And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph ,.... Who was present at the conversation that passed between him and his brethren: saying, thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee ; which is observed, not for Joseph's information, but to lead on to what he had to say further. read more
The land of Egypt is before thee ,.... To choose what part of it he should judge most suitable and agreeable to his father and brethren: in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell, in the land of Goshen let them dwell ; as is requested; and which was, as Pharaoh here suggests, the best part of the land, the most fertile and fruitful, and the fittest for cattle, being full of pastures through the river Nile and the canals of it, and Goshen being the most fertile... read more
And Joseph brought in Jacob his father ,.... That is, some time after he had introduced his five brethren, and had gotten the grant of Goshen for them, when he sent, for his father from thence, or he came quickly after to Tanis or Memphis, where Pharaoh's court was: and set him before Pharaoh ; presented Jacob to him, and placed his father right before Pharaoh, perhaps in a chair, or on a seat, by Pharaoh's order, because of his age, and in honour to him: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh ;... read more
And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, how old art thou? Or, "how many are the days of the years of thy life?" which way of speaking Jacob takes up, and very pertinently makes use of in his answer that follows: Dr. Lightfoot F13 Works, vol. 1. p. 667. thinks Pharaoh had never seen so old a man before, so grave a head, and so grey a beard, and in admiration asked this question. read more
Jacob said unto Pharaoh, the days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years ,.... He calls his life a "pilgrimage"; as every good man's is; they are not at home in their own country, they are seeking a better, even an heavenly one: Jacob's life was very emphatically and literally a pilgrimage; he first dwelt in Canaan, from thence he removed to Padanaram, and sojourned there awhile, and then came to Canaan again; for some time he dwelt at Succoth, and then at Shechem,... read more
And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. When he took his leave of him, he blessed him, in like manner as when he came into his presence, by wishing all happiness to him, and giving him thanks for the honour he had done him, and the favours he had conferred on him and his. read more
In the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell - So it appears that the land of Goshen was the best of the land of Egypt. Men of activity - חיל אנשי anshey chayil , stout or robust men - such as were capable of bearing fatigue, and of rendering their authority respectable. Rulers over my cattle - מקנה mikneh signifies not only cattle, but possessions or property of any kind; though most usually cattle are intended, because... read more
Jacob blessed Pharaoh - Saluted him on his entrance with Peace be unto thee, or some such expression of respect and good will. For the meaning of the term to bless, as applied to God and man, See Clarke on Genesis 2:3 ; (note). read more
The days of the years of my pilgrimage - מגורי megurai , of my sojourning or wandering. Jacob had always lived a migratory or wandering life, in different parts of Canaan, Mesopotamia, and Egypt, scarcely ever at rest; and in the places where he lived longest, always exposed to the fatigues of the field and the desert. Our word pilgrim comes from the French pelerin and pelegrin , which are corrupted from the Latin peregrinus , an alien, stranger, or foreigner, from the adverb ... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 47:1-12
Here is, I. The respect which Joseph, as a subject, showed to his prince. Though he was his favourite, and prime-minister of state, and had had particular orders from him to send for his father down to Egypt, yet he would not suffer him to settle till he had given notice of it to Pharaoh, Gen. 47:1. Christ, our Joseph, disposes of his followers in his kingdom as it is prepared of his Father, saying, It is not mine to give, Matt. 20:23. II. The respect which Joseph, as a brother, showed to his... read more