Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 46:28
And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
28. Judah ] Jacob selects Judah as the brother who would be most certain to have secured the affection of Joseph.
to shew the way Goshen ] The meaning is obscure. According to the English version, Judah was to act as an outrider, or advanced guard, to shew Jacob the route into Goshen. Another interpretation is “that he, Joseph, might give instructions to him, Judah,” before Jacob’s arrival. The versions represent a slightly different reading: Judah is sent ahead to arrange “that he (Joseph) should appear before (Sam., Syr. Pesh.), or ‘come to meet’ (LXX ) him” (Jacob).
Goshen ] See note on Gen 45:10. The LXX here expands “Goshen” into “at Heroopolis into the land of Rameses” ( ), probably a duplicate rendering; cf. Gen 47:11.
Heroopolis (modern Tel el-Maskhuta) is the same as “Pithom,” a town at the eastern extremity of the Wady-el-Tumilat, built by the Israelites (Exo 1:11) for the Pharaoh of the oppression, Rameses II.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
28 34. Jacob’s Meeting with Joseph (J, E)
This passage follows upon Gen 46:1-5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 46:28-34
They came into the land of Goshen
The settlement of the children of Israel in Goshen
I.
THE WISE POLICY OF THIS STEP.
II. THE BEHAVIOUR OF JOSEPH.
1. He determines to announce their arrival to Pharaoh (Gen 46:31).
2. He gives instructions to his brethren (Gen 46:32; Gen 46:34). (T. H. Leale.)
Jacob and Joseph
I. A DIVINE PROMISE.
1. The occasion on which it was given. Jacob having heard that Joseph was alive, was anxious to see his son once more. Felt he could hardly leave the promised land except he had Divine permission. He went as far as he dared–to Beer-sheba, in the extreme south, and there offered sacrifice unto the God of his father. Then it was, in a vision, that the promise was spoken. Divine mercy and condescension, responding to the fathers desire. Like as a father pitieth his children, &c.
2. The nature of it.
(1) Confirmation of old promise (Gen 46:3.) Jacob had not forgotten it. But might not going down to Egypt prevent its fulfilment?
(2) Promise of Divine presence and protection. I will go, &c. (Gen 46:4).
(3) Promise that the father shall see his long-lost son.
3. Practical effect of it. In the strength of the encouragement it imparted, Jacob, 130 years old, sets out for Egypt.
II. A FATHERS MESSENGER. Judah. He had taken a chief part in the separating of father and son, and we now see him most active in bringing about the meeting. Those who have done wrong may not be able to undo the wrong they have done, but should, if possible, make reparation. Recall the activity of Judah all through the history. His intercession for Benjamin, &c. There seems to have been a radical change in him.
III. A HAPPY MEETING. Jacob and Joseph. Some twenty-two years had passed since they had seen each other. It was no prodigals return. Jacob would have been glad to see Joseph under any circumstances, but how great his pride at finding him thus exalted. Jacob, as a God-fearing man, had no need to be ashamed of the progress of his son.
IV. AN HONEST COUNCILLOR. Joseph to his brethren. They were not to disguise their calling; although the Egyptians abandoned it. They were to begin in their new home on the right principles, were to be true and honest. How many resort to unmanly concealments of humble extraction and lowly avocations when away from home. Honesty always right, and therefore the best policy. In this case the effect is evident. The Israelites were located by themselves. Their exodus the more easy and practicable when the time came. Had they been spread through the country, their collection and departure had been most difficult. Learn:
1. To seek Gods guidance in all our movements.
2. To look for the fulfilment of promise in an honest obedience.
3. Endeavour to repair results of past sins. Restitution and reparation.
4. Let conduct in absence of parents be such as to render the meeting happy.
5. Begin life on right principles. Honour, truth, honesty. (J. G. Gray.)
Duty and filial piety combined
A beautiful combination of official duty and filial piety! The whole land of Egypt is suffering from famine. Joseph is the controller and administrator of the resources of the land. He does not abandon his position and go away to Canaan; but he gets the chariot out and he must go part of the road. I know I am father to Pharaoh and all his great people. I shall not be away long; I shall soon be back again to my duties. I must go a little way to meet the old man from home. Yes, I dont care what our duties are, we can add a little pathos to them if we like; whatever we be in life, we can add a little sentiment to our life. And what is life without sentiment? What are the flowers without an occasional sprinkling of dew? It may be a grand thing to sit on high stool and wait till the old man comes upstairs. But it is an infinitely grander thing, a lordlier chivalry, to come off the stool and go away to meet him a mile or two on the road. Your home will be a better home–I dont care how poor the cot–if you will have a little sentiment in you, a little tenderness and nice feeling. These are things that sweeten life. I dont want a man to wait until there is an earthquake in order that he may call and say, How do you do? I dont want a man to do earthquakes for me. Sometimes I want a chair handed, and a door opened, and a kind pressure of the hand, and a gentle word. And as for the earthquakes, why–wait until they come. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Kindness to parents
The biographers of Abraham Lincoln, say: He never, in all his prosperity lost sight of his parents. He continued to aid and befriend them in every way, even when he could ill-afford it, and when his benefactions were imprudently used. (One Thousand New Illustrations.)
