Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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respect owing to the government, under the protection of which these strangers had come to put themselves, Ge 46:28. We should be very careful not to give offence to any, especially not to the higher powers.
29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his
father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
Joseph's filial respect to him. He went in his chariot to meet him, and, in the interview, showed,
(1.) How much he honoured him: He presented himself unto him. Note, It is the duty of children to reverence their parents, yea, though Providence, as to outward condition, has advanced them above their parents.
(2.) How much he loved him. Time did not wear out the sense of his obligations, but his tears which he shed abundantly upon his father's neck, for joy to see him, were real indications of the sincere and strong affection he had for him. See how near sorrow and joy are to each other in this world, when tears serve for the expression of both. In the other world weeping will be restrained to sorrow only; in heaven there is perfect joy, but no tears of joy: all tears, even those, shall there be wiped away, because the joys there are, as no joys are here, without any alloy. When Joseph embraced Benjamin he wept upon his neck, but when he embraced his father he wept upon his neck a good while; his brother Benjamin was dear, but his father Jacob must be dearer.
30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy
face, because thou art yet alive.
Jacob's great satisfaction in this meeting: Now let me die, Ge 46:30. Not but that it was further desirable to live with Joseph, and to see his honour and usefulness; but he had so much pleasure and satisfaction in this first meeting that he thought it too much to desire or expect any more in this world, where our comforts must always be imperfect. Jacob wished to die immediately, and lived seventeen years longer, which, as our lives go now, is a considerable part of a man's age. Note, Death