Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 47
Overview:
Joseph presents his brethren to
Pharaoh.
(1-6) Jacob blesses
Pharaoh.
(7-12) Joseph's dealings with the Egyptians during the
Famine.
(13-26) Jacob's
Age. His desire to be buried in
Canaan.
(27--31)
1-6 Though
Joseph was a great
Man, especially in
Egypt, yet he
owned his brethren. Let the rich and great in the world not
overlook or despise
Poor relations. Our
Lord Jesus is not
ashamed to
Call us brethren. In answer to
Pharaoh's inquiry,
What is your
Calling? they told him that they were shepherds,
adding that they were come to sojourn in the land for a time,
while the
Famine prevailed in
Canaan.
Pharaoh offered to employ
them as shepherds, provided they were active men. Whatever our
business or employment is, we should aim to excel in it, and to
prove ourselves clever and industrious.
7-12 With the gravity of old
Age, the
Piety of a true believer,
and the authority of a
Patriarch and a
Prophet,
Jacob besought
the
Lord to bestow a blessing upon
Pharaoh. He acted as a
Man
not ashamed of his religion; and who would express gratitude to
the benefactor of himself and his family. We have here a very
uncommon answer given to a very common question.
Jacob calls his
Life a pilgrimage; the sojourning of a
Stranger in a foreign
country, or his
Journey home to his own country. He was not at
home upon
Earth; his
Habitation, his inheritance, his treasures
were in
Heaven. He reckons his
Life By days; even
By days
Life
is soon reckoned, and we are not sure of the continuance of it
for a
Day. Let us therefore number our days. His days were few.
Though he had now lived one hundred and thirty years, they
seemed but a few days, in comparison with the days of eternity,
and the eternal state. They were evil; this is true concerning
Man. He is of few days and full of trouble; since his days are
evil, it is
Well they are few.
Jacob's
Life had been made up of
evil days. Old
Age came sooner upon him than it had done upon
some of his fathers. As the young
Man should not be proud of his
strength or beauty,
So the old
Man should not be proud of his
Age, and his hoary hairs, though others justly reverence them;
for those who are accounted very old, attain not to the years of
the patriarchs. The hoary head is only a
Crown of
Glory, when
found in the way of
Righteousness. Such an answer could not fail
to impress the
Heart of
Pharaoh,
By reminding him that worldly
prosperity and happiness could not last long, and was not enough
to satisfy. After a
Life of vanity and vexation,
Man goes down
into the
Grave, equally from the
Throne as the
Cottage. Nothing
can make us happy, but the prospect of an
Everlasting home in
Heaven, after our short and weary pilgrimage
On Earth.
13-26 Care being taken of
Jacob and his family, which
Mercy was
especially designed
By Providence in
Joseph's advancement, an
account is given of the saving the kingdom of
Egypt from ruin.
There was
No Bread, and the people were ready to die. See how we
depend upon
God's
Providence. All our wealth would not keep us
from starving, if
Rain were withheld for two or three years. See
how much we are at
God's
Mercy, and let us keep ourselves always
in his
Love. Also see how much we smart
By our own want of care.
If all the Egyptians had laid up
Corn for themselves in the
Seven years of plenty, they had not been in these straits; but
they regarded not the warning.
Silver and
Gold would not feed
them: they must have
Corn. All that a
Man hath will he give for
his
Life. We cannot
Judge this matter
By modern rules. It is
Plain that the Egyptians regarded
Joseph as a public benefactor.
The whole is consistent with
Joseph's character, acting between
Pharaoh and his subjects, in the fear of
God. The Egyptians
confessed concerning
Joseph, Thou hast saved our lives. What
multitudes will gratefully say to
Jesus, at the last
Day, Thou
hast saved our souls from the most tremendous
Destruction, and
in the season of uttermost distress! The Egyptians parted with
all their property, and even their liberty, for the saving of
their lives: can it then be too much for us to count all but
loss, and part with all, at His command, and for His sake, who
will both save our souls, and give us an hundredfold, even here,
in this present world? Surely if saved
By Christ, we shall be
willing to become his servants.
27-31 At last the time drew nigh that
Israel must die.
Israel,
a
Prince with
God, had power over the
Angel, and prevailed, yet
must die.
Joseph supplied him with
Bread, that he might not die
By Famine, but that did not secure him from dying
By Age or
sickness. He died
By Degrees; his
Candle gradually burnt down to
the socket,
So that he saw the time drawing nigh. It is an
advantage to see the approach of
Death, before we feel it, that
we may be quickened to do, with all our might, what our hands
find to do. However,
Death is not far from any of us.
Jacob's
care, as he saw the
Day approach, was about his
Burial; not the
pomp of it, but he would be buried in
Canaan, because it was the
land of promise. It was a
Type of
Heaven, that better country,
which he declared plainly he expected, Heb 11:14. Nothing will
better help to make a
Death-
Bed easy, than the certain prospect
of
Rest in the heavenly
Canaan after
Death. When this was done,
Israel bowed himself upon the
Bed's head, worshipping
God, as it
is explained, see Heb 11:21, giving
God thanks for all his
favours; in feebleness thus supporting himself, expressing his
willingness to leave the world. Even those who lived
On Joseph's
provision, and
Jacob who was
So dear to him, must die. But
Christ Jesus gives us the true
Bread, that we may eat and live
for ever. To Him let us come and yield ourselves, and when we
draw near to
Death, he who supported us through
Life, will meet
us and assure us of
Everlasting Salvation.