Not ashamed of parentage
Joseph, a prince, was no whir ashamed of the poor old shepherd, before so many of his compeers and other courtiers, that accompanied him, and abominated such kind of persons. Colonel Edwards is much commended for his ingenuous reply to a countryman of his, newly come to him, into the low countries, out of Scotland. This fellow, desiring entertainment of him, told him, my lord his father and such knights and gentlemen, his cousins and kinsmen, were in good health. Gentlemen, quoth Colonel Edwards to his friends by, believe not one word he says; my father is but a poor banker, whom this knave would make a lord, to curry favour with me, and make you believe I am a great man born. The truly virtuous and valorous are no whir ashamed of their mean parentage. (J. Trapp.)
.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 28. He sent Judah before him unto Joseph] Judah was certainly a man of sense, and also an eloquent man; and of him Joseph must have had a very favourable opinion from the speech he delivered before him, Ge 44:18, c. he was therefore chosen as the most proper person to go before and announce Jacob’s arrival to his son Joseph.
To direct his face unto Goshen] The land of Goshen is the same, according to the Septuagint, as the land of Rameses, and Goshen itself the same as Heroopolis, ‘ Heroonpolis, the city of heroes, a name by which it went in the days of the Septuagint, and which it still retained in the time of Josephus, for he makes use of the same term in speaking of this place. See Clarke on Ge 46:34.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To direct his face unto Goshen; Heb. to prepare, or to teach him, the way before his face, i.e. before his coming to Goshen; i.e. to show him where it was, and into what part of it he should come and settle himself; or to give notice unto Joseph of his approach, before his face or coming into Goshen.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
28. he sent Judah before him untoJosephThis precautionary measure was obviously proper forapprising the king of the entrance of so large a company within histerritories; moreover, it was necessary in order to receiveinstruction from Joseph as to the locale of their futuresettlement.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph,…. Who was the more honourable of his sons, and in greater esteem with Jacob than his elder brethren were, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, who by their conduct had greatly displeased him: moreover, he was a man of a polite address, and had endeared himself to Joseph by his speech to him, in which he discovered so much affection both to his father, and his brother Benjamin, and was upon all accounts the fittest person to be sent to Joseph:
to direct his face unto Goshen; to inform Joseph of his father’s coming, that a place might be prepared for him to dwell in, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it; and particularly to direct what place in Goshen he would have him come to, and meet him at:
and they came into the land of Goshen; which was the first part of the land of Egypt that lay nearest to Canaan: the Greek version of the whole verse is,
“he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to meet him at Heroopolis, or the city of the heroes, in the land of Rameses,”
which is confirmed by Josephus x; [See comments on Ge 45:10].
x Antiqu. l. 2. c. 7. sect. 5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This list of the house of Jacob is followed by an account of the arrival in Egypt.
Gen 46:28 Jacob sent his son Judah before him to Joseph, “to show ( ) before him to Goshen;” i.e., to obtain from Joseph the necessary instructions as to the place of their settlement, and then to act as guide to Goshen.
Gen 46:29 As soon as they had arrived, Joseph had his chariot made ready to go up to Goshen and meet his father ( applied to a journey from the interior to the desert or Canaan), and “ showed himself to him there (lit., he appeared to him; , which is generally used only of the appearance of God, is selected here to indicate the glory in which Joseph came to meet his father); and fell upon his neck, continuing ( ) upon his neck (i.e., in his embrace) weeping.”
Gen 46:30 Then Israel said to Joseph: “Now ( lit., this time) will I die, after I have seen thy face, that thou (art) still alive.”
Gen 46:31-32 But Joseph told his brethren and his father’s house (his family) that he would to up to Pharaoh ( here used of going to the court, as an ideal ascent), to announce the arrival of his relations, who were “keepers of flocks,” and had brought their sheep and oxen and all their possessions with them.
Gen 46:33-34 At the same time Joseph gave these instructions to his brethren, in case Pharaoh should send for them and inquire about their occupation: “Say, Thy servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, we like our fathers; that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination of the Egyptians.” This last remark formed part of Joseph’s words, and contained the reason why his brethren should describe themselves to Pharaoh as shepherds from of old, namely, that they might receive Goshen as their dwelling-place, and that their national and religion independence might not be endangered by too close an intercourse with the Egyptians. The dislike of the Egyptians to shepherds arose from the fact, that the more completely the foundations of the Egyptian state rested upon agriculture with its perfect organization, the more did the Egyptians associate the idea of rudeness and barbarism with the very name of a shepherd. This is not only attested in various ways by the monuments, on which shepherds are constantly depicted as lanky, withered, distorted, emaciated, and sometimes almost ghostly figures (Graul, Reise 2, p. 171), but is confirmed by ancient testimony. According to Herodotus (2, 47), the swine-herds were the most despised; but they were associated with the cow-herds ( ) in the seven castes of the Egyptians (Herod. 2, 164), so that Diodorus Siculus (1, 74) includes all herdsmen in one caste; according to which the word in Herodotus not only denotes cow-herds, but a potiori all herdsmen, just as we find in the herds depicted upon the monuments, sheep, goats, and rams introduced by thousands, along with asses and horned cattle.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Meeting between Jacob and Joseph. | B. C. 1706. |
28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 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. 30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. 31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; 32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. 33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? 34 That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
We have here, I. The joyful meeting between Jacob and his son Joseph, in which observe,
1. Jacob’s prudence in sending Judah before him to Joseph, to give him notice of his arrival in Goshen. This was a piece of respect owing to the government, under the protection of which these strangers had come to put themselves, v. 28. We should be very careful not to give offence to any, especially not to the higher powers.
