reason here alledged seems proper and peculiar to Ioseph, whereas in the other sense, it belongs more to Benjamin, who was younger then Ioseph, and cost his Mother dearer, and therefore might upon that account claim a greater interest in his Fathers affections.: and he made him a coat of many colours Probably made of threds of divers colours interwoven together. Compare 2 Sam. 13. 18. This he gave him as a token of his special love, and of the rights of the first-born, which being justly taken from Reuben he conferred upon Ioseph, 1 Chron. 5. 1..

And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more then all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him Their hatred was so deep and keen, that they could not smother it, as for their own interest they should have done, but discovered it by their churlish words and carriages to him..

And Joseph dreamed a dream Which it is probable he did not understand, for then he would never have told it to them, who, as he knew very well, were likely to make an evil construction and use of it., and he told it his brethren, and they hated him yet the more.

And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed.

For behold, we were binding sheaves in the field A secret insinuation of the occasion of Iosephs advancement, which was from his counsel and care about the Corn of Egypt., and lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright, and behold, your sheaves stood round about This was a posture of ministry and service, as is manifest both from Scripture and from common usage., and made obeisance to my sheaf.

And his brethren said to him, shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? and they hated him yet the more, for his dreams, and for his words For his relation of his dreams, which they imputed to his arrogancy..

And he dreamed yet another dream That the repetition of the same thing, in another shape, might teach them, that the thing was both certain and very observable., and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and behold, the Sun and the Moon These were not mentioned in the first dream, because in the event, his brethren only went at first to Egypt and there worshipped him, as afterwards his father went with them. Obj. His father did not worship him in Egypt. Ans. 1. He did worship him mediately by his sons, who in their fathers name and stead bowed before him, and by the presents, which he sent as testimonies of that respect which he owed to him. 2. It is probable, that Iacob did, before the Egyptians, pay that reverence to his son, which all the rest did, and which was due to the dignity of his place. As the Roman Consul was commended by his Father for requiring him to alight from his horse, as the rest did, when he met him upon the way., and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him Not through anger at Ioseph, or contempt of his dream, for it follows, he observed it, but partly lest Ioseph should be puffed up upon the account of his dreams, and principally, to allay the envy and hatred of his brethren., and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? shall I, and thy mother Either 1. Rach...., who was now dead, and therefore must rise again and worship thee: whence he may seem to infer the idleness of the dream, because the fulfilling it was impossible: or rather 2. Leah, his step-mother, one that filled his mothers place, being now Iacobs only wife, and the mother of the Family., and thy brethren indeed come to bowe down our selves to thee, to the earth?

And his brethren envied him: but his father observed the saying The words of Ioseph, or the thing, the dream which he told, well knowing that God did frequently at that time, signifie his mind by dreams, and perceiving something singular and extraordinary in this dream, and especially in the doubling of it..

And his brethren went to feed their fathers flock in Shechem In the parts adjoyning to Shechem, in the lands which he had purchased there, Gen. 33. 19. Let none think strange that he should send his sheep so far from him, both because that land was his own, and because his sheep being exceeding numerous, and he but a stranger in the land, was likely to be exposed to many such inconveniencies. Compare Gen. 30. 36. One may rather wonder that he durst venture his sons and his cattel there, where that barbarous massacre had been committed, chap. 34. 25. But those pastures being his own, and convenient for his use, he did commit himself and them to that same good Providence, which watched over him then and ever since, and still kept up that terrour which then he sent upon them. Besides Iacobs Sons and Servants made a considerable Company, and the men of Shechem being universally slain, others were not very forward to revenge their quarrel, where there was any hazard to themselves in such an enterprize..

And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send thee unto them Having kept him for some time at home, and supposing that length of time had cooled their heats and wor... out their hatred he now sends him to them.: and he said, Here am I.

And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks, and bring me word again: so he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

And a certain man found him, and behold he was wandring in the field, and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

And he said, I seek my brethren, tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.

And the man said, they are departed hence: for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan A place not very far from Shechem, where afterwards a City was built. See 2 King. 6. 13.. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him, to slay him.

And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer Heb. this master of dreams, this crafty dreamer, that covers his own ambitious designs and desires with pretences or fictions of dreams. cometh.

Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit Partly as unworthy of burial; partly to cover their villanous action; and partly that they might quickly put him out of their sight and minds., and we will say, some evil beast has devoured him There being great store of such creatures in those parts. See 1 King. 13. 24. 2 King. 2 24.: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him He did so, as to the violent and certain dispatch of his life which was intended: Or the act is here put for the purpose and endeavour of doing it, in which sense Balak is said to fight against Israel, Jos. 24. 9. and Abraham to offer up Isaac, Heb. 11. 17. So here, he delivered him, i. e. used his utmost power to deliver him, that so he might recover his fathers favour lost by his incestuous action. out of their hands, and said, Let us not kill him.

And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him, That he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him.

