heinous Iniquities were abominable Idolatries Cruelty beastly Filthiness to a prodigious excess Levit. XVIII 22 23 c. See Theodoret upon Psalm CV 44. and P. Fagius upon Levit. V. 1. But in Abram's time their Iniquity was not full i. e. There were several good Men still remaining among them as Mamre Eshcol and Aner seem to have been who were confederate with Abram and Melchizedek certainly was who being Priest of the most high God had some People sure worshipped together with him And therefore God staid till there was an universal Corruption and they were all ripe for Destruction For we read of none but Rahab whose Faith saved her and her Family when the time of their Destruction came Ver. 17. Behold a smoking Furnace If the great horror Verse 12 represented the extream Misery of the Children of Israel in Egypt Then this seems to signifie God's Vengeance upon the Egyptians for oppressing them in the Furnaces wherein they wrought Exod. IX 8. A burning Lamp or a Lamp of Fire i. e. The Schechinah or Divine Majesty appeared in great Splendor so Maimonides rightly explains it P. I. More Nev. cap. 21. like to a flaming Fire So it appeared to Moses when God came to deliver them from the Egyptian Bondage Exod. III. 2 6 c. Passed between the pieces In Token as it follows verse 18. that he entred into a Covenant with Abram and with his Posterity For passing between the pieces he consumed them as St. Chrysostom rightly understands it and thereby testified his Acceptance of the Sacrifices which Abram offered I noted before that there is no such Rite we read of any where in Scripture but in Jeremiah of making a Covenant in this manner But there are those who think they find this Custom in other Nations For if Dictys Cretensis do not Lye after the manner of the Cretians as Bochart speaks both the Greeks and Trojans from the time of Homer did make Covenants in this fashion Certain it is the Boeotians and Macedonians passed on some occasions through the parts of a Beast dissected But it was for Lustration not for Covenanting as the same Bochart observes P. I. Hierozoic L. II. cap. 46. Ver. 18. Vnto thy Seed will I give this Land c. Here is the utmost extent of the Donation made to Abram Which began to be fulfilled in David 2 Sam. VIII 3 c. for till then they did not inlarge their Borders as far as Euphrates The River of Egypt So Nile is commonly called but cannot be here meant because the Israelites never enjoyed all the Land of Egypt on this side Nile Therefore we are to understand by it that little River which came out of that Branch of Nile called Pelusiacum Brachium From whence a small River not Navigable ran toward Judaea falling into the Egyptian or Phoenician Sea For this River was the Bounds of Palestine and is mentioned by Strabo and others whom G. Vossius cites L. II. De Idolol c. 74. It is called Amos VI. 14. the River of the Wilderness because it run through the Wilderness which is between Egypt and Palestine into the Sea Ver. 19. The Kenites and Kenizzites These are put into the Number of the Nations whose Country God gave to Abram but whether they were descended from any of the Sons of Canaan we cannot tell Nor are we certain where they dwelt Only Eustathius Bishop of Antioch says the Kenites dwelt about Libanus and Amanus And the Kenizzites it 's likely were their Neighbours But the Names of these People were quite extinct between the times of Abram and Moses for we find no mention of them by Joshua in the Division of the Land of Canaan nor in the Account he gives of the Nations he conquered We read indeed of the Kenezites Numb XXXII 12. Josh XIV 6 14. but they were of the Children of Israel And of the Kenites Judg. I. 16. IV. 11 17. but they descended from the Father-in-law of Moses And therefore those whom Moses here speaks of it is probable lost their Name being incorporated into some of the seven Nations who inhabited this Country when Joshua subdued it The Kadmonites These are no where else mentioned But are thought by Bochartus to be the same with the Hivites Who living about Mount Hermon toward the East of the Land of Canaan were thence called Kadmonites i. e. Orientals See X. 17. Ver. 20. Hittites See X. 15. Perizzites They were a People inhabiting the Mountainous and woody Country of Canaan as appears from Josh XI 3. XVII 13. From whence we may gather they were a wild sort of People who lived far from Cities in little Villages and thence perhaps had their Name For Pherazoth in Hebrew signifies Pagi Villages But from which of the Sons of Canaan they descended there is not the least signification in Holy Scripture Rephaim They dwelt in Bashan and perhaps in other Countries thereabouts See XIV 5. Ver. 21. Amorites These were the mightiest People in the Land of Canaan See X. 16. Canaanites These were some of the Posterity of Canaan who peculiarly inherited his Name living upon the Sea-Coast and upon the Banks of Jordan Num. XIII 30. Deut. I. 7. XI 30. And it is a reasonable Conjecture That they sprang from such of Canaan's Sons as had for a time the greatest Power and Authority in that Country And therefore had the Prerogative of being called by his Name Or else they were so called because they were Merchants and great Traders by Sea For so the word is used in Scripture Gergasite See X. 16. Jebusite See there also CHAP. XVI Ver. 1. SArai bare him no Child Still the fulfilling of God's Promise was deferred for the greater trial of Abram's Faith Which now had held out ten Years Verse 3. without seeing any Fruit of it She had an handmaid an Egyptian An Egyptian by Nation but a Proselyte to the true Religion St. Chrysostom thinks Pharaoh bestowed her upon Sarai when he took her into his House or when he sent her away XII 15 20. Which he learnt from the Jews who say the same as may be seen in Pirke Elieser c. 26. who says also as R. Solomon Jarchi doth that she was Pharaoh's Daughter by his Concubine But it is more likely she was such a Servant to Sarai as Eliezer was to Abram born in his House of an Egyptian as he was of a Syrian Woman Ver. 2. And Sarai said unto Abram c. It is likely he having acquainted her with the Promise she grew impatient to have it fulfilled some way or other Go in unto my Maid i. e. Take her to Wife Verse 3. It may be I may obtain Children by her Being born of her Bond-slave they would be Sarai's Children according to the Custom of those Times XXX 3. Exod. XXI 4. And Abram hearkned to the Voice of Sarai Thinking perhaps that God might fulfil his Promise this way because he had only told him he should have Seed but had not as
SHECHINAH which appeared from the beginning as I have often said before the sight of which Cain never after this enjoyed but was banished from it And God withdrawing his gracious Presence from him so St. Chrysostom he was also forsaken by him and put out of his special Protection If Cain after this turned a down-right Idolater as many think it is very likely he introduced the Worship of the Sun which was the most ancient sort of Idolatry as the best resemblance he could find of the Glory of the LORD Which was wont to appear in a flaming Light And in after-times they worshipped Fire in the Eastern Countries as the best Emblem of the Sun when it was absent And dwelt in the Land of Nod. At last he setled in a Country which had the Name of Nod from his wandring up and down like a Vagabond till he fixed here Where it seems he still continued restless moving from one part of the Country to another till in conclusion he built a City for his security some think as we read in the Verse following Some translate it in the Land of Vagabonds And R. Solomon fansies the very ground shaked under him and made People run away from him saying This is the cruel Man that killed his Brother On the East of Eden He still went Eastward from that Country where Adam setled after he was thrust out of Paradise See III. 24. Which Junius thinks was in that tract of Ground where the Nomades afterwards dwelt bordering upon Susiana Which is far more probable than the Conceit of the Author of the Book Cosri Par. II. § 14. who would have Cain's going from the presence of the LORD nothing else but his Expulsion out of the Land of Canaan where Adam dwelt after he was thrust out of Paradise And consequently the Land of Nod was not far from the Land of Canaan Nothing can be more ungrounded than this which overthrows also all that Moses saith of Eden and the Garden planted there from whence Adam went out on the East-side and therefore not toward Canaan which was Westward Ver. 17. And Cain knew his Wife There hath been no mention hitherto of any Woman in the World but Eve much less of Cain's having a Wife And therefore it is uncertain whether this were a Wife he took before he killed his Brother or after It is most probable before because we may well think all the World abhorred the thoughts of Marriage with such an impious Murderer whom God also had accursed But whether it were before or after I see no reason to conclude that this Wife was his Sister There being Women enough in the World beside before this time as was said before verse 15. For even in our Country in the Age before us there sprung from two Persons Three hundred sixty seven Children within the space of eighty Years And therefore the World being now when Cain slew Abel an Hundred and twenty eight or an Hundred and thirty Years old according to Arch-Bishop Vsher and Jac. Capellus's Chronology we cannot but conceive there were a great Number of People in it descended from all those Sons and Daughters which Adam begot Chap. V. 4. We are not told how many but some of the ancient Eastern Traditions in Cedrenus say he had thirty three Sons and twenty seven Daughters It is true indeed That at the first Cain could marry none but one of his Sisters Which was then Lawful because absolutely necessary But prohibited by God when that Necessity ceased Of which the Eastern People were so sensible that they took care to have it thought that Cain and Abel did not marry those who were nearest of kin to him but those that were at some distance For their Tradition is That Eve at her two first Births brought Twins a Son and a Daughter viz. Cain with his Sister Azron and Abel with his Sister Awin as Saidus Patricides Patriarch of Alexandria reports Now such was their Caution not to match with those that were nearest in Blood but with those further off as much as was then possible Cain was not suffered to marry his Twin-Sister nor Abel his But Adam gave Awin to Cain and Azron to Abel I cannot vouch the truth of this Story Which I mention only to show That Mankind have had a Sense that all possible Care should be used to avoid Marriages with the nearest Relations For though this Story was derived perhaps from the Jews yet it was believed by other People See Mr. Selden L. V. De Jure N. G. c. 8. Whence Diodorus Siculus says Lib. I. it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common use of Mankind that Brothers and Sisters should not be joyned in Marriage And Plato L. VIII de Legib. calls such Marriages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by no means holy but hateful to God For though they were not so in the beginning of things they became so afterwards That being natural in one state of things as Grotius well observes Lib. De Jure B. P. c. 10. which is unnatural in another state And he built a City Not as soon as the came into this Country but when he had a numerous Progeny able to people it And consequently in his old Age. His end in building it some think was to cross the Curse of wandring to and fro Others to defend himself against those whom his guilty Conscience made him fear or to secure the Spoils which by force and violence as Josephus relates L. I. Antiq c. 3. he had taken from others There are those who imagine that when he attempted to build this City he often broke off the Work out of a panick fear Such an one as Romulus felt after he had killed his Brother Remus And called the Name of the City after the Name of his Son Some think he declined his own Name because he knew it to be odious every where But it is more likely it was for that reason which moved Men in after-times to do the same For it hath been a very ancient Usage for great Men to call the Cities which they built by the Name of their Sons rather than their own Out of the great Love they bare to their Children Thus Nimrod called Nineveh after the Name of his Son Ninus Which the Psalmist notes as a piece of the Vanity of Mankind to call their Lands that is the Houses where they dwelt as R. Solomon Jarchi interprets it by their own Names to be a lasting Monument of them and of their Family Enoch There were an ancient People called by Pliny Heniochi by Mela Eniochi and by Lucan Enochii Some of which lived so far Eastward that Sir W. Raleigh fansies they might be the Posterity of this Enoch Ver. 18. And unto Enoch was born Irad c. It is remarkable that though Moses gives us some Account of the Descendants of Cain yet he saith not a word of the Years that they lived and carries their Genealogy but a little way Whereas he
