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REFLECTIONS.

COD remembers those solemn vows by which we are devoted to him, and therefore we should not forget them; he put Jacob in mind of his. Let us ever be mindful of our covenant; let no time wear out a sense of our obligation to perform our vows; let us not defer or delay to pay them, when it is in our power; but ever remember our solemn engagements, and act suitably to them. It is better not vow, than to vow, and not pay.

2. It is necessary to prepare for the solemnities of divine wor ship, by putting away sin from our hearts and houses. The strange Gods must be put away; every thing that stands in com petition with God's honour, glory, and worship. Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings; put them all away; harbour no sin, no lust, What have we to do any more with idols? If we would appear comfortably before God, let us cleanse ourselves from all our pollutions. Masters of families should be solicitous about this, and not suffer sin upon those who are under their care they should put away iniquity from their tabernacles, else their service will not be acceptable. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, saith the Lord.

3. See how easily God awes the minds of men: he brought terror on the minds of the inhabitants of Canaan. This is a great security and mercy to his people, that he has access to the hearts of all men. How cheerfully may we trust God in the way of duty; he can make even our enemies to be at peace with us, and so influ ence their minds, that they shall do us no harm.

4. There is a respect due to worth, even in the lowest stations of life. Deborah died very much lamented; she was a prudent, religious woman, and well beloved in the family. Virtue is not less virtue for being in a low station, though vice in a high one is more aggravated. A regard is due to old and faithful servants; they are such blessings to a family, that they ought to be respected, and, if possible, comfortably provided for. God deals so with his faithful servants; and so should we by ours.

5. How often are we mistaken in our desires! Give me chil dren, or I die, said Rachel: God granted her request, and she died. We often wish for those things which would prove our greatest detriment. When Jacob's other wives left off bearing, her being with child filled her with complacency and satisfaction; and perhaps she now looked on them with some degree of pride and contempt. God often punishes irregular passions, by granting men their wishes, and giving them up to their own hearts' lusts. Let our desires be under the conduct of reason and religion. Let us cultivate submission to the will of God; which will moderate and regulate them. Very excellent is the advice of David, delight thyself also in the Lord, and he will give thee the desires of thine heart; trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass.

CHAP. XXXVI.

Contains an account of Esau and his posterity; to show the accomplishment of the promises, ch. xxii. 17. xxv. 23. xxvii. 39, 40. and to remind the Israelites, that the Edomites were their breth

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TO W these [are] the generations of Esau, who [is] Edom. Esau took his wives, other wives than those beforementioned, ch. xxvi. 34. of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamäh the 3 daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite: And 4 Bashemath Ishmael's daughter sister of Nebajoth: And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; 5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah; these [are] the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

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And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which came to him on the death of his father Isaac, and that which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country, the land of Seir, from 7 the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cat8 tle. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau [is] Edom.

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And these [are] the generations of Esau the father of the 10 Edomites in mount Seir: These [are] the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the 11 son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. And the sons of Eliphaz 12 were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. And

Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these [were] the sons of Adah Esau's 13 wife. And these [are] the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah : these were the sons of Bashe4 math Esau's wife. And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife : and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.

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These [were] dukes of the sons of Esau, princes or heads of their several families or principalities: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn [son] of Esau ; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke 16 Zepho, duke Kenaz, Duke Korah, duke Gatam, [and] duke Amalek these [are] the dukes [that came] of Eliphaz in the 17 land of Edom; these [were] the sons of Adah. And these [are] the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these [are] the dukes [that came] of Reuel in the land of Edom; these [are] the 18 sons of Bashemath Esau's wife. And these [are] the sons VOL. I.

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of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah these [were] the dukes [that came] of Aholibamah, 19 the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. These [are] the sons of Esau, who [is] Edom, and these [are] their dukes.

20 These [are] the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the 21 land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these [are] the dukes of the Horites, 22 the children of Seir in the land of Edom. And the children

of Lotan, were Hori, and Heman; and Lotan's sister [was] 23 Timna. And the children of Shobal [were] these; Alvan, 24 and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. And these

[are] the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this [was that] Anah that found the mules* in the wilderness, as 25 he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. And the children of Anah [were] these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter 26 of Anah. And these [are] the children of Dishon; Hemdan, 27 and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. The children of Ezer 28 [are] these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan. The children 29 of Dishan [are] these; Uz, and Aran. These [are] the dukes

[that came] of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke 30 Zibeon, duke Anah, Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these [are] the dukes [that came] of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.

