In what slight particulars does this relation of the dream vary from the preceding? v. 17-24. Badness;' i. e. ill-favoredness, deformity. When they had eaten; Heb. and when they (the eaten) came into the inward parts of them (the eaters,) it could not be known,' &c; Chal. and it was not known that they had entered into their bowels.'

How did Joseph preface the interpretation of the dream, and what was the interpretation itself? v. 25-31.

The dream is one;' i. e. one in scope, drift, design; though two-fold in visionary representation.-' About to do; Heb. doing.' The present for the future, according to well known usage. This implied that the plenty and the famine were both to be brought about by Providential agency, though still with the concurrence of natural causes. Seven years of famine.' This is to be understood as portended by the seven ill-favored kine as well as by the seven empty ears, though not expressly mentioned. There come;' Heb. are coming.'- Shall consume the land;' rightly paraphrased by the Chal. shall consume the people of the land. Very grievous; Heb. 'very heavy.'

What does he assign as the reason of the dream's being doubled? v. 32.

The thing; Heb. the word.'-' Established;' i. e. firmly fixed in the Divine counsels. It was repeated in order to intimate its absolute certainty and its speedy accomplishment.

What prudent counsel does he suggest to the king in reference to the impending prospects ?

v. 33-36.

Appoint officers.' Heb. 'appoint visitors or overseers.' The Heb. term Pakid' is in several instances rendered by the Gr. of the Sept., and thence transferred into the Gr. of the N. T., Episcopos,' overseer, from

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which comes the Eng. word bishop,' its usual representative in the writings of the Apostles. This word has in some way become appropriated as a title of ecclesiastical officers, though the genuine import of the original is, a person charged with the oversight and management of any business whatever, whether sacred or civil. Thus Num. 81. 14; 2 Kings 11. 16, Captains of the army,' is in the original Pakids,' or bishops of the army;' and 2 Chron. 34. 12, 17, Overseers of them that did the work,' is bishops of them that did the work.' If the translators of the Eng. Bible had not been warped by the circumstances in which they were placed, their usual fidelity to the original would doubtless have led them to render this word by its plain corresponding term 'overseers.' In like manner Ecclesia' would have been rendered 'congregation' or assembly' instead of church.' It is surely taking unwarrantable liberties with the oracles of God to affix in a version a technical character to words and phrases which are not thus marked in the original. Let them take up a fifth part of the land.' Heb. let them five or quinquate the land;' as to tithe or decimate is to take a tenth part. The meaning is, not to take a fifth part of the land itself, which would have been a gross oppression, but to purchase at a fair price a fifth part of the produce of the soil, to be sold again to the people during the years of scarcity. As they might be induced to sell to foreigners, probably the main end of the policy proposed was to secure the purchase of the fifth part of their surplus grain to the king for the future benefit of the people before they should have disposed of any portion of it to others. Under the hand of Pharaoh;' i. e. let this be done in the name and under the authority of Pharaoh, and when collected let it be considered as a public store to be disposed of in the different districts by the king's officers appointed for that purpose. Chal. Under the hand of Pharaoh's officers. Let them keep food in the cities;' i. e. let them make depositories or granaries of food in the

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different cities, from whence it could be more conveniently distributed.

How did Pharaoh and his servants receive the suggestion, and what did the king say in reference to a suitable person for the station? v. 37, 38.

In whom the spirit of God (Elohim) is;' Chal. 'in whom is the spirit of prophecy from before the Lord.' Perhaps as Pharaoh was an idolater, and probably ignorant of the true God, a more correct rendering would be, In whom is the spirit of the gods.' This is paralleled by an expression in the similar history of Daniel, ch. 5. 14, I have even heard of thee that the spirit of the gods is in thee.' Also v. 11, 'There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.'

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How did Pharaoh proceed to address Joseph in reference to the intended appointment? v. 39-41.

'God.' This may be taken in the lips of Pharaoh as a general expression equivalent to the powers above.' Shewed thee all this;' Gr.' shewed thee all these things.-Thou shalt be;' i. e. thou shalt be made to

be.

