2. Hereby he silences their further inquiry about it; "Ask not how it came thither, Providence brought it you, and let that satisfy you." 3. It appears by what he said, that, by his good master's instructions, he was brought to the knowledge of the true God, the God of the Hebrews. It may justly be expected that those who are servants in religious families, should take all fit occasions to speak of God and his providence with reverence and seriousness. 4. He directs them to look up to God, and acknowledge his providence in the good bargain they had. We must own ourselves indebted to God, as our God, and the God of our fathers, (a God in covenant with us and them,) for all our successes and advantages, and the kindnesses of our friends; for every creature is that to us, and no more, that God makes it to be. The steward encouraged them, not only in words but in deeds; for he made very much of them till his master came, v. 24.
26. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. 27. And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? 28. And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. 29. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. 30. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. 31. And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. 32. And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. 33. And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birth-right, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. 34. And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
Here is,
I. The great respect that Joseph's brethren paid to him; when they brought him the present, they bowed themselves before him; (v. 26.) and again, when they gave him an account of their father's health, they made obeisance, and called him, Thy servant, our father, v. 28. Thus were Joseph's dreams fulfilled more and more: and even the father, by the sons, bowed before him, according to the dream, ch. 37. 10. Probably, Jacob had directed them, if they had occasion to speak of him to the man, the lord of the land, to call him his servant.
II. The great kindness that Joseph showed to them, while they little thought it was a brotherly kindness. Here is,
1. His kind inquiry concerning Jacob, Is he yet alive? A very fit question to be asked concerning any, especially concerning old people; for we are dying daily; it is strange, that we are yet alive. Jacob had said, many years before, I will go to the grave to my son; but he is yet alive: we must not die when we will.
2. The kind notice he took of Benjamin, his own brother. (1) He put up a prayer for him, (v. 29.) God be gracious unto thee, my son. Joseph's favour, though he was the lord of the land, would do him little good, unless God were gracious to him. Many seek the ruler's favour, but he directs him to seek the favour of the Ruler of rulers. (2.) He shed some tears for him, v. 30. His natural affection to his brother, his joy to see him, his concern to see him and the rest of them in distress for bread, and the remembrance of his own griefs since he last saw him, produced a great agitation in him, which perhaps was the more uneasy, because he endeavoured to stifle and suppress it; but he was forced to retire into his closet, there to give vent to his feelings by tears. Note, [1.] Tears of tenderness and affection are no disparagement at all, even to great and wise men. [2.] Gracious weepers should not proclaim their tears, My soul shall weep in secret, says the prophet, Jer. 13. 17. Peter went out and weeped bitterly. See Matt. 26. 75.
3. His kind entertainment of them all; when his weeping had subsided so that he could refrain himself, he sat down to dinner with them, treated them nobly, and yet contrived every thing to amuse them. (1.) He ordered three tables to be spread, one for his brethren, another for the Egyptians that dined with him, (for so different were their customs, that they did not care to eat together,) another for himself, who durst not own himself a Hebrew, and yet would not sit with the Egyptians. See here an instance, [1.] Of hospitality and good house-keeping, which is a very commendable thing, according as the ability is. [2.] Of compliance with people's humours, even whimsical ones, as Bishop Patrick calls this of the Egyptians not eating with the Hebrews. Though Joseph was the lord of the land, and orders were given that all people should obey him; yet he would not force the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, against their minds, but let them enjoy their humours; spirits truly generous hate to impose. [3.] Of the early distance between Jews and Gentiles; one table would not hold them. (2.) He placed his brethren according to their seniority, (v. 33.) as if he could certainly divine. Some think they placed themselves so, according to their custom; but if so, I see not why such particular notice is taken of it, especially as a thing they marvelled at. (3.) He gave them a very plentiful entertainment, sent messes to them from his own table, v. 34. This was the more generous in him, and the more obliging to them, because of the present scarcity of provisions. In a day of famine, it is enough to be fed; but they here were feasted. Perhaps they had not had such a good dinner for many months. It is said, They drank and were merry; their cares and fears were now over, and they ate their bread with joy, concluding they were now upon good terms with the man, the lord of the land. If God accept our works, our present, we have reason to be cheerful. Yet when we sit, as they here did, to eat with a ruler, we should consider what is before us, and not indulge our appetite, or be desirous of dainties. Prov. 23. 1··3. Joseph gave them to understand that Benjamin was his favourite; for his mess was five times as much as any of their's, not as if he
