law, Shelah's wife, and therefore, her being with child by another, was looked upon as an injury and reproach to Judah's family; Bring her forth therefore, says Judah, the master of the family, and let her be burnt; not burnt to death, but burnt in the cheek or forehead, stigmatized for a harlot. This seems probable, v. 24. Note, It is a common thing for men to be severe against those very sins in others, which yet they allow themselves in; and so in judging others, they condemn themselves, Rom. 2. 1.—14. 22. If he designed that she should be burnt to death, perhaps under pretence of zeal against the sin, he was contriving how to get rid of his daughter-in-law, being loath to marry Shelah to her. Note, It is a common thing, but a very bad thing, to cover malice against men's persons with a show of zeal against their vices.
II. Judah's shame, when it was made to appear that he was the adulterer; she produced the ring and the bracelets in court, which justified the fathering of the child upon Judah, v. 25, 26. Note, The wickedness that has been most secretly committed, and most industriously concealed, yet sometimes is strangely brought to light, to the shame and confusion of those who have said, No eye sees. A bird of the air may carry the voice; however, there is a discovering day coming, when all will be laid open. Some of the Jewish writers observe, that as Judah had said to his father, See, is this thy son's coat? (ch. 37. 32.) so it was now said to him, "See, are these thy signet and bracelets?" Judah being convicted by his own conscience, 1. Confesses his sin, She has been more righteous than I. He owns that a perpetual mark of infamy should be fastened rather upon him, who had been so much accessary to it. Note, Those offenders ought to be treated with the greatest tenderness to whom we have any way given occasion of offending. If servants purloin, and their masters, by withholding from them what is due, tempt them to it, they ought to forgive them. 2. He never returned to it again; he knew her again no more. Note, Those do not truly repent of their sins, that do not forsake them.
III. The building up of Judah's family hereby, notwithstanding, in the birth of Pharez and Zarah, from whom descended the most considerable families of the illustrious tribe of Judah. It should seem, the birth was hard to the mother, by which she was corrected for her sin. The children also, like Jacob and Esau, struggled for the birth-right, and Pharez got it, who is ever named first, and from him Christ descended. He had his name from his breaking forth before his brother; This breach be upon thee, which is applicable to those that sow discord, and create distance between brethren. The Jews, as Zarah, bad fair for the birth-right, and were marked with a scarlet thread, as those that came out first; but the Gentiles, like Pharez, as a son of violence, got the start of them, by that violence which the kingdom of heaven suffers, and attained to the righteousness which the Jews came short of. Yet, when the fulness of time is come, all Israel shall be saved. Both these sons are named, in the genealogy of our Saviour, (Matt. 1. 3.) to perpetuate the story, as an instance of the humiliation of our Lord Jesus. Some observe, that the four eldest sons of Jacob fell under very foul guilt. Reuben and Judah under the guilt of incest, Simeon and Levi under the guilt of murder; yet they were patriarchs; of Levi came the priests, of Judah the kings and Messiah; thus they became examples of repentance, and monuments of pardoning mercy.
CHAP. XXXIX.
At this chapter, we return to the story of Joseph. We have him here, I. A servant, a slave in Potiphar's house, (v. 1.) and yet there greatly honoured and favoured, 1. By the providence of God, which made him, in effect, a master, v. 2..6. 2. By the grace of God, which made him more than a conqueror over a strong temptation to uncleanness, v. 7..12. II. We have him here a sufferer, falsely accused, (v. 13..18.) imprisoned; (v. 19, 20.) and yet his imprisonment made him both honourable and comfortable, by the tokens of God's special presence with him, v. 21..23. And herein Joseph was a type of Christ, who took upon him the form of a servant, and yet then did that which made it evident that God was with him, who was tempted by Satan, but overcame the temptation, who was falsely accused and bound, and yet had all things committed to his hand.
1.AND Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 2. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 5. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 6. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
Here is,
I. Joseph bought;; (v. 1.) he that bought him, whatever he gave for him, had a good bargain of him; it was better than the merchandise of silver. The Jews have a proverb, "if the world did but know the worth of good men, they would hedge them about with pearls." He was sold to an officer of Pharaoh, with whom he might get acquainted with public persons and public business, and so be fitted for the preferment he was designed for afterward. Note, 1. What God intends men for, he will be sure some way or other, to qualify them for. 2. Providence is to be acknowledged in the disposal even of poor servants, and in their settlements, and therein may perhaps be working toward something great and considerable.
II. Joseph blessed, wonderfully blessed, even in the house of his servitude. 1. God prospered him, v. 2, 3. Perhaps the affairs of Potiphar's family had remarkably gone backward before; but, upon Joseph's coming into it, a discernible turn was given to them, and the face and posture of them altered on a sudden. Though, at first, we may suppose that his hand was put to the meanest services, even in those appeared his ingenuity and industry, and a particular blessing of Heaven attending him; and as he rose in his employment, it became more and more discernible. Note, (1.) Those that have wisdom and grace, have that which cannot be taken away from them, whatever else they are robbed of. Joseph's brethren had stripped him of his coat of many colours, but they could not strip him of his virtue and prudence. (2.) Those that can separate
