A Few, and New OBSERVATIONS, upon THE book OF GENESIS. The most of them certain, the rest probable, all harmless, strange, and rarely heard off before.  
By John Lightfoot Staffordiens.  
LONDON, Printed by T. Badger in the year, 1642.   

TO My dear and loving countrymen of the County of Stafford, and other my friends r●siding in the City of LONDON. Health, Content, Prospe●ity, Eternity.  
THESE few Collections (worthy and worthily honoured Friends and countrymen) were not intentionally and purposely studied for when I first took them up, but I took them upon another occasion. For having spent some years in compiling the Harmony of the four Evaugelists, among themselves and with the Old Testament, and in exp●aining of their sense and language, and for that purpose having read over the Old Testament as expressly as I could, to bring it to help and further me in the works these observations, (and such other upon the other books) picked up by the way which I observed either very rarely, or not at all to have been observed by any heretofore. That work from whence this proceeded, would now begin to creep forth to the public view, were but printing as pregnant a Mother for such babes as she used to be in former time. These small and few sparks which have flown from that Auvile, I have chosen to present to your hands and favourable acceptance, partly for a token of my love and observance of so worthy friends, and partly because that if the briefness of these Collections (which I have been forced to straightened to this small compass, that I might relate them to the dimension of such books as are now only printed, for greater volumes than these do not now find vent) If they should breed any scruple or doubting, you know where to find the Author for further satisfaction. If these find easy and gentle entertainment, more of the like stamp are ready to show themselves in order upon the succeeding books as the printing of these times will bring them forth.  
Yours ready to serve you. I. L. Aug. 25. 1642.   

A Few, and new Observations, upon THE book OF GENESIS.  

CHAP. I.  
THE Scripture the word of Knowledge, beginneth with the Story of the Creation, because first, the first step towards the knowledge of God is by the Creature, Rom. 1. 20. Secondly, the Story of the Creation pleadeth for the justice of God, in planting and displacing of Nations as he pleaseth, since the Earth is his own and he made it. Thirdly, the Resurrection is taught by the Creation, and the end of the world from the beginning, for God that made that to be, that never was, can much more make that to be, that hath been before, namely these our bodies, Heaven and Earth, centre and circumference created together in the same instant, and clouds full of water (not such as we see made by evaporation, but such as are called the windows or Cataracts of Heaven, Gen. 7. 11. 2 King's 7. 19 Mal. 3. 10.) created in the same instant with them, vers. 2. The earth lay covered with waters, and had not received as yet its perfection beauty and deckage: and that vast vacuity that was between the convex of those waters, and the concave of the clouds, was filled as it were with a gross and great darkness, and the Spirit of God moved the Heavens from the first moment of their creation in a circular motion, abo●e and about the earth and waters, for the cherishing and preservation of them in their new be●un being, and verse 3. Twelve hou●es did she heavens thus move in darkness, and then God commanded and there appeared light to this upper Horizon, namely to that where Eden should be planted [for fo● that place especially is the story calculated] and th●re did it shine other twelve hours, declining by degrees with the motion of the heavens to the other Hemisphere, where it enlightened other twelve hours also, and so the first natural day to that part of the world was six and thirty hours long, s●l●●ng wa●Ioshuaes day, Iosh 10. And so long was our S●v●our clo●ded under death.  
V. 6 When the l●ght began to set to the Horizon of Eden, & the evening or night of the 2d. day was come, God commanded that the air should be spread out instead of that vacuity, which was betwixt the waters upon the Earth, and the waters in the clouds, and in four and twenty hours it was accomplished, and the air spread through the whole universe with the motion of the Heavens. In this second days work it is not said as in the rest that God saw it good, because whereas this day's work was about separation of waters, they were not perfectedly and fully parted, till the waters which covered the Earth were couched in their channels, which was not till the third day: & there it is twice said that God saw it good once for the entire separation of the waters, and again for the fructification of the ground.  
verse. 9 In the new created air the Lord thundered and rebuked the waters, Psal. 104. 7. So that they hasted away and fled all westvard, into the channels which the Lord had appointed for them. And still as they flowed away, and dry land appeared the earth instantly brought forth trees and plants in their several kinds. This production was only of the bodies and substances of them, for their verdure and maturity was not till the sixt day: And now was Eden planted with the bodies of all trees fit for meat and delight, which by the time that Adam is created are laden with leaves and fruit.  
