Genesis 37

Ver. 2. These are the generations of Jacob] Or things which happened to him. Bp. Kidder. — their evil report.] What evil lives they led. Bp. Patrick.

— a coat of many colours.] Generally thought to signify a garment wrought with threads of divers colours, or made up of variegated pieces of silk or stuff. Bp. Patrick.

Chap. XXXVIII. ver. 1.—at that time,] Judah was married about eight years before Joseph was sold; Joseph being then not above twelve years of age. Therefore the words “at that time,” do not refer to the time of Judah’s marriage, but to the deaths of Er and Onan; which happened not long after Joseph was sold, and shew how Judah was punished in his children for the sale of his righteous brother. Dr. Lightfoot.

—Adullamite,] A citizen of Adullam, a famous H Before CHRIST about 1728. runuch: But the word doth signify not only runuchs, but also chamberlains, courtiers, and officers. chief of the slaughtermen, or, executioners. marshal. Tamar stayeth for Shelah. She deceiveth Judah. Before CHRIST about 1737. wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

— he knew her again no more.] This abstaining from sin is necessary, and without it we cannot be said to repent. Bp. Kidder. If this had not cost Judah many a sigh, he had no more escaped his father’s curse than Reuben did. The difference was not in the sins, but in the men. Bp. Hall.

Chap. XXXIX. ver. 2. And the Lord was with Joseph,] To guide him in his deportment, and in the management of all affairs committed to him, Bp. Patrick. He was favourable and merciful to him in his affliction. Bp. Kidder.

— he was in the house of his master] One of his domestick servants. Bp. Patrick.

Genesis 37:3

3. — because he was the son of his old age:] Not because he was his youngest son, for that he was not, Benjamin being younger. But probably because, after a long season of barrenness, he was born of Rachel, the most beloved consort of Jacob; and because, at the period referred to, he was arrived at an age, when he was capable of affording more comfort to the declining years of his father, than his younger I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

Genesis 37:4

4. — overseer] The office, to which Joseph was thus promoted, was one of great trust and honour; for he was made superintendant of all the property of Potiphar. Fragments to Calmet.

Here was a prodigious change of circumstances. He, who a little before was sold by his brethren, brought down to Egypt, and delivered over to Potiphar as a slave, in now advanced to a creditable and advantageous post; made steward to a rich and great man; the director of all his fortunes. This instance should teach us to rely

H 2 Before CHRIST about 1727. Or, Wherefore hast thou made this breach against thee? ¶ That is, a breach.

Genesis 37:5

5. — dreamed a dream.] See the note on chap. xx. 3. In the manifestations, which God made of Himself by dreams, the point, intended to be disclosed, was either expressly signified; or else shadowed forth by sufficient representations and emblems. These emblems again were sometimes so plain and clear, that their meaning was immediately apprehended; as in these dreams of Joseph: at other times they were more difficult to be understood, so that the person, who saw the dream, was a stranger to its meaning. In this case Providence so ordered it, that there was some one in the way, to whom the gift of interpreting dreams was vouchsafed. Of this we have instances in the dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and baker, and afterwards in Pharaoh’s own dreams; which were interpreted by Joseph, and the meaning justified by the accomplishment. Bp. Conybeare.

Genesis 37:7

7. — and the Lord slew him.] By some extraordinary judgment. Bp. Wilson. Notorious sinners God reserves to His own vengeance. He doth not inflict sensible judgments upon all His enemies, lest the wicked should think there were no punishment abiding for them elsewhere. He doth inflict such judgments upon some, lest He should seem careless of evil. It were as easy for Him to strike all dead, as one: but He would rather all should be warned by one; and would have his enemies find Him merciful, as well as His children, just. Bp. Hall.

Genesis 37:8

8. — marry her, and raise up seed &c.] This is the first mention of the custom, which nevertheless seems to have been a very common one, and well understood by Onan; for he knew that the firstborn son was not to be accounted his, but his deceased brother’s; to be called by his name, and inherit his estate. Stackhouse.