Iberi because they were thought to possess the utmost Ends of the Earth Westward However we may well think Tarshish to be Spain or that part of it which was most frequented by the Phoenicians viz. About Gades and Tartessus As Bochartus I think hath proved by evident Arguments fetched chiefly from what Ezekiel says of Tarsis XXVII 12. and comparing it with this Country L. III. Phaleg c. 7. Kittim The same Author hath proved by solid Arguments and by good Authority that from him came the People who inhabited Italy In which there were anciently many footsteps of this Name For there was in Latium it self a City called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Halycarnassaeus tells us Which was one of those seven great and populous Cities taken by Coriolanus as Plutarch in his Life tells us There was a River called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about Cumae mentioned by Aristotle as turning Plants into Stones And the very Name of Latines answers to Chittim For most say it comes à latendo being formed to express this ancient Scripture Name For Chetema in Arabick which is a branch of the Hebrew Tongue is to hide And Chetim is hidden and latent And so no doubt it was anciently used in Hebrew For what better sence can we make of those words of Jeremy II. 22. thy inquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is hidden or laid up with me According to an usual expression in Scripture Deut. XXXII 34. Job XXI 9. Hos XIII 12. where there are words of the like import with this That famous Man Bochart saith a great deal more to assert this L. III. c. 5. Dodanim He is called Rhodanim in 1 Chron. I. 7. By whom the Greek Interpreters understand the People of Rhodes and so do several of the Ancients but the Name of that Island is much later than Moses his time And therefore it is better to understand hereby that Country now called France Which was peopled by the Posterity of this Son of Javan Who when they came to this Coast gave Name as Bochart conjectures to the great River Rhodanus Where it is likely they first seated themselves and called the adjacent Coast Rhodanusia Which had anciently in it a City of the same Name mentioned by Stephanus and said to be seated in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in tractu Massiliensi where now stands Marseilles See Bochart L. III. c. 6. These Dodanites are never mentioned in any other places of Scripture which makes it the more difficult where to find them But this Account seems more probable than that of our learned Mede who places them in Epirus where there was a City called Dodona and part of Peloponnesus All which and several Countries thereabout seem to be comprehended under the Name of Javan Ver. 5. By these were the Isles of the Gentiles divided By the word Isles we commonly understand Countries compassed round about by the Sea But there were not such Islands enough to contain the Sons of Japhet though these were part of their Portion and therefore we must seek for another sence of this word Which the Hebrews use as Mr. Mede hath observed to signifie all those Countries divided from them by the Sea or such as they used not to go to but by Sea See Book I. Disc 47. Many places testifie this Isai XI 10 11. XL. 15. Jer. II. 10 c. Now if Moses wrote this Book in Egypt as he thinks it probable they commonly went from thence to Phrygia Cappadocia Paphlagonia by Sea as well as to Greece Italy c. To Media indeed he thinks they did not use to go by Sea and therefore makes this an Objection against Madai being the Father of the Medes For their Country cannot be called an Isle But the far greater part of the Regions peopled by the Sons of Japhet being such as he confesses the Hebrews call Isles Moses might well say the Isles of the Gentiles were parted among them though Media be comprehended which was not such an Isle But there is no need of all this if we take the word we translate Isle for a Region Country or Province And so it plainly signifies Job XXII 30. Isai XX. 6. where in the Margin we translate it Country And then the word Goim which we render Gentiles signifies a multitude of People as it doth often in Scripture Particularly Gen. XVII 4 16. And so we translate it Nations in the last word of this Verse and in the last Clause of this Chapter by these were the Goim Nations divided in the Earth Which may serve to explain this Phrase here which we may thus interpret by these or among these were divided the Regions of the People or Nations descended from Japhet in their Lands in the several Countries which they possessed Divided It appears by the following words according to his Language Family and Nation this great Division of the Earth was made orderly and not by a confused irregular Dispersion wherein every one went whither he listed and seated himself where he thought good This Mr. Mede thinks is also suggested in the very word we translate divided Which signifies not a scattered but a distinct Partition Every one after his Tongue or Language The same is said ver 20. and ver 31. of the Posterity of Cham and Shem. Which signifies they did not all speak the same Language but doth not prove that every one of the fore-mentioned People had a Language peculiar to themselves distinct from the rest and not understood by them As when Ahasuerus is said to have caused Letters to be written to an hundred twenty seven Provinces according to their Language and their Writing Esth XIII 9. it doth not prove there were so many several sorts of Writing and so many several Languages in his Empire But only that to each of them was directed a Letter in that Language which they spake After their Families in their Nations The Particle in denotes as Mr. Mede observes Families to be subordinate to Nations as parts to a whole Families are parts of a Nation and a Nation is an Off-spring containing many Families So here was a two-fold order in this Division First They were ranged according to their Nations and then every Nation was ranked by his Families So that every Nation had his Lot by himself and in every Nation the Families belonging to it had their Portion by themselves The number of Nations descended from Japhet were seven according to the number of his Sons who were all Founders of several Nations But the number of Families is not here intirely set down For Moses names only the Families of Gomer and Javan Whose Children perhaps are rather to be lookt upon as Founders of Nations and therefore mentioned by Moses when the Posterity of the rest are omitted Ver. 6. And the Sons of Ham. Having given an Account of the Sons and Grand-Sons of Japhet the eldest Son of Noah he next proceeds to the Sons of Ham the second Son of Noah which were Four
as he doth XV. 21. or in general all the Nations which the Israelites afterward destroyed It seems to me the first of these is meant and that by Land he means only that part of the Country where Sichem lay which was then possessed by this particular People For in the next place that Abram went to it is said The Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the Land XIV 7. i. e. in that part of the Country Where we do not read what Entertainment Abram met withal but I take it as an Argument of Abram's great Faith that he would adventure among such a rough and fierce People Who had no kindness for the Posterity of Shem upon an old Score and if the ancient Tradition in Epiphanius be true upon a fresh Account For he saith Haeres LXVI n. 84. that this Country called Canaan did really belong to the Children of Shem by Virtue of the Division made among the Sons of Noah But the Children of Canaan had dispossessed them So that these words the Canaanite was then in the Land signifies they had already invaded this Country before Abram came thither To whom God promising to give it he only restored the Posterity of Shem from whom Abram descended unto that which the Children of Ham had wrongfully seized By all which it is easie to see how frivolous their Reasonings are who from this place conclude Moses did not write this Book Because these words seem to signifie the Writer of them lived after the Canaanites were thrown out of this Land Which was after Moses his death If these Men had not a greater inclination to Cavil than to find out the Truth they would rather have said the meaning is The Canaanite was possessed of this part of the Country in Abraham's time though thrown out of it by Jacob's Sons Gen. XXXIV before the Times of Moses Which is another way of explaining these words Against which I see no Objection but this That their Prince is called an Hivite XXXIV 2. To which there is an Answer verse 30. which shows the People were partly Canaanites Ver. 7. And the LORD appeared unto Abram As he had done before Verse 1. but now it is likely in a more glorious manner to establish him in Faith and Obedience And said unto him c. There was a Voice came from the Schechinah or Divine Glory which now appeared to him and told him this was the Country he intended to bestow upon his Posterity It is very remarkable that he no sooner entred Canaan but God renewed his Promise to him made before he came out of his own Country And it is further observable as we shall see in the following Story that Abram's Obedience was constantly rewarded in kind according to the quality of the Service he performed Though in quantity the Reward far exceeded the Service Thus having left his own Country and Father's House which was the first trial of his Obedience God promises to give him the whole Land of Canaan and to make his Posterity a mighty Nation See XVII 6. XXII 16. And there he built an Altar c. This was so Glorious an Appearance that it moved him to offer up a solemn Sacrifice to God for which he built an Altar here in Sichem And it being the first that he built in this Country it made this become the first place that was established for Publick Worship after the Israelites conquered the Land of Canaan For here was the Sanctuary of God in Joshua's time near this very Grove where Abram first pitched his Tent and built an Altar Josh XXIV 1 25 26. It continued famous also in after-times as appears from Judg. IX 6. Ver. 8. And he removed from thence unto a Mountain c. Though the LORD here appeared to him yet he did not think fit to trust himself among the Canaanites who were the chief of the wicked Nations that possessed this Land or he thought fit to see the rest of the Country which God promised to give him And therefore came hither which was about twenty Miles further Southward And there he built an Altar Upon the Mountain where they anciently chose to sacrifice rather than in other places And it is likely God again appeared to him here to incourage and strengthen him against all his Fears Which made him build a new Altar and offer Sacrifices of Thanksgiving to God to implore his continued Favour And it is observable That the Promise which God made in the former place verse 7. he renewed again in this and more at large after he came out of Egypt XIII 3 4 14 15 16. On the East of Bethel So it was called in after-times Ver. 9. And Abram journeyed c. He did not think fit to fix yet in the fore-named place But made a further progress into the Southern parts of the Country Yet after he had been in Egypt the Story of which follows he returned to this place Ver. 10. A Famine in the Land Of Canaan He went down Egypt lay low in comparison with Canaan To sojourn Not to dwell there For he doubted not of God's Promise to him of possessing the Land which he had left Ver. 11. Thou art a fair Woman c. She was now threescore Years old But having comely Features and being of a fair Complexion in comparison with the Egyptians who were sallow she seemed to be younger than she was Ver. 12. They will kill me Knowing them to be a libidinous People he was afraid they might be tempted to make him away that they might have his Wife Ver. 13. Say thou art my Sister He himself upon another occasion explains in what sence she was so XX. 12. Therefore he teaches her not to tell a Lye but to conceal the Truth Ver. 15. Pharaoh The Egyptian Kingdom began about three hundred Years before this in the days of Ragau XI 18. if the Arabian Writers say true and now was grown to be very Powerful by the means of some King of this Name which it appears by this place was very ancient and continued to be the Name of all the Kings of Egypt till the Captivity of Babylon and we know not how much longer Just as Ptolomy was their Name after the times of Alexander And Caesar and Augustus were the Names of all the Emperors of Rome and Candace of all the Queens of Aethiopia and the like may be observed in several other Countries Ludolphus takes Pharaoh to be a compound word signifying as much as Father of the Country For that 's the meaning of Phar-ot in the Aethiopick Language as Pharmut is Mother of the Country The Princes also c. The Courtiers who studied to gratifie their Prince's Pleasure Was taken into Pharaoh's House Into the House of the Women it is probable for the Egyptian Kings were now as I said very great like those of Persia in after-times intending to make her one of his Concubines Ver. 16. And he had Sheep and Oxen c. By the
