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48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

49 And Joseph gathered corn pas the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

p. ch. 22. 17. Judges 7. 12. 1 Sam. 13. 5. Ps. 78. 27.

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50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came: which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him.

51 And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh; For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

q ch. 46. 20. & 48. 5.

productiveness, is not at this day unusual in Egypt. Mr. Jowett, in his 'Christian Researches,' states that when in Egypt he plucked up a few stalks out of the cornfields. We counted the number of stalks which sprouted from single grains of seed, carefully pulling to pieces each root, in order to see that it was one plant. The first had seven stalks; the next three; then eighteen; then fourteen. Each stalk would bear an ear.' The annexed cut represents a species of wheat which now actually grows in Egypt.

EGYPTIAN WHEAT.

48. And he gathered up all the food, &c. The report of Pharaoh's dream,

and of the interpretation, must have spread through all the land of Egypt, with the account of Joseph's advancement; and many of the people would undoubtedly see that it was for their interest to be frugal and provident, and would act accordingly. But as the years of plenty would not soon come to an end, many would no doubt think it unnecessary to be in haste to make provision for days of famine that were yet at a considerable distance. Of this Joseph was well aware. He foresaw that a great part of the inhabitants of the land must perish, unless he prevented the danger by his own care. Accordingly he gathered up all the food of the seven years, and laid it in the cities which he made depots for the surrounding country. He left great abundance for present use. That which was laid up was the fifth part, according to his own suggestion and the royal mandate; and this was laid up and carefully preserved in the storehouses which he had caused to be prepared for its reception.

50, 51. Unto Joseph were born two sons, &c. These sons, as is usual in the Scriptures, are significantly named, the names being expressive of the state of his mind in his present situation. We commonly look no farther than the instruments employed by provi

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52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

53 ¶ And the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

r ch. 49. 22.

dence in conferring benefits or inflicting evils upon us. But Joseph saw that all his adversities and all his prosperity came from God. He was grateful to Pharaoh, but he was grateful chiefly to God, for the happy change in his condition. God had made him to forget all his toil, and his father's house, and therefore he named his first son Manasseh, which signifies forgetting or making to forget. He did not mean by this, however, that his remembrance of his toil was obliterated from his mind. His mention of it when he gave the name to his son, was a proof that in one sense he still remembered it. It was in fact his duty to remember it. How could he have retained just impressions of the divine goodness, if he had forgotten the evils from which he was delivered? But in another sense he forgot his misery. He did not so cherish the recollection as to allow it to embitter his present enjoyThe memory of his troubles was comparatively lost in the happiness by which they were succeeded. So

ment.

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

s Ps. 105. 16. Acts 7. 11. t ver. 30.

Ephraim. That is, fruitful, as he himself immediately after explains it. He had formerly been like a heath in the desert, but now he was like a tree planted by the rivers of water, which brings forth abundance of fruit and whose leaf does not wither. This happy change he ascribes to the divine goodness. Perhaps it was owing to a suggestion from above that the name 'Ephraim' was given to Joseph's second son, rather than his first. As far as we know, he had no more children of his own body, but he was fruitful in his reinote progeny, especially by Ephraim, and we find a striking allusion to this name in the blessings of Jacob; 'Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over a wall.' See Note on Gen. 49. 22.

53. The seven years of plenteousness were ended. When the people heard that the days of plenteousness were to be seven years, thousands would no doubt be strongly tempted to say to their souls, 'Eat, drink, and be merry; to-morrow shall be as this day, and so shall the next and many following days and years be, and much more

also of what he says about his father's house. He had not literally forgotten his father nor the kindness showered upon him from the days of his child-abundantly.' But the day of prosperity hood. Neither had he literally ceased to remember the cruel treatment of his brother; but he ceased to lay it to heart; the painful remembrance of the past was expelled from his mind, when his adversity was changed into prosperity.