Genesis 37:9

9. — the eleven stars] The obeisance of the sun, moon, and eleven stars (or constellations of the Zodiack) to him the twelfth. Dr. Hales.

Genesis 37:10

10. — his father rebuked him.] Gave him a check; that Joseph might not grow proud, and that his brethren might not be provoked to hate him. Still Jacob did not look upon the dream as a mere fancy, but laid it up in his heart. Bp. Patrick. — What is this dream &c.] From this time forward in all the Scripture, when in any dream, vision, parable, or prophecy there is mention of sun, moon, Before CHRIST 1729. Joseph’s brethren conspire his death. He is cast into a pit, and Before CHRIST 1729. about 1729. peace of thy brethren, &c. of dreams.

11. — he slew him also.] Thus Judah, who deprived his aged father of his son, is himself deprived of two of his own sons. Bp. Wilson.

Genesis 37:12

12. — their father’s flock in Shechem.] Not that Shechem, I suppose, where they had so lately robbed and murdered the people, and where they had been afraid of being pursued by the neighbours: the Septuagint makes a difference in the spelling of that name and this: here it is Sychem; that Shechem it always calls Sekima: it was more northward. This Sychem and Dothan, which must be nigh it, were in the way, which the Ishmeelites took from Gilead to Egypt. Dr. Wall.

Genesis 37:13

13. — to shear his sheep.] Sheepshearing was a kind of harvest, and used to be observed with the same sort

Genesis 37:14

14. — covered her with a vail.] As all women did in the Eastern countries, when they went abroad. This is still the practice, and is required by several passages in the Koran. Bp. Patrick. — and sat in an open place.] Hoping to impose herself, either upon Judah himself, on his return from the feast, or upon Shelah, whom she presumed, he would take with him. This most desperate and unlawful proceeding of Tamar was probably undertaken out of revenge upon Judah, for not fulfilling his promise, but retaining Shelah from her, after he was fully arrived at man’s estate. Pyle.

15. — to mock us:] To disgrace us, by committing a sin so foul and so dishonourable to us. Bp. Kidder.

Genesis 37:15

15. — because she had covered her face.] This is not the reason, why he took her for an harlot; but why he did not know her to be his daughter-in-law, because he could not see her face. He thought her to be an harlot, because she sat in the highway, where she publicly exposed herself. Selden, Bp. Patrick.

Genesis 37:17

17. And she spake unto him, — saying, &c.] Thus one sin draws on another. She had been unfaithful to her lord, in endeavouring to bring dishonour on him: and when these endeavours did not succeed, she could not stop here, but aggravated the fault of a criminal desire by a false accusation. The same may be observed in almost every other instance of sin. When we venture on the commission of it, we lose the command of ourselves: we roll on, as a stone down a precipice, unable to say where we shall stop, or how far we shall go. Bp. Conybeare.

Genesis 37:18

18. — they conspired against him to slay him.] See in this instance the sad consequences of giving way to anger! At first perhaps the displeasure, which they conceived against their brother, was moderate, and pardonable in persons so liable to errour as men are. But then, the first cool reflections ought to have checked these resentments, and have brought them back to a better temper. Instead of this, they laid hold of every opportunity to keep up, and even to heighten their passion. They rose from one degree to another; till at length they deliberated about the commission of an action, which in former times they could not have thought on without horreur. They “conspired together to slay their brother:"—to commit murder, a crime abhorred both by God and man;—and this upon so near a relation, as a brother, whose life they ought to pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

19. — thy bracelets.] According to the views of different commentators, the word, translated “bracelets,” is supposed to be a cloak, or girdle; Bp. Patrick, Pyle. She beareth Pharez and Zarah. CHAP. XXXVIII, XXXIX. Joseph advanced. Before CHRIST about 1727. a contempt.

it to her, lest we † be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

Genesis 37:20

20. And Joseph’s master took him,] This error of Potiphar, for I will not give it any harsher name, cost Joseph dear. He forfeited his post; and, what is worse, was treated as the worst of criminals. Hence we may learn, that the greatest innocence cannot secure us from misfortunes. We are born to trouble; and ought rather to expect it, than be surprised at it. Nay, it sometimes happens, that our virtue itself will expose us to sufferings. Yet we ought not on this account to question the providence of God. This world is a place, not of retribution, but of trial. If we are true to ourselves, God will assist us in these sufferings; and perhaps make

Before CHRIST 1729.