2. Joseph’s filial respect to him. He went in his chariot to met 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.
3. Jacob’s great satisfaction in this meeting: Now let me die, v. 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 will not always come just when we call for it, whether in a passion of sorrow or in a passion of joy. Our times are in God’s hand, and not in our own; we must die just when God pleases, and not either just when we are surfeited with the pleasures of life or just when we are overwhelmed with its griefs.
II. Joseph’s prudent care concerning his brethren’s settlement. It was justice to Pharaoh to let him know that such a colony had come to settle in his dominions. Note, If others repose a confidence in us, we must not be so base and disingenuous as to abuse it by imposing upon them. If Jacob and his family should come to be a charge to the Egyptians, yet it should never be said that they came among them clandestinely and by stealth. Thus Joseph took care to pay his respects to Pharaoh, v. 31. But how shall he dispose of his brethren? Time was when they were contriving to get rid of him; now he is contriving to settle them to their satisfaction and advantage: this is rendering good for evil. Now, 1. He would have them to live by themselves, separate as much as might be from the Egyptians, in the land of Goshen, which lay nearest to Canaan, and which perhaps was more thinly peopled by the Egyptians, and well furnished with pastures for cattle. He desired they might live separately, that they might be in the less danger both of being infected by the vices of the Egyptians and of being insulted by the malice of the Egyptians. Shepherds, it seems, were an abomination to the Egyptians, that is, they looked upon them with contempt, and scorned to converse with them; and he would not send for his brethren to Egypt to be trampled upon. And yet, 2. He would have them to continue shepherds, and not to be ashamed to own that as their occupation before Pharaoh. He could have employed them under himself in the corn-trade, or perhaps, by his interest in the king, might have procured places for them at court or in the army, and some of them, at least, were deserving enough; but such preferments would have exposed them to the envy of the Egyptians, and would have tempted them to forget Canaan and the promise made unto their fathers; therefore he contrives to continue them in their old employment. Note, (1.) An honest calling is no disparagement, nor ought we to account it so either in ourselves or in our relations, but rather reckon it a shame to be idle, or to have nothing to do. (2.) It is generally best for people to abide in the callings that they have been bred to, and used to, 1 Cor. vii. 24. Whatever employment or condition God, in his providence, has allotted for us, let us accommodate ourselves to it, and satisfy ourselves with it, and not mind high things. It is better to be the credit of a mean post than the shame of a high one.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 28-34:
Verse 28 indicates the leadership role Judah had begun to assume. It is likely that his noble intercessory prayer on Benjamin’s behalf (Ge 4:18-34) had come to Jacob’s attention. This endeared him greatly to the aged patriarch.
Jacob sent Judah ahead to contact Joseph for directions to the region in Egypt where the family would settle. This was Goshen, in the northeast section of the Nile delta. It is not a large district, having an area of about 900 square miles. Because of irrigation it is considered the best land of all Egypt, ideal for agriculture and animal husbandry. Also, it is the district of Egypt nearest the Land of Canaan. The meeting of Joseph and Jacob was filled with emotion. The powerful Egyptian lord became the lad Joseph, as he fell on his father’s neck and wept “a good while.” The joy of the reunion more than compensated for the years of separation.
Joseph instructed Jacob in what he should say when he met with Pharaoh. He was to be careful to inform Pharaoh that his occupation was that of shepherd, as his family before him had been. This would insure that Israel would be segregated from the Egyptians socially, politically, and religiously. There would be no danger of wholesale intermarriage with the Egyptians, and thus corrupting the faith-line. There would be no danger of political entanglements to tie them to Egypt when time came for the nation to return to their Land. Arid there would be a minimum of temptation to partake of the idolatry prevalent in Egypt.
God’s plan for the development of the Chosen Family into the Chosen Nation was moving along on schedule. The only way this could have been accomplished was exactly the way God directed, as He moved in the lives of all the characters.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
28. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph. Because Goshen (181) had been selected by Joseph as the abode of his father and his brethren, Jacob now desires, that, on his coming, he may find the place prepared for him: for the expression which Moses uses, implies, not that he requires a house to be built and furnished for him, but only that he may be permitted there to pitch his tent without molestation. For it was necessary that some unoccupied place should be assigned him; lest, by taking possession of the pastures or fields of the inhabitants, he might give them an occasion for exciting a tumult.
In the meeting of Jacob with his son Joseph, Moses describes their vehement feeling of joy, to show that the holy Fathers were not destitute of natural affection. It must, however, be remembered that, although the affections spring from good principles, yet they always contract some evil, from the corrupt propensity of the flesh; and have chiefly this fault, that they always exceed their bounds: whence it follows, that they do not need to be eradicated, but to be kept within due bounds.
(181) Though Moses does not describe in express ferms the position of the land of Goshen; yet the incidental allusions contained in the narrative, are sufficient to fix its locality; and the fact that those allusions are such as could only be made by a writer conversant with its peculairities, affords decisive evidence of the veracity of Moses as a writer of history.
The land of Goshen appears as the eastern border-land of Egypt; for on this side Jacob’s family entered, see Gen 46:28.
