7

them rulers over my cattle. This was the highest preferment that their business, und their resolution of continuing in it would permit.

And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh, saluted, him, praying for his welfare, and giving him thanks for his bounty. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old [art] thou? In the original, 9 how many are the days of the years of thy life? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage, of my wandering life, [are] an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, full of labour and toil, trouble and vexation, more than my fathers had, and I have not attained unto the days of the years of the life 10 of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh; took his leave, commending him to God.

11

And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to [their] families.

13

'And [there was] no bread in all the land; for the famine [was] very sore, so that the land of Egypt and [all] the land 14 of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's 15 house. And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? 16 for the money faileth. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; 17 and I will give you for your cattle, if money_fail. And

they brought their cattle unto Joseph and Joseph gave them bread [in exchange] for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses; and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year, which was the 18 sixth year of the famine. When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year of their great extremity, and the seventh year of the famine, and said unto him, We will not hide [it] from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not aught left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies and our lands: 19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our

• Abraham lived one hundred and seventy five years, Isaac one hundred and eighty. Jacob had reason indeed to say, his days were few and evil; he had calamities in abundance, in Reuben, and Simeon, and Levi; in Judah and Dinah; in Er and Onan; Benjamin and Jo. seph: what with the wickedness of some, and the misfortunes of others, his was a most afflicted family, and it is a wonder his heart was not broken. Surely the title of The God of Jacob, must have in it, principally, a view to a future state!

land? (the land is said to die, when it becomes desolate for want of tillage ;) buy us and our land for bread, and we and our lands will be servants unto Pharaoh : and give [us] seed, that we may live and not die, that the land be not desolate.* 20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh : for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine 21 prevailed over them so the land became Pharaoh's. And as for the people, he removed them to cities from [one] end of the borders of Egypt even to the [other] end thereof, to the nearest cities where there was corn laid up; which was an act 22 of prudence, compassion, and generosity. Only the land of the priests, or princes, bought he not; for the priests had a portion [assigned them] of Pharaoh, a decree of Pharaoh that it should be so, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. They were princes, counsellors, and chief magistrates, as well as priests, and had a settled stipend from the crown.

23

Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh : lo, [here is] seed 24 for you, and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth [part] unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. He dealt mercifully with 25 them, yet faithfully for his lord. And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants, his farmers and tenants. 26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, [that] Pharaoh should have the fifth [part ;] except the land of the priests, or princes, only, [which] became not Pharaoh's.‡

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28

And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly, according to the promise in chap.

xlvi. 3.

And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the days of the years of his life, or the whole age of Jacob, was

Some have wondered they did not mutiny before this time; but garrisons in the ities, and guards over the granaries, might prevent it.

✦ Joseph hath been reflected upon as acting a base part in buying the land, and enslaving the people; but Joseph only acted as the minister of Pharaoh, and by his direction; he could not give the corn away; it was reasonable the crown should have some advantage; only a fifth part was laid up by the king's orders; particular persons might store up great quantities for themselves: if they used it too freely, or sold it to strangers for an extravagant price, they only were to blame; they knew how long the famine was to last, and were fairly forewarned. It was great kindness in Joseph to take their cattle, or they would have perished; and as to their lands, they were but tenants to the crown before this, as they were under an arbitrary government; and, whatever we may think, they acknowledg ed it as a great kindness. See Chandler's Auswer to Morgan.

Thus he gave them their lands again, only reserved a fifth part of the produce for Pharaoh; he laid on the land a tax of four shillings in the pound. They were thus exempted from arbitrary impositions, aud secured in the full possession of their lands, on paying a reasonable tax, as much as we in Fritain are at this day.

29 an hundred forty and seven years. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, as a testimony of subjection and obedience, and deal kindly and truly with me, show me 30 true kindness; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place, in token of my assurance that God in due time will bring back my posterity, and settle them in Canaan, and as a sign of my expectation and desire of the heavenly inheritance, whereof Canaan is a type. And 31 he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel, who probably was now sitting up in his bed, or on the side of it, bowed himself upon the bed's head, or upon the top of his staff, and worshipped God with thankfulness for his promises, and for this fresent mercy.

