Thanksgiving for God’s Benefits
When they were but a few men in number, Gen. 34, 30, yea, very few, and strangers in it, V. 13. when they, the patriarchs, the ancestors of God’s chosen people, went from one nation to another, being obliged to change their dwelling-place often, Mesopotamia, Canaan, Philistia, and Egypt being the countries of their sojourn, from one kingdom to another people, v. 14. He suffered no man to do them wrong, not even after the revenge which Simeon and Levi took upon the Shechemites, Gen. 34; yea, He reproved kings for their sakes, as, Pharaoh and Abimelech, the kings of Egypt and Philistia, respectively, Gen. 12, 10-20; chaps. 26 and 31; v. 15. saying, Touch not Mine anointed, for so the patriarchs were called as the ancestors of kings, priests, and prophets, and do My prophets no harm, for all the patriarchs not only proclaimed the name of the Lord, but also foretold future events, especially in the blessings pronounced upon their children.
V. 16. Moreover, He called for a famine upon the land, the one of the seven lean years at the time of Jacob, Gen. 41, 54; He brake the whole staff of bread, by withholding the chief source and supply of food, that of grain. V. 17. He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who himself acknowledges the guiding providence of God in the fact that he was sold into Egypt, Gen. 50, 20, who was sold for a servant, Gen. 37, 28. 36; v. 18. whose feet they hurt with fetters, when he was unjustly imprisoned, Gen. 39, 20; he was laid in iron, literally, “iron came on his soul,” said either of the chains with which he was bound or of the feeling of misery which took hold of him in prison, v. 19. until the time that his word came, his own prediction of his exaltation being fulfilled, Gen. 42, 9; the word of the Lord tried him, for the revelation of God made to him proved his faith in the trials upon his own person.
V. 20. The king, Pharaoh of the great famine, sent and loosed him, Gen. 41, 14, even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. V. 21. He made him lord of his house, after Joseph had interpreted his dreams, Gen. 41, 40, and ruler of all his substance, putting all his possessions, the entire rule of the country, into Joseph’s power and retaining only the supreme sovereignty for himself, Gen. 41, 40-44, v. 22. to bind his princes at his pleasure, without any intervention and interference on the part of Pharaoh, and teach his senators, the ancient men, the counselors of the country, wisdom.