Wesley Corpus

Chapter XLII We have in this chapter, The humble application of Jacob's sons to Joseph, to buy corn, ver. 1 - 6. The fright Joseph put them into, for their trial, ver. 7 - 20. The conviction they were now under of their sin concerning Joseph long before, ver. 21 - 24. Their return to Canaan with corn, and the great distress their good father was in upon the account they gave him of their expedition, ver. 25 - 38. Jacob saw that there was corn - That is, he saw the corn that his neighbours had bought there and brought home. Get you down thither - Masters of families must not only pray for daily bread for their families, but must with care and industry provide it. We may well wonder that Joseph, during the twenty years he had been in Egypt, especially during the last seven years that he had been in power there, never sent to his father to acquaint him with his circumstances; nay, 'tis strange that he who so oft went throughout all the land of Egypt, never made a step to Canaan, to visit his aged father. When he was in the borders of Egypt that lay next to Canaan, perhaps it would not have been above three or four days journey for him in his chariot. 'Tis a probable conjecture, that his whole management of himself in this affair was by special direction from heaven, that the purpose of God, concerning Jacob and his family, might be accomplished. When Joseph's brethren came, he knew them by many a good token, but they knew not him, little thinking to find him there. He remembered the dreams, but they had forgot them. The laying up of God's oracles in our hearts will be of excellent use to us in all our conduct. Joseph had an eye to his dreams, which he knew to be divine, in his carriage towards his brethren, and aimed at the accomplishment of them, and the bringing his brethren to repentance; and both those points were gained.