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23

Jacob's family; Isaac's death and burial; Esau's descendants and connections.

2

NOW the sons of Jacob were twelve: The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's eh. 46. 8; Ex. L. 2 24 firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: the sons 25 of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; 26 Dan, and Naphtali: and the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padan-aram.i

a

b

b Jos. 14. 15; 15. 13

eh. 15. 15; 25 8.

d so ch. 25. 9; 49. J.

ch. 25 30.
ch. 26. 34

27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, ch. 13 18; 23 2, 19. 28 which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. And the days of Isaac 29 were an hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. 36 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholi-ver. 25 3 bamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; and Bashemath & ch. 28. 9. 4 Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth. And 'Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and 1 Chr. 1. 35. 5 Bashemath bare Reuel; and Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan. And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his 7 brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and 'the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their 8 cattle. Thus dwelt Esau in "mount Seir: "Esau is Edom.

6

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ch. 13. 6, 11.
ch. 17. 8; 28. £

ch. 32. 3: Deu. 25;
Jos. 24. 4.

n ver. 1.

Por, Zephi, 1 Chr. 1.
31
Ex. 17. 8, 14; Num

9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount 10 Seir: these are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of 1 Chr. 1. 25, etc. 11 Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. And the sons of Eliphaz 12 were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of 13 Adah, Esau's wife. And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Sham14 mah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath, Esau's wife. And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.

15 These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of 16 Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz, duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land 17 of Edom; these were the sons of Adah. And these are the sons of Reuel, Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath, 18 Esau's wife. And these are the sons of Aholibamah, Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the 19 daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and

these are their dukes.

21 20:

2, 3, etc.

ch. 14. 6; De 2

12, 22.

1. 39.

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20 These are the sons of Seir 'the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Chr. 1. 38. 21 Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the 22 dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom. And the children 23 of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna. And the chil-tor. Hamam, 1 Chr. dren of Shobal were these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and 24 Onam. And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules' in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon 25 his father. And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the 26 daughter of Anah. And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, 27 and Ithran, and Cherau. The children of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, 28 and Akan. The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran. These are the dukes that came of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke 30 Anah, duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these are the dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.

1 All but Benjamin.

2 Here (as in chap. xxv. 12-18, with respect to Ishmael) the history of Isaac's family is closed with a brief notice of Esau's descendants, who were afterwards intimately connected with the Israelites, either as enemies, or allies, or subjects. Many of the names here given differ somewhat from those found in ether passages; but it was common to have several names, and to have a name varied into different forms, retaining the same meaning. The same name, also, was common to many persons; such

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as Amalek, Eliphaz, Teman, Aholibamah. The 'dukes'
were apparently heads of tribes, now called scheichs; and
over the whole were kings. The kingdom was probably,
at first, elective; and afterwards hereditary. The Horites
of Seir are introduced, as Esau's family intermarried with
them; though they afterwards destroyed or expelled them.
3 This Hebrew word occurs nowhere else; und is ren-
dered by some Emnim, or giants (see Deut. ii. 10), but by
others, with more probability, warm springs'-
-a valushe
discovery.

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31

i Chr. 1. 43.

And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned 32 any king over the children of Israel.' And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: 33 and the name of his city was Dinhabah. And Bela died, and Jobab the son of 34 Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. And Jobab died, and Husham of the land 35 of Temani reigned in his stead. And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his 36 city was Avith. And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. 37 And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. And 39 Saul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar' reigned in his stead: and the name of 1 Chr. 1. 50, Hadad his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

40

Pai.

And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their 1 Chr. 1. 51. families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke 41 Jetheth, duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, duke Kenaz, duke Teman, 43 duke Mibzar, duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the 37 Edomites. And3 Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

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Family history of Jacob; Joseph hated and sold by his brethren. THESE are the generations of Jacob.

Joseph' being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's 3 wives and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and 4 he made him a coat of many colours [or, pieces]. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

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12

A

i

ch. 17. 8; 23. 4; 28. 4; 36. 7; Heb. 11. 9.

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* eh. 42. 6, 9; 43 26; 44. 14

Lk. 19. 14; 20. 17.

ch. 46. 29.

neh. 27. 29.

• Mt. 27. 18: Ac. 7. 9. P Dan. 7. 28; Lk. 2 19, 51.

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him 6 yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I 7 have dreamed: for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, 8 and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, 'Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they 9 hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold," the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance 10 to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and " thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to 11 the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father P observed the saying. And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I9 Lk. 20. 13. 14 will send thee unto them. Ånd he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, 15 and he came to Shechem. And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was 16 wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren: 'tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. 17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, ""they 19 conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this 20 dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see 21 what will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him

18

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ch. 25. 27.

Can. 1. 7.

