Ver. 1. In the land of his father’s sojournings (Marg.).] The dukes of Edom had habitations in the land of their possessions. (Genesis 36:43) But Jacob, with his father Isaac, were pilgrims in the land of Canaan; content to dwell in tents here, that they might dwell with God for ever. Justin Martyr saith of the Christians of his time: They dwell in their own countries but as strangers; have fight to all, as citizens; but suffer hardship, as foreigners, &c. Πατπιδας οικουσιν ιδιας, αλλ” ως παροικοι, &c.— Epist. ad Diognetum.
Ver. 2. These are the generations.] That is, Events, begotten of time, after he came to live with his father Isaac, who also wept for Joseph, (Genesis 37:35) as Junius. With the sons of Bilhah, &c.] It is thought that these sons of the handmaids, for the baseness of their birth, were more modest than the rest; and that Joseph therefore, out of his humility, sorted himself with them. Probable it is, they were more unruly than the rest, and ill conditioned, -as such are, commonly, -whereof Joseph made complaint, and was therefore hated. Veritas odium parit. Truth is a good mistress; but he that follows her too close at heels, may hap to have his teeth struck out. An expectas ut Quintillanus ametur? said he. Those that are wakened out of sleep are usually unquiet, ready to brawl with their best friends. So here.
Ver. 3. Because he was the son of his old age.] The Chaldee Paraphrast renders it morally, Because he was a wise son, in quo ante canos sapientia: such a one as Macarius was, of whom Nicephorus saith, that, for his prudence and gravity while he was yet but a youth, he was surnamed παιδαριογερων, the old stripling. Josephus saith, he was very like his mother Rachel; and therefore his father so loved him. But Chrysostom saith, better, that it was for his virtuous life, and godly disposition. Goodness is lovely in any; much more in an own child. John was the best beloved disciple, because best conditioned. But otherwise, Cavete, saith Ambrose, ne quos natura coniunxit, paterna gratia dividat. Parents’ partiality may breed heart-buruings. (Ephesians 6:4)
Ver. 4. They hated him.] 1. There is a passion of hatred: this is a kind of averseness, and rising of the heart against a man, when one seeth him; so that he cannot away with him, nor speak to him, nor look courteously or peaceably upon him; but one’s countenance falls whea he sees him, and he oven turns away, and, by his good will, would have nothing to do with him. 2. There is a habit of hatred: when the soul is so soured with this leaven, so settled in this alienation and estrangement, that it grows to wish, and desire, and seek his hurt. And this is one difference between hatred and envy: whom men hate, they will harm; but sometimes men’s gifts are envied, against whom no hurt is intended.
Ver. 5. And Joseph dreamed.] Of divine dreams to be regarded as oracles, [See Trapp on “Ge 20:3”] They hated him yet the more.] So the Jews did Jesus, for his parables; especially when he spake of his exaltation.
Ver. 6. Hear, I pray you, this dream.] Thus he bespeaketh them, not out of a vain glorious boasting, but out of youthful simplicity, and because himself wondered at it. God also had a holy hand in it.
Ver. 7. We were binding sheaves.] This was fulfilled, when they came to him for grain into Egypt. Here Joseph dreams of his advancement, but not of his imprisonment: so do many professors, which therefore prove apostates.
Ver. 8. Shalt thou indeed reign over us?] They rightly interpreted the dream, yet stubbornly resist the revealed will of God. This leaves sin without a cloak, (John 15:22) as it did in the Pharisees. They rightly interpreted that place in Micah, (Matthew 2:1-10) and yet, when Christ, to whom all their own signs did so well agree, came amongst them, they would by no means receive him; nay, they sent a message after him, saying, “We will not have this man to reign over us.”
Ver. 9. Behold, the sun, and the moon.] The father of the family should be as the sun, full of heavenly light, and illightening all about him: The mother, as the moon, shining out in her husband’s absence, and veiling to him, when he is in place. The children, as stars of light, or rather, as a heaven full of stars, as one saith well of Joseph: Fuit Iosephi vita coelum quoddam lucidissimis virtutum stellis exornatum. The people of God are called, “the host of heaven,” (Daniel 8:10) and are bid to shine as lamps, or rather, φωστηρες, as those great lights of heaven. (Philippians 2:15)
Ver. 10. And his father rebuked him.] Either as not yet understanding the mystery, or dissembling it. It is wisdom, at some time, and in some place, to pretend a dislike of another man’s fact (so far as we may with truth), for the preventing of envy. This, some think, was Jacob’s drift here. And therefore he draws an argument, ab impossibili et absurdo; Shall thy dead mother rise and reverence thee? A likely matter: and yet, as light as Jacob made of it, to unload Joseph of the envy, he laid it to heart. (Genesis 37:11)