Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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plain food. Let us thank God that that which is most needful and useful is generally most cheap and common.
(3.) A gift in secret pacifies wrath, Pr 21:14. Jacob's sons were unjustly accused as spies, yet Jacob was willing to be at the expense of a present, to pacify the accuser. Sometimes we must not think it too much to buy peace even where we may justly demand it, and insist upon it as our right.
13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: 14 and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send
away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
Jacob's piety appearing in his prayer: God Almighty give you mercy before the man! Ge 43:14. Jacob had formerly turned an angry brother into a kind one with a present and a prayer; and here he betakes himself to the same tried method, and it sped well. Note, Those that would find mercy with men must seek it of God, who has all hearts in his hands, and turns them as he pleases.
Jacob's patience. He concludes all with this: "If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved; If I must part with them thus one after another, I must acquiesce, and say, The will of the Lord be done." Note, It is our wisdom to reconcile ourselves to the sorest afflictions, and make the best of them; for there is nothing got by striving with our Maker, 2Sa 15:25,26.
15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in
their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
Jacob's sons, having got leave to take Benjamin with them, were observant of the orders their father had given them, and went down the second time into Egypt to buy corn. If we should ever know what a famine of the word means, let us not think it much to travel as far for spiritual food as they did for corporal food. Now here we have an account of what passed between them and Joseph's steward, who, some conjecture, was in the secret, and knew them to be Joseph's