It appears as lying near the chief city of Egypt, (see Gen 45:10.) What that city was, may be inferred from Num 13:22, which points to Zoan or Tanis. This implies, that Zoan was one of the oldest cities of Egypt, and that it held the first rank. God is said to have performed his “wonders in the field of Zoan,” (Psa 78:12,) alluding to the plagues of Egypt.
The land of Goshen is described as pasture land, and, As one of the most fruitful regions of Egypt.
“
All these circumstances harmonize, and the different points, discrepant as they may seem, find their application, when we fix upon the land of Goshen as the region east of the Tanitic arm of the Nile, as far as the isthmus of Suez, or the border of the Arabian desert.” — See Egypt and the Books of Moses, pp. 43-45. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Gen. 46:8-28. And these are the names of the children of Israel, etc.] Catalogue of Jacobs sons, grandchildren, and great-grand children who went down into Egypt. The children are ranged according to their mothers. In Gen. 46:27, the LXX make the whole number who went down to Egypt to be 75. This reckoning is followed by Stephen (Act. 7:14), who as a Hellenistic Jew naturally goes by the LXX. The list is probably neither complete nor accurate, and must be regarded rather as a formal than as an historical document. (Alford).If Stephen here quoted the LXX, he was accountable only for the correctness of his quotation, and not for the error which had crept into his authority. This was immaterial to his present purpose, and it was not the manner of the sacred speakers to turn aside from their grand task to the pedantry of criticism. (Murphy).
Gen. 46:29. And presented himself unto him.] The word is commonly used for Divine appearings. Knobel thinks that it is used here as according with the royal pomp with which Joseph was invested.
Gen. 46:34. Thy servants trade hath been about cattle.] This would be the sufficient ground on which the district of Goshen would be granted to them, as keeping them more by themselves, and out of contact with the Egyptian people. (Jacobus.)
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Gen. 46:28-34
THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN GOSHEN
In which two things are to be noticed.
I. The wise policy of this step.
1. In the choice of a leader. Jacob sent Judah before him unto Joseph. (Gen. 46:28.) And he was qualified beyond his three brothers for this important mission. It was proper that he should receive from Joseph the necessary orders before entering the country. For Egypt was a well-ordered and organized kingdom, and it could not be permitted that a wandering tribe should pass the borders without ceremony.
2. In the choice of this particular place. They were shepherds, and Goshen was best fitted for pasture. Here they would be isolated from Egyptian society; for there were elements belonging to the two nations which rendered them mutually repulsive. The idolatries of the Egyptians would be abhorred by the worshippers of the true God, and every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians. Religious aversion is the strongest of antipathies. Surely it was Divine wisdom which led Joseph thus to place the house of Israel under the protection of Egyptian contempt. He caused them to accept a humble position, which while it ministered to their temporal prosperity, at the same time promoted their spiritual prosperity as a holy nation.
II. The behaviour of Joseph. In the peculiar circumstances of the case, this was most suitable and dignified.
1. He determines to announce their arrival to Pharaoh. (Gen. 46:31.) This was proper in itself, as well as a necessary formality. The rights of place and rank should be respected.
2. He gives instructions to his brethren. (Gen. 46:33-34.) They must enter upon the necessary formality of an introduction to the king. Joseph gives them instructions what to answer, and in so doing is careful to keep them clear of the snares of Egypt. Joseph was a statesman but he had learned that truth is the highest policy; an open, but dignified frankness, the highest wisdom.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Gen. 46:28. Judah had acquitted himself well in a former case of great delicacy, and this might recommend him in the present instance. He who could plead so well for his father shall have the honour of introducing him. It is fitting too that the father of the royal tribe, and of the Messiah, should not be the last in works of honour and usefulness, but rather that he should have the pre-eminence.(Fuller.)
Gen. 46:29. The intermission of comforts hath this advantage, that it sweetens our delights more in return than was abated in the forbearance. God doth oft-times hide away our Joseph for a time, that we may be more joyous and thankful in his recovery. This was the sincerest pleasure that Jacob ever had, which therefore God reserved for his eye. And if the meeting of earthly friends be so unspeakably comfortable, how happy shall we be in the light of the glorious face of God our Heavenly Father! of that our blessed Redeemer, whom we sold to death by our sins, and which now, after all that noble triumph, hath all power given Him in heaven and earth!(Bp. Hall).
Gen. 46:30. He feels so happy that he thinks of nothing but dying. Perhaps he thought he should die soon: having enjoyed as much as he could desire in this world, it was natural now to wish to go to another. Yet Jacob did not die for seventeen years; a proof this, that our feelings are no certain rule of what shall befal us.(Fuller.)
Because thou art yet alive. If this were so great a matter to Jacob, what should it be to us, that Christ was dead and is alive; yea, that He ever lives to make request for us.(Trapp.)
Gen. 46:31-32. Joseph was loved for his own sake. The greatness of his character was too well established to be affected by the knowledge of any facts connected with his family.
It is observable with what meekness of wisdom Joseph demeaned himself in this affair. Most men in similar circumstances would have been for introducing their relations as speedily as possible into posts of honour and profit, lest they should disgrace him. But Joseph is more concerned for their purity than for their outward dignity. He sought to secure them a place as free as possible from the evil influence to which they would be exposed in a court.(Bush.)