52. The name of the second called he

was now at an end and the days of adversity had arrived. The end of all the changing things in this world of change will soon come, and then the beginning of them will appear like yesterday when it is past. A perpetuity of bliss is bliss,' and that only. 54. And the seven years of dearth be

55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth and Joseph opened all the store-houses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

v ch. 42. 6. & 47. 14, 24.

gan to come, &c. Time to come will If any of the people had refused to go at last be time present, and the evils to Joseph, they would have despised threatened by God will fall heavily up-not Joseph only, but the king also who on those who use not the proper means of averting them. Joseph could look forward with a steady eye and without terror to the days of famine, which came at the time specified and were as grievous as he had predicted. When they came he knew that his wisdom would be acknowledged by all the land of Egypt, and by all the people of the surrounding countries. It was wisely ordered that the scarcity should extend to the neighboring lands; for the great end for which God is represented, Ps. 105. 16, as 'calling for it,' was to bring Jacob's sons, and eventually his whole family to Egypt; which end would not otherwise have been answered.

55. The people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Although there was abundance of corn in the land of Egypt, the people of the country were ready to perish for want. What was the reason of this? Had they not been forewarned that the terrible famine was coming? Joseph had indeed gathered up the fifth of the corn, yet enough was left not only to supply the present wants of the people, but to lay up for themselves against the famine. But they wanted Joseph's prudence. Unlike the ant, they made not in the summer due provision for the winter. Yet like the reckless Egyptians how many that are destined to live for ever in another world neglect in the proper season to lay up treasures in heaven?— Go unto Joseph; what he saith unto you, do.

had clothed him with power, and would have deserved to want that sustenance which he alone could give. And are not the despisers of our great Redeemer in like manner despisers of his Father, who has set him as King in his holy hill of Zion? If we need food for our souls, to whom are we to have recourse, but to Jesus whom God has appointed as the sole dispenser of that bread which nourisheth unto everlasting life? Those who will not come to him for the bread of life, are despisers of their own mercies. They must perish, and their blood shall be upon their own heads.

56. The famine was over all the face of the earth. An expression to be taken of course with some limitation. Egypt and the countries bordering upon it, Canaan, Syria, and Arabia are undoubtedly meant. The incident can scarcely fail to remind us of the distinguished advantages which we derive, under providence, from the improvements of modern times in the art of navigation. Were a great scarcity to occur amongst us we should expect relief from other countries by sea. Unless a famine should pervade the whole globe at the same time, we should have little doubt of obtaining from some quarter or other, without leaving our homes, at least a partial supply for our wants. In the days of Joseph, when the famine was sore through all the adjacent countries, the people, ready to perish

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy

x Deut. 9. 28.

corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

every place of deposit.-
unto the Egyptians.

57. And all countries

-¶ And sold

ישבר .Heb

came into

Egypt, &c. All that a man hath will he give for his life, and for those things that are necessary to preserve life. He will travel into the most distant regions,

land of his nativity. He will brave the perils of the sea. He will not esteem any trial too great to be endured, any danger too fearful to be encountered, to avoid the horrors of starvation. Why then do men grudge a little labor, or a little expense for what is no less necessary for our souls, than the bread that perisheth is for our bodies?

with hunger, were under the necessity of travelling to Egypt to procure corn. The Egyptians themselves were ex-yishbor, broke; a term so applied beempted from the labor of travelling to cause food breaks the fasting and huna distant land, for there were storeger of men. Thus Ps. 104. 11, 'by houses scattered through all the counmeans of water the wild asses quench try; but they were compelled to part their thirst.' Heb. 1 yishberu, with their money for food. But for break their thirst. this they had only themselves to blame. Joseph did not compel them to sell any more corn than they were willing to sell, nor any more than they would probably have wasted in riot, if they had not sold it. And now he demand-rather than perish with hunger in the ed no greater price than in the present circumstances he had a right to claim. It was not necessary to inform us that Joseph did not oppress the people in his dealings with them. The people themselves were witness to his uprightness when they afterwards said, 'Let us find favor in the sight of our lord, for thou hast saved our lives.' Joseph's prudence is evident also in another respect. Had he thrown open his store-houses before the Egyptians felt the pressure of hunger, they might soon have wasted the fruits of his provident care. They would have consumed those precious products of the earth, that would afterwards be necessary for themselves. Joseph therefore acted as one who knew that we are too little disposed to set a value on our blessings, till we have felt the want of them. Hunger, though very unpleasant, is often more useful than fulness of bread. Joseph opened all the store-houses. Heb. n nnb¬ on yiphtah eth kol asher bahem, opened all wherein (was); i. e. wherein corn was; implying that it was dealt out with a generous liberality from