verse. 14. The moon and some stars created before the sun: She shone all the night of the fourth day in her full body, and when the sun appeared in the morning, then was her light augmented, yet her body obscured from the World till the sixt day at even, which was her prime day, and she showed her crescent and gave light to Adam, who was but newly got at that time out of the darkness of his fall, by the luster of the promise.  
verse. 21. Whales only of all brutes specified by name, to show that even the greatest of living creatures could not make itself.  
verse. 25. Beasts wild and tame created, and all manner of creeping things, and the World furnished with them from about Eden as well as with men: of clean beasts were seven created, three couples for breed, and the odd one for Adam's sacrifice upon his fall, but of unclean only one couple for the propagation of the kind.  
26 Man created by the Trinity about the third hour of the day, or nine of the clock in the morning.  
CHAP. II. The three first verses, that treat of the institution of the Sabbath, are according to their proper Order of time, to be taken in at the end of the third chapter.  
verse 4 &c. On the morning of the sixt day a mist, that had gone up from the Earth fell down upon it again in rain or dew, and watered the Earth, with which watering the trees and plants budded to maturity in a trice: this dew being as a natural cause thereof, yet the effect being withal exceeding supernatural, because so s●eedy.  
verse. 7. Of the dust of the Earth thus watered, God created the body of man, and to this the Psalmist alludeth, The dew of thy youth, Psal. 110. 3. And into that Earth so prepared, he breatheth the Spirit of Life and Grace, Ephes. 4. 24.  
Vers. 10. Eden watered by a river that overflowed it once a year, after the manner of Nilus and Jordan. chap. 13. 10.  
To Adam thus created and made Lord of the creature, the Lord himself bringeth the creatures to receive their names, which he giveth to them agreeable to their natures, and that at the first sight, showing at once his dominion over them, and his wisdom, among them all he seeth no fit match for himself, but by seeing every one of them mated, and that they came before him by pairs, he is brought to be sensible of his own want of a fellow: which thereupon God provideth for him out of his own body of a rib, which part of him might best be spared. And thus the Creation endeth in the making of the woman.  
CHAP. III. The woman thinking it had been a good angel that spoke in the trunk of the Serpent, she entereth communication with the devil: who perceiving her both to add and to diminish to, and from the commandment that was given them, groweth the more impudent to tempt, and seduceth her by the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, as 1. John 2. 16. And she persuadeth her husband, and so they both are fallen on the very same day that they are created, Gen. 9 1, 2, 3. Psal. 49. 12.  
Christ is promised before the man and the woman are censured: and they are questioned also before they be sentenced, but so was not Satan, for God had mercy in store for them, but none for him. The curse is not upon man himself but upon the Earth, to teach him to set his affections on things above and not on the cursed ground, and not to look for an earthly Kingdom of Christ on this Earth which the Lord hath cursed.  
Adam apprehendeth and layeth hold upon the promise by Faith, and in evidence of this his faith he calleth his wife's name Eve or Life, because she was to be the mother of Christ according to the flesh, by whom life should come; and of all believers that by faith should live in him, for an outward sign and seal of this his Faith, and for a further and more lively expression of the same; God teacheth him the rite of sacrifice, to lay Christ dying before his eyes in a visible figure: And with the skins of the sacrificed beasts God teacheth him and his wife to clothe their bodies. And thus the first thing that dyeth in the world is Christ in a figure.  
At the end of this third chapter imagine the three first verses of chapter. 2. concerning the Sabbath to be observed, to come in, and suppose the texture of the story to lie thus. Adam thus fallen, censured recovered, instructed and expelled Eden on the sixt day, the next day following he by God's appointment keepeth for a Sabbath or an holy rest, and spendeth it only in divine duties. Now the reason why it standeth in the place where it doth, chap. 2. Is partly because Moses would lay the seven days, or the first week of the world altogether without interposition, and partly because he would show by setting it before Adam's fall, that had he persisted in innocency, yet must he have observed a Sabbath.  
The seventh day or Sabbath is not bounded in the text with the same limits that the other days are, for it is not said of it as it was of them, The Evening and the Morning were the seventh day, because a time should come when it should have a new beginning and end, and though to the Jews it was from Even to Even yet from the beginning it was not so expressed.  
