Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
Download the book in PDF, ePub, Kindle for a complete version.
opportunity, 1Jo 3:15. Malice is a most mischievous thing, and is in danger of making bloody work where it is harboured and indulged. The more there is of a project and contrivance in a sin the worse it is; it is bad to do evil, but worse to devise it.
19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
1. How cruel they were in their design; nothing less than his blood would satisfy them: Come, and let us slay him, Ge 37:20. Note, The old enmity hunts for the precious life. It is the blood-thirsty that hate the upright (Pr 29:10), and it is the blood of the saints that the harlot is drunk with.
2. How scornfully they reproached him for his dreams (Ge 37:19): This dreamer cometh; and (Ge 37:20), We shall see what will become of his dreams. This shows what it was that fretted and enraged them. They could not endure to think of doing homage to him; this was what they were plotting to prevent by the murder of him. Note, Men that fret and rage at God's counsels are impiously aiming to defeat them; but they imagine a vain thing, Ps 2:1-3. God's counsels will stand.
3. How they agreed to keep one another's counsel, and to cover the murder with a lie: We will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him; whereas in thus consulting to devour him they proved themselves worse than the most evil beasts; for evil beasts prey not on those of their own kind, but they were tearing a piece of themselves.
20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some
pit, and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and
said, Let us not kill him.
Reuben's project to deliver him, Ge 37:21, 22. Note, God can raise up friends for his people, even among their enemies; for he has all hearts in his hands. 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.