2 Ki. 6. 13.
Sam. 19. 1: P. 31.
13; 37. 12, 32; 91. 21:
Mi. 27. 1; Mk. 14. 1;
John 11. 53; Ac.
23. 12.

P. 64. 5; Mt. 12. 7.
y Pro. 1. 11, 16; 6. 17;
27. 4.
Mr. 27. 40-42.
4 ch. 42. 22.

4 Or, family history of Jacob,' who is now the head of the chosen race.

5 The history of Joseph, which is so remarkably divided between his humiliation and his exaltation, affords many interesting analogies to that of the Saviour of the world, and of all his faithful followers.

6 These were significant dreams sent by God; hastening their own fulfilment by the malice which the narration of them excited.

7 About fifty miles from Hebron. Dothan was probably about twelve or fifteen miles further.

22 out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript 77. B. 24 Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; and they took

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Pro. 30. 20; Am.6.6 d see vers. 28, 36. • Jer. 8. 22.

Job 16. 18
#1 Sam. 18. 17.
heh. 42. 21.

í ch. 29. 14.
& Judg. 6. 3.

1 ch. 15. 4,5; Pa. 105.
17; Ac. 7. 9.

see Mt. 27. 9.

" Job 1. 20.

him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a company of Ishmeelites' came from Gilead with their camels bearing 26 spicery and balm and myrrh,2 going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal hisch. 4. 10; ver. 20; 27 blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and 'our flesh. And his brethren were content. 28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, 'and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of 29 silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. And Reuben returned unto the 30 pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he " rent his clothes." And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the ver. 23. 32 coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's 33 coat or no. And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath 34 devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob 'rent his clothes, and put sackcloth' upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For 'I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

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36

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And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard."

Occurrences in Judah's family.

38 AND it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, 2 and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah

saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, who name was Shuah; and he 3 took her, and went in unto her. And she conceived, and bare a son; and he 4 called his name "Er. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called 5 his name Onan. And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.

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6 And Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew 8 him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry 9 her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he 10 spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the 11 thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, * Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt 'in her father's house.

eh. 42. 13, 36; Jer. 31. 15.

9 ver. 20; ch. 44. 28 ver. 29; 2 Sam. 3.31.

2 Sam. 12. 17. teh. 42. 38; 44. 29,31.

"ch. 39. 1.

ch. 19. 3; 2 Ki. 4. 6;
Pro. 1. 20.

y ch. 34. 2
1 Chr. 2. 3.

a ch 46. 12: Num.

26 19.

b ch. 46. 12; Num. 26. 19.

ch. 46. 12; Num. 26. 20.

deb. 21. 21.

ch. 46. 12; Num. 26. 19.

1 Chr. 2. 3; Ps. 55. 23; 1 Tim. 5. 24.

5 Deu. 25. 5; Mt. 22. 24.

A Det. 25. 6.

ich. 46. 12; Num. 26. 19.

Ru. 1. 13.

Le. 22 13

12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah, Judah's wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend 2 Sam. 13, 39. 13 Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father-in-law

1 In ver. 28, Midianites are mentioned; and these two nations are found united against Israel (Judges viii. 22, 24). Living in the same wilderness, they were probably soon intermixed. In the Hebrew, ver. 36 has Medanites, which, if not a mere variety of spelling, is the name of another of the Abrahamic tribes. See chap. xxv. 1.

2 The same articles were sent as presents to Joseph (chap. xliii. 11), and were probably gum tragacanth, balm of Gilead, and ladanum, from the cistus creticus. Although this occurred more than 3500 years ago, it has all the genuine features of a caravan crossing the desert at the present day. The line of commercial communication here described is probably one of the oldest in the world.

3 A frequent sign of mourning in the east; the outer or inner garment, or both, being torn down the front, from the neck to the girdle. The Jews now make a slit downwards, of a hand's breadth, on the right side.

4 Another frequent token of grief, used also by persons

i

professing a special disregard for bodily comfort. See Isa. xx. 2.

5 Egypt has always been a great mart for slaves. 6 Heb., eunuch;' but the word signifies also chamberlains, courtiers, and officers.

7 Heb., 'chief of the slaughtermen,' or 'executioners,' an officer of high rank, charged with the punishment of offences against the sovereign. The kapidji-pacha, in the Turkish court, has a similar office.

8 That is, during this period, though before the later events of the previous chapter. This narrative is necessary to complete the genealogy of our Lord; and it shows how the neglect of religious privileges may lead to the grossest crimes.

9 The firstborn of such a marriage being reckoned the child of the deceased brother. This custom, which had widely prevailed, was afterwards placed under some restrictions by the law of Moses (Deut. xxv. 5-10).

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Jos. 15. 10,57; Judg. 14. 1.

• Pro. 7. 12.

Eze. 16. 33.

r ver. 20.

ver. 25.

