love, an object of his brethrens envie.
V. 4. More then all his brethren] There appeared in him
presages of vertuous acts and great employments.
V. 5. Dreamed] See Annot. on ch. 20. 3.
told it] Gods special Providence was in it, causing him
thus to reveal his dreames.
V. 7. And made obeisance to my sheaf] For corne it was
that they went down into Egypt, and there did obeisance
to Joseph, ch. 42.
V. 8. Reign over us] They apply it to themselves, as
the Midianites did, Judg. 7. 13, 14.
made obeisance to me] Twice, as Pharaohs dreams, chap.
41. 25, 32. see it accomplished, ch. 46.
V. 10. And his father rebuked him] Partly through igno∣rance,
and partly in policy to abate the hatred of his bre∣thren,
v. 11.
and thy mother] Stepmother, Leah; Rachel being dead
at this time undoubtedly.
V. 11. Observed the saying] Seeing the dream was
doubled, and that excellent gifts and graces of mind and
body, appeared in Joseph, Luke 2. 19, 51.
V. 12. In Shechem] Which was from Hebron, where his
father and Grandfather were, v. 14. about sixty miles, ch.
35. 27. This the place, where not foure yeares ago they
committed that massacre. And ever since likely the lesse
inhabited, and so more fit for pasturage, and freer from
danger, the terrout of God being still upon the neighbour∣ing
places. Haply in that place bought, ch. 33. 19.
V. 14. Well with thy brethren] Minding haply the mas∣sacre
they had made there, and their possibility of danger
by it.
V. 16. I seek my brethren] His fathers care in sending,
and his in seeking, do aggravate his brethrens sin and
cruelty against him.
V. 17. And found them in Dothan] Josephs obedience
stretched further then his fathers words, to his fathers mind.
About eight miles distant from Shechem. Here afterwards
was a City where Elizaus was, 2 Kings 6. 13.
V. 18. They conspired] They quickly conclude out of
their fore-conceived malices, so, Luke 20. 14.
V. 19 This dreamer] A nick-name in scorne. And so
best men are used.
V. 20. Slay him, and we will say] One sin draweth on
another.
some evil beast] As, 1 Kings 13. 24. 2 Kings 2. 24. They
will do a beastly act, but not own it.
V. 21. Reuben] The eldest, ch. 42. 22. He the eldest
might most hate Josephs Sovereignty; he did it with an
intent to deliver him to his father again, v. 22. it may be
to make some amends to him for his incest with Bilhah.
Sinful all the sons of Jacob, sinful the Church.
V. 23. Stript Joseph] He besought them in the anguish
of his soule, ch. 42. 21. Mat. 27. 28.
V. 24. No water] Jer. 38. 6. Zech. 9. 11.
V. 25. To eate bread] Exod. 18. 12. without remorse for
it, they make much of themselves, and little regard the
afflictions of Joseph, Amos 6. 6. Their consciences were
asleep.
Ishmaelites came from Gilead] From Arabia; or East
from Jordan, by Dothan towards Egypt.
Gilead] A place of merchandise, Jer. 8. 22. 22. 6.
46. 11.
V. 26. What profit] A good quaerie to pose our selves
when we are about to sin. Profit would arise by selling
him, Mat. 16. 26. Rom. 6. 21.
V. 27. Sell him] Ancient and usual to sell men, Exod.
21. 21, 16.
Ishmaelites] Ch. 39. Called also Midianites, v. 28. and
Medanites, v. 36. Medan and Midian brethren, 25. 1, 2.
a mixt company of Merchants, both Ishmaelites by Hagars
sonne, and Midianites of Keturahs sonne, ch. 25. 2. both
dwelling in Arabia; so, in Judg. 8. 22, 24, 26.
V. 28. Drew up] in Reubens absence.
for twenty pieces of silver] Twenty shekels, i. e. shillings,
and 3 d. a piece more, •• 1 li. 5. sh See Annot. on ch. 23.
16. Joseph here may many wayes be a type of Jesus; sold
for thirty pieces.
V. 29. And he rent his clothes] He was absent when Ju∣dahs
counsel was followed, v. 26, 27. And likely he ab∣sented
himself of purpose, that he might, as now he did,
go some secret way to the pit to deliver him, v. 22. missing
him, he rent his cloathes, as custome then was in like ca∣ses
of great and grievous sorrow, to shew the brokennesse
of their heart, what little care or comfort they took of any
thing in that passion. Examples are many of the like,
v. 34. ch. 44. 13. David commands it to Joab and the peo∣ple
in their mourning before Abuer, 2 Sam. 3. 31.
V. 30. The childe is not] Not in the pit, nor alive, ch.
42. 13, 36. Jer. 31. 15. Yet after he knew all, he consents
to conceal the sale of him from his father.
and I, whither shall I go?] Of me the eldest my father
will require him. And I have so greatly offended him al∣ready,
ch. 35. 22. So, 2 Sam. 13. 13.
V. 32. sent] By messengers.
and they brought it] The messengers.
V. 34. Jacob rent his clothes] Isaac was alive, and no
doubt mourned too.
put on sack-cloth] Here first mentioned. A ceremony of
sorrow much practised afterwards by Gods people, and by
the Ninevites themselves, Jonah 3—5. Hereunto were
sometimes added earth and ashes on the head.
and mourned] Washed the bloody coat of his son with his
teares.
V. 35. And all his sons] That plotted this sorrow, pre∣tended
sorrow themselves; and would never lessen his sor∣row
by confessing the sale.
and all his daughters] Dinah and his sons wives.
but he refused to he comforted] Infirmity in Jacob. This
aggravates his sons sin.
into the grave] The word signifieth the state of the dead,
without any reference to pain or anguish. Jacob here meant
not a grave properly, because he thought Joseph to be some
of wilde beasts, much lesse dreamed he of a Limbus Pa∣trum,
and least of Hell or Purgatory, Joseph being so good
a sonne. Usually the word signifies a grave. As death is ap∣pointed
for all men, so is this Sheol, Psal. 89. 48. Eccl 9. 10.
Job desired to be hid in Sheol, Job 14. 13. Gen. 42. 38.
44. 29, 31. Psal. 16. 10.
V. 36. An Officer] Eunuch. Such came to be great Of∣ficers
in Courts of Kings, Chamberlaines, &c. and so the
word came to be a word of Court-honour, ch. 40. 2. and so
given to some that were not gelded; as to Potiphar here,
who had a wife, ch. 39. 7, 9. The Law is against such,
Deut. 23. 1.
Captain of the guard] A Provost-Marshal, 2 Kings 25, 8.
Gen. 40. 3.