of a quiet possession of that Well Ver. 30. A witness unto me that I have digged this Well By this Token it shall be remembred hereafter that I digged this Well and that thou didst grant me quiet possession of it Ver. 31. Called the place Beer-sheba The Hebrew word Sheba signifies both an Oath and also seven Perhaps for both reasons this Place had this Name We are sure for the first which is here mentioned Because they sware to each other Ver. 32. Thus they made a Covenant c. By giving and accepting those Sheep and Oxen mentioned verse 27. and perhaps by offering Sacrifices or at least by eating and drinking together As Isaac and Abimelech did in after-times XXVI 30. Here some observe it was not unlawful by the Law of Nature to make Covenants with Infidels and Idolaters for mutual Defence and Commerce or such like reasons But I see no proof that Abimelech was such a Person In future Ages the People of Canaan were so corrupted by this as well as other Sins that God commanded them to be exterminated and made it unlawful to enter into a Covenant with them Exod. XXXIV 15. But as the Philistines were none of them So it still remained lawful to make Leagues with other Gentiles who were not of the seven Nations of Canaan as we see by the Examples of David and Solomon and others They returned into the Land of the Philistines Into that part of the Country where they dwelt For both Abimelech and Abraham were now in that Land as appears from the last Verse of this Chapter Ver. 33. Abraham planted a Grove For a solemn and retired Place wherein to worship God For as Servius says upon the IX Aeneid Nunquam est Lucus sine Religione There never was a Grove in ancient times without Religion And therefore here we may well suppose Abraham built an Altar Which was fenced and bounded with an Inclosure and shaded with Trees as Mr. Mede Discourse XIX observes their Proseucha's or Places of Prayer to have been in after-times For that this was intended for a Place of Prayer appears by the following words and called there on the Name of the Lord c. From hence some think the Custom of planting Groves was derived into all the Gentile World Who so prophaned them by Images and Filthiness and Sacrifices to Daemons that God commanded them by the Law of Moses to be cut down But Abraham made use of a Grove before this XII 6 8. where we find he built an Altar on a Mountain which I question not was compassed with Trees See XIII 18. Therefore I take this only to have been the first Grove that he planted himself Called upon the Name of the LORD the everlasting God I find that Maimonides in several places of his More Nevochim translates the last words The LORD God of the World or the LORD the Almighty Creator of the World For this was the great Article of Faith in those Days That God made the World Par. II. cap. 30. Par. III. c. 29. Ver. 34. Sojourned many days c. The word Days often signifies Years And it is likely signifies so in this place For here Isaac was born and here he was weaned And after that Abraham found so much friendship from Abimelech and so many conveniencies of Life that they invited him to stay a long time in this Country CHAP. XXII Ver. 1. AND it came to pass after these things That which follows fell out while Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba or near it verse 19. God did tempt Abraham Proved or tried his Faith in a very difficult Instance The Hebrews take great notice that the Name of Elohim which they call Nomen Judicii is here used as it is in several of the following Verses And said unto him Abraham I suppose there was such a visible appearance of the Divine Majesty to him as he had often seen XV. 1. XVII 1. XVIII 1. Here I am A Phrase expressing readiness to hearken and to give answer verse 7 12. Ver. 2. Take now Immediately Thy Son A hard thing had it been Ishmael Thy only Son Isaac His only Son by Sarah and the Child of the Promise XXI 12. Whom thou lovest Who was far dearer to him than any thing in this World dearer than his own life For Men will venture that to preserve their Children According to an old saying in Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children are to all Mankind their very Life or Soul Whence it was that Pacatus Drepanius said in his Panegyrick to Theodosius the Great Instituente Natura plus ferè filios quam nosmetipsos diligimus We are taught by Nature to love our Sons in a manner more than our selves But the love of God in Abraham was stronger than either Get thee into the Land of Moriah So it was called afterwards from God's appearing there verse 14. for the Deliverance of Isaac as many think Certain it is that the Temple of Solomon was built upon Mount Moriah 1 Chron. III. 1. But this Name belonged not only to that Mountain but to all the Mountainous Country thereabouts Which is here called the Land of Moriah Which Aquila translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conspicuous For it is derived from the word Raah to see And the LXX translate it not amiss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 high Country Which is very conspicuous But Mount Sion and Acra and other neighbouring Mountains being also very high this Name of Moriah belonged to them because they were very conspicuous In so much that Mount Sion is often used in Scripture for Mount Moriah For all that Mountainous Country went by one and the same Name And offer him there The Hebrews observe the word is ambiguous and may be translated make him to go up But Abraham understood it in the usual Sence That he should kill him as they did the Beasts for Sacrifices A very hard injunction which some think God would not have laid upon Abraham if he had not had a Power thus to dispose of Isaac inherent in him as his Father See Dr. Taylor Duct Dubit L. III. c. V. Rule 2. n. 1. Vpon one of the Mountains There were more Hills than one thereabouts Psalm CXXV 2. as I observed on the foregoing Verse And it may be further here noted That in ancient Times they chose Mountains or high Places whereon to worship God and offer Sacrifices XII 8. Which God himself approved of till they were prophaned as the Groves were see XXI 33. and then he commanded Abraham's Posterity not to worship in high Places but only in one certain Mountain where he ordered his Temple to be seated Nothing is plainer in the Gentile Writers than that they chose Mountains for Places of Worship And herein Celsus the Epicurean compares them with the Jews observing particularly out of Herodotus that the Persians offered Sacrifices to Jupiter going up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the top of the highest Mountains as his words are in Origen L. V.
the Mountain which was on the East of Bethel where he pitched his Tent before he went into Egypt XII 8. and returned to it when he came from thence Verse 3 4. of this Chapter which gave him the advantage of a fair and long prospect of the Country every way Ver. 15. For all the Land thou seest c. That whole Country some Parts of which he saw a great way in every Quarter of it and all the rest contiguous to them were hereby assured to him For ever It doth not signifie strictly Time without end But a very long Period The Jews indeed say that this word Olam when it is written full as they speak that is with Vau denotes Eternity though without Vau they confess it signifies only a long time But this small Observation is quite overthrown by many Examples to the contrary For Exod. XV. 18. where the Lord is said to reign for ever this word Olam is without a Vau and yet denotes Eternity And Deut. XV. 17. where it is said he shall be thy Servant for ever it is written with a Vau and yet denotes only a term of fifty Years at the most Ver. 16. I will make thy Seed as the Dust of the Earth c. More than could be contained in that Land Ver. 17. Arise walk through the Land c. He would have him for his satisfaction go and view it all more nearly in every part of it Or he gives him leave if he desired to understand more fully both the Quality and Quantity of the Inheritance he bestowed on him to go and survey it Promising he would protect and preserve him in his perambulation Nay some look upon this as giving him a Warrant to take possession of the Country though he should not yet enjoy it Ver. 18. Then Abram removed his Tent. To a place about twenty four Miles from Bethel where he was before And dwelt in the Plain Here the word we had before XII 6 is in the Plural Number and is taken by many for Oaks i. e. for an Oaken Grove So the Arabick Interpreter The LXX translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Oak in the Singular Number for there seems to have been one Oak more eminent than the rest Under which Abram pitched his Tent and built an Altar unto the LORD This is confirmed by XVIII 1. compared with Verse 8. And indeed the Ancients very much reverenced an Oak and therefore planted this Tree very frequently Jacob buried the Idolatrous Trumpery of his Family under an Oak XXXV 4. which was by Schechem where the place of Publick Worship seems to have been fix'd in Joshua's time Josh XXIV 1 26. The Angel of the LORD also appeared to Gideon under an Oak Judg. VI. 11 19 25. IX 6. And of all other Trees an Oak was held most Sacred by the Heathen particularly by the Druids See Pliny L. XVI c. 44. Max. Tyrius Dissert 34. And Pausanias in his Account of Arcadia says the Ancients made the Images of their Gods of Oak being the most durable Wood. This Oak some fansie was in being in the time of Constantine and there was great resort to it See Sozomen L. II. cap. 4. Here Abram dwelt a long time and many great things passed here before he removed to any other place Mamre Was the Name of a Man among the Amorites as appears from the next Chapter verse 13. Which is in Hebron Or rather by or near Hebron for so the Particle Beth is often used which was a very ancient City built seven Years before Zoar i. e. the famous City of Tanis in Egypt Numb XIII 22. It was called Arba or Kirjath-Arba at the first XXIII 2. but in Moses his time Hebron There are those indeed who say it was not called Hebron till the time of Joshua who gave it to Caleb for his Portion Josh XV. 13 15. And thence conclude this Passage was not wrote by Moses but put in by some other Hand after his time But I see not the least proof of this Assertion that Caleb was the first who gave it this Name His Grand-Son mentioned 1 Chron. II. 42 43. may rather be thought to have taken his Name from this Place than to have given a Name to it Besides there have been two Occasions of giving one and the same Name as appears by what is said of Beersheba XXI 31. XXVI 33. And therefore this City might have the Name of Hebron in Moses his time and it might be confirmed in Joshua's CHAP. XIV Ver. 1. AND it came to pass c. It is very easie to give an Account of this War which the Kings of the East made upon the King of Sodom and Gomorrha c. if what was said before XII 6. be admitted that the Canaanites had invaded the Rights of the Children of Shem and gotten Possession of a Country belonging to them which they now endeavoured to recover as they had attempted before verse 4. For Elam of which Chedorlaomer was King descended from Shem Gen. X. 22. Amraphel king of Shinar i. e. King of Babylon as it is commonly understood But it cannot well be thought that so Potent a King as he is supposed to have been in those days should need any Associates in a War against such petty Princes as those mentioned verse 2. Or that the King of Elam whose Quarrel this was as appears from verse 4. should not be able of himself to grapple with them Or that the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrha c. durst have adventured with a handful of People in comparison to rebel against him after he had brought them under his subjection Therefore we must either take Amraphel to have been some small Prince in the Country of Shinar i. e. Assyria Or if he were King of Babylon that Monarchy was not very great in the days of Abram And we must also look upon the rest as Names of some particular Places like Sodom and Gomorrha over which Arioch and Chedorlaomer reigned Who were such Kings as those in Canaan when Joshua conquered it Or else Commanders of Colonies which they had led out of Assyria and Persia and setling thereabouts endeavoured to inlarge their Plantations As the manner was in those and in succeeding Times when the Captains of a Troop and Leaders of a small Body of Men were called Princes or Kings Arioch king of Ellasar There was a City mentioned by Stephanus De urbibus called Ellas in Coelo-Syria on the Borders of Arabia where Arioch perhaps commanded Chedorlaomer king of Elam Concerning this Country see X. 22. where Chedorlaomer was either Governor of some little Province or City or a Commander of some Troop of that Nation Tidal king of Nations Some take Gojim in this place which we translate Nations for a Country or City But it is more agreeable to the common use of the word in Scripture to take it to signifie a People Who either wanted a fixed Habitation or were gathered out of sundry Regions
Sabaei in the furthermost parts of Arabia near the Persian and the Red-Sea there were also a People of that Name descended it is very probable from this Son of Jokshan in the very Entrance of Arabia Foelix as Strabo tells us Who says that they and the Nabataei were the very next People to Syria And were wont to make Excursions upon their Neighbours By which we may understand which otherwise could not be made out how the Sabaeans broke into Job's Country and carried away his Cattle For it is not credible they could come so far as from the Persian or Arabian Sea But from this Country there was an easie Passage through the Desarts of Arabia into the Land of Vz or Ausitis which lay upon the Borders of Euphrates See Bochart in his Phaleg L. IV. cap. 9. And Dedan There was one of this Name as I said before the Son of Rhegma Gen. X. 7. who gave Name to a City upon the Persian Sea now called Dadan But besides that there was an Inland City called Dedan in the Country of Idumaea mentioned by Jeremiah XXV 23. XLIX 8. whose Inhabitants are called Dedanim Isai XXI 13. And this Dedan here mentioned may well be thought to be the Founder of it as the same Bochart observes L. IV. cap. 6. And the Sons of Dedan were Ashurim and Letushim and Leummim If these were Heads of Nations or Families the memory of them is lost For it is a mistake of Cleodemus who mentions the first of these in Euseb Praepar Evang. L. IX c. 20. to derive the Assyrians from this Ashurim They having their Original from Ashur one of the Sons of Shem X. 22. Ver. 4. And the Sons of Midian Ephah The Name of Ephah the eldest Son of Midian continued a long time for these two are mentioned by Isaiah as near Neighbours LX. 6. And not only Josephus Eusebius and St. Hierom but the Nubiensian Geographer also tells us of a City called Madian in the Shoar of the Red-Sea Near to which was Ephah in the Province of Madian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epha or Hipha is the same with that Place the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ptolomy mentions both a Mountain and a Village of this Name on the same Shoar a little below Madiane which is the Madian here mentioned as Bochart observes in his Hierozoic P. I. L. 2. cap. 3. And Epher I can