Gen. 46:33-34. Joseph says in effect, I will go before you, and will tell the king that you are shepherds, and have been so all your lives, and your fathers before you. This will prevent any proposals for raising you to any posts of honour in the state. And when you come before the king, and he shall ask you of your occupation, then do you confirm what I said of you; and as the employment of a shepherd is meanly accounted of in Egypt, and those that follow it are despised, and reckoned unfit for the higher offices of the state, this will determine the king to say nothing to you on the subject, but to grant you a place in Goshen.(Fuller.)
Thus began already in the house of Jacob, at its entrance into Egypt, that reproach of Christ which Moses afterwards esteemed greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. This antipathy of the Egyptians towards the shepherd-people was a fence to them, as was afterwards the law of Moses.(Ross.)
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
ARRIVAL OF JACOB IN EGYPT.
(28) To direct his face unto Goshen.Joseph does not bring his brethren into the narrow and populous Nile Valley which formed Egypt proper, because they could not have maintained there an isolated mode of life. But this was indispensable for them if they were to multiply into a nation fit to be the guardians and depositories of a growing revelation, until the fulness of the time should come, when the world would be ready to receive the perfect knowledge of Gods will. As the Egyptians were an agricultural people, and hated sheep and shepherds (Gen. 46:34), the Israelites would run no danger of being absorbed by them so long as they continued to devote themselves to their old pursuits. As Goshen was admirably suited for a pastoral life, they would remain there as distinct and separate from the rest of mankind as they had been in Canaan.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
ISRAEL IN EGYPT, Gen 46:28-34.
28. And he sent Judah before him “Judah appears as a leader among his brethren, having taken the responsibility for the return of Benjamin, and having conducted the negotiation with Joseph (chap . xliv) with such pathetic eloquence as to bring matters at once to a crisis, and compel Joseph to throw off his disguise.” Newhall.
Jacob and His Family Tribe Arrive and Settle in Egypt ( Gen 46:28 to Gen 47:12 )
Gen 46:28
‘And he sent Judah before him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen.’
Jacob sent Judah ahead to ask Joseph to meet him to show them where they should settle in Goshen. Judah is now clearly seen as the leader of the brothers. The LXX here has ‘to appear before him’ which requires two further letters in the Hebrew, but it also gives the name of a city and therefore must be considered doubtful.
Gen 46:29-30
‘And Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and he presented himself to him and fell on his shoulder (Hebrew ‘neck’) and wept on his shoulder a good while. And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die since I have seen your face that you are still alive.” ’
Joseph comes up in his chariot. If this is before the Hyksos the chariot would be a rare sight in Egypt and would cause something of a sensation on its way. But he wants to reach his father quickly. And when they meet he weeps on his shoulder for some good long while. We are not told if Joseph is accompanied by his retinue but it seems probable that he would have at least some of his bodyguard with him.
Jacob’s happiness and great joy is brought out by his words. Now that he has seen his son is still alive he can die content.
Gen 46:31-34
‘And Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s house, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan have come up to me, and the men are shepherds for they have been keepers of cattle, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ And it shall happen that when Pharaoh shall call you and shall say, ‘What is your occupation?’, you will say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth, even until now, both we and our fathers’, that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” ’
Joseph is clearly very concerned that they should settle in Goshen. That was his purpose from the beginning (Gen 45:10). He knows that it will be better for them there. It is good pasture and they will meet their own kind. They might be very miserable elsewhere in Egypt because of the general attitude to shepherds and foreigners. Pharaoh has, however, said that they can live anywhere and he is a little afraid that Pharaoh might, with the best of intentions, insist on somewhere else. So with his knowledge of affairs he briefs them on what to say so as to get his way.
“I will go up and tell Pharaoh.” Pharaoh had told him to bring them to Egypt. Now he must report back on his accomplishment of the task. He knows then that Pharaoh will call them into his presence. This is a great privilege indeed, but it will be because they are his kinsfolk. Then they must know what to say.
“Your servants have been keepers of cattle–.” This will turn Pharaoh’s mind towards Goshen.
“Every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” They were probably looked on as uncivilised and irreligious.
Gen 47:1
‘Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, and their flocks and their herds, and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan, and behold they are in the land of Goshen.”
“Went in.” Pharaoh lived an isolated life in his palaces as befitted a god. Apart from his high officials entry to him was difficult and all who entered his presence must be suitably clothed, washed and shaved. Joseph would make the usual preparations before entering in his regalia as Vizier. He enters alone. Court etiquette demands that he speak to Pharaoh himself before bringing in his brothers. Pharaoh might decide not to see them.
Astutely he lays the foundation. He stresses their flocks and their herds and that they are now settled temporarily in Goshen. But it is Pharaoh who will have the last word. Meanwhile outside in an antechamber await his brothers and his father.
Gen 47:2
‘And from among his brothers he selected five men and presented them to Pharaoh.’
Five was the Egyptian number of completeness and thus Pharaoh would see five as suitably representing the whole. They too would need to be washed and shaved, and clothed in suitable clothing. They would enter his presence and abase themselves before him.
Gen 47:3-4
‘And Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our father.” And they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servant’s flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore we pray you, let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”
Joseph knew what question they would be asked. He had seen such visitors questioned many times before. And his brothers knew what to reply. They stressed that they were shepherds and needed pasture for their flocks. But they made clear that they were not presuming. They asked only what had been granted many times before to similar Asian shepherds, permission to sojourn in the land of Goshen while the famine is on. The rest is up to Pharaoh.
