prosperity and pleasure, and never dream of trouble. His brethren rightly interpreted the dream,
though they abhorred the interpretation of it. While they committed crimes in order to defeat it,
they were themselves the instruments of accomplishing it. Thus the Jews understood what Christ
said of his kingdom. Determined that he should not reign over them, they consulted to put him to
death; and by his crucifixion, made way for the exaltation they designed to prevent.
Verses 12–22
How readily does Joseph wait his father's orders! Those children who are best beloved by their
parents, should be the most ready to obey them. See how deliberate Joseph's brethren were against
him. They thought to slay him from malice aforethought, and in cold blood. Whosoever hateth his
brother is a murderer, 1Jo 3:15. The sons of Jacob hated their brother because their father loved
him. New occasions, as his dreams and the like, drew them on further; but this laid rankling in their
hearts, till they resolved on his death. God has all hearts in his hands. Reuben had most reason to
be jealous of Joseph, for he was the first-born; yet he proves his best friend. God overruled all to
serve his own purpose, of making Joseph an instrument to save much people alive. Joseph was a
type of Christ; for though he was the beloved Son of his Father, and hated by a wicked world, yet
the Father sent him out of his bosom to visit us in great humility and love. He came from heaven
to earth to seek and save us; yet then malicious plots were laid against him. His own not only
received him not, but crucified him. This he submitted to, as a part of his design to redeem and
save us.
Verses 23–30
They threw Joseph into a pit, to perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender
mercies. They slighted him when he was in distress, and were not grieved for the affliction of
Joseph, see Am 6:6; for when he was pining in the pit, they sat down to eat bread. They felt no
remorse of conscience for the sin. But the wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of
wrath he will restrain, Ps 76:10. Joseph's brethren were wonderfully restrained from murdering
him, and their selling him as wonderfully turned to God's praise.
Verses 31–36
When Satan has taught men to commit one sin, he teaches them to try to conceal it with another;
to hide theft and murder, with lying and false oaths: but he that covers his sin shall not prosper
long. Joseph's brethren kept their own and one another's counsel for some time; but their villany
came to light at last, and it is here published to the world. To grieve their father, they sent him
Joseph's coat of colours; and he hastily thought, on seeing the bloody coat, that Joseph was rent in
pieces. Let those that know the heart of a parent, suppose the agony of poor Jacob. His sons basely
pretended to comfort him, but miserable, hypocritical comforters were they all. Had they really
desired to comfort him, they might at once have done it, by telling the truth. The heart is strangely
hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Jacob refused to be comforted. Great affection to any creature
prepares for so much the greater affliction, when it is taken from us, or made bitter to us: undue
love commonly ends in undue grief. It is the wisdom of parents not to bring up children delicately,