Chapter XXXVII
Ver. 1-1. Parental Partiality. 1. Jacob dwelt in
tise land wherein his father was a stranger—£. c, sojourner: father used collectively. The patriarch was at
tjiis time .at Jlamre, in the valley of Hebron (cf. ch. 35. 27); and his dwelling there was continued in the same manner, and prompted by the same motives ns that of Abraham and Isaac (Hebrews 11. 13). 3. generations—leading oi'currences, in the domestic history of Jacob, as shown in
tlie narrative about to be commenced. Joseph . . . was
fi rdlng the flock—;i7., Joseph being seventeen years old was a sliepherd over the flock—he a lad, with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. Oversiglit or superintendence is evidently implied. This post of cliief shepherd In the party might l>e assigned him either from his being the son of a principal wile, or from liis own superior qualities of character; and if invested with tliis office, he acted not as a gossiping tell-tale, but ns a "faitliful steward" in reporting Mie scandalous conduct of his brethren. .3. son of his old age—Benjamin being younger, Wiis more the son of his old age, and consequently on that ground might have been expected to be the favourite. Literally renderdd. It is "son of old ago to him" Hebretv phrase, for "a v ise son"—one who possessed observation and wisdom aliove his years—an old licad on young shoulders, made him a coat of many colo5«rn—formed in those early days by sewing together pat<;hes of coloured cloth, and con- ^lde^ed a dress of distinction (Judges 5.30; 2 Samuel 13.
bi-othcrly affection. How astonished and terrified must ho have been at the cold reception, the ferocious aspect, the rough usage of his unnatural assailants! A vivid picture of his state of agony and despair was afterwards drawn by themselves (cf. ch. 42. 21). 3.5. they sat down to eat bread—What a view does this exhibit of those hardened profligates! Their common share In this conspiracy is not the only dismal feature in tlie story. The
rapidity, the almost Instantaneous manner in which the proposal was followed by their Joint resolution, and the
cool Indlfrerencc, or rather the fiendish satisfaction, with which they sat down to regale themselves Is astonishing.
It Is Impossible that mere envy at his dreams, his gaudy
IS). The passion for various colours still reigns amongst the Aralis and other people of ..ic East, who are fon<l of ((Hissing their children in this gaudy attire. But since
dress, or the doating partiality of their common father, could have go.aded them on to such a pitch of frenzied resentment, or confirmed tliem In such consummate wickedness. Their hatred to Joseph must have hud a far deeper seat—must have been produced by dislike to his piety and other e.xcellenclcs, which made his chariwt«'r and conduct a constant censure upon tholrs, and u ao-
llie art of Interweaving various patt( rns was Introduced, " the coats of colours" are difl'erent now from what they peem to have been In patriarchal times, and bear a close resemblance to the vnrhales of tartan. 4. could not peak peaceably unto lulm—<lld not say "peace bo to 38
Joseph Sold by his Brethren. GENESIS XXXVIir, XXXIX. Joseph in Poliphar's Houst.
the government of a supreme and all-wise Disposer. 34, .Tncob rent , his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins—the common signs of Oriental mourning. A rent
couut of wlilch they found that they eoiild neyer be at
ease till they had rid tlieniselvea of his lialed presence. This was the true solution of the mystery, just as it wii-s
Is made In tlie skirt more or less long according to the atUicted feelings of the mourner, and a coarse rough piece of black sackcloth or camel's liair cloth is wound round the waist. 35. and he said, For I will go doivn into the grave unto my son—not the earth, for Joseph was supposed to be torn in pieces, but the unknown place— the place of dejiarted souls, where Jacob expected at death to meet his beloved son.
In the case of Cain (1 John S. 12). tliry li<"t«-il tip tlit-lr
eyc«, . . . ami, toeUolcl, a company of IsUiiia«-llt«'s— they are called Midijinites (c. '28), and Mcdaiiiti s, Hfhrcw
(v. 36), being a travelling earavan eonifiosed of a inixe<l association of Arabiaiis. Tliose tril)esof Nortliern Aral)ia had already addicted tliemselve.s to conimeree, and Ion;; did they enjoy a monopoly, the o^rryliiK trade l)einK entirely in their hands. Their approach could easily lie Been; for as their road, alter crossing the ford from the transjordanic distriet, led along the south side of llie mountains of Gilboa, a party sealed on (he plain of Dothan could trace tlietn and their string of camels In the distance as they proceeded through the broad and gently-sloping valley that intervenes. Trailing in llie produce of Arabia and India, they were in the regular course of traffic on their way to Egypt: and tlie eliief