Gen 47:5
‘And Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen. And if you know any able men among them then make them rulers over my cattle.” ’
Pharaoh gives his response to their request, and it is generous. There is no question of temporary sojourning. They must be given the very best. Joseph can select anywhere he wants for them to settle in, and as they have requested it, let it be in the land of Goshen. What is more, if any are suitable they are to be given high and important positions among those who look after Pharaoh’s own cattle.
Joseph then seeks to introduce his father.
Gen 47:7
‘And Joseph brought in Jacob his father and set him before Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh.’
Jacob comes in before Pharaoh. We need not doubt that he too behaves with great respect but he takes advantage of the privilege of an old man and a patriarch, in ancient days respected in all societies, and pronounces a blessing on Pharaoh.
Gen 47:8
‘And Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many years are the years of your life.”
Pharaoh can see how old Jacob is, and is clearly impressed. His question is one of respect and courtesy. The full and perfect life in Egypt was seen as one hundred and ten years. But he can see that Jacob is older even than that.
Gen 47:9-10
‘And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are a hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have been the years of the days of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning.” And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.’
Jacob cannot prevent himself from a quiet boast in the most respectful manner. He lets Pharaoh know that he is one hundred and thirty years old but that compared with his fathers he is still but a comparatively young man. His words indicate that this is partly due to the great problems and trials he has faced.
“The days of the years of my sojourning — the days of their sojourning.” This too is a quiet reminder of the transitoriness of life. Men do not belong here, they sojourn. Pharaoh, with his belief that in the afterlife he would live on as Osiris would appreciate that.
Jacob again blesses Pharaoh. We do not know what form the blessing would take but it would possibly be a standard patriarchal blessing, probably in the name of Yahweh.
Gen 47:11
‘And Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses. And Joseph provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food according to the number of their dependents.’
Joseph gladly obeys Pharaoh. The best of the land would belong to Pharaoh and in his name he is able to take possession of it and allocate it to his family.
“In the land of Rameses.” It would not be called this until much later (when Rameses was Pharaoh in 13th century BC). Moses probably made this change to a name familiar to his own readers and listeners who would remember from whence they had come.
And not only were they settled in the best of the land but they received ample food to feed all their retainers throughout the famine.
Joseph Feeds Egypt During the Famine On Behalf of Pharaoh (Gen 47:13-26)
We should recognise that what follows is schematised to some extent. Not all silver would run out for everyone at the same time, some would keep their cattle and herds longer than others, the description covers the general picture. But in the end all would succumb for the famine goes on and on. It must be remembered that Egypt looked on the land of Canaan as under her control, sometimes more so, sometimes less so, and therefore recognised some sense of responsibility towards it.
Gen 47:13-17
‘And there was no bread in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wilted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the silver that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the corn which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. And when the silver was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our silver fails.” And Joseph said, “Give your cattle, and I will give you corn for your cattle if your money fails.” And they brought their cattle to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds and for the asses, and he looked after them with bread in exchange for all their cattle that year.’
The famine continues and conditions get more and more severe. Meanwhile silver pours into Pharaoh’s coffers until the majority of people in Egypt and Canaan have no silver left. Then they begin to trade in their herds and flocks, their horses and their asses, until again they had no more of these, and they all belong to Pharaoh. Many would have only a few. And in the end these too run out. For the Egyptians this would not be quite so bad. They probably do not actually hand the animals over, rather they are assigned to Pharaoh and looked on as his property. Then they act as keepers and shepherds for Pharaoh providing each with part of the revenue (compare Gen 47:24). The high officials over Pharaoh’s cattle (verse 6) would now have plenty to do in organising it all.
“They brought their cattle.” This may refer to the first movement when some would actually bring their cattle for exchange and the agreement is made. Eventually it would become recognised that they can simply be given in pledge. Alternately it may be that they have to bring them to be valued and listed.
“Their horses.” If these are pre-Hyksos days these would be comparatively rare in Egypt which may be why they are mentioned first. While Canaan is not mentioned in 15b it is probably to be understood to some extent (it was the people of Egypt who would approach Joseph about the matter) and the majority of the horses may have come from Canaan or through Canaan from even further afield.
“And he looked after them.” Literally ‘led them’. The word is usually used of a shepherd leading his flocks. Joseph was a shepherd to them.
But the Jacob family tribe are meanwhile kept well provisioned through the good offices of Joseph, and keep their silver and their cattle.
Gen 46:28 Comments – According to Gen 45:18, the land of Goshen was the best land in Egypt.
Gen 45:18, “And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt , and ye shall eat the fat of the land.”
Gen 46:34 “for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians” – Comments – The Egyptians were husbandmen, but not with sheep, as the Hebrews. Theirs were cattle, horses, asses, etc. A sheep tends to graze close to the ground and ruins a pasture so that cattle cannot graze on it. So cattle and sheep by their nature are not compatible.
Gen 47:17, “And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.”
Gen 47:7 “Jacob blessed Pharaoh” Comments – The fact that Jacob blessed Pharaoh was an indication that Jacob was a greater man than Pharaoh (note Heb 7:7).
Heb 7:7, “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.”
Gen 47:9 “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years” Comments – Scholars note that Jacob describes his life as a pilgrimage because he and his fathers were sojourners in the land of Canaan, living a nomadic life as shepherds.