CHAPTER XLII.

THE progress of events is bringing us still nearer the grand crisis which God had designed from the beginning in reference to Jacob's family. With this view the scene now shifts from Egypt to Canaan, which we find visited also with the common calamity. Even that land whose characteristic it was, that it flowed with milk and honey, was made to feel the effects of famine, and Jacob, the heir of promise, with his numerous household are represented as ready to perish for lack of food. This was a new trial to the faith of the patriarch, who had so long been a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. But enabled as we are to contemplate the issues of these events together with

a

CHAPTER XLII.
Now
OW when Jacob saw that
there was corn in Egypt, Ja-

a Acts 7. 12,

cob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

2 And he said, Behold I have

ed to see the voice that spake with me.' In this sense of understanding is the language of the Evangelist to be interpreted, John 1. 18, 'No man hath seen God at any time;' i. e. hath fully and perfectly known him; hath duly apThis made it necessary that 'the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, should declare him.'-¶ That there was corn in Egypt. Heb. sheber, breaking; so called for the reason given above, Gen. 41. 56. Gr.

their commencements, we can see how wisely every step was ordered to accomplish the destined end. The distress occasioned by the famine would no doubt tend to bring down the high spirit of Jacob's sons and prepare them for that scene of overwhelming humil-prehended his nature. iation which awaited them in Egypt. Seeing their children crying for bread with none to give them, conscience would unquestionably awaken the bitter memory of guilt long past, and bring before them the time when they resolved, in cold blood, to starve an in-paris a selling. Chal. "That corn was nocent brother to death. But there was still a farther design in all this. It was the will of God that Jacob should go down with his whole family to the land of Egypt, where his seed were to be oppressed till the time of their glorious deliverance; and considering the patriarch's great age and his hereditary attachment to the land of promise, we can see that under the influence of ordinary motives he would not have been induced to leave it. But it did not come within the plan of the divine proceedings to exercise any force upon Jacob's will. Whatever he did, he was to do it freely and rationally. Precisely such a train of events as that here re-wrought to give relief, when lawful and lated was adapted, as every one can see, with infinite wisdom to bring about the designed result. But we proceed to the details.

1. Now when Jacob saw, &c. That is, learnt, understood, received information. The word 'see' is often equivalent to understand or to have a perception of a thing, whether by means of the sense of seeing or any other. Thus, Ex. 20. 18, 'And all the people saw the thunderings.' Rev. 1. 12, 'And I turn

sold.'- -¶ Why do ye look one upon
another? Gr. 'Why are ye slothful?'
Vulg. 'Why are ye negligent?' Syr.
'Do not be afraid.' Why spend that
time in painful anxiety which might
have been better employed? None of
them proposed an effectual remedy for
relieving the present distress. They
all looked at one another as if each ex-
pected that the other would suggest
something for their common benefit.
But they were all equally at a loss
what to say or do. Jacob however had
been too long schooled in the ways of
God to expect, under any pressure of
affliction, that a miracle would be

practicable means are in our power. He therefore rouses his hesitating sons from their torpor, and proposes an immediate journey into Egypt to purchase corn. As there is no necessity so strong as that of hunger, whatever repugnance they may have felt, from the haunting recollections of the past, to going down to Egypt, the country to which Joseph had been sold, it was at length overruled, and they determined to go.

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