find no remainders of his Family unless it be among the Homeritae before-mentioned whose Metropolis was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which Theophilus sent by Constantius to convert that Country built a Church as Philostorgius relates L. III. Hist Eccles § 4. Which City is mentioned by many other Authors as Jacobus Gotofredus observes in his Dissertations upon Philostorgius Particularly by Arrianus in his Periplus of the Red-Sea where he calls the Metropolis of the Homeritae expresly by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which one cannot well doubt came from this Epher And Hanoch In that part of Arabia Foelix where the Adranitae were seated there was a great trading Town called Cane as Ptolomy tells us and shows its distance from Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. VIII Pliny also mentions a Country in Arabia which he calls Regio Canauna which may be thought to have taken its Name from this Person and his Posterity And Abidah The Relicks of this Name remain if the two last Syllables as is usual be inverted in the People called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who lived in an Island called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which lay between Arabia and India and is by Authors said to belong sometimes to the one and sometimes to the other Philostorgius saith only they bear the Name of Indians in the place before-named where he saith Theophilus who was sent to convert the Homerites was born here But Pliny reckoning up the Tracts of Arabia places the Isle called Devadae which I take to be this over against the fore-named Region called Canauna L. VI. cap. 28. And Strabo as Gothofred observes Agatharcides and others call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Eldaah I know not where to find any Remains of this Name unless it be in the City Elana which might easily be formed from Eldaah by leaving out the Daleth and turning the Ain into Nun than which nothing more common which was seated in the Sinus Arabicus toward the East called by others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aelana from whence the Sinus it self was called Elanites and the People that lived in it Elanitae as Salmasius shows out of many Authors Exercit. in Solinum p. 482. Ver. 5. Gave all he had to Isaac As he designed long before XXIV 36. Ver. 6. Sons of his Concubines Which were Hagar and Keturah Who were Wives but of an inferior sort according to the manner of those Times and Countries Keturah is expresly called his Concubine 1 Chron. I. 32. as she is above verse 1. of this Chapter called his Wife Which R. Bechai in Mr. Selden cap. 3 de Successionibus thus explains She was his Concubine because of a servile Condition but his Wife because married with Covenants to provide for her and her Children though they were not to heir his Estate The Talmudists indeed do not perfectly agree in this matter For though they all agree and prove it evidently that they were real Wives yet some say they were made so only by Solemn Espousals without any Marriage Settlement in Writing as the principal Wives had Others think they had a Writing also but not with such Conditions as the principal Wives enjoyed Abarbinel hath an accurate Discourse about this which Buxtorf hath translated into his Book de Sponsalibus n. 17. And see also Mr. Selden L. V. de Jure N. G. cap. 7. p. 570 c. and G. Sckickard de Jure Regio cap. 3. p. 70. Gave gifts Some Portion of his Money or moveable Goods Or perhaps of both Which in all probability he gave to Ishmael as well as to these Sons though it be not mentioned Gen. XXI 14. because Moses here saith he gave Gifts to the Sons of his Concubines of which Hagar was one Into the East Country Into Arabia and the adjacent Countries as was said before For the Midianites are called the Children of the East in Judg. VI. 3 33. VII 12. VIII 10. Ver. 7. These are the Days of the Years of Abraham c. This is spoken by anticipation to finish the Story of Abraham for Esau and Jacob were born before he died And were now fifteen Years old For Isaac was but sixty Years old when they were born verse 26. and seventy five when Abraham died Who was an hundred Years old at Isaac's birth and lived to the Age of one hundred seventy and five Ver. 8. Abraham gave up the ghost Died of no Disease but old Age. In a good old Age. Without Pain or Sickness Full of Years The Hebrew hath only the word full We add
Phrases being used here of the death of Ishmael that were Verse 8. of the death of Abraham they show the meaning is no more but that they left the World as others had done before them We do not read where Ishmael was buried It is likely in his own Country not in the Cave of Machpelah For that had been to give his Posterity a claim to a share in the Land of Canaan Ver. 18. They dwelt from Havilah unto Shur c. See Gen. X. 7. Josephus L. I. Antiq. cap. 12. makes the Ishmaelites to have possessed the whole Tract between Euphrates and the Red-Sea Which appears by this place not to be true For between them and Euphrates were the Amalekites and Moabites who did not reach to Euphrates neither The Ishmaelites therefore possessed the Country which in that part Eastward that was next to the Amalekites was called the Wilderness of Havilah and in that part next to Egypt was called the Wilderness of Shur And in other places of Scripture is called Kedar the Wilderderness of Paran and the Wilderness of Sin All which was comprehended afterward under the Name of Arabia For Stephanus as Salmasius observes Plin. Exerc. p. 488. makes but two Arabia's One which he calls the Spicy between the Persian and the Arabian Sea The other on one end of it Westward was next to Egypt on the other end Northward next to Syria As thou goest towards Assyria The Wilderness of Shur was over against Egypt and touched it in that part by which the Way lay from Egypt to Assyria Or as some understand the whole Verse The Sons of Ishmael dwelt from Shur which is towards Egypt unto Havilah which is towards Assyria in the way from Egypt thither He died Heb. fell in the presence of all his Brethren Of all his Relations or Kindred Which are call'd Brethren in Scripture But his death has been spoken of before and in this Verse mention being made only of the situation of his Country some interpret it in this manner His Lot fell i. e. he had his Portion in the presence of all his Brethren According to the Promise made to his Mother XVI 12. The Children of Keturah lying on the East of his Country and Isaac's Seed on the West Or if we take it to relate to his death it may have the same Sence Till death he dwelt in the presence of all his Brethren and was in a flourishing condition Ver. 19. These are the Generations of Isaac His principal design being to give an Account of those descended from Abraham by Isaac Moses returns to that after a short Account of his other Posterity Ver. 20. The Syrian of Padan-Aram c. Bethuel and Laban are called Aramites or Syrians not because they were of that Nation but because they lived in the Country of Aram or Syria that is in Padan-Aram as it is here explained and appears more fully from Rebekah's discourse with her Son Jacob when she sent him thither XXVIII 2 5. where he living twenty Years with his Uncle Laban was upon that account called a Syrian though born in Canaan Deut. XXVI 5. Padan-Aram was a part of Mesopotamia I say a part of it for Mesopotamia it self was called Aram-Naharaim that part of Syria for there were many other Aram's which lay between the two great Rivers of Euphratis and Tigris Which Country had two parts also One toward the North from the Mountains of Armenia to the River Chaboras i. e. Araxes from whence Balaam seems to have been fetcht Numb XXIII 7. which was exceeding fruitful and upon that account called Padan Which signifies in Arabick the same that Sede doth in Hebrew i. e. a Field And therefore what Moses calls going to Padan-Aram Gen. XXVIII 2. the Prophet Hosea calls fleeing to Sede-Aram into the Country or Field of Syria Hosea XII 12. This being a cultivated Country abounding with all plenty The other part of Mesopotamia was Southerly from the fore-named River unto Babylon And was very stony and barren The Syrians lived in the former And the Arabians in the latter as Bochart observes L. II. Phaleg cap. 6. Ver. 21. Isaac intreated the LORD for his Wife c. The Hebrew word Atar doth not signifie barely to intreat or pray But to beseech with earnestness vehemence and importunity It 's most likely he continued these importunate Prayers several Years The desire of seeing the Messiah making them very uneasie under barrenness And some of the Hebrews fansie That she remaining barren twenty Years Isaac at last carried her with him to Mount Moriah where he should have been offered and there made most fervent Supplications for a Son As if he would remember God of the Promise he had there made him that he would multiply Abraham's Seed as the Stars of Heaven XXII 17. Ver. 22. And the Children strugled together within her Some time before her delivery verse 24. she felt as if two were wrestling together in her Womb And put her into Pangs by striving which should get out first If it be so why am I thus If I cannot be delivered why did I conceive And she went The Strugling and Pangs we must suppose ceased for some time So that she was able to go and consult the Divine Majesty about this unusual Contest To enquire of the LORD There was some Place where the Divine Majesty used to appear which was the setled Place of Worship See IV. 3. Maimonides will have it that she went to the School of Sem or Heber who were Prophets to desire them to consult the Divine Majesty about her Case More Nevoch P. II. cap. 41. And it is very probable that there was some divinely-inspired Person attending the SCHECHINAH wheresoever it was Such as Melchizedek was at Salem Whom Patricides takes to have been the Person to whom Rebekah resorted for Resolution of her Doubt Ver. 23. And the LORD said unto her By Melchizedek saith the fore-named Patricides By an Angel saith Maimonides Who tells us in the place now mentioned their Masters are so setled in their Opinion that she went to enquire of the fore-named Prophets and that by the LORD is meant his Angel that they will have Heber to be him that gave the answer for Prophets say they are sometimes called Angels or the Angel that spake to Heber in this Prophecy But it is most reasonable to think that the LORD spake to her by an Angel from the SCHECHINAH Two Nations are in thy Womb. The Heads of two Nations Two manner of People shall be separated Greatly differing in their Dispositions Manners course of Life and Country Which will make them perpetually disagree From thy Bowels Shall issue from thee The elder shall serve the younger In his Posterity not in his own Person Ver. 24. When her days to be delivered were fulfilled This demonstrates the time of her delivery was not come when the strugling first began Ver. 25. Red all over Some will have it with red Hair not only on his
Body else We find Nebuchadnezzar did the same in Babylon Dan. I. 7. And it is still the Custom in the Eastern Countries Where the Mogul never advances any Man but he gives him a new Name and that significant of something belonging to him As not long ago he called his Brother-in-law Asaph Chán the gathering or the rich Lord And his Physician Macrob Chan the Lord of my Health c. as Peter de la Valle relates in his Travels p. 465. where he observes the same of his Wives p. 470. Zaph-nath Paaneah Which St. Hierom interprets the Saviour of the World But the whole Stream of Interpreters carry it for another signification which is the Interpreter of Secrets or the Revealer of future things See Sixt. Amama and Athan. Kirker his Prodromus cap. V. and our Countryman J. Gregory chap. XVI of his Observations Who with Mr. Calvin thinks it is ridiculous to attempt to make this Sence out of the Hebrew Language And yet there are those who think they have done it with success Tzaphan being to hide or cover whence Tzaphnath that which is hidden or secret And Panah signifying to look into or contemplate So that Campeg Vitrigna thinks Josephus and Philo not to have ill interpreted this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ Sacr. Lib. I. cap. 5. an Interpreter of Dreams and a finder out of things hidden But as Jacchiades observes upon Dan. I. 7. that the Egyptian and Persian Kings gave Names for Honour and Glory in token of their Supreme Greatness and Authority so it was most for their Glory to give them out of their own Language And therefore if this be the meaning of Zaph-nath Paaneah the Egyptian Tongue and the Hebrew had a great affinity one to the other And he gave him to Wife Either the King then disposed of the great Noble-Mens Daughters when their Parents were dead as our Kings lately did of their Wards or Asenath was of Pharaoh's Kindred and so he provided her a Husband and gave her a Portion Or the meaning simply is he made this match for him The Daughter of Potipherah This is a different Name from his who was Captain of the Guard and was of a different Quality And therefore there is no reason from some likeness in their Names to think that Joseph married the Daughter of him who had been his Master For he would have abhorr'd to match with one that was born of so lewd a Woman as his Mistress as Vossius well observes in the place fore-named Priest of On. Or Prince of On as the Margin hath it for the word Cohen signifies both Priest and Prince See 2 Sam. VIII ult Priests being anciently the Prime Men of the Kingdom for Kings themselves were Priests On was a famous City in Egypt called afterwards Heliopolis Which gave Name to one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Provinces of Egypt whereof this Poti-pherah was Governor or Lieutenant Concerning which