[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.
When they brought him the present, they bowed themselves
before him, and again, when they gave him an account of their father's
health, they made obeisance, and called him, Thy servant, our father -
Thus were Joseph's dreams fulfilled more and more; and even the father,
by the sons, bowed before him. 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.
[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.
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.
[33] And they sat before him,
the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to
his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.
He placed his brethren according to their seniority,
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.
[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.
They drank and were merry - Their cares and fears were
now over, and they eat 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 chearful.
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