sell themselves, that they might live purely upon their labour, and hold their lands by the base tenure of villanage, at the courtesy of the crown. Note, Skin for skin, and all that a man hath, even liberty and property, (those darling twins,) will he give for his life; for that is sweet. There are few, (though perhaps there are some,) who would even dare to die, rather than live in slavery and dependence on an arbitrary power. And perhaps there are those who, in that case, could die by the sword, in a heat, who yet could not deliberately die by famine, which is much worse. Lam. 4. 9. Now it was a great mercy to the Egyptians, that, in this distress, they could have corn at any rate; if they had all died for hunger, their lands perhaps would have escheated to the crown of course, for want of heirs; they therefore resolved to make the best of bad.
III. The method which Joseph took to accommodate the matter between prince and people, so that the prince might have his just advantage, and yet the people not be quite ruined.
1. For their lands, he needed not come to any bargain with them, while the years of famine lasted; but when these were over, (for God will not contend for ever, nor will he be always wroth,) he came to an agreement, which it seems, both sides were pleased with, that the people should occupy and enjoy the lands, as he thought fit to assign them, and should have seed to sow them with out of the king's stores, for their own proper use and behoof, yielding and paying only a fifth part of the yearly profits as a chief rent to the crown. This became a standing law, v. 26. And it was a very good bargain to have food for their lands, when otherwise they and their's must have starved, and then to have lands again upon such easy terms. Note, Those ministers of state are worthy of double honour both for wisdom and integrity, that keep the balance even between prince and people, so that liberty and property may not intrench upon prerogative, nor the prerogative bear hard upon liberty and property: in the multitude of such counsellors there is safety. If afterward the Egyptians thought it hard to pay so great a duty to the king out of their lands, they must remember, not only how just, but how kind, the first imposing of it was. They might thankfully pay a fifth when all was due. It is observable, how faithful Joseph was to him that appointed him; he did not put the money into his own pocket, nor entail the lands upon his own family; but converted both entirely to Pharaoh's use; and therefore we do not find that his posterity went out of Egypt any richer than the rest of their poor brethren. Those in public trusts, if they raise great estates, must take heed that it be not at the expense of a good conscience, which is much more valuable.
2. For their persons, he removed them to cities, v. 21. He transplanted them, to show Pharaoh's sovereign power over them, and that they might, in time, forget their titles to their lands, and be the more easily reconciled to their new condition of servitude. The Jewish writers say, "He removed them thus from their former habitations, because they reproached his brethren as strangers; to silence which reproach, they were all made, in effect, strangers." See what changes a little time may make with a people, and how soon God can empty those from vessel to vessel, who were settled upon their lees. How hard soever this seems to have been upon them, they themselves were at this time sensible of it as a very great kindness, and were thankful they were not worse used; (v. 25.) Thou hast saved our lives. Note, There is good reason that the Saviour of our lives, should be the Master of our lives. "Thou hast saved us, do what thou wilt with us."
IV. The reservation he made in favour of the priests. They were maintained on free cost, so that they needed not to sell their lands, v. 22. All people will thus walk in the name of their God; they will be kind to those that attend the public service of their God, and that minister to them in holy things; and we should, in like manner, honour our God, by esteeming his ministers highly in love for their work's sake.
27. And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. 28. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years. 29. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: 30. But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying-place. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. 31. And he said. Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's-head.
Observe,
1. The comfort Jacob lived in, (v. 27, 28.) while the Egyptians were impoverished in their own land, Jacob was replenished in a strange land. He lived seventeen years after he came into Egvpt, far beyond his own expectation; seventeen years he had nourished Joseph, (for so old he was when he was sold from him, ch. 37. 2.) and now, by way of requital, seventeen years Joseph nourished him. Observe how kindly Providence ordered Jacob's affairs; that when he was old, and least able to bear care and fatigue, he had least occasion for it, being well-provided for by his son without his own forecast. Thus God considers the frame of his people.
2. The care Jacob died in. At last, (v. 29.) The time drew nigh that Israel must die. Israel, a prince with God, that had power over the angel, and prevailed, yet must yield to death. There is no remedy, he must die: it is appointed for all men, therefore for him; and there is no discharge in that war. Joseph supplied him with bread, that he might not die by famine; but that did not secure him from dying by age or sickness. He died by degrees; his candle was not blown out, but gradually burnt down to the socket, so that he saw, at some distance, the time drawing nigh. Note, It is an improvable advantage, to see the approach of death, before we feel its arrests, that we may be quickened to do what our hand finds to do, with all our might: however, it is not far from any of us. Now Jacob's care, as he saw the day approaching, was about his burial, not the pomp of it, (he was no way solicitous about that,) but the place of it.
(1.) He would be buried in Canaan; this he resolved on, not from mere humour, because Canaan was the land of his nativity, but in faith, because it was the land of promise, (which he desired thus, as it were, to keep possession of, till the time should come when his posterity should be masters of it,) and because it was a type of heaven, that better country which he that said these things, declared plainly that he was in expectation of, Heb. 11. 14. He aimed at a good land, which would be his rest and bliss on the other side death.