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REFLECTIONS.

T is an instructive view of human life which this patriarch gives us we are strangers and travellers; are not at home. To this the apostle refers, Heb. xi. 13. All his life was a pilgrimage, as well as the time since he left Egypt. So is our life; our stay is short; we are going to another state and world, and we have many inconveniences in our journey. Let us consider life in this view, and not act as if we were to continue here always, nor expect too much in the way. Let us often think of changing our habitations, bless God for what he hath done for us hitherto, and rejoice that there remaineth a rest for the people of God hereafter.

2. Let christians show kindness at home. Joseph is a good example of filial piety; he was tender of his aged father, nourished him, sware to him that he would do as he desired him, and was very kind to all his brethren. Children, learn hence, to honour your father and mother; do not forsake them when they are infirm and old; love your brethren, and be ready to do all the good you can for them. Thus you will imitate Joseph, and likewise the blessed Jesus; and at last have a place with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of your heavenly Father.

3. See what a terrible thing famine is, and let it teach us to be thankful for our daily bread. Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath, will he give for his life; his money, his cattle, his land; he will part with all, even liberty itself, to save life. Let us be thankful this is not our case, that we are not reduced to this extremity. God gives us all things richly to enjoy. Let us im prove our money, our cattle, our land, for that God who feeds VOL. I. Bb

and clothes us, and blesses us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Let us rejoice, that we live under such a government, where our liberties and properties are secure; and employ all our mercies for him, to whose care and goodness we owe them.

CHAP. XLVIII.

Joseph visiteth his father; Jacob repeateth the promise; and prophesieth their return to Canaan.

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ND it came to pass after these things, that some [one] told Joseph, a messenger brought him tidings, saying, Behold, thy father [is] sick and Joseph hasted to see him ; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, that they might hear his dying advice, and share in his blessing. 2 And [one] told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed the hope of seeing Joseph and his sons revived him, and gave him fresh spirits.

3

And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto 4 me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee [for] an everlasting possession. Thus reciting God's appearances for him, and promises 5 to him. And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt [are] mine, I own and adopt them as if they were mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine; they shall be particular tribes, and have an equal share of my present 6 estate and future inheritance, with their brethren. And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, [and] shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance: or, if thou hast any more children hereafter, they shall be counted as the children of Ephraim or Manasseh, and belong to one of those tribes, and not be heads of tribes themselves. 7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet [there was] but a little way to come unto Ephrath and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same [is] Bethlehem: as if he had said, And now, my son, this reminds me of Rachel, thy dear mother, who died immediately after the promise of God to multiply my seed, and yet I see it fulfilled in the children God hath given to thee.

8

And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who [are] 9 these? And Joseph said unto his father, They [are] my sons, whom God hath given me in this [place.] And he

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said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless 10 them.* Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, [so that] he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and 11 he kissed them, and embraced them. And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed; he hath outdone all my expectations. 12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, removed them from the embraces of his father, and set them orderly before him, to receive his blessing, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth, in reverence and thankfulness for the honour and affection shown to him and his. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought [them] near unto him. 14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid [it] upon Ephraim's head, who [was] the younger, and yet should have the preeminence, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly, prudently, or by divine di15 rection; for Manasseh [was] the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph in his children, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, or behave themselves in a holy and acceptable manner, the God which fed me all my life long : 16 unto this day, ever since I had a being, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, let them be called the children of Jacob, or Israel, that they may remember the country and family to which they belong, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac ; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, because of his great affection for Manasseh his eldest son: and he held up his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's 18 head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this [is] the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his : 19 head. And his father refused, and said, I know [it,] my son, I know [it] these two holy prophets differed in judgment, not about the substance, but the circumstance of the blessing; they disagreed about the ceremony only and Jacob said, He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations, greater in number of posterity, and power, and dignity; for of him came Joshua the conqueror of Canaan, and Jeroboam king of Israel; wherefore that kingdom is frequently called by the name of Ephraim. 20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless;

Paul says, Heb. xi. 21. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, with a paternal, patriarchal, and prophetical blessing, in the name and by the spirit of God; praying for, and foretelling those blessings which God would confer upon them,