Jacob, having obtained the promise of inhe- 1760. ritance, was sent by his father to Padan-aram, or Syria, to take a wife out of his own family, that he might avoid a connection with the accursed family of Canaan, into which Esau had married; and from the character (w) given of "the daughters of Canaan," we may conclude that the people were then hastening "to fill the cup of their iniquity." Jacob was favoured with a vision in his way to Padan-aram, by which God was pleased to establish his covenant with him, as he had done with Abraham and with Isaac (r). After residing there some time, he married Leah and Rachel, the two daughters of Laban, his mother's brother. By Leah he had six sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zabulon; by Rachel he had two, namely, Joseph and Benjamin. He had also two sons, Dan and Naphthali, by Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; and he had two other sons, Gad (w) Gen. c. 27. v. 46. (x) It may be observed, that God was pleased to renew with Isaac and with Jacob the covenant he had made with Abraham, because Abraham had other sons by Hagar and his second wife Keturah, and Isaac had two sons; but all the twelve sons of Jacob inherited the promises, and we therefore hear of no renewal of the covenant till the time arrived for the beginning of the fulfilment of the promises, when Moses was to conduct them out of Egypt, and give them a peculiar law. Gad and Ashur, by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid. These twelve sons were all born to Jacob in Padan-aram; but Jacob returned to the land of Canaan before the death of his father Isaac. In his way thither, God was pleased to grant Jacob a remarkable token of his favour, and to change his name to Israel (y), whence his posterity were called Israelites. Esau had been some time established in Mount Seir, since called Edom (z), when his father died. He seems however to have returned to the plains of Mamre, on that event, for a short time at least; for it is said, that "Esau went from the face of his brother Jacob, for their families and cattle were more than the land would bear together, and dwelt in Mount Seir (a)." Joseph (b) was the favourite son of Jacob: "And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him (c);" and Joseph, by relating to them two prophetic dreams, with which he was favoured, denoting that his condition in the world would be superior to theirs, greatly increased their envy and hatred. (y) Gen. c. 32. v, 28. It (z) The descendants of Esau are called Edomites in Scripture. (a) Gen. c. 36. v. 6, &c. (b) I cannot but refer my readers to the remarkable account of Joseph given by Justin, lib. 36. cap.2. (c) Gen. c. 37. v.4. It happened that Jacob sent Joseph to the fields, "to enquire after his brethren and the flocks," and when his brothers saw him they resolved to kill him; but being dissuaded by Reuben from shedding his blood, they threw him naked into a pit. It was Reuben's design to have taken him. from thence, and to have preserved him; but before he could execute this design, the other brothers, who probably repented of their cruelty as soon as they had gratified their resentment, seeing some Ishmaelites, who were merchants, passing by in their way to Egypt, sold Joseph 1728. to them as the means of saving his life, without discovering their wickedness to their father; they then besmeared his coat with blood, and carried it to Jacob, who, concluding that his darling child was devoured by a wild beast, put on sackcloth, and "mourned many days.". In the meantime Joseph was carried into Egypt, and sold to Potiphar, the chief officer under Pharaoh the king. "The Lord made all that Joseph did to prosper, and he found favour in the sight of his master, who made him overseer of his house, and put all that he had into his hands (d)." But there was a sudden reverse in Joseph's prosperity. Potiphar's wife endeavoured to seduce Joseph to dishonour his master's bed; "but he refused, and he said unto his master's (d) Gen. c. 39. v. 3 and 4. master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept any thing back from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God (d)?"Incensed by his resolute refusal, this woman falsely accused him to her husband of having attempted to commit that crime by force, of which she could not, after repeated trials, prevail upon him to be guilty. Potiphar believed the accusation, and cast Joseph into prison. But here also God was with Joseph, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. The keeper entrusted to him the whole care of the prison, "and that which he did there likewise, the Lord made it to prosper (e)." It happened that the chief baker and chief butler of Pharaoh, who were confined in the same prison, dreamed each a dream, and Joseph interpreted their dreams to them, foretelling, that at the expiration of three days, the baker would be hanged on a tree, and that the butler would be restored to his former situation in Pharaoh's family. Both these events happened precisely as Joseph had foretold. About two years after, Pharaoh had two dreams, (d) Gen. c. 39. v. 8 and 9. which which none of the wise men of the country could explain; but the butler, recollecting Joseph, who was still in prison, mentioned him to Pharaoh ; and the king sent for Joseph to interpret them. 1715. Joseph was enabled by God to understand the dreams; and told Pharaoh, that they portended seven years of plenty, which would be followed by seven years of famine; and added, "Let therefore Pharaoh appoint officers over the land, and let them gather corn, in the seven plenteous years; and this food shall be for store against the seven years of famine (f)." The king, admiring the wisdom of Joseph, and justly concluding that "the spirit of God was in him (g)," entrusted to his care the business of collecting the corn, and gave him full power in all other concerns of his kingdom. From `all these transactions it appears, that the Egyptians worshipped the true God in these early ages, though their religion was probably corrupted with some idolatrous mixture.. The seven years of plenty came according to Joseph's interpretation of the dreams, and vast quantities of corn were laid up conformably to his advice. Afterwards began the years of famine, which was 1708. not confined to Egypt, but extended "over all the face of the earth." Then the storehouses (f) Gen. c. 41. v. 34 and 36. were |