Province and Asenath and Poti-pherah see Mr. Selden L. III. de Synedriis p. 406. And Joseph went out over all the Land of Egypt To see what places were fittest for Stores Ver. 46. Joseph was thirty Years old So he had been out of his own Country thirteen Years for he was but seventeen Years old XXXVII 2. when he was sold into Egypt In which time we may well think he had learnt the Language of that Country and gained much Experience but never sent to his Father In which there is visibly a special Providence of God for his Father might have used means for his Deliverance and then he had never come to this Greatness When he stood before Pharaoh When Pharaoh made him his Prime Minister For the great Counsellors and Ministers alone were admitted into the King's Presence in the Eastern Countries and it 's like the same State was kept here and are said to stand before the King Dan. I. 19. and to see the King's Face Esther I. 14. And went throughout all the Land of Egypt He seems to have only taken a general view of the Country before verse 45. but now a more particular to give Orders for the building of Store-Houses against the plenteous Years came Ver. 47. Brought forth by handfuls Such large Ears that a few of them would make a Sheaf Which our Translation seems here to mean by handfuls For Sheaves are bound up with Mens Hands And so it may be interpreted it brought forth Sheaves or Heaps Or more literally handfuls upon one Stalk i. e. vast abundance Some conceive the Corn was laid up in Sheaves heaped up very high and not thrash'd out For so it would keep the longer Ver. 48. And he gathered up all the Food The fifth Part as he had proposed verse 34. i. e. he bought it which he might do at a small Price when there was unusual plenty And laid up the Food in the Cities It is very probable he laid it up as it was gathered unthrash'd That there might be Food for the Cattle also So the Vulgar In manipulos reductae segetes congregatae sunt in horrea And what was laid up in the first Year of Plenty it is reasonable to think was dispensed in the first Year of Famine c. Round every City This was very wisely ordered for it was less charge to Pharaoh for the present and more easie to the Country when they wanted Provision Ver. 49. Gathered Corn as the Sand of the Sea The following words explain this Hyperbolical Expression And the reason of his heaping up so much was that there might be sufficient to supply the Necessities of other Countries as well as of Egypt Ver. 51. God hath made me forget all my toil The great Affliction and hard Labour he endured in Prison And all my Father's House The unkindness of his Brethren who were the cause of all his Trouble By imposing this Name on his First-born he admonished himself in the midst of his Prosperity of his former Adversity Which he now thought of with Pleasure Ver. 52. In the Land of my affliction In the Country where I have suffered much Affliction Ver. 53. And the seven Years of plenteousness were ended It was beside the intention of Moses to relate any of the Affairs of that Country but what belonged to this Matter And therefore he passes over all other Transactions of these seven Years as he doth all the things that hapned in Jacob's Family ever since Joseph came from it Ver. 54. The Dearth was in all Lands In all the Countries thereabouts Canaan Syria c. It seems there was a general want of Rain But in all the Land of Egypt there was Bread They did not feel the Famine presently because they had much to spare from the former Years of plenty Ver. 55. And when all the Land of Egypt was famished When they had eaten up all their own Stores Which we may suppose failed in two Years time The People cried to Pharaoh c.
Made earnest Petitions to the King for relief of their Necessities Ver. 56. And the Famine was over all the Face of the Earth Grew still greater in all the neighbouring Countries And the Famine waxed sore in the Land of Egypt For the Egyptians themselves having spent all their own Stores were sorely pinch'd Ver. 57. And all Countries came to buy Corn c. i. e. The neighbouring Countries as was said before verse 54 For if the most distant had come the Store-Houses had been soon emptied Because the Famine was sore in all Lands It increased more and more in those Countries before-named Which were grievously afflicted by it CHAP. XLII Ver. 1. AND when Jacob saw that there was Corn in Egypt c. He saw perhaps some pass by laden with Corn which they had bought there Or one Sense as is frequent in Scripture is put for another Seeing for Hearing as it is expressed verse 2. Why do ye look one upon another As idle People use to do while none of them will stir to seek Relief Or rather as Men that know not what course to take expecting who would begin to advise for their Preservation Ver. 2. That we may live and not die He excites them to make no further delay by the great Necessity wherein they were no less than danger of perishing Ver. 4. Lest mischief befal him He being as yet but young and not used to travel Jacob was afraid the Journey might be hazardous to him Besides he could not but desire to have some of their Company though this was not his principal Reason Ver. 5. Came to buy Corn among those that came People came from all Parts thereabout upon the same Business And Jacob's Sons among others whom perhaps they met withal upon the Road. Ver. 6. And Joseph was the Governor c. The Hebrew word Schallit signifies sometimes one that hath absolute Power And seems to be used here to set forth the high Authority which Joseph exercised under Pharaoh He it was that sold to all the People of the Land Appointed at what Rates Corn should be sold in every Part of the Country For it is not to be supposed that he in Person could treat with every man that came to buy But he by his Deputies who observed his Orders And Joseph's Brethren came It should seem by this that all Foreigners were ordered to come to him in the Royal City where he resided Or at least their Names were brought to him that he might speak with such as he thought fit And thereby get the better Intelligence of the State of their several Countries and be sure to see his Brethren who he knew would be constrained to come thither They bowed themselves before him c. Unwittingly fulfilled his Dream This seems to have been done after the manner of their own and other Eastern Countries not of Egypt where they only bowed the Knee XLI 40. Ver. 7. Spake roughly to them Gave them hard words as we speak Or spake in a harsh Tone to them and with a stern Countenance Ver. 8. And they knew not him They had not seen him in twenty Years In which time a Youth alters far more than grown Men do so that though he knew them they might not know him Who appeared also in such Pomp and State that it made them not think of him And he spake also to them by an Interpreter verse 23 Which represented him as a Stranger to them Ver. 9. Ye are Spies He did not think they were such Persons but said this to provoke them to give an account of themselves and of his Father Nor is there any reason to look upon this as a Lye For they are not words of Affirmation but of Probation or Trial Such as Judges use when they examine suspected Persons or inquire into a Crime of which Men are accused And therefore have the force of an Interrogation Are ye not Spies Or I must take you for Spies till you prove the contrary To see the nakedness of the Land are ye come The weak Places of the Country which are least defensible Or as others will have it the Secrets of the Land For it is the same word that is used to express the privy Parts Ver. 11. We are all one Man's Sons There needed no more than this to take off his suspicion For no Man would have sent his Sons but rather his Servants if they had come upon an ill Design Or at least not all his Sons or not all of them together in a Company But dispersed them rather about the Country Nor was it probable that one Man could have a Design upon Egypt but all the great Men of Canaan must have joyned in it And then they would have sent Men of different Families not all of one alone We are true Men. This was a good Argument that they said true when they told him verse 10. they had no other business in Egypt but to buy Corn. Ver. 12. And he said unto them Nay c. Unless you have better Arguments than this I must take you for Spies He slights their Argument as great Men sometimes do when they know not presently how to answer it He had a mind also to have them give a further account of their Family that he might be informed what was become of his Brother Benjamin Ver. 13. Thy Servants are twelve Brethren c. They inforce their former Argument by relating their Condition more fully and distinctly But still it amounts to no more than this That it was not likely a Parent would venture all his Children in such a Design as they were suspected to come about The youngest is this Day with our Father This was the thing he desired to know And one is not Is dead So they thought because they had heard nothing of him in twenty Years space Ver. 14. This is that I spake unto you c. This confirms what I said and gives me just ground for suspicion that you are Spies Because you pretend to have another Brother which is not likely for why should not your Father send all as well as so many This was but a Cavil but served to compass his End Which was to see his Brother Ver. 15. Hereby shall ye be proved By this very thing shall you be tried whether you be honest Men or no. By the life of Pharaoh c. As sure as Pharaoh lives or ita salvus sit so let Pharaoh be safe and in Health as I will keep you here till I see your younger Brother Others expound it If Pharaoh have any Authority here i. e. be King of this Country you shall not stir from hence c. But most Authors take this for an Oath The Original of which is well explained by Mr. Selden in his Titles of Honour p. 45. where he observes that the Name of Gods being given to Kings very early 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle speaks L. VI. Ethic. cap. 1. from the excellence
of their Heroick Vertue which made them anciently great Benefactors to Mankind Thence arose the Custom of swearing by them which Aben Ezra saith continued in his time about 1170. when Egypt was governed by Caliphs If any Man swore by the King's Head and was found to have sworn falsly he was punished capitally And when Schach Ismael the first Sophi got the Persian Empire no Oath was held so Sacred as Leunclavius reports as to swear by his Head i. e. in effect by his Life But St. Basil will not have this to be an Oath But a solemn Asseveration to persuade Belief For saith he Tom. I. Hom. in Psal XV. p. 155. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There are certain Speeches which have the fashion of Oaths and yet are not Oaths But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serve only to persuade the Auditors Such he takes this to be and that of St. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by our rejoycing 1 Corinth XV. 31. where he saith the Apostle was not unmindful of the Evangelical Commandment not to swear But by a Speech in form of an Oath he would have them believe that his glorying in them or rather in Christ was dearer to him than any thing else And the truth is Judah seems to have taken these words of Joseph only for a solemn Protestation XLIII 3. wherein he exposed the Life of Pharaoh which was most dear to him unto Execration if he was not as good as his word So G. Calixtus understands it Ver. 16. Send one of you and let him fetch your Brother At first he proposed that only one of them should return home to bring their Brother to him and all the rest remain in the mean time Prisoners in Egypt Ver. 17. And he put them all together into Ward c. That they might consult one with another which of them should go to fetch Benjamin about which it seems they could not agree Every one fearing to be the Messenger of such sad Tidings to their Father who might suspect they were all lost Ver. 18. Joseph said unto them the third day c. I have no mind to destroy you For I know there is a God who will punish all Injustice and Cruelty Therefore I make this new Proposition to you Ver. 19. Let one of your Brethren c. This shall be the proof of your Honesty Instead of sending one of you to your Father you shall all go but one who shall remain bound in Prison till you bring your younger Brother And in the mean time carry Provision for your Families Ver. 20. But bring your youngest Brother c. Fail not to let me see your youngest Brother And so shall you justifie your selves to be no Spies and suffer nothing And they did so They consented to this Proposal Ver. 21. And they said one to another They that had the chief Hand in the Conspiracy against Joseph began upon this occasion to make the following Reflections on it We are verily guilty c. See the Power of Conscience which flies in their Face and reproaches them for a Fact committed above twenty Years ago In that we saw the anguish of his Soul c. We would have no pity when he besought us with Tears and now nothing that we can say will move this Man They observe their Guilt in their Punishment For as they had thrown Joseph into a Pit so they had been thrown into a Prison themselves And as nothing he could say would incline them to spare him so now they found Joseph inexorable to them This Anguish of his Soul and his Entreaties are not mentioned before Chap. XXXVII but could not but be supposed if they had not been mentioned here Ver. 22. And Reuben answered them c. You should have hearkned unto me and then you had not come into this Distress Behold also his Blood is required You killed him and now you must pay for it with the loss of your Lives For he thought him to be dead Ver. 23. Spake to them by an Interpreter This shows the Egyptian Tongue and the Hebrew were different