Gen 47:9 “few and evil have the days of the years of my life been” Comments – Jacob describes his life as “few and evil.” Scholars note that “few” means he has lived a shorter life than his fathers, and “evil” means that he has suffered much affliction in comparison to Abraham and Isaac. [257]
[257] John Gill, Genesis, in John Gill’s Expositor, in e-Sword, v. 7.7.7 [CD-ROM] (Franklin, Tennessee: e-Sword, 2000-2005), comments on Genesis 47:9.
Gen 47:11 “in the land of Rameses” – Comments – This was the Egyptian name for the area called “Goshen” by the Hebrews.
Gen 47:26 “unto this day” Comments – The phrase “unto this day” would probably refer to Moses’ day if he is the author of the book of Genesis.
Gen 47:28 Comments – Jacob was one hundred and thirty years old when he came into the land of Egypt.
Gen 47:28 Comments – Note that Jacob died at a much earlier age than his father Isaac at 180 years old (Gen 35:28) and his grandfather Abraham at 175 years old (Gen 25:7). Perhaps Jacob died at an earlier age because he grieved for his son Joseph for so many years, and because his life was mixed with much affliction.
Gen 47:31 “And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head” – Comments – Note how this phrase is quoted in the New Testament using the LXX translation:
Heb 11:21, “By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff .”
Brenton, “And he said, Swear to me; and he swore to him. And Israel did reverence, leaning on the top of his staff.”
Gen 48:4 “and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession” – Scripture References – Note similar verses:
Gen 17:8, “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
Act 7:5, “And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him , when as yet he had no child.”
Gen 48:5 “are mine, as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine” – Comments – Jacob called Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, as belonging to Jacob, just as Jacob’s first and second born sons Reuben and Simeon were his.
Gen 48:5 Comments – Manasseh and Ephraim became two of the twelve tribes of Israel, being named with the twelve sons of Jacob. This seems to be a double portion blessing upon Joseph, which only the firstborn received. This is seen in Gen 48:22.
Gen 48:22, “Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”
Thus, in this passage, Jacob gave the double blessing of the firstborn to Joseph instead of to Reuben.
Gen 48:6 “and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance” – Comments – Jacob saw the twelve tribes of Israel as possessing the land of Canaan according to their divisions.
Gen 48:6 Comments – The rest of Joseph’s sons after these first two shall be named as being in the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim.
Gen 48:5-6 Comments Joseph’s Double Portion – Jacob claimed the perpetuation of his own names and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, not through his son Joseph, but thru his two grandsons. Manasseh and Ephraim would father entire tribes in their own names, thus giving Joseph a double portion of the inheritance.
Gen 48:9 Comments – Jacob would have normally blessed his son Joseph. However, since Joseph’s two sons were now to be numbered with the twelve, Jacob proceeded to bless them.
Gen 48:9 Scripture References – Note a similar verse:
Heb 11:21, “By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.”
Gen 48:22 Comments – The giving of a special portion by Jacob to his favorite son Joseph was a reflection of the customs of his day. The Code of Hammurabi, believed by some scholars to have been written by a Babylonian king around 2100 B.C., impacted its culture for centuries. It is very likely that Jacob based this decision upon law 165 of this Code, which says, “If a man give to one of his sons whom he prefers a field, garden, and house, and a deed therefore: if later the father die, and the brothers divide the estate, then they shall first give him the present of his father, and he shall accept it; and the rest of the paternal property shall they divide.”
The Meeting of Jacob and Joseph
v. 28. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph to direct his face unto Goshen. v. 29. And Joseph made ready his chariot, v. 30. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. v. 31. And Joseph said unto his brethren and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; v. 32. and the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle, v. 33. And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, v. 34. that ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, Gen 46:28. Sent Judahto direct his face unto Goshen Judah, having acted a principal part in this transaction, was dismissed to Joseph, to inform him of his father’s arrival, and, as it is in the Hebrew, to prepare before him Goshen, or in Goshen, i.e.. according to Onkelos, to prepare a place for his residence in Goshen, to receive directions from Joseph in what part of Goshen he should dwell. The LXX has it, Unto Joseph, to meet him at Heroopolis [‘ ] in the land of Rameses. And Joseph made ready his chariots, and went up to meet Israel his father at ‘ (Heroopolis). “The land of Rameses,” says Wall, “seems to be another name for the land of Goshen; (ch. Gen 47:6; Gen 47:11) and the city to be some city in that land, of which the translators, at Alexandria, knew the name. Josephus, reciting this passage, says, that Joseph met his father ‘ ‘ at Heroopolis, as it is in the LXX. And this, by the way, shews that he drew his abridgment of the Sacred History, in many places, from the LXX, and not from the Hebrew; for the name in Hebrew would not have been a Greek name, as this plainly is. It is much more likely that they should appoint the place of meeting at some city, or particular place, than in a country at large.”
See Gen 45:14 . Here it is said that Joseph wept on the neck of his father a good while.
Gen 46:28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
Ver. 28. And he sent Judah before him. ] “A good man guides his affairs with discretion”; Psa 112:5 doth all things decently, and in order. It was great “joy” to the apostle to behold the Colossians’ “order.” Col 2:5
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 46:28-34
28Now he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out the way before him to Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 29Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; as soon as he appeared before him, he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long time. 30Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.” 31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; 32and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock; and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 33When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ that you may live in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is loathsome to the Egyptians.”