CHAP. 4. Cain and Abel twins of one birth; and first was borne he that was natural, and after he that was spiritual.  
The faith of Abel appeared in the very materials of his sacrifice; it being of slain beasts and so a representation of the death of Christ: for this, it is fired from Heaven, and Caines is not, though his dry ears of corn were materials fairy more combustible. Cain and Abel were both their own Priests, for it cannot be proved that Sacrifices were ever offered but upon emergent occasions, till the Law fixed it for a common service: and he that had such an occasion, had liberty to be his own Priest, even under the Law as it appeareth by Gedeon, Manoah, &c. and then much more was that liberty before.  
The word sin, in verse. 7. seemeth rather to signify an offering or atonement for sin then punishment: For first God cometh not to deject Cain lower than he was, but to raise him from his dejection, as it appeareth both by his deigning to give him an Oracle from Heaven, and also by the words wherewith he beginneth. Secondly if the words, sin lieth at the door, intend sudden judgement ready to devour him, what dependence can the words following have with these? If thou do not well, thou shalt certainly be punished, and thy brother's desire shall be subject to thee: for this were to threaten poor Abel more, or at least as much as Cain. Thirdly the original word Chateath as it signifieth sin, so also doth it the sacrifice for sin, as Hos. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 21. And all along Leviticus, and it was the custom, according to which Moses speaketh as best known, to lay the Sacrifice at the Sanctuary door.  
Vers. 14. Cain sensible of his punishment though he was not of his sin, beggeth of God, that he might die to ease him of it, Therefore let any one that findeth me kill me, but this God denyeth to him reserving him to a lingering punishment: and Cain being assured of long life, giveth himself to all sensuality, to sweeten it as much as he can, and this is the way of Cain, Iud. vers. 11.  
Ver. 23. Lamech in horror of Conscience for his Polygamy, which now began to be exemplary to the general corruption of the world, acknowledgeth his sin seventy times greater than Cains, and his desert of punishment proportionable: for Cain had slain but one man and but the body, but he by his evil example had killed old and young and their very souls: and therefore he maketh his complaint to his two wives that had brought him to it.  
CHAP. V. A Chronicle of 1556. years: and all the years are reckoned complete but only Noah's five hundreth year, in ver. 32.  
Ver. 3. Seth borne in original sin: the Father of all men in the new world after the flood, Numb. 24. 17.  
Ver. 23. Enoch liveth as many years as be days in a year.  
Those that lived nearer the flood lived the longer unmarried because they would not generate many children for the water.  
V. 29. Noah a comforter, because in him liberty should be given to the World to eat flesh.  
CHAP. VI. In the general corruption of the World, Noah the eight person in descent from Enoch, in whose time profaneness began, as 2 Pet. 2. 5. Escapeth the abominations and desolation of the times.  
CHAP. VII. VIII. Ix.. The flood: the Beasts in the ark live without enmity, which showeth how the words, Gen. 3. 15. about enmity with the Serpent, are to be understood, the Serpent and Noah are now friends each to other: this is alluded to, Esay, 11. 6. 7 Noah is in the ark just a complete and exact year of the Sun, but reckoned in the text by Lunary months. Universal darkness all the forty days' reins. The door of the ark under water: The ark draweth water eleven Cubits. The waters when they came to abate while they lay above the mountains, fell but one Cubit in four days, but far faster afterward. After their coming out of the ark for a whole half year together, Noah and his family, and all the Creatures live upon provision that was still in the ark, for they came out just upon the beginning of Winter, when there was neither grass corn nor fruits till another spring: The forbidding to eat flesh with the blood, condemneth the Doctrine of Transubstantiation.  
CHAP. X. XI. Seventy Nations dispersed from Babel, but not seventy Languages: the fifteen named in Act. 2. were enough to confound the work, and they may very well be supposed to have been the whole number. Sem as he standeth in the front of the Genealogy of the new world, hath neither Father nor Mother named nor beginning of days nor end of life. Nahors life is shortened for Idolatry.  
CHAP. XII. Abraham at 75. years old receiveth the promise, and cometh into Canaan and just so many years did Sem live after Abraham's coming thither and so might well be Melchizedeck in chap. 14.  
Ver. 6. 7. Abraham buildeth an Altar near, if not upon mount Gerizim the hill of blessing: and vers 8. Another altar he buildeth near unto, if not upon mount Ebal, the hill of cursing, Deut 27. And so taketh possession of the land by faith in the very same place, where his sons the Israelites did take possession of it indeed, Iosh. 8. 12. &c. 30.  
