partiality towards him. It is much less difficult to account for this partiality, than to justify it, or at least the method of expressing it. He was the son of the beloved Rachel; and though Benjamin was in this respect equal to him, yet he was but a child, and had as yet discovered nothing as to character: he therefore would be out of the question. Joseph seems to have been the only one in the family who had hitherto discovered either the fear of God, or the duty of a child. From these considerations his father might be allowed to love him with a peculiar affection; but his clothing him with a coat of many colours, was a weakness calculated only to excite envy and ill-will in his brethren. If he had studied to provoke these dispositions, he could scarcely have done it more effectually. The event was, that the hatred of the brothers could no longer be concealed, nor could they speak in the usual strain of civility to Joseph.

Ver. 5—11. Another circumstance occurred, which tended still more to heighten the enmity; namely, certain dreams which Joseph had at this time, and which he, in the simplicity of his heart, related to his brethren. These were divine intimations of his future advancement, and were remarkably fulfilled in Egypt, about twenty-three years afterwards. But at present they inflamed a resentment already too strong; and even his father thought it necessary to chide what seemed a little presumptuous in his son. Yet as Jacob felt a check on this occasion, and observed the saying, suspecting, it should seem, that there might be more in it than he was at present aware of; so, I apprehend, his sons had a secret persuasion that these dreams were prophetic: but that which softened the father, only hardened and inflamed the sons. Their hatred had originated in religion; and the thought of God having determined to honour him, provoked them the more. Such were the operations of malice in Cain towards Abel, in Esau towards Jacob, in Saul towards David, and in the Scribes and Pharisees towards the Lord of Glory.

Ver. 12-17. Things now approach fast to a crisis. It seems as if the vale of Hebron, where Jacob now was, did not contain sufficient pasturage for his flocks: the young men therefore take them to Shechem, a distance, it is said, of about sixty miles, and VOL. V.

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the place where they lived for the first seven years after their return from Padan-aram. Jacob, feeling anxious about them and the cattle, (as well he might, considering the part they had acted there,) proposes to Joseph that he should go and inquire, and bring him word of their welfare; to which the latter, with cheerful obedience, consents. Arriving at Shechem, he finds they had left it, with their flocks; and being informed by a stranger that they were gone to Dothan, a distance of about eight miles, he proceeds thither.

Ver. 18-22. The sight of Joseph, while he was yet afar off, rekindles all the foul passions of his brethren, and excites a conspiracy against him. Behold, say they, with malignant scorn, this dreamer cometh! Come now, let us slay him! In some cases sin begins upon a small scale, and increases as it advances; but the very first proposal in this case is murder! This shows the height to which their hatred had been previously wrought up, and which now that opportunity offered, raged like fire with uncontrollable fury. But have they no apprehensions as to consequences? What tale are they to carry home to their father? O, they are at no loss for this. Malice has two intimate friends, always at hand, to conceal its dark deeds; namely, artifice and falsehood. We will cast him into some pit, say they, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him and we shall see what will become of his dreams! Who will say that the workers of iniquity have no knowledge? They have all the cunning, as well as the cruelty, of the old serpent. See how they wrap it up. But what do they mean by that sarcastic saying, We shall see what will become of his dreams! If they had considered them as feigned through ambition, they would not have felt half the resentment. No, they would have winked at it as a clever piece of deceit, and have had a fellow-feeling for him. I doubt not but they considered these dreams as the intimations of heaven, and their language included nothing less than a challenge of the Almighty! But is it possible, you may say, that they could think of thwarting the divine counsels? It is possible and certain, that men have been so infatuated by sin, as to attempt to do so. Witness Pharaoh's pursuit of Israel, after all that he had seen and felt of the divine

judgments; Saul's attempts on David's life; Herod's murder of the children of Bethlehem; and the conspiracy of the Jews against Christ, who, as many of them knew, had raised Lazarus from the dead, and done many miracles. Yes, we will kill him, say they, and let God advance him to honour if he can! But they shall see what will become of his dreams. Yes, they shall see them accomplished, and that by the very means they are concerting to overthrow them. Thus, though the kings of the earth take counsel together against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us; yet He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh at them, the Lord shall have them in derision. Joseph's brethren, like the sheaves in the dream, shall make obeisance to him; and at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that he is Lord, unto the glory of God the Father.

