And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks [with] food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. Ver. 1. _And he commanded the steward._] _Peccata extrinsecus radere, et non intrinsecus eradicare, fictio est,_ saith Bernard. Humiliation... [ Continue Reading ]
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. Ver. 2. _He did according to the word._] _Servus est nomen officii._ A servant is not αυτοματος, one that moveth absolutely of himself, saith Aristotle;... [ Continue Reading ]
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. Ver. 3. _The men were sent away._] This was no small courtesy to them, that were so willing of their way.... [ Continue Reading ]
Genesis 44:4 [And] when they were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Ver. 4. _Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?_] This, blind nature... [ Continue Reading ]
__ Genesis 44:5 _[Is] not this [it] in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing._ Ver. 5. _And whereby indeed he divineth._] Junius reads it thus - _Et nonne ipse experimento certo didicerit per illum, quales sitls?_ q.d., Hath he not by this fact of yo... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words._ Ver. 6. _And he spake._] _See Trapp on "_ Gen 44:2 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Gen 43:17 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: Ver. 7. _God forbid that thy servants should do._] Rapine and robbery was ever condemned amongst very heathens, and severely punished. Tamerlane, in his expedition against Ba... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? Ver. 8. _Behold, the money._] Those that from a right principle can find in their hearts to make restitution, may be safely... [ Continue Reading ]
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen. Ver. 9. _With whomsoever it be found, &c._] Innocency is bold, but withal had need to be wise, for fear of further inconvenience. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 31:32 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Now also [let] it [be] according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. Ver. 10. _Shall be my servant,_] i.e., Mine, in my master's name and behalf.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he searched, [and] began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Ver. 12. _And he searched, and began at the eldest._] The better to avoid suspicion, for he knew well enough where to find the cup. So Jonadab, Amnon's carnal friend but spiritual enemy,... [ Continue Reading ]
Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. Ver. 13. _Then they rent their clothes._] In token of the rending of their hearts for their sins, which now had found them out, and they their sins: for misery is the best art of memory; being like to that helve El... [ Continue Reading ]
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he [was] yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. Ver. 14. _They fell before him on the ground._] Humble submission, they knew, if anything, would make their peace, and procure their pardon - “Sic ventos vincit, dumse submittit arund... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joseph said unto them, What deed [is] this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? Ver. 15. _What deed is this that ye have done?_] As Joseph here, so Christ sometimes impersonates an adversary, when he intends most love. _ Wot ye not that such a man as I, &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we [are] my lord's servants, both we, and [he] also with whom the cup is found. Ver. 16. _What shall we say, &c._] An ingenuous and penitent... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, God forbid that I should do so: [but] the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. Ver. 17. _But the man in whose hand, &c._] This was the heat that Joseph shot at in all this interdealing with them, - to try the... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou [art] even as Pharaoh. Ver. 18. _For thou art even as Pharaoh._] This he saith the better to insinuate; for great men love to... [ Continue Reading ]
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? Ver. 19. _Have yea father?_] This we read not of till now, as we do of all the rest, in the next following verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. Ver. 20. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 44:19 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. Ver. 21. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 44:19 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for [if] he should leave his father, [his father] would die. Ver. 22. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 44:19 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother [be] with us. Ver. 26. _We cannot go down,_] sc., Without breach of our promises, and danger of our lives. Before he had said, "We will not." Gen... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad [be] not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; Ver. 30. _Seeing that his life is bound up._] God loved his Son Jesus infinitely more than Jacob did Benjamin; he exalts his love far above that of any earthly paren... [ Continue Reading ]
It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad [is] not [with us], that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. Ver. 31. _That he will die._] For, so great is the love, _a_ “ _Corporibus binis spiritus unus inest._ ” _ a... [ Continue Reading ]
For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Ver. 32. _For thy servant became surety._] So did Christ for us; and therefore he must acquit us of all our sins, ere he could go to his Father. Lo, her... [ Continue Reading ]
For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad [be] not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father. Ver. 34. _For how shall I go up, &c._] Here love ascends, as fit it should. Judah, a man wise and well spoken, prefers his father's life before his own liberty. He could... [ Continue Reading ]