V. 11. When he is ready to enter into Egypt whither famine drove him, as it did his posterity afterward, he is afraid of his life in regard of Sarah, who being a white woman would soon be taken notice of by the Egyptians who were blackmoores. This was one mai●e enticement to Joseph's Mistress to cast an eye of lustfulnes upon him, because he was a white man and she a Moor. Of the same complexion was Pharaoh's daughter whom Solomon took to wife: of whom that in the first and literal acceptation is to be understood, which spiritually is to be applied to the Church, Cant. 1. 5. 6. I am black but comely: and I am black because the sun hath looked on me, and that Psal. 45. 13. The King's Daughter is all glorious within: for she was a Blackmoore without.  
V. 20. Pharaoh plagued for Sarais and Abraham's sake who was an Hebrew shepherd, giveth charge to the Egyptians, making it as it were a law for time to come, that they should not converse with Hebrews nor with foreign shepherds, in any so near familiarity as to eat or drink with them, which the Egyptians observed strictly ever after, Gen. 42. 32. and 46. 34.  
CHAP. XIII. Abram and Let quarrel, and part in the valley of Achor: and this is at the very same time of the year that Israel came into the Land, viz. in the first month of the year, or Abib,  
CHAP. XIV. Noah in the blessing of his son Sem, maketh him in a special manner Lord of the Land of Canaan, Gen. 9 Hither therefore came Sem, and built a City, and called it after his own peaceable condition Salem: here he reigned as a King, but so quietly and retiredly as that he was a Priest also. In this sequestration of the father from worldly cares and affairs, Elam his eldest son and heir apparent, though he were seated far distant in the East, yet it concerneth him to have an eye to Canaan, and how matters go there, for the land by bequest of his grandfather Noah, descended to him as by the common law. This title bringeth Chedorlaomer an heir of Elam from Persia into Canaan, when the five Cities of the plain rebel. Into this war he taketh three partners younger brothers of the House of Sem, Amraphel of Arphaxad, King of Chaldea, Arioch of Lud, King of Ellasar bordering upon Babylonia and Tidal of Assur King of Nations, and late built Niniveh. These four thus banded together and all children of Sem, and all in claim of his land against the usurping Canaanite, are resolved to march over and so they do, all that Country both within Jordan and without. Their first inroad is upon the Rephaims that lay most North and lay first in their way; and so over run, the Zuzims in Ammon, Emims in Moab, Horites or Hivites that were Troglodytes or dwelled in the rocky Caves of Mount Seir in Edom, as Ier. 49. 10. Obad. ver. 3. And all the Canaanites southeast and full South to Hazezon Tamar a point below the dead Sea: There they turn in to the land of Canaan properly so called, and as they had subdued all the Countries from North to South without Jordan, so now they intend to do from South to North within. And so they did: but when they were come to Dan the North outgoing of the land, Abram overtaketh them and conquereth the conquerors, and now he is doubly titled to the land, namely by promise and by victory. This Sem or Melchizedeck observeth upon his return with triumph, and perceiveth that it was he and his posterity to whom the Lord had designed that Land in the prophetic spirit of Noah, and had refused the heirs that were more apparent in common law and reason: and therefore he bringeth forth bread and wine the best fruits of the land, and tenders them as livery and seisin of it, to him, whom he perceived that God had chosen and pointed out for the right heir.  
CHAP. XV. All fear of claim by any of Sem's sons was now past, because of the late conquest, but only of Aram the youngest, who had no challengers or children, in the war of him was Eliezer descended who was Abraham's chief servant, and where is the title by Sem's resignation, was to descend to Abram and his heirs, Eleazar was like to be next if Abram had no child of his own. When this jealousy somewhat troubleth Abram, God removeth it by the promise of a son of his own loins: and by a Covenant with sacrifice, even of all manner of creatures that were to be sacrificed.  
CHAP. XVI. Abram assured of a son of his own body (but not whether by Sarah or not) taketh Hagar to compass the promise, she wearied out by Sarai's strictness, is travailing to her own Country Egypt, and by the way hath a vision of the angel of the Covenant, which was strange to her to have visios out of Abraham's house: therefore she called the name of the Lord that spoke unto her; Thou art the God of vision: for she said, did I here also look after a vision, in a place so far distant from Abraham's family? and the well also where he spoke unto her was called, The well of the lively one of vision.  