This office was probably next in honor to the throne. A similar functionary is mentioned in the history of the kings of Israel, under the title of Governor of the house,' 1 Kings 18. 3; 2 Kings, 18. 18. To this the Psalmist alludes, Ps. 105. 21, He made him lord of his house and ruler of all his substance.'

According unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; Heb. ' at thy mouth shall all the people kiss;' i. e. at thy word or command they shall kiss their hand in token of reverence, submission, and obedience. Thus, Job 31. 27, If my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand;' i. e. as a mark of worship or adoration. Consult also 1 Sam. 10. 1; 1 Kings 19. 18; Ps. 2. 12. Gr. At thy mouth

shall all my people obey;' Chal. at thy command shall all my people be governed.'-Only in the throne; Heb. only as to this throne;' Chal. only in this kingly throne will I be more honorable than thou.'-'I have set thee; Heb. 'I have given thee;' Gr. I constitute thee this day."

What badges of distinction did Pharaoh then confer upon Joseph, and in what strong language did he intimate his official dignity? v.

42-44.

Took off his ring.' From Est. 8. 8, it appears that the ring,' among the sovereigns of the East, was the instrument with which they sealed their decrees. 'Write ye and seal it with the king's ring; for the writing which is written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring, no man may reverse.' A king's taking off his ring, therefore, and putting it on the finger of a favorite, implied that he thereby transferred to him the right of acting in his name and authority, and of issuing orders sealed with the royal signet. Traces of this custom are to be found in the classic writers. Thus, Alexander the Great, when dying, gave his ring to his most confidential friend, Perdiccas. And the Grand Vizier of the Turkish empire is still appointed by the same ceremony.- Vestures of fine linen; Heb. of Shesh;' Gr. 'Bysse.' This was a cloth made either of silk or of the most beautiful and delicate species of cotton, such as was employed in the finest fabrics of the loom. The garments to which the term 'bysse' is applied, were long robes of the most exquisite white, and worn by priests and kings as a badge of the royal and sacerdotal office.In the second chariot;' Heb. in the chariot of the second; i. e. of the second person in rank.-' Bow the knee; Heb. Abrek;' a word of which the meaning is doubtful. The Chal. renders it, This is the father of the king;' from Ab,' father, and 'Rek,' king, equivalent to the Latin Rex ;' in accordance

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with which we see that Joseph himself subsequently declares, Gen. 45. 8, that God had made him a father to Pharaoh.' The Jerus. Targ. in like manner paraphrases it, God save the father of the king, the master of wisdom and tender in years.' Others, however, on very plausible grounds, suppose it to be the Egyptian form of a word originally Hebrew, viz. 'Habrak,' signifying to kneel down. So an Egyptian name is given to Joseph, v. 4, 5. The Egyptian dialect seems to have resembled the Chaldee in making use of the letter' A' for 'H;' as in Is. 63. 3, we have Agalti' for Higalti,' by Chaldaism.-' Made him ruler; Heb.gave him over. Without thee shall no man lift,' &c; Chal. without thy word shall not a man lift up his hand to hold weapons, nor his foot to ride on a horse.'

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What new name did Pharaoh bestow upon Joseph, and what is its import? v. 45.

Chal. The man to whom secrets are revealed;' Vulg. Saviour of the world;' i. e. temporal saviour or benefactor. But this interpretation is generally rejected. The Gr. retains the original untranslated. Who was given him for a wife, and what is said of his 'going out?' v. 45.

Priest,' or 'prince,' 'president;' Chal. Rabba,' master. He was probably both priest and prince; a union of offices very common in ancient times, as is evident from the poems of Homer and Hesiod.-' On ;' called also Aven,' Ezek. 30. 17, one of the oldest cities in the world, situated in the land of Goshen, on the east side of the Nile, about five miles above modern Cairo. It was called by the Greeks' Heliopolis;' i. e. city of the sun, and by the Hebrews' Beth Shemesh;' i. e. house of the sun, Jer. 43. 13. Eighteen centuries ago this city was in ruins when visited by Strabo. At present almost the only monument of its former grandeur is a column of granite 70 feet high, and covered with hieroglyphics, of which a particular