14 goeth up" to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw P that Shelah was grown, and P vers. 11, 26. 15 she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be 16 an harlot; because she had covered' her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that 17 thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, 'I will send thee a kid from the 18 flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, 'Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto 19 her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her 20 vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the 21 woman's hand: but he found her not. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way-side? And they said, 22 There was no harlot in this place. And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this 23 place. And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

24

And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath "played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be 25 burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, 26 whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, 'She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

27

And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her 28 womb. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand : and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This 29 came out first. And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon 30 thee therefore his name was called Pharez [i. c. a breach]. And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

:

Joseph's servitude, virtues, and imprisonment.

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39 AND Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, 2 which had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 'And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all 4 that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph 'found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him "overseer over his house, and all that he had he 5 put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that "the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all 6 that he had in the house, and in the field." And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not aught he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well-favoured.

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And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes 8 upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and 9 he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; there is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and 'sin against 10 God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

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1 Or, muffled;' so that he did not recognise her.

2 A seal-ring, worn on the right hand, or suspended from the neck.

3 Or, 'cord,' or 'chain,' by which the seal-ring was suspended.

4 Judah, being head of the family, pronounces a most rigorous sentence; and treats Tamar as an adulteress, as she was legally Shelah's wire.

ver. 14.

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5 That is, I was the occasion of her crime.' 6 A situation better than that of a field-slave. 7 An ungodly family is here blessed for the sake of one good servant in it.

8 A proverb expressive of the full confidence which Potiphar put in Joseph, though a slave.

9 The contrast between Judah falling at once into Tamar's snare, and Joseph steadily resisting repeated

"Jer. 23. 24.
Pro. 7. 13, etc.;

Ece. 7. 26.

11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his 12 business; "and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment,' saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her 13 hand, and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had 14 left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, that she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: 15 and it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he 16 left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment 17 by her, until his lord came home. And she spake unto him according to these y Ex. 23. 1; PL 1201 words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in 18 unto me to mock me: and it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that 19 he left his garment with me, and fled out. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner 20 did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound. And he was there in the prison.

21 C

e

Pro. 6. 34, 35

a Pt. 105. 18; 1 Pet. 2. 19.

b see ch. 40. 3, 15; 41. 14.

e

see refs. ver. 2; Pa.

33.

But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and "gave him favour 22 in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committedx. 3 21; 11. 3; 12 to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they 23 did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that whichvers, 2, 3; Pa. 5. he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

Joseph interprets his fellow-prisoners' dreams.

40 AND it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt 2 and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against 3 the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain 4 of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

5

36; Ps. 103. 46; Pro
16. 7; Dan. 1. 9;
Ac. 7. 9. 10.
40. 3. 4.

3-11.

Neh. 1. 11.

Pro. 16. 14 ch. 39. 20, z3.

And they dreamed a dream both of them, cach man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream,' the butler and the baker 6 of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto 7 them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, 8 saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to-day? And they said unto him, We have ch. 41. 15. dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreters of it. And Joseph said unto them, 'Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

9

k

I see cb. 41. 16; Dan. 2. 11, 28, 47.

And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, 10 behold, a vine was before me; and in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof 11 brought forth ripe grapes and Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's 12 hand. And Joseph said unto him, "This is the interpretation of it: The three 13 branches" are three days: yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift [or, reckon] up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's 14 cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, 31; Lk. unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: 15 for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: 'and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

16

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: 17 and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bake-meats for Pharaoh ; 18 and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head. And Joseph answered

and said, 'This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: 19 "yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift [or, reckon thee, and take thy office

entreaties, shows the great moral influence of true piety; and proves that the Lord was with Joseph' in temptation, as well as in business and in suffering.

1 The hyke, or upper garment, was a large robe, rather loosely fastened.

2 Sinful love commonly changes into violent hatred; and the tempter becomes the accuser.

3 That is, the principal cup-bearer, and the chief cook :

both officers of high rank.

ver. 18: cb. 41 12,
25; Judg. 7. 14;
Dan. 2. 36; 4. 19.
ch. 41. 26; Mt. 26
26; 1 Cor. 10. 4;
Gal, 4. 23.

2 Ki. 23. 27; Pa. 3 3;
Jer. 52. 31.

23. 42.

9 Jos. 2. 12; 1 Sam.
20. 14, 15; 2 Sam. 9.
1; 1 Ki. 2. 7.
eh. 37, 28,

ch. 39. 20; 1 Sam.
21. 11: Ps. 59. 3. 4;
John 15 25; 1 Pet.
2. 22, 23.

ver. 12

ver. 13

Having a meaning and corresponding explanation. 5 The Egyptian sages prided themselves upon their interpretation of dreams: but God, through his servant, was about to teach them that this belongs to him.

6 Or, 'of wicker-work,' or, of fine bread.' The word occurs here only; and is variously rendered in the ancient versions.

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