44. That is, he sends to him also a truly zealous Christian, who knows his ways, and comforts him, exhorting him to persevere constantly in the ways of God. Whereby this new Joseph does again receive courage and strength, and comes into the right way, and goes readily and boldly to his brethren, and sees what they do, and what they intend.
45. That is, he sets the command and will of God before them
(as Joseph did the command of his father). And when they see that he will reprove them with God's word, then they cry out, Lo! there is a dreamer (Gen. xxxvii. 19), and a frantic fellow; he will come and make us believe strange things; he inveighs against our good customs, wherein we have honour and good days. What, shall this fellow reprove us? He is not come from the high schools [and universities]; and yet will take upon him to teach and reprove us; let us consult how we may take him out of the way, and slay him. What, shall we endure this poor silly fellow to teach and reprove us? What is he? He is but a layman; and shall he control us ? Moreover, he is not called; and it is none of his vocation; he puts himself forth only that he might be taken notice of ; and get himself some name and fame among the people. But we will so silence him that he shall be the fool of all the world; we will lay his honour in prison, and make him be scorned, hated and persecuted, for an example to others that shall offer to assault or trouble us; that so he may learn to tarry at home, and attend his worldly vocation, and leave it to us to judge of divine matters, who are appointed and authorised by the magistrate, and have studied in the universities, and there have learned such things.
- 46. Thus they take the poor Joseph, which comes to them by his father's command, and bind him with reproach and shame, and exclaim against him falsely; and rob him of his coat of many colours in the sight of all his brethren, which coat God his Father has made him; as Jacob's sons did to Joseph, and continually consult how to kill him, and take him wholly out of the way, as Joseph's brethren did (Gen.
- xxxvii. 18-20).
- 47. But as Reuben the eldest brother did hinder it, and would not suffer them to kill Joseph, and yet, that he might not be wholly against their council, he said, Behold, here is a pit in the wilderness, into that we will cast him. And send his coat of many colours to his father, that he may think some evil beast has devoured him (Gen.
- xxxvii. 22). So God raises in their council, Reuben the eldest brother, who has power to hinder the counsels and decrees of the false Pharisees; viz. some honest, pious man in authority, who resists the murdering council of the Pharisees.
48. And although he does not wholly oppose their counsels, yet he resists and stops the actual execution of their wills, and says,
Kill him not; cast him only into the pit, and strip him of his coat of many colours, that he may have no more dreams. And this he does that he may deliver him from the murdering sword.
44. That is, he sends to him also a truly zealous Christian, who knows his ways, and comforts him, exhorting him to persevere constantly in the ways of God. Whereby this new Joseph does again receive courage and strength, and comes into the right way, and goes readily and boldly to his brethren, and sees what they do, and what they intend.
45. That is, he sets the command and will of God before them
(as Joseph did the command of his father). And when they see that he will reprove them with God's word, then they cry out, Lo! there is a dreamer (Gen. xxxvii. 19), and a frantic fellow; he will come and make us believe strange things; he inveighs against our good customs, wherein we have honour and good days. What, shall this fellow reprove us? He is not come from the high schools [and universities]; and yet will take upon him to teach and reprove us; let us consult how we may take him out of the way, and slay him. What, shall we endure this poor silly fellow to teach and reprove us? What is he? He is but a layman; and shall he control us ? Moreover, he is not called; and it is none of his vocation; he puts himself forth only that he might be taken notice of ; and get himself some name and fame among the people. But we will so silence him that he shall be the fool of all the world; we will lay his honour in prison, and make him be scorned, hated and persecuted, for an example to others that shall offer to assault or trouble us; that so he may learn to tarry at home, and attend his worldly vocation, and leave it to us to judge of divine matters, who are appointed and authorised by the magistrate, and have studied in the universities, and there have learned such things.
- 46. Thus they take the poor Joseph, which comes to them by his father's command, and bind him with reproach and shame, and exclaim against him falsely; and rob him of his coat of many colours in the sight of all his brethren, which coat God his Father has made him; as Jacob's sons did to Joseph, and continually consult how to kill him, and take him wholly out of the way, as Joseph's brethren did (Gen.
- xxxvii. 18-20).
- 47. But as Reuben the eldest brother did hinder it, and would not suffer them to kill Joseph, and yet, that he might not be wholly against their council, he said, Behold, here is a pit in the wilderness, into that we will cast him. And send his coat of many colours to his father, that he may think some evil beast has devoured him (Gen.
- xxxvii. 22). So God raises in their council, Reuben the eldest brother, who has power to hinder the counsels and decrees of the false Pharisees; viz. some honest, pious man in authority, who resists the murdering council of the Pharisees.
48. And although he does not wholly oppose their counsels, yet he resists and stops the actual execution of their wills, and says,
Kill him not; cast him only into the pit, and strip him of his coat of many colours, that he may have no more dreams. And this he does that he may deliver him from the murdering sword.
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