In this bloody council there was one dissentient. God put it into the heart of Reuben, though in other respects none of the best of characters, to oppose their measures; and being the elder brother, his opinion must have somewhat the greater weight. He appears to have utterly disapproved of their intention, and wished earnestly to get the lad safe out of their hands, that he might deliver him to his father; though, perhaps, through fear of his own life, he made only a partial opposition. His counsel, however, saved his life, and he was doubtless raised up on this occasion for the very purpose; for Joseph's time was not yet come.

Ver. 22-24. All that had hitherto taken place was during the time that Joseph was absent. Glad to have caught the sight of them, he was walking towards them in the simplicity of his heart, while they were taking counsel to destroy him! He arrives. Like beasts of prey, they immediately seize him, and tear off the envied coat of many colours. It was not enough to injure him; they must also insult him. Thus Jesus was stripped and degraded before he suffered. Now it was, as they afterwards confessed one to another in the Egyptian prison, that they saw the anguish of his soul when he besought them, and would not hear: now it was that Reuben interceded on his behalf, saying, Do not sin against the

child; but they would not hear.* No, they would not hear: they took and cast him into a pit : probably a hole in the earth, both dark and deep; for he does not appear to have been able to get out again. It was however empty, or without water. Whether they knew of this circumstance or not, God knew it; and it seems to have been known to Reuben when he made the proposal of his being cast into it, seeing he hoped, by this means, to save his life.

Ver. 25-28. Having thus far gratified their revenge, they retire, and with hardened unconcern sit down to eat bread. It is probable that they both ate and drank, and made merry; and it may be partly in allusion to this, that certain characters, in the times of the prophet Amos, are described as drinking wine in bowls, and anointing themselves with the chief ointments, but were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

At this juncture a company of merchants appeared, who were going down to Egypt. They are called Ishmaelites, and also Midianites they were, it seems, a mixed people, composed of both. On the sight of them a thought occurs in the mind of Judah, that they had better sell their brother for a slave than murder him which he proposes to the rest. His proposal contains words of mercy, but it was mercy mixed with covetousness. I am not sure that Judah felt any tenderness towards Joseph, as being his brother and of his flesh, any more than his name-sake did in selling Christ: it is not unusual for covetous men to urge their objects under a show of generosity and kindness. But if he did, it was the profit that wrought upon the company. The love of money induced them to sell their brother for a slave; and the same principle carries on the same cruel traffic to this day. So they sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver, the value of which was about twenty shillings of our money, ten shillings less than the price of a slave.† A goodly price at which they valued him! But let not Joseph complain, seeing a greater than he was sold by Judas Iscariot for but a little more.

Ver. 29, 30. In this iniquitous transaction, Reuben was absent. I suppose, while they were eating and drinking, he stole away

from their company, with the intention of going by himself to the pit, and delivering Joseph; and to the pit he went: but taking a circuitous course, it may be to prevent suspicion, he was too late! At this he is greatly affected, rends his garments, returns to the company, and exclaims, The child is not: and I, whither shall I go! But though he spake like a brother, and an elder brother, who was obliged to give account to his father, yet it appears to have made no impression on them. Like the Scribes and Pharisees, they were ready to answer, See thou to that!

Ver. 31-36. They feel not for Joseph, nor for Reuben ; but have some concern about themselves, and immediately fall upon a stratagem wherewith to deceive their father. A kid is slain, and the coat of Joseph is dipt in its blood. This is to be carried home, and shown to Jacob, with the addition of a lie, saying, they had found it; and thus the poor old man was to be persuaded that some evil beast had devoured him. Who will say that the workers of iniquity have no knowledge? Yet one cannot but remark the difficulty of supporting a feigned character. To have done it completely, they should first have seen their father without the coat, broke it to him by degrees, affected to grieve with him for the loss, and at last have presented the coat with apparent reluctance, as that which must harrow up his feelings. Instead of this, the whole is done in the most unfeeling and undutiful manner that it could be: This have we found, say they; know now whether it be THY son's coat, or no! They could not deny themselves the brutal pleasure of thus insulting their father, even in the hour of his distress, for his former partiality. Wicked dispositions often make men act like fools: hence it is that murderers commonly betray themselves. The disguise of hypocrisy is generally very thin: truth only is throughout consistent. This disguise, however, thin as it was, seemed at present to answer the end. Jacob knew the bloody garment, and said, It is my son's coat ; an evil beast hath devoured him: Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. No, it is no evil beast, but men more cruel than tigers that have done towards him what is done: but thus Jacob thought, and thus he mourned. We are ready to wonder how Reuben could keep his counsel; yet with all his grief he did so perhaps he