CHAP. XVII. Circumcision instituted in Hebron, and about the time of Easter the place and time of the year where and when the Baptist was borne, who was to bring in baptism instead of circumcision. Abram and Sarah upon Circumcision saith Rabbi Plenahem, were as new creatures, and therefore also must they have new names.  
CHAP. XVIII. The three Persons in the Trinity in the shape of 3. men appear to Abraham and dine with him, and eat the First flesh that is mentioned eaten in all the Scripture Abraham beggeth for Sodom till he thought he had been gotten within the compass of righteous ones in Lot's family, and then he ceaseth.  
CHAP. XIX. The Son and the Holy Ghost come into Sodom to destroy it, and now they are called angels, because they were sent, by the Father, Lot's wife is struck dead with lightning, and stiffened and fixed in the place where she stood, and of a salt and brackish smell, and therefore called a pillar of salt: Sodom destroyed by a strange fire, and the memorial of so great a judgement preserved to this day by as strange a water; Jordan before that time had an issue further, but from that time it pleased God to stop it, and to lay that valley up on a fatal pool. Let had two Daughters at the least that perished in the fire and brimstone, as well as he had two that escaped. It is observable how soon after the institution of Circumcision those city's c●me to destruction, which so hideouslly abused that member, wherein the Covenant for the land was sealed.  
CHAP. 20. 21. Abraham flitteth into the land of the Philistines, that Isaac might be borne out of the land of Cannaan properly so called for the greater mystery to his birth. God himself cometh in visible form, as c. 18. Sarah hath once a greater measure of the Spirit of prophecy than Abraham, namely in the matter of casting out the bondwoman and her son. There is good probability of Ismael's salvation. Abraham consecrateth a grove at Beersheba, that he might have hallowed wood, for his sacrificing fires, as well as holy fire for his sacrifices.  
Chap. 22. Abraham passed through ten temptations, and the sacrificing of his son the last and greatest.  
Chap. 23. When Rebeccah's sun is risen in the last chap. Sarah sets in this. The first foot of land, and all the land that Abraham hath in Canaan in possession is only a place of burial: God by this very thing drawing him, and his to look after the spiritual part of the promise.  
Chap. 25. At what time Abraham married Keturah is uncertain: the text hath laid it after Isaac's marriage, because it was fit that all the actions of Abraham which any whit concerned the promise, should be handled first and together, before the other which either did not at all or did it the less. But that Abraham was married to this woman, long before Isaac's marriage or Sarah's death, is probable upon these conjectures. 1. He that held it strange to have a son at an hundred years old, it is not like he would marry at an hundred and forty. 2. In c. 24. 36. when the servant is to make the match for Isaac, he saith that Abraham had given all his estate to Isaac, which had been unnecessary to mention, had he had no more children but Ishmael who was gone from his house long before.  
Abraham's disposing of his sons into the East Countries or Arabia, was not upon usurpation, but upon just claim by conquest, c. 14. All these countries were of the land of Canaan, & of the promise and therefore are circumcised ones seated in them instead of Canaanites.  
When the text hath recited these sons of Abraham and their settlement, it bringeth him and Ishmael to their graves: Not that they died before the birth of Jacob, and Esau as the text hath laid it, for Abraham lived till they were fifteen years old, and Ishmael till they were at their climacterical year of 63. but now hath Moses no more to say of them, and therefore he concludeth their story at once. Esau borne all hairy over like a kid, but of a reddish colour, and therefore they called him Esau, Factus, made, and perfected already as having both his beard and pubes as soon as he was borne.  
In a sore year of famine in the land, Esau selleth his birthright for want of meat.  
Chap. 26. The famine that had caused him to part with his birthright causeth Isaac his father to part out of the land of Canaan. The Philistines Africans by descent Gen. 10. 14. and tawny like them) do soon espy the beauty of Rebeccah a white woman.  
Chap 27. Isaac being arrived at the age of 137. years, at what age Ishmael his brother had died, by his example, beginneth to think of his own death, and to dispose himself for that. He sendeth Esau to hunt for venison for a trial, whether he should bless him or no, for missing of venison before, he had lost his birthright, and if he miss to day as he did then, it would be a sure sign that he must lose the blessing: And so though Isaac had passed away the main blessing at unawares, yet when Esau cometh home sped of a prey, he seeth that it was the will of God he should have some blessing, and so blessed him also. Esau's garment, in which Jacob obtained the blessing, were the garments of the Priesthood which belonged to the first borne.  
