Chapter 37:
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| Matthew Henry
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Revelation Exodus
Genesis 37
At this chapter begins the story of Joseph, Jacob's eldest
son, by his beloved wife Rachel. It is so remarkably divided
between his humiliation and his exaltation, that we cannot avoid
seeing something of Christ in it, who was first humbled and then
exalted; it also shews the lot of Christians, who must through
many tribulations enter into the kingdom. In this chapter we have,
I. The malice his brethren bore against him: they hated him,
1. Because he informed his father of their wickedness, ver. 1, 2.
2. Because his father loved him, ver. 3, 4.
3. Because he dreamed of his dominion over them, ver. 5-11.
II. The mischiefs his brethren designed, and did to him.
1. His visit he made them gave an opportunity, ver. 12-17.
2. They designed to slay him, but determined to starve him, ver.
18-24.
3. They changed their purpose, and sold him for a slave, ver. 25-
28.
4. They made their father believe that he was torn in pieces, ver.
29-35.
5. He was sold in Egypt to Potiphar, ver. xxxvi, And all this
was working together for good.
Verse 2. These are the generations of Jacob - It is not a barren
genealogy, as those of Esau, but a memorable useful history.
Joseph brought to his father their evil report - Jacob's sons did that
when they were from under his eye, which they durst not have
done if they had been at home with him; but Joseph gave his
father an account of their ill carriage, that he might reprove and
restrain them.
Verse
3. He made him a coat of divers colours - Which probably was
significant of farther honours intended him.
Verse
5. Though he was now very young, about seventeen years old, yet
he was pious and devout, and this fitted him for God's gracious
discoveries to him. Joseph had a great deal of trouble before him,
and therefore God gave him betimes this prospect of his
advancement, to support and comfort him.
Verse
8. Shalt thou indeed reign over us? - See here,
1. How truly they interpreted his dream? The event exactly
answered this interpretation, chap. xlii, 6, &c.
2. How scornfully they resented it, Shalt thou that art but one,
reign over us that are many? Thou that art the youngest, over us
that are elder? The reign of Jesus Christ, our Joseph, is despised
and striven against by an unbelieving world, who cannot endure to
think that this man should reign over them. The dominion also of
the upright in the morning of the resurrection is thought of with
the utmost disdain.
Verse
10. His father rebuked him - Probably to lessen the offense which
his brethren would take at it; yet he took notice of it more than he
seemed to do.
Verse
18. And when they saw him afar off they conspired against him -
It was not in a heat, or upon a sudden provocation, that they
thought to slay him, but from malice propense, and in cold blood.
Verse
21. And Reuben heard it - God can raise up friends for his people,
even among their enemies. Reuben of all the brothers had most
reason to be jealous of Joseph, for he was the first-born, and so
entitled to those distinguishing favours which Jacob was
conferring on Joseph, yet he proves his best friend. Reuben's
temper seems to have been soft and effeminate, which had
betrayed him to the sin of uncleanness, while the temper of the
two next brothers, Simeon and Levi, was fierce, which betrayed
them to the sin of murder, a sin which Reuben startled at the
thought of. He made a proposal which they thought would
effectually destroy Joseph, and yet which he designed should
answer his intention of rescuing Joseph out of their hands,
probably hoping thereby to recover his father's favour which he
had lately lost; but God over-ruled all to serve his own purpose of
making Joseph an instrument to save much people alive. Joseph
was here a type of Christ. Though he was the beloved Son of his
Father, and hated by a wicked world; yet the Father sent him out
of his bosom to visit us; he came from heaven to earth to seek and
save us; yet then malicious plots were laid against him; he came
to his own, and his own not only received him not, but consulted,
This is the heir, come let us kill him. This he submitted to, in
pursuance of his design to save us.
Verse
24. They call him into a pit - To perish there with hunger and
cold; so cruel were their tender mercies.
Verse
25. They sat down to eat bread - They felt no remorse of
conscience, which if they had, would have spoiled their stomach
to their meat. A great force put upon conscience commonly
stupifies it, and for the time deprives it both of sense and speech.
Verse
26. What profit is it if we slay our brother? - It will be less guilt
and more gain to sell him. They all agreed to this. And as Joseph
was sold by the contrivance of Judah for twenty pieces of silver,
so was our Lord Jesus for thirty, and by one of the same name too,
Judas. Reuben it seems, was gone away from his brethren when
they sold Joseph, intending to come round some other way to the
pit, and to help Joseph out of it. But had this taken effect, what
had become of God's purpose concerning his preferment, in
Egypt? There are many devices of the enemies of God's people to
destroy them, and of their friends to help them, which perhaps are
both disappointed, as these here; but the counsel of the Lord that
shall stand. Reuben thought himself undone because the child was
sold; I, whither shall I go? He being the eldest, his father would
expect from him an account of him; but it proved they had all
been undone, if he had not been sold.
Verse
35. He refused to be comforted - He resolved to go down to the
grave mourning; Great affection to any creature doth but prepare
for so much the greater affliction, when it is either removed from
us, or embittered to us: inordinate love commonly ends in
immoderate grief.
Chapter 37:
| Calvin
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Revelation Exodus
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
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1 Kings
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Revelation