Genesis 37:21

21. And Reuben heard it, &c.] Several reasons may be assigned for this interference of Reuben: such as the common feelings of humanity, fraternal affection, or the sense of responsibility to God for the murder of an innocent and excellent youth. Besides these reasons, which Josephus suggests, he may have either thought himself most concerned to save his brother, as being the firstborn, and therefore likely to be the first in blame: or he may have hoped, by thus piously and compassionately preserving the favourite Joseph, to recover that place in his father’s affection, which he had lost by his late crime. Stockhouse.

Genesis 37:25

25. — a company of Ishmeelites] They are called below Midianites. These people were near neighbours to each other; and were joined together in one company or caravan, as it is now called. It is the custom, even to this day, in the East, for merchants and others to travel through the deserts in large companies, for fear of robbers or wild beasts. Bp. Patrick.

Genesis 37:27

27. Come, and let us sell him &c.] The providence of God makes use of the wickedness of men to accomplish his designs. His ways are dark and to us unsearchable, till they are cleared up by the event. Means, to us unlikely, are applied by God to bring about the most Before CHRIST about 1729. a Chap. 42. 27. hourbeard.

Joseph is sold to the Ishmeelites. CHAP. XXXVII, XXXVIII. Judah begetteth three sons.

Before CHRIST about 1728. b Ps. 105. 17. Wisd. 10. 13. Acts 7. 9.

Genesis 37:29

29.—he rent his clothes.] This was an Eastern way of expressing either grief for calamity, or horror for sin. Reuben was the first we read of, who, to denote his exceeding sorrow, “rent his clothes:” and as Jacob, we find ver. 34, does the same, we may suppose it to have been an usual manner of expressing grief and uneasiness of mind in those days. Putting on sackcloth, which Jacob is here first described as doing, was afterwards common on all mournful occasions. “Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner,” 2 Sam. iii. 31. “Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry,” Esth. iv. 1—3. Stackhouse. Calmet.

Genesis 37:30

30.—the child is not;] That is, he is dead. A common Scripture phrase.

Genesis 37:33

33. — Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed:] Though the fact, he had committed, was not punished by the laws, yet men were ashamed it should be known, which was a sign that they were sensible of its moral turpitude. Agreeable to this is the sense of Judah’s words: “It is better to lose what she hath of our’s, than, by inquisition after it, to divulge the business, and increase our shame.” Bp. Patrick.

Genesis 37:34

34. — Judah said, Bring her forth,] If Judah had not forgotten his sin, his pity had been more than his hatred, to this of his daughter’s. How easy is it to detest those sins in others, which we flatter in ourselves! Bp. Hall.

— let her be burnt.] Some think burning was the punishment for adultery in those days; others, that the punishment depended on the will of the supreme governor, whom some suppose Judah himself to have been, as chief in his own family. Others suppose, that by burning is meant no more than branding her in the forehead. All this proceeds on the supposition of her being an adulteress, as the wife of Shelah, by virtue of the first contract with his eldest brother. Bp. Patrick.

Genesis 37:35

35.—all his daughters] Dinah and his sons’ wives.

—I will go down into the grave &c.] That is, to the state or place of the dead. The sense is, I will not cease mourning until I die and be laid in the grave. Stackhouse.

The translation into the grave is wrong; as if he meant to have his body laid by Joseph’s. That could not be, for he thought him devoured by wild beasts. It means, into the invisible state, the state of departed souls; and in this sense it is said of several of the Patriarchs, that they “were gathered unto their people,” Gen. xxv. 8; xxxv. 29; xlix. 29; and of “all that Vol. I.

35. — She hath been more righteous than I;] Tamar had kept her faith with Judah for a considerable time, living long a widow in expectation of being married, as she ought to have been, to his son Shelah. In that respect,

¶ How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called ¶ 4 Pharez.