Commentary on Genesis John Calvin
COMMENTARY ON GENESIS
would never have hoped that God, for the sake of one who was dead, would prove so bountiful towards his children. Now, to give the greater weight to his command, Jacob declares that this thing had not come first into his own mind, but that he had been thus taught by his forefathers. Abraham, he says, bought that sepulcher for himself and his family: hitherto, we have sacredly kept the law delivered to us by him. You must therefore take care not to violate it, in order that after my death also, some token of the favor of God may continue with us.
33. He gathered up his feet. The expression is not superfluous: because Moses wished thereby to describe the placid death of the holy man: as if he had said, that the aged saint gave directions respecting the disposal of his body, as easily as healthy and vigorous men are wont to compose themselves to sleep. And truly a wonderful vigor and presence of mind was necessary for him, when, while death was in his countenance, he thus courageously fulfilled the prophetic office enjoined upon him. And it is not to be doubted that such efficacy of the Holy Spirit manifested itself in him, as served to produce, in his sons, confidence in, and reverence for his prophecies. At the same time, however, it is proper to observe, that it is the effect of a good conscience, to be able to depart out of the world without terror. For since death is by nature formidable, wonderful torments agitate the wicked, when they perceive that they are summoned to the tribunal of God. Moreover, in order that a good conscience may lead us peacefully and quietly to the grave, it is necessary to rely upon the resurrection of Christ; for we then go willingly to God, when we have confidence respecting a better life. We shall not deem it grievous to leave this failing tabernacle, when we reflect on the everlasting abode which is prepared for us.
Notes
Chapter 50
CHAPTER 50
Genesis 50:1-26
Genesis 50:1-26
1 And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.
1. Et jactavit se Joseph super faciem patris sui, et flevit super cum, et osculatus est eum.
2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.
2. Et praecepti Joseph servis suis medicis, ut aromatibus condrientpatrem suum, et aromatibus condiverunt medici ipsum Israel.
3 And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.
3. Completi autem sunt ei quadraginta dies: sic enim complentur dies eorum qui condiuntur aromatibus: et fleverunt eum Aegyptii septuginta diebus.
COMMENTARY ON GENESIS
4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,
4. Transierunt itaque dies luctus ejus: et loquutus est Joseph ad domum Pharaonis dicendo, Si quaeso inveni gratiam in oculis vestris, loquimini quaeso in auribus Pharaonis, dicendo, 5 My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
5. Pater meus adjuravit me, dicendo Ecce ego morior: in sepulcro meo, quod fodi mihi in terra Chenann, sepelies me: nunc igitur ascendam, obscero, et sepeliam patrem meum, et revertat.
6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.
6. Et dixit Pharao, Ascende, et sepeli patrem tuum, quemadodum adjuravit to.
7 And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
7. Ascendit ergo Joseph ut sepeliret patrem suum: ascenderuntque cum eo omnes servi Pharoanis seniores domus ejus, et omnes seniores terrae Aegypti, 8 And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.
8. Et omnis domus Joseph, et fratres ejus, et domus patris ejus: tantummodo parvulos suos, et pecudes suas et boves suos reliquerent in terra Gosen.
9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.
9. Et ascenderunt cum eo etiam currus, etiam equites: et fuit turma gravis valde.
JOHN CALVIN
10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
10. Porro venerunt usque ad aream Atad, quae est trand Jordanem: et planxerunt ibi planctu magno et gravi valde: et fecit patrisuo luctum septem diebus.
11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.
11. Et viderunt habitatores terrae Chenaaneaei luctum in area Atad, et dixerunt, Luctus gravis est iste Aegyptiis: idcirco vocatum fuit nomen ejus Abel — Misraim, (id est luctus Aegyptorum,) qui est trand Jordanem.
12 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:
12. Fecerunt ergo filii ejus ei sic, quemadmodum praeceperat eis.
13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.
13. Quia tulerunt eum filii ejus in terra Chenaan sepelieruntque eum in spelunca agri duplici, quam emit Abraham, cum agro in possessionem sepulcri, ab Hephron Hittaeo ante Mamre.
14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
14. Et reversus est Joseph in Aegyptum, ipse et frateres ejus, et omnes qui ascenderant cum eo ad sepleindum patrem ejus, postquam sepelivit patrem suum.
15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
15. Videntes autem fratres Joseph, quod mortuus esset pater ecorum, dixerunt Fortasse odio habebit nos Joseph, et reddendo reddet nobis omne malum, qui affecimus eum.
COMMENTARY ON GENESIS
16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
16. Propterea mandarunt at Joseph, dicendo, Pater tuus praecepit, antequam moreretur, dicendo, 17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
17. Sic dicetis Joseph, Obsecro, parce nunc sceleri fratrum tuorum, et peccato eorum: quia malum inturlerunt tibi, nunc igitur parce quaeso sceleri servorum Dei patris tui. Flevit autem Joseph, dum illi loquerentur cum eo.
18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
18. Nam profecto sunt etiam fratres ejus, et prostraverunt se coram eo, et dixerunt Ecce, summus tibi servi.
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
19. Et dixit ad eos Joseph, Ne timeatis: numquid enim loco Dei sum?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
20. Vos quidem cogitasis adversum me malum: Deus autem cogitavit illud in bonum, ut faceret se secundum diem hanc, ut vivificaret populum multum.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
21. Nunc itaque ne timeatis, ego alam vos, et parvulos vestros. Et consolatue est eos, et loquutus est ad cor eorum.
22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.
22. Et habitavie Joseph in Aegypto, ipse et domus patris ejus: et vixit Joseph centum et decem annos.