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And these [are] the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Isra32 el. And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name 33 of his city [was] Dinhabah. And Bela died, and Jobab the 34 son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. And Jobab died,

and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead. 35 And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote

Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the 36 name of his city [was] Avith. And Hadad died, and Samlah 37 of Masrekah reigned in his stead. And Samlah died, and 38 Saul of Rehoboth [by] the river reigned in his stead. And

Saul died, and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his 39 stead. And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city [was] Pau; and his wife's name [was] Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

40 And these [are] the names of the dukes [that came] of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their 41 names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, Duke 42 Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, Duke Kenaz, duke 43 Teman, duke Mibzar, Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these [be] the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations, in the land of their possession: he [is] Esau the father of the Edomites.

Or rather, a gigantic race of people called Emims, (Deut, ii. 10.) whom this Anah Somad, that is, encountered or fell upon unexpectedly. Edit.

CHAP. XXXVII.

We are now entering on the history of Joseph, who was a most amiable and excellent character. I believe,' says a good writer,' it is impossible for any one in the world to read the history of Joseph, as related by the sacred historian, without being prepossessed in favour of that great man. The occurrences of his life are so peculiar; the extraordinary providences that attended him, are so remarkable; the moderation and equity of his conduct, are so apparent through the whole of his behaviour; that no person of humanity can help sharing with him in his misfortunes, taking pleasure in his prosperity, and admiring the life and character of a person who seemed to be the favourite both of God and man.' Most of the remainder of this book is taken up with his history, This chapter gives an account of his brethren's great hatred to him; their infamous design to murder him; their selling him as a slave ; and the behaviour of his father when he was told of his death.

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ND Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. These [are] the generations of Jacob, the events or occurrences that befel him and his family. Joseph [being] seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad [was] with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report; the report of their wicked conduct and conversation, or ill usage $ of him; this was one cause of their hatred of him. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he [was] the son of his old age,* the son of his dearest wife, whom she bore after long barrenness : Benjamin indeed was younger, but being only four years old, he had not so engaged his father's affection : and he made him a coat of [many] colours; a rich striped garment, such as distinguished him from the rest of his brethren; being a mark of his father's favour, and of his giving him the ▲ birthright, which Reuben had forfeited. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him; all their words and actions were illnatured and churlish.

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And what confirmed their hatred of him was, that Joseph dreamed a dream, which probably he did not understand at first, and he, with an honest simplicity, told [it] his brethren and 6 they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, 7 I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we [were] binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood

The Jewish writers would render it, He was the son of the Elders, their disciple. The Chaldee paraphrase says, He was a wise and prudent child; showed marks of piety and goodness betimes; and excelled the rest in wisdom and understanding,

8 round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said unto him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

9 'And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made 10 obeisance to me. And he told [it] to his father, and to his brethren and his father, partly through ignorance, and partly in policy, to abate the hatred of his brethren, rebuked him, and said unto him, What [is] this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come 11 to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying: being thus doubled, and so very remarkable, it made a deep impression on his mind, and he laid it up in his heart.

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And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in She13 chem, about twenty miles off. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed [the flock] in Shechem? I fear lest some evil should come to them from the inhabitants, because of their murder of the Shechemites; come, and I will send thee unto them, to see how they are. And he said unto him, Here 14 [am] I, ready to obey your commands. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, [he was] wander

ing in the field and the man asked him, saying, What 16 seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I 17 pray thee, where they feed [their flocks.] And the man

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said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph 'went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

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And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. 19 And they said one to another, Behold this dreamer cometh. 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, that is digged to hold rain water, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him and we shall see what 21 will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard [it,] and he, to make some amends for the injury he had done his father, and to regain his favour, delivered him out of their hands; and 22 said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, [but] cast him into this pit, that [is] in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

It is a lamentable and surprising thing, that there should be such wretches in Jacob's family; and such treachery, ingratitude, cruelty, and inhumanity, among this good old patriarch's children.

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