though in some words they might agree Ver. 24. And he turned himself about from them And went into some other Room And wept Natural Affection was too strong for the Person he put on And would not suffer him to counterfeit any longer Returned to them and communed with them When he had vented his Passion and composed himself to his former Temper he repeated to them what he had told them before But added withal That if they brought Benjamin with them they might Traffick in the Land verse 34. And took from them Simeon Who the Hebrews say was the Person that put Joseph into the Pit And therefore was now served in his kind This I think may be fairly conjectured That Reuben being resolved to save him and Judah also inclined to favour him if Simeon had joyned with them their Authority might have prevailed to deliver him And bound him before their Eyes Caused him to be bound in their presence to strike the greater Terror into them Ver. 25. To give them Provision for the way That they might carry what they bought intire for the use of their Family And thus he did unto them Thus the Person to whom Joseph gave that Command did unto them Ver. 26. And they laded their Asses with Corn c. It is not said how many Asses they laded but one would guess by what follows only each Man one For they went only to fetch a present Supply Not thinking of providing against a long Famine Ver. 27. And as one of them opened his Sack c. Wherein was their Provision for the Way verse 25. Ver. 28. He said unto his Brethren c. Who all presently opened their Sacks and found their Money there For so the Story is told by Judah at their return to Egypt XLIII 21 And both by that place and this it appears this hapned to them when they came unto their Inn to rest themselves in their first Day 's Journey And their Heart failed them c. Their Guilt made them afraid otherwise they would have rejoyced But all things terrifie an evil Conscience Which made them think some Design was laid to undo them all What is this that God hath done unto us Now God was in all their Thoughts as the Chief Governor of all things whosoever was the Instrument Ver. 30. The Man who is the Lord of the Land By this it appears Joseph was little less than a King i. e. in his Authority and Sway which he bare in that Country Took us for Spies In the Hebrew it is He gave us i. e. treated us as Spies by delivering us to be put in Prison Ver. 34. And ye shall traffick in the Land Buy Corn or any thing else the Country affords without any lett or impediment Ver. 35. When both they and their Father saw the bundles of Money c. They had seen the same before Therefore this is
this a third time that they might see he did not think so much on their Unkindness as on God's great Goodness And therefore be confident he would not remember what they had done to him but what God had done for them all Hath made a Father unto Pharaoh Given me the Authority of a Father with him So that he Honours me and doth nothing without my Advice and Counsel And there was very good Reason for it his Wisdom being so great and experienced Vt non ab homine sed a Deo responsa dari viderentur as Trogus an ancient Historian among the Heathen observes that his Answers seemed not to be given by a Man but by God Which made him Regi percharum very dear to the King as the same Author relates Who tells also the Story of his being sold by his Brethren who envied his excellent Wit See Justin Lib. XXXVI cap. 2. Lord of all his House The principal Person in his Court. And Ruler throughout all the Land of Egypt Chief Governor of the whole Country In which were several Provinces which had distinct Governors who were all under the Government of Joseph Ver. 10. Thou shalt dwell in the Land of Goshen This was that part of the lower Egypt which lay next to Arabia and Palestine abounding with fair Pastures Being watred by many Streams from the Nile Certain it is it lay next to Canaan for Jacob went directly thither when he came into Egypt and staid there till Joseph came to him XLVI 28. And thou shalt be near unto me Therefore the Royal City where Joseph resided that he might be always near to Pharaoh was at this time in the lower Egypt at Zoan Psalm LXXVIII 43. which other Authors call Tanis Which was situated not far from that Mouth of Nile which Plutarch calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that part of Egypt is called the higher where Nile runs only in one Stream That the lower where it divides into many and from its triangular Form is called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Eastern Part of which or very near it toward the Red Sea was this Country called the Land of Goshen This argues the great Authority of Joseph that he makes such Promises as these before he had askt the Consent of Pharaoh Ver. 12. And behold your Eyes see c. You cannot but be convinced by the Lineaments you see in my Face and by the Language which I speak and by all the things which I have related concerning the state of our Family that indeed it is your Brother Joseph who speaks to you Or more simply you have it not by Hear-say which might deceive you but are Eye-witnesses that I am alive and say these things to you Ver. 13. Tell my Father of all my glory Of the great Honour which is done me in Egypt Ver. 15. His Brethren talked with him After their fright was over and he had so affectionately embraced them they conversed freely and familiarly with him Acknowledging it 's likely their Crime and acquainting him with what had passed in their Family since they committed it Ver. 16. And the fame thereof c. All the Court rang as we speak with the News of Joseph's Brethren being come and that they were to fetch their Father and settle in Egypt For Joseph it appears by the next Verse went and acquainted Pharaoh with his Desire And it pleased Pharaoh well and his Servants No wonder that Pharaoh who had raised Joseph so high was pleased to be kind to his Father and Family And the Court follows the Pleasure of the King Ver. 17. Pharaoh said unto Joseph c. This no doubt was the Answer Pharaoh made to Joseph's Petition Wherein he grants him not only what he askt but all conducing to it Ver. 18. I will give you the good of the Land c. The richest Part of the Country which produces the noblest Fruits Ver. 19. Now thou art commanded Now that thou hast my Warrant for it go about it presently Ver. 20. Regard not your stuff If there be not Waggons enough to bring all your Stuff do not matter it you shall have better here But the Vulgar seems to take it in a quite contrary Sence as if he had said Leave nothing behind you but bring all you have with you if you think good Though whatsoever the Land of Egypt affords is all yours All the good of the Land of Egypt c. You shall not want when you come hither if it be to be had in Egypt Ver. 21. Gave them Waggons And Horses no doubt to draw them with which Egypt abounded Ver. 22. To each Man changes of Raiment Two Vests or Robes as St. Hierom translates it Otherwise there would not have been a change These were part of the ancient Riches as much as Money Ver. 23. After this manner The Hebrew word Cezoth signifies according to that which he had given to Benjamin i. e. Money and several changes of Raiment Besides what follows ten Asses laden with the good things of Egypt c. Bread and Meat i. e. All manner of Provision Ver. 24. See that ye fall not out c. About what you have formerly done to me or any thing else that I have said to you But when you reflect upon your selling me adore the Providence of God which by that means brought about your Happiness and mine Ver. 26. His Heart fainted At the mention of Joseph's Name he fell into a swoon Being fully persuaded he was dead and giving no Credit to what they said of his being alive Ver. 27. And they told him all the words of Joseph When he was come to himself they related all that had passed between them and Joseph How great a Man he was and how desirous to see him c. verse 13. And when he saw the Waggons Had not only heard their Relation but saw also those Carriages which no doubt were splendid and suitable to Joseph's Quality that were come to bring him into Egypt he lookt upon them as a sufficient confirmation of the good News The Spirit of Jacob revived Which Bochart translates Pristino vigori restutus est he was restored to his former Vigor Not only recovered perfectly from his fainting Fit but raised to a greater Liveliness than he had felt since the loss of Joseph Ver. 28. It is enough c. I wish for no more but to live to see him and then I shall be content to die CHAP. XLVI Ver. 1. CAme to Beersheba Which was in his way from Hebron where he now lived XXXV 27. into Egypt Lying in the most Southerly Parts of Canaan near that Wilderness through which the Israelites went when they came from Egypt And offered sacrifice Recommended himself and his Family unto God's Protection in his Journey to Egypt and unto his Preservation when he came there And he the rather called upon God in this Place because both his Father and Grand-Father had found Favour with
whence he thinks came the name of PECVNIA for Money and PECVLIVM for Riches à pecoribus from Cattle because the Ancients had no other Possessions Et adhuc apud quasdam gentes unum hoc reperitur divitiarum genus And to this Day saith he there is no other Riches to be found among some Nations Which is still true of the Abyssines especially of the Beklenses as Ludolphus assures us L. I. Hist Aethiop cap 10. § 8. and Comment in Histor L. IV. cap. 4. n. 13. Ver. 4. To sojourn in the Land are we come We do not desire to settle but only to sojourn here during the Famine For the Famine is sore in the Land of Canaan It was an high Country in comparison with Egypt and the Grass sooner burnt up there than in Goshen Which being a very low Country they found some Pasture in it for their Flocks and therefore beseech him to suffer them to dwell there For as St. Austin observes from those that knew the Country there was more Grass in the Marishes and Fenny parts of Egypt when the Nile did not overflow enough to make plenty of Corn. Quest CLX in Gen. Ver. 6. The Land of Egypt is before thee It is all in thy Power dispose of them as thou pleasest Any Man of activity Vigorous and industrious and that understands his business Make them Rulers over my Cattle Such as Doeg was to Saul 1 Sam. XXI 7. And those great Officers mentioned 1 Chron. XXVII 29 30 31. were to King David For the Eastern Kings raised part of their Revenue from Cattle and so did the Egyptian it appears by this place who had some prime Officers to oversee the lower sort of Shepherds This shows that all Shepherds were not an abomination to the Egyptians but only those of other neighbouring Nations the Arabians Phoenicians and Aethiopians who were either an ill sort of People or forbidden by the Laws of Egypt which abounded with Cattle to Traffick with them there Ver. 7. Jacob blessed Pharaoh Gave him Thanks for his Favour and prayed for his Health and Safety For that 's the Blessing of an Inferior to a Superior Thus Naaman prays Elisha Take a Blessing of thy Servant i. e. an acknowledgment of my Obligations to thee Ver. 9. Pilgrimage So good Men are wont to call their Life though they never stir from their native Soil Looking upon it as a Passage not a Settlement But Jacob had reason to call his Life so more literally Having been tossed from place to place ever since he went from his Father's House into Mesopotamia and returned from thence into Canaan Where he dwelt a while at Succoth and then at Shechem and after that removed to Bethel and so to Hebron unto his Father Isaac from whence he was now come into Egypt Few and evil have been the Days c. They had been few in comparison with his Fore-fathers and evil because full of Labour and Care Grief and Sorrow upon many occasions Ver. 10. Jacob blessed Pharaoh At meeting and at parting such Salutations were usual See Verse 7. Ver. 11. In the Land of Rameses In that part of Goshen which in the days of Moses was called Rameses from the Name of the City which the Hebrews built there for Pharaoh Unless perhaps the City was called so from the Country of Rameses wherein it stood Ver. 12. And Joseph nourished his Father c. Though there was some Pasture in this Country for their Cattle yet not Food enough for themselves which Joseph therefore took care to supply them withal According to their Families According as their Children were more or fewer so he proportioned their allowance Ver. 13. There was no Bread in all the Land This was the third Year of the Famine XLV 6. in which all the Corn which Men had stored up in their several Families was wholly spent Ver. 14. And Joseph gathered up all the Money c. As long as the Egyptians had any Money left they bought Corn of Joseph Which supported them all the third and it is probable the fourth and fifth Year of the Famine And Joseph brought the Money into Pharaoh's House Into the Treasury which he filled and not his own Coffers as Philo observes Ver. 15. And when Money failed This we may probably conceive was in the sixth Year of the Famine When they were forced to sell their Cattle for Food Ver. 18. They came the second Year i. e. The next Year after the sale of their Cattle which was the last of the Famine as appears from the next Verse Ver. 19. Wherefore should we die we and our Land The Land is said to die as Bochart observes in the beginning of his Hierozoicon cùm inculta jacet desolata when it lies untill'd and desolate As he shows by examples out of some Poets We and our Land will be Servants unto Pharaoh We that were Free will become the King's Bond-men And our Land which was our own we will hold of him And give us Seed c. This shows it was now the last Year of the Famine They desiring Corn not merely for Food but also to Sow in hopes to have a Crop the next Year For Joseph had told them there should be but seven Years of Famine And it is likely Nilus had now begun to overflow the Country as formerly which confirmed his word Ver. 20. And Joseph bought all the Land of Egypt for Pharaoh So the whole Country became the King 's Demesne in which no Man had any Propriety but himself Ver. 21. As for the People he removed them to Cities Remote from those wherein they had formerly dwelt Under the word Cities is comprehended all the Villages about them From one end of the borders of Egypt c. Transplanted them into far distant Parts of the Country from whence he brought others in like manner into their places That they might in time forget the Dominion they formerly had in the Lands they had sold and that there might be no Combination afterward to regain them The old Owners being separated far one from another Ver. 22. Only the Land of the Priests bought he not This is commonly noted as a great piece of Religion in Joseph that he took not away the Land of those who were God's Ministers Though engaged it 's thought in Superstitious if not Idolatrous Services for that the word Cohanim here signifies Priests not Princes as sometimes it doth the ancient Versions generally agree But it is plain they were in no necessity to sell their Lands having their Diet continually from the King Which is given as the reason in the following part of this Verse why he did not buy them This therefore is rather to be observed that the Priests had anciently some Publick Lands allotted to them for the support of their Dignity For both Herodotus and Diodorus tell us they had a Publick Maintenance as Vossius observes Lib. I. de Idolol cap. 29. The Priesthood being confined to certain
