father's darling, yet he was not bred up in idleness or delicacy. Those do not truly love their children, that do not inure them to business, and labour and mortification. The fondling of children is with good reason commonly called the spoiling of them. Those that are trained up to do nothing, are likely to be good for nothing. 3. Joseph beloved by his father, (v. 3. ) partly for his dear mother's sake that was dead, and partly for his own sake, because he was the greatest comfort of his old age; probably, he waited on him, and was more observant of him than the rest of his sons; he was the son of the ancient, so some; that is, when he was a child, he was as grave and discreet as if he had been an old man: a child, but not childish. Jacob proclaimed his affection to him by dressing him finer than the rest of his children; he made him a coat of divers colours, which, probably, was significant of further honours intended him. Note, Though those children are happy, that have that in them which justly recommends them to their parents' particular love; yet it is the prudence of parents not to make a difference between one child and another, unless there be a great and manifest cause given for it by the children's dutifulness or undutifulness; paternal government must be impartial, and managed with a steady hand. 4. Joseph hated by his brethren, (1.) Because his father loved him; when parents make a difference, children soon take notice of it, and it often occasions feuds and quarrels in families. (2.) Because he brought to his father their evil report. Jacob's sons did that, when they were from under his eye, which they durst not have done, if they had been at home with him; but Joseph gave his father an account of their bad carriage, that he might reprove and restrain them; not as a malicious tale bearer, to sow discord, but as a faithful brother, who, when he durst not admonish them himself, represented their faults to one that had authority to admonish them. Note, [1,] It is common for friendly monitors to be looked upon as enemies. They that hate to be reformed, hate those that would reform them, Prov. 9. 8. [2.] It is common for those that are beloved of God, to be hated by the world; whom heaven blesses, hell curses; those whom God speaks comfortably to, wicked men will not speak peaceably to. It is said here of Joseph, the lad was with the sons of Bilhah; some read it, and he was servant to them, they made him their drudge.
5. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7. For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8. And his brethren said unto him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? Or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 9. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon, and the eleven stars, made obeisance to me. 10. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11. And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
Here,
1. Joseph relates the prophetical dreams he had, v. 6, 7, 9, 10. Though he was now very young, (about seventeen years old,) yet he was pious and devout, and well-inclined, and this fitted him for God's gracious discoveries of himself to him. Joseph had a great deal of trouble before him, and therefore God gave him betimes this prospect of his advancement, to support and comfort him under the long and grievous troubles with which he was to be exercised. Thus Christ had a joy set before him, and so have christians. Note, God has ways of preparing his people beforehand for the trials which they cannot foresee, but which he has an eye to, in the comforts he furnishes them with. His dreams were, (1.) That his brethren's sheaves all bowed to his, intimating upon what occasion they should be brought to do obeisance to him, namely, in seeking to him for corn; their empty sheaves should bow to his full one. (2.) That the sun, and moon, and the eleven stars, did obeisance to him, v. 9. Joseph was more of a prophet than a politician, else he would have kept this to himself, when he could not but know that his brethren did already hate him, and that this would but the more exasperate them. But if he told it in his simplicity, yet God directed it for the mortification of his brethren. Observe, Joseph dreamed of his preferment, but did not dream of his imprisonment. Thus many young people, when they are setting out in the world, think of nothing but prosperity and pleasure, and never dream of trouble.
2. His brethren take it very ill, and are more and more enraged against him, (v. 8.) Shalt thou indeed reign over us? See here, (1.) How truly they interpreted his dream, that he should reign over them. They become the expositors of his dream, who were enemies to the accomplishment of it, as in Gideon's story; (Judg. 7. 13, 14.) they perceived that he spake of them, Matt. 21. 45. The event exactly answered to this interpretation, ch. 42. 6, &c. (2.) How scornfully they resented it; "Shalt thou, that art but one, reign over us, that are many? Thou, that art the youngest, over us that are elder?" Note, The reign and dominion of Jesus Christ, our Joseph, have been, and are, striven against, by a carnal and unbelieving world, who cannot endure to think that this man should reign over them. The dominion also of the upright, in the morning of the resurrection, is thought of with the utmost disdain.
3. His father gives him a gentle rebuke for it, yet observes the saying, v. 10, 11. Probably, he checked him for it, to lessen the offence which his brethren would be apt to take at it, yet he took notice of it more than he seemed to do: he insinuated that it was but an idle dream, because his mother was brought in, who had been dead some time since; whereas the sun, moon, and eleven stars, signify no more than the whole family that should have a dependence upon him, and be glad to be beholden to him. Note, The faith of God's people in God's promises is often sorely shaken by their misunderstanding of the promises, and then suggesting the improbabilities that attend the performance. But God is doing his own work, and will do it, whether we understand him aright or no. Jacob, like Mary, (Luke 2. 51.) kept these sayings in his heart, and, no doubt, remembered them long afterward, when the event answered to the prediction.