Gen 46:28 “he sent Judah before him to Joseph” There is some confusion in the MT. The Revised Standard Version, following the Septuagint, says “to appear before him in Goshen.” This could imply
1. that Judah was to show Joseph the way to their father in the land of Goshen
2. that he was to appear before Joseph in the land of Goshen
It does establish Judah’s leadership of the family.
Gen 46:29 “his chariot” There were at least three kinds of these two-wheeled, animal-drawn “chariots.”
1. a cart pulled by oxen, cf. Gen 45:21
2. a war chariot with some metal for armor. Some held one person, but others were a bit larger and held two; most were pulled by horses (for speed), cf. Exo 14:7
3. a ceremonial chariot seen in much Egyptian wall art, decorated and pulled by horses. It was a status symbol (as were the white donkeys in Palestine), cf. Gen 46:29
Gen 46:34 “for every shepherd is loathsome to the Egyptians” Some have seen this as
1. the urban Egyptians being antagonistic against semi-nomadic herdsmen
2. the Egyptian reaction to the Hyksos, or “Shepherd Kings” who ruled them during the l7th dynasty and who were basically Semitic, not Egyptian. Josephus mentions this in his Antiquities of the Jews 11.7.5 (Hengstenberg asserts that the Israeli national consciousness was protected by Egyptian exclusiveness and their abhorrence of herdsmen).
3. the Egyptians’ worship of the bull, therefore, anyone who ate beef would be abhorrent to them (cf. Gen 43:32; Exo 8:26, much like Hindus today)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. Why did Joseph dismiss his Egyptian servants in Gen 45:1?
2. Explain the significant theological principle uttered by Joseph in Gen 45:5-9.
3. Explain the meaning of the terms “Jacob” and “Israel” and how these are used in the Scriptures.
4. Why does God appear to Jacob in visions, but not to Joseph?
5. Why does the list in Numbers 26 and 1 Chronicles 4-6 differ from the list of descendants mentioned in Gen 46:8-27?
6. What are the problems connected with the number “seventy” found in Gen 46:27?
7. How did God use the Egyptian’s hatred of shepherdsin the 1ife of the sojourning Israelites?
Judah. See Gen 44:18 and Compare Gen 37:26.
Goshen. The land east of Memphis, suitable for grazing, called “the field of Zoan”. Zoan (or Tanis) mentioned in the Inscriptions as containing non- Egyptian inhabitants and Semites.
Pharaoh Welcomes Josephs Relatives
Gen 46:28-34; Gen 47:1-12
What a meeting between father and son! If the old man were sitting in the corner of the lumbering wagon, weary with the long journey, how he must have started up when they said, Joseph is coming! What pathos there is in the expression, wept a good while, as though the long-pent-up streams took a long time to exhaust themselves. Had Joseph been less noble he might have shrunk from introducing his lowly relatives to the mighty Pharaoh! But such thoughts were submerged in the great love which claimed that withered, aged, halting man as his father. Let us never be ashamed of our Savior, who has done more for us than even Jacob for his sons. This confession that the days of his pilgrimage had been few and evil is set to a sad minor chord; and to the superficial gaze Esau had enjoyed a much more prosperous career; but when Jacob stood before Pharaoh the mighty monarch recognized his moral supremacy, and bent beneath his benediction. Surely the less is blessed of the greater. Here was the harvest of his tears!
Judah: Gen 43:8, Gen 44:16-34, Gen 49:8
to direct: Gen 31:21
Goshen: Goshen seems to have been a city, after which the land of Goshen was called. The LXX render it by , Heroonpolis, “city of Heroon;” which by some writers is simply called Heroum, and is by the ancient geographers placed in the eastern part of Egypt, not far from the Arabian Gulf. Gen 46:34, Gen 45:10, Gen 47:1
Gen 46:28-30. Direct his face unto Goshen Which was near the entrance of Egypt. The meaning seems to be, to give Joseph notice of his approach, that he might come to Goshen to meet him. Now let me die Not but that it was desirable to live with Joseph, and to see his honour and usefulness; but he had so much satisfaction in this first meeting, that he thought it too much to desire or expect any more in this world.
Israel’s reunion with Joseph 46:28-30
This reunion recalls Jacob’s former meeting with Esau (Gen 32:3). In both situations after a long period of separation Jacob sent a party ahead to meet his relative.
"The land of Goshen, where the Hebrews lived, adjoined Avaris-now known to have been sited at Tell el-Dab’a (not at Tanis, as so many textbooks wrongly aver)." [Note: Kitchen, The Bible . . ., p. 76. ]
This opinion rests on belief in a late date for the Exodus in the thirteenth century B.C., however, and may not be correct.
Jacob had said that the loss of his sons would bring him to his grave in mourning (Gen 37:35; Gen 42:38). Joseph’s "resurrection" had enabled his father to die in peace. Similarly the resurrection of a greater Joseph has allowed many to face death with courage and hope (cf. Php 1:21-26; 1Pe 1:3).
Joseph encouraged his family to be completely honest with Pharaoh (Gen 46:34). Dishonesty long plagued Jacob’s family, but now Joseph led them out of this destructive behavior.
Believers should respond to divine providence by making their decisions in response to the initiative of His wise leaders. They should do so with confidence in His promises and dependent on His continuing guidance and provision.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)