Chap. 29 30. Jacob stronger than three men, and rolleth away the stone from the wells mouth alone, which they could not do with all their strength united he is deceived by Laban by a suborned person, and embraced Leah thinking he had embraced Rahel, as he deceived his father by a suborned person, taking on him to be Esau when he was Jacob: He serveth in hardship in his marriage week, & bringeth festivity to other; but labour to himself; Joseph, Zebulun and Asher were in their mother's wombs at the same time, but Joseph borne last, Dinah was not borne in these seven years unless she were a twin with Zebulun. Reuben about five years old following the reapers findeth Mandrakes and bringeth the Apples thereof to his mother, for which poor rate Jacob is in manner sold for a time by Rahel.  
Chap. 31. Rahel ste●leth Laban's Teraphim for a civil use: to preserve the memory of some of her ancestors whereof they were the pictures, and which Laban had impiously idolised.  
Chap. 32. Jacob for distrust in the promise so far upon Esau's approach that he sendeth him above a thousand cattle of all sorts of which he had vowed the tithes to the Lord, and before he paid them, is met by the way by the Lord, and in danger to be killed by him: but by prayer and supplication he prevaileth with the Lord, and escapeth only with a lame leg. This lameness of Jacob was not reputed to him for a m●ime, but like the honourable scars of a valiant captain, for a special dignity. For at Bethel he exerciseth the part and office of a Priest, which if his halting had been reputed for a maim he had been disabled to do, and his posterity in all succeeding ages, reserve the honourable memory of this his lameness, in not eating the sinew that shrank. That was the first ceremony that distinguished Israel for a peculiar people, because with this his lameness Jacob is first dignified with the name of Israel. Circumcision differenced them not from the other seed of Abraham, by Hagar and Keturah, but this curiosity in meats first beginneth Judaism. They refrained not to eat the joint where the sinew was, as a leg of Mutton or of beef, for the legs of the Passeover were to be eaten, Exod. 12. 10. but they spared the sinew. And that not in abomination or abhorring of it, but in honour and special respect, because it bare the memorial of their first naming Israel: The portion of meat that Elkanah gave to his beloved Hannah, Manah Ahhath Appaijna the portion of representation may not unfitly be understood of this joint and the same piece of the meat did Samuel reserve from for Saul, in honour, The cook took up the leg, 1 Sam. 9 24.  
Chap. 33. 34. Shechem an Hivite by original, c. 34. 2. is an Amorite by habitation c. 48. 22. So Anah the Hivite by descent, c. 36. 2. Beeri the Hittite by habitation in one place, c. 26. 36. and an Horite by habitation in another, chap. 36. 30. 24.  
Judah was not at the murder at Shechem, but at Chezib upon the borders of the Philistines, married and resident there, many miles distant.  
Chap. 35. The Proselytes of Shechem admitted to Jacobs' family by baptism, for circumcision to the Shechemites was become deadly.  
Benjamin borne by the strength of the promise, v. 11. for Jacob was now past the natural vigour of generating, and therefore he justly calleth his name Benjamin, the son of the right hand.  
Chap. 36. Strange alteration of names in this chapter, from what they are in others, Judith chap. 26. 34. called Aholibamah because of her Idolatry. Anah her father, chap 36. 2. an Hivite by original, is Beeri an Hittite chap. 26. 34. because he dwelled among them about Beer-la-hai-roi. Bashemath c. 26. 34. is Adah here, to show God's dislike against Esau's matches Mahalath, is Pashemath to show the Canaanitish qualities of a daughter of Ishmael.  
Compare this genealogy in this chapter with the same in 1. Chron. 1. and Timna which is here a woman and a man's concubine, is there made that man's son, for the Scripture useth to speak short in known stories.  