Families as it was in Israel to that of Aaron and held in such Veneration that they were all not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free from paying Tributes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next to the King in Honour and in Power but received a third of the Royal Revenues Out of which they maintained the Publick Sacrifices and their Servants and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provided for their own Necessities Thus Diodorus Siculus L. I. as I find him alledged by Jac. Capellus in his Hist Sacra Exot. ad A. M. 2294. Constantine the Great in part imitated this Constitution in that Law of his which made even all the Professors of Learning free from all Publick Charges of any sort besides the Salary he allowed them that they might the more chearfully follow their several Studies Ver. 23. Behold I have bought you this day and your Land c. The Bargain could not be denied but he would not be so rigid as to tye them strictly to it For in the next Verse he requires only a fifth part of the increase of their Ground for the King and tells them the rest should be their own An act of great Humanity and Equity Wherein he show'd himself both a good Man and a wise States-Man in taking away all matter of complaint from the People For a tenth part of the increase was due in all likelihood to the King before XXVIII 22. which he now only doubles When he might have taken all or given them but one or two parts and kept all the rest for the King Ver. 25. Thou hast saved our lives c. We owe our very Lives to thee and therefore let us but have thy Favour and we shall willingly be Pharaoh's Servants This is an high Expression of their Thankfulness for such good Terms as he offered them which they readily accepted With professions of their Obligation to be Pharaoh's Bond-men Ver. 26. Joseph made it a Law By his Advice this Law was enacted whereby the Power of the Egyptian Kings was mightily increased for we read not of the like Constitution in any other Nation Thucydides indeed relates that the People of Attica paid to Pisistratus the twentieth part of their Corn and Appianus Alexandr says the old Romans paid the tenth of their Corn and the fifth of their Fruit But it was the peculiar Prerogative of the Egyptian Kings to have the fifth of all the increase of the Field Which Joseph procured them by his admirable Management Ver. 27. And Israel dwelt in the Land c. See Verse 11. And they had possessions therein They could have no Land of their own for all the Country was become Pharaoh's but the meaning is they farmed as we speak Land of the King to whom they became Tenants And grew and multiplied exceedingly And consequently inlarged their Habitation beyond the Territory of Rameses where they were first placed into other Parts of Goshen Which we must not fansie to have been a Country now empty of People For though perhaps about Rameses there might be some vacant Ground sufficient for Jacob's Family when they came first to plant there Yet when they increased very much no doubt they lived among the Egyptians where they could find admission This plainly appears at their going from thence Exod. XII 22 23. where God Commands them to sprinkle their Door-Posts with the Blood of the Paschal Lamb to secure them from the destruction which was coming upon their Neighbours who wanted this Mark of Safety 29. If I have now found grace in thy sight This is a Phrase used a little before verse 25. in a little different Sence For there it signifies the Favour shown to another But here is as much as if thou lovest me Put thy Hand under my Thigh i. e. Swear to me as it is explain'd in verse 31. See XXIV 2. Deal kindly and truly with me Show me true Kindness in promising and performing what I desire See XXIV 27 49. Ver. 30. I will lie with my Fathers c. So all Men naturally desire to do But he had a peculiar reason for it Which was his belief that the Country where their Bodies lay was his in Reversion and that God in due time would put his Children into possession of it For which time they could not but the more earnestly long because the Bodies of their Ancestors were there buried See L. 5. which explains the reason why Jacob exacts an Oath of Joseph not because he doubted he might not otherwise fulfil his Desire but that Pharaoh might be willing to let him carry his Body thither when he found he lay under so Sacred an Obligation to do it Ver. 31. And Israel bowed himself upon the Bed's head Raised up his Head from his Pillow and bowed Either to Joseph in Thankfulness for his Promise or to God for the Assurance he had received that he should be buried with his Pious Fore-fathers Or else this bowing was the usual Ceremony wherewith an Oath was attended The Chaldee Paraphrast thinks the Divine Glory now appeared which Jacob devoutly worshipped But if the Author to the Hebrews had not understood his bowing to be an act of Worship the Interpretation of some modern Writers might perhaps have been thought reasonable Who translate these words thus He laid himself down upon his Pillow As weak Men are wont to do after they have sat up a while to dispatch some business For the Hebrew word Schacah which signifies to bow the Body signifies also to fall down upon the Earth And therefore might be here translated lie down But the Apostle as I said hath over-ruled all such Conceits if we suppose him to translate this Passage Hebr. XI 21. Which to me indeed doth not seem evident For the Apostle is there speaking of another thing not of what Jacob did now when Joseph sware to him but of what he did after these things XLVIII 1. when he blessed Joseph's Sons Then the Apostle says he worshipped upon the top of his Staff Which is not the translation of Moses his words in this place But words of his own whereby he explains the following Story and shows how strong his Faith was when his Body was so weak that he was not able to bow himself and worship without the help of his Staff This clearly removes all the difficulty which Interpreters have made about reconciling the words of Moses here in this Verse to the Apostle's words in that But however this be Jacob's bowing here I doubt not signifies worshipping as the Vulgar Latin takes it Where the word God is added which is not in the Hebrew and these words thus translated Israel worshipped God turning himself to the Bed's head CHAP. XLVIII Ver. 1. AFter these things Sometime after though not long for Jacob was nigh his end when he sent for Joseph to make him swear he would bury him with his Fathers he grew so weak that he concluded he could not live long One told Joseph A Messenger was
laid his Hands across So that the Right Hand lay upon the Head of Ephraim who was next to his Left c. Ver. 15. He blessed Joseph In the Blessing he bestowed on his Children All my life long The Hebrew word Mehodi signifies à die quo ego sum as Bochart interprets it Hierozoic P. I. Lib. II. c. 14. ever since I had a being Ver. 16. The Angel which redeemed me Who by God's Order and as his Minister preserved me in all the Dangers wherein I have been Many of the ancient Fathers as Athanasius L. IV. contra Arianos Cyril upon this place Procopius Gazaeus c. understand hereby an increated Angel viz. The Second Person of the blessed Trinity But the Discourse is not concerning the sending of the Son of God in our Flesh to redeem Mankind but only concerning the Preservation and Prosperity of one Man and therefore I do not know whether it be safe to call him an Angel i. e. a Minister or Messenger lest we detract from his Divinity For in conferring Blessings he is not a Messenger or Minister but a principal Cause together with the Father They are the words of that famous Divine Georg. Calixtus who follows St. Chrysostom who takes this Angel to be one properly so called And thence proves the heavenly Ministers take care of Pious People And so doth St. Basil in no less than three places of his Works Which show it was his setled Opinion But it did not enter into their Thoughts that Jacob here pray'd to an Angel but only wisht these Children might have the Angelical Protection by the special Favour of God to them For it is just such an Expression as that of David to a contrary purpose Psalm XXXV 6. Let the Angel of the Lord persecute them Where no Body will say he prays to an Angel though his words are exactly like these of Jacob. And let my Name be named on them Here he plainly adopts them to be his Children as he said before he would verse 5. For to be called by one's Name which is the same with having his Name named on them is as much as to be one's Children For thus they that are said to be called by God's Name became his peculiar People Therefore Tostatus well interprets it Sint duo Capita tribuum inter Filios Jacob Let them be the Heads of two Tribes among the Sons of Jacob. But none so plainly as David Chytraeus whose words are these Vera simplicissima sententia haec est Isti pueri à me adoptati c. The true and most simple Sence is These Youths Manasseh and Ephraim who are adopted by me shall not hereafter be called the Sons of Joseph but my Sons And be Heirs and in the division of the Inheritance of the Land of Canaan receive an equal Portion with my Sons Grow into a multitude The Hebrew word as Onkelos interprets it signifies increase like Fishes as we also in the Margin translate it which are the most fruitful of all Creatures as Authors commonly observe See Bochart P. I. Lib. I. cap. 6. Hierozoic Ver. 19. His younger Brother shall be greater than he His Family multiplied faster according to the signification of his Name As appears from Numb I. 33 35. And the Kingdom was afterward established in him and all the ten Tribes called by the Name of Ephraim Shall become a multitude of Nations In the Hebrew the words are fulness of Nations i. e. of Families As much as to say his Seed shall replenish the Country with numerous Families For that which replenishes the Earth is called the fulness of the Earth Psalm XXIV 1. and that which replenishes the Sea the fulness of the Sea Psalm XCVI 11. Isai XLII 10. See L. de Dieu Ver. 20. And he blessed them that day He concluded with a solemn Benediction upon them both And when he pronounced it worshipped God as the Apostle tells us Hebr. XI 21. leaning upon the top of his Staff Whereby he was supported from falling of which he would have been in danger when he bowed if he had not leaned on it In thee shall Israel bless When my Posterity would wish all Happiness to others they shall use this form of Speech God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh Which continues they say among the Jews to this Day Ver. 21. Bring you again into the Land of your Fathers Where your Fathers sojourned and which God bestowed upon them in reversion Ver. 22. Which I took out of the Hand of the Amorite c. He doth not mean the City of Shechem which his Sons took unjustly and cruelly and not from the Amorites but the Hivites without his knowledge and contrary to his will But that piece of Land which he bought of Hamor the Father of Shechem Gen. XXXIII 19. compared with St. John IV. 5. Which seems to be the reason why Joseph was himself here buried in his own Ground given him by his Father Josh XXIV 32. and not in the Cave of Machpelah The only difficulty is how he could say that he took this Land from the Amorite by his Sword and by his Bow which comprehend all warlike Instruments when he bought it for an hundred Pieces of Silver of Hamor the Hivite It is to be supposed therefore that he took it i. e. recovered it from the Amorites who had seized on it after his removal to another part of Canaan and would not restore it but constrain'd him to drive them out by force We read nothing indeed in the foregoing History either of their invading his Possession or his expelling them thence But the Scripture relates many things to have been done without mentioning the circumstances of Time and Place as Bochartus observes And among other Instances gives that in XXXVI 24. where Ana is said to have met with the Emims so he understands it in the Wilderness Of which encounter we find no mention in any other place See his Hierozoic P. II. L. IV. cap. 13. And as I take it we have a plainer Instance in the place a little before mentioned Hebr. XI 21. where the Apostle says Jacob when he was a dying blessed both the Sons of Joseph and worshipped leaning upon the top of his Staff Of which there is not a word in this History but only of his Blessing them verse 20. There are those who with St. Hierom understand by Sword and Bow his Money Which he calls by those warlike Names to signifie this was the only Instrument he used to acquire any thing Just as the Romans when they would signifie they had got any thing without any other help but their own Industry alone say they obtained it Proprio Marte using a similitude from Military Expences and Labours If this do not seem harsh it is not hard to give an account why he calls those Amorites who before were called Hivites For Amorites seems to have been the general Name of all the seven Nations of Canaan they being the Chief