And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

And they sate down to eat bread To refresh themselves, their consciences being stupified; and their hearts hardned against their brother, notwithstanding all his most passionate intreaties to them, Gen. 42. 21.: and they lift up their eyes and looked, and behold, a company of Ishmeelites The Posterity of Ishmael. See Gen. 25. 18. came from Gilead A famous place for balm and other excellent commodities, and for the confluence of Merchants. See Ier. 8. 22. and 22. 6., with their camels, bearing spicery, and balm Or rosin, as the antient and divers other translatours render it., and myrrhe, going to carry it down to Egypt.

And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it, if we flay our brother If we suffer him to perish in the pit when we may sell him with advantage., and conceal his bloud (i. e.) His death, as the word blood is oft used. See Deut. 17. 8. 2 Sam. 1. 16. and 3. 28.?

Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him: for he is our brother, and our flesh? and his brethren were content.

Then there passed by Midianites This story seems a little involved, and the persons to whom he was sold doubtful. Here seem to be two, if not three, sorts of Merchants mentioned, Ishmaelites, and Midianites here, and Medanites, as it is in the Hebrew ver. 36. which were a distinct people from the Midianites, as descending from Medan, when the Midianites descended from Midian, both Abrahams Sons, Gen. 25. 2. The business may be accommodated divers ways, either 1. the same persons or people are promiscuously called both Ishmaelites and Midianites, as they also are Iudg. 8. 1, 24, 28. either because they were mixed together in their dwellings, and by marriages: or because they were here joyned together and made one Caravan or company of merchants. And the Text may be read thus, And the Midianite merchant-men (either the same who are called Ishmaelites, ver. 27. or others being in the same company with them) passed by, and they (i. e. not the Merchant-men, but Iosephs brethren spoken of ver. 27. the relative being referred to the remoter antecedent, as it is frequently in the Scripture) li... t up Ioseph and sold him to the Ishmaelites or Midianites, &c. or 2. the persons may be distinguished, and the story may very well be conceived thus, The Ishmaelites are going to Egypt, and are discerned at some distance by Iosephs brethren, while they were discoursing about their brother. In the time of their discourse the Midianites, who seem to be coming from Egypt, coming by the pit and hearing Iosephs cries there, pull him out of the pit, and sell him to the Ishmaelites, who carry him with them into Egypt. There they sell him to the Medanites, though that, as many other historical passages, be omitted in the sacred story. And the Medanites, or Midianites, if you please, only supposing them to be other persons then those mentioned, ver. 28. which is but a fair and reasonable supposition, sell him to Potiphar. Merchantmen, and they drew and lift up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

And Reuben returned unto the pit That according to his brethrens order, ver. 27. he might take him thence and sell him., and behold, Joseph was not in the pit: and he rent his clothes As the manner was upon doleful occurrences. See below ver. 34. Numb. 14. 6. Ezra 9. 3. Iob 1. 20. and 2. 12..

And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child So he calls him comparatively to his brethren, though he was 17 years old, ver. 2. is not (i. e.) Is not in the land of the living, or, is dead,... s that phrase is commonly used, as Gen. 42. 13, 36. compared with Gen. 44. 20. Iob 7. 21. Ier. 31. 15. Lam. 5. 7. Mat. 2. 18., and I, whither shall I go Either to find the child, or to flee from our father? He is more solicitous then the rest, because he being the eldest brother, his father would require Ioseph at his hand, and being so highly incensed against him for his former crime, would be the more apt to suspect him, and deal more severely with him.?

And they took Josephs coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the bloud.

And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought They brought it by a messenger whom they sent: Men are commonly said to do what they cause others to do. it to their father, and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy sons coat or no.

And he knew it, and said, It is my sons coat, an evill beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth (i. e.) A course and mournful habit. This is the first example of that kind, but afterwards was in common use upon these occasions. See 2 Sam. 3. 31. 1 King. 20. 31. and 21. 27. &c. upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

And all his sons, and all his daughters Dinah, and his daughters in law, and his sons daughters. rose up to comfort him: but he refused to be comforted: and he said, For I will go down into the grave This Hebrew word Sheol is taken sometimes for hell, as Iob 11. 8. Prov. 15. 11. but most commonly for the grave. Or the place or state of the dead as Gen. 42. 38. and 44. 29, 31. Psal. 6. 5. and 16. 10. &c. And whether of those it signifies, must be determined by the subject and the circumstances of the place; here it cannot be meant of Hell, for Iacob neither could believe that good Ioseph was there, nor would have resolved to go thither, but the sense is, I will kill my self with grief, or I will never leave mourning till I dye. unto my son Or, For my Son: so the preposition El is oft used for Al, as 1 Sam. 1. 27. and 4. 19, 21, 22, and 2 Sam. 21. 2. mourning: thus his father wept for him.

And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaohs, and captain of the guard Whose office it was to apprehend and punish criminal persons. See Gen. 40. 3. Ier. 39. 9. Mark 6. 27..