and from all delicate Food or fine Clothes Which latter part of their Mourning it 's likely might be in use in Joseph's time though not the former of besmearing their Heads and Faces with Mud. But it is sufficient to say that they appeared in the Habit of Mourners all the time the Body was Embalming which was very various in different times and places And continued in some Countries a great many Days longer than in others This time of LXX Days may seem to some too long But Jacobus Capellus proposes this to their Consideration Hist Exot. Sacra ad A. M. 2310. that Joseph being next to their King the Egyptians honoured his Father with a Royal Funeral and a Mourning of LXX Days Which he thinks is a round Number for Seventy two For Diodorus says so many were the Days of Mourning for their King It seeming reasonable to them that as they gave the Fifth part of the increase of their Land to their King when he was alive so they should bestow the Fifth part of the Year upon him in Mourning for him when he was dead Which was just LXXII not reckoning the five odd Days which did not come into their account As to those who object that this was immoderate Mourning having more of Ambition than Piety in it his Answer is That granting it to be true Joseph did not bring in this Custom and had peculiar reason to follow what he found in use there That they might be the more condemned who vexed the innocent Posterity on whose Parent they had bestowed Royal Honours Besides there is something due to Kings and great Men to distinguish them from the Dregs of the People Ver. 4. And when the Days of mourning were past That is the LXX Days before-named Joseph spake unto the House of Pharaoh To the great Officers of the Court unto whom it is most probable he spake by a Messenger Strict Mourners such as Joseph was using to keep close in their Chambers and not to appear in publick or make visits At least it was against the Custom to appear in the Court if the same usage was there in these Days which was in the Persian Court in Mordecai's time and such rational Customs one cannot but think were very ancient in the Habit of a Mourner Esth IV. 1 2. For which reason he did not go himself to make the following Request to Pharaoh They who were in the state of Mourning being lookt upon as defiled Ver. 5. My Father made me swear c. See XLVII 29 30. where Jacob engaged him by an Oath to carry his Body into Canaan to be buried there That he might keep up some Claim to that Country by Vertue of the Sepulchre which his Grand-Father had there purchased and where his Father Isaac lay buried Which I have digged for me In the Cave that Abraham had bought Gen. XXIII which was a large place Jacob it seems had taken care to have a Grave digged for himself From which and such like Examples St. Austin argues in the place quoted above on Verse 3. the Bodies of the dead especially of good Men are to be treated with such a Regard as they themselves thought was due to them Ver. 6. According as he made thee swear The Religion of an Oath it appears from hence was in those Days so Sacred that the King who had not sworn himself would not have another Man violate it for his sake Who might have pretended he could not spare Joseph so long from his business being his Chief Minister in the Land of Egypt Such Heathen Kings as these will rise up in Judgment against those Christian Princes who make a Jest of their Oaths Ver. 7. All the Servants of Pharaoh This seems to be explain'd by the next words the Elders of his House the Principal Officers of Court. For the word all must be understood with some limitation as usually in Scripture Some being left behind no doubt to wait upon the King Thus in Matth. III. 5. all Judaea is said to have gone out to John's Baptism i. e. a great many The Elders of his House c. I have observed before on XXIV 2. that Elder is a Name of Dignity As the Hierusalem Targum there expounds it instead of his Servant the Elder of his House having these words His Principal Servant who was set over all the rest as their Governor And it appears by this place that this was used not only by the Hebrews but by the Egyptians long before Moses his time as a Title of Honour and Dignity As it hath since been by all Nations whatsoever See Mr. Selden Lib. I. de Synedr cap. 14. All the Elders of the Land of Egypt The Principal Persons in Authority and Dignity throughout the whole Country as well as those of the Court Such as were Governors of Provinces and Cities and Counsellors c. Which Honour they did to Jacob in all likelihood by Pharaoh's Command For how well soever they might stand affected to Joseph they could not of their own accord desert their Charge Ver. 8. All the House of Joseph c. Their whole Family except such as were necessary to look after their little Ones and their Flocks c. This Verse also shows the word all must have a limited Sence Ver. 9. And there went up with him both Chariots and Horsemen As a guard to him which it is likely always attended him as Vice-Roy of the Kingdom But now might be necessary for his Safety as he passed through the Desarts or should meet with any opposition when he came to challenge his burying-place Though it is probable that Matter was setled before-hand with the Canaanites who were in no Condition to oppose the Kingdom of Egypt Which was grown very rich and they very poor by the late Famine And it was a very great company That he might appear in greater State at such a Solemnity Ver. 10. And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad Some take Atad for a Place and translate the word before it in the same Sence as if he had said they came to Goren-Atad But Forsterus in his Lexicon thinks Atad was the proper Name of a Man who was eminent in that Country for his Threshing-floor Though there are those who take it for a Bramble with which that Floor was fenced in For so the word signifies Judg. IX 14. And the Africans called a Bramble Atadim as Bochart observes L. II. Canaan cap. 15. which is the Plural Number of Atad But the Talmudists are so fanciful that not satisfied with such reasons they say Jacob's Coffin was here surrounded with Garlands Crowns they call them just like a Threshing-floor which is hedged about with Thorns For the Tradition they say is that the Sons of Esau Ishmael and Keturah all met here and seeing Joseph's Crown hanging over the Coffin they all pull'd off theirs and hanged them up in the same manner So the Excerpt Gemarae in Sota Cap. I. § 45. Beyond
infected with Idolatry See XI 18 22. Some of Shem's Posterity forgetting the Creator of All and worshipping the Sun as the great God and the Stars as lesser Gods So Maimonides in his More Nevoch P III. c. 29. Where he saith the Zabii relate in one of their Books which he there names That Abram contradicting their worship the King of the Country imprison'd him and afterward banished him into the utmost parts of the East and confiscated all his Estate A Tale invented to take away from him the Honour of his voluntary leaving his Country and to discredit this Sacred History which tells us he directed his Course quite another way towards the West Abarbinel and others will not have this Call of God to Abram to have been when he was in Vr but after they came to Haran to which he fansies Terah came because of some misfortunes he had in Vr But this is invented to contradict St. Stephen Acts VII 2. with whom Aben Ezra agrees who expounds these words of his calling out of Vr For it 's hard to find any other reason why he designed to go to Canaan XI 31. the place whither he went after Terah was dead Into a Land that I will shew thee He had the Divine Direction it seems all along to Conduct him in his Journey But it argued as the Apostle observes a great Faith in God that he would follow him not knowing the Country to which he would lead him Ver. 2. And I will make of thee a great Nation First by multiplying his Posterity and then by making them a select peculiar People Whom he distinguished by his Favours from all other Nations So it follows I will bless thee Bestow many Benefits both Temporal and Spiritual upon them And make thy Name great Make him famous throughout the World as he is to this day not only among the Jews but among Christians and Mahometans So Maimonides observes that all Mankind admire Abraham even they that are not of his Seed And thou shalt be a Blessing Others shall be the better for thee as Lot was and the King of Sodom c. Or as the Hebrews understand it thou shalt be so prosperous that when Men would wish well to others they shall use thy Name and say The Lord bless thee as he did Abraham Ver. 3. I will bless them that bless thee c. The highest Token of a particular Friendship which he here contracts with Abram who is called the Friend of God in promising to espouse his Interest so far as to have the same Friends and Enemies that he had Which is the form wherein Kings and Princes make the strictest Leagues one with another And Curse them that Curse thee Maimonides will have it in the place before-named that the Zabaeans loaded Abram with all manner of Curses and Reproaches when he was sent out of their Country which he bearing patiently God turned upon themselves And in thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed Which was most eminently fulfilled in Christ And here it must be remarked that this Promise of Blessing all the World in Abram was made to him before he received Circumcision while he was in Vr of the Chaldees and before he had any Issue for Sarai was barren and had no Child XI 30. And therefore before any preference of Isaac to Ishmael or any distinction made between his Posterity and the rest of Mankind In token that they were all concerned in this Promise whether descended from Abraham or not In short this Promise only limits the Birth of the Messiah to the Seed of Abraham but declares that his Benefits should be common to all other Nations Ver. 4. So Abram departed c. Having staid some time in Haran where his Father fell sick and died he prosecuted his Journey from thence to Canaan after his Father was dead So St. Stephen tells us expresly Acts VII 4. from thence i. e. from Charran when his Father was dead he removed him into this Land c. It was a wonderful effect of Abraham's Faith I observed before to move him to leave his own native Country and go to Haran But it was still a greater after he had travelled a long way from Vr hither to go three hundred Miles more from hence to Canaan a Country of which he had no knowledge nor had sent any Body before him to discover it Taking his Journey through the dangerous and barren Desarts of Palmyrena and having nothing to support him but only the Promise of God Which made him climb over the high Mountain either of Libanus Hermon or Gilead For in that part of the Country he entred as Sir W. Raleigh hath observed See Verse 5. And Lot went with him He might conclude perhaps that Abram being called in a special manner out of Chaldaea was thereby distinguished from the rest of Shem's Posterity and that he joyning with him in obeying the same Call might claim the privilege of fulfilling the Promise of the Messiah no less than Abram And Abram was seventy and five Years old when he departed out of Haran See XI ult Ver. 5. All the Souls they had gotten Hebr. had made in Haran i. e. All the Slaves born in their House or bought with their Money The Chaldee Paraphrast interprets this of the Proselytes they had won to God For such only would Abram carry with him And some of the Hebrew Doctors are so nice as to say That Abram instructed the Men and Sarai the Women in the true Religion Concerning which he wrote a Book if we may believe Maimonides De Idolol c. 1. and left it to his Son Isaac We read also in Pirke Elieser c. 25. that he took a House which fronted Charran where according to the ancient Piety he kept great Hospitality And inviting those that went in or came out of the Town to refresh themselves if they pleased set Meat and Drink before them saying There is but one God in the World And into the Land of Canaan they came We are told before XI 31. that Terah went forth to go to this Country but could not reach it as Abram did Who entred into it at the North part of it as appears by the following part of the Story Where we read he went to Sichem c. and verse 9. went on still towards the South Ver. 6. Sichem and the plain of Moreh Or as Mr. Mede following the LXX will have it the Oak of Moreh Understanding by Oak not only one single Oak but a Holt or Grove of Oakes See XIII 18. Where I suppose he intended to have fixed his dwelling had not the Temper of the People who inhabited that Country made it inconvenient And the Canaanite was then in the Land It was very pertinent to Moses his Design speaking of Abram's Passage through this Country to tell who was at that time possessed of it But it is dubious whether he mean by the Canaanite a particular People descended from Canaan