Chap. 37. When the text hath dispatched with Esau the hater of his brother that lost his birthright by his own fault, it falleth upon Joseph the hated of his brethren, that obtained the birthright by the fault of another. He feeding the flocks with his brethren joineth in company with the sons of the handmaids, for Leah's children cared little either for them or him. Among them where he thought to have respect, he found hardship for they made him as their slave or servant, Vehu nagnar, and he was a servant with the sons of Bilhah and zilpah, ver. 2. This evil report of his brethren's usage of him he told his father, whereupon he made him acoate of divers colours as abadge of the birthright which his father intended to confer upon him, that his brethren for this should respect him the more. But this procureth their greater hatred, Reuben only excepted who sought his good though he had gotten his birthright, which showeth that the incestuous man was now become a penitent and holy.  
Chap. 38. Judah punished in his children and his own shame for the sale of his righteous brother. He was married about eight years before Joseph was sold, being then not above twelve years of oge if he were so much. Therefore the words in the beginning of the chap. At that time, have not so much any reference to the exact time of Judah's marriage, as to the miscarriage of Er and Onan, which befell not long after Joseph was sold, and so teach of his requital in his children for the sale of his righteous brother.  
Chap. 39 40. 41. Joseph made a slave: his Blackmoore Mistress lusteth after his beauty and whiteness. By the interpretation of other men's dreams he is promoted as by the relating of his own he was sold into misery. Pharaoh giveth him a new name after their Oracular God Baal Zephon, Zophuath-Paanea.  
Chap. 42. Joseph's words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} v. 15. 16. not an oath by the Creature but an apprecation and prayer for Pharaoh's life: So let Pharaoh live as ye are spies as Lev: 25. 36. helpeth to explain the verb.  
Chap. 47. Pharaoh having never seen so old a man as Jacob, nor so grave a head nor so grey a beard in all his life, in admiration asketh him no other question but concerning his age.  
Chap. 48. The birth right which Jacob intended for Joseph before his sale is conferred and confirmed upon him, when Ephraim and Manasseh are taken by him for his sons, as Reuben & Simeon: and hence came Ephraim to be first borne among the tribes, and therefore Moses chooseth Joshua one of that tribe for their conductor into Canaan.  
Chap. 49. Jacob blesseth every one of the Tribes v. 28. therefore in his words to Reuben Simeonon & Levi which are the most bitte●, we must find a blessing or we lose his sense. His words also concern the futur events of the Tribs, as much or more than the twelve patriarchs that stood before him. v. 1. These groundworks being then thus laid for the understanding of these his last words as necessarily they mnst, let it be tolerated to touch upon some of them of the most difficulty, as far as grammatical construction, and truth of history will warrant and justify.  
Reuben thou art my first born, my might & the beginning of my strength. there is a remnant of dignity for thee, and a remnant of strength: For so the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifieth many times in the Bible, and so was Reuben dignified in leading the Van in the wars of Canaan, Iosh. 4. 12. And so had he a residue of strength in being frontier against the Hagarens, 1 Chron. 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ne relinquas {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Venditionis sipsorum.  5. 10.  
V. 4. Unstable as water in affecting the Priesthood. Num. 16. 1. 2. and in refusing of the land of promise, Num. 32. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Leave no remnant of thine instability, &c.  
V. 5 Simeon and Levi brethren, their traffickings are instruments of cruelty for their pretence of trading with Shechem they made an instrument to execute their bloodiness▪  
V. 6. For in their anger they slew a man, as for their will they would bough an ox. For they used circumcision, as a means to master & murder me, as if they should have cut the sinews of an ox to bring him under to their will. V. 13. Zebulon shall dwell at the haven of the Seas: the Sea of Galilee or the lake of Genezaret East, & the Sea of Phoenicia or the Mediterrania North-West. V. 14. Issachar is an Ass. of bone couching down between two burdens of the kingdom of Phoenicia on the one side, and the kingdom of Samaria on the other. V. 22. Joseph is a son of fruitfulness, his fruitfulness in sons shall be by the well: In Daughters it goeth even to the Enemy. This Interpretation of that part of Joseph's blessing be referred to the cens●re of the learned Reader as conjectured at, rather then boldly averred, & that upon these considerations. First that there is a plain Antithesis betwixt Ben & Bavoth, and therefore is to be construed accordingly of son▪ & daughters. Secondly, that the word Ben is by his place in regimine, but by his vowel not, so is Porah by his last letter in regimine, but not by his place: & therefore both of them to be rendered something answerable to this their double condition, Ben-Porath Joseph is a son of fruitfulness, here they have the due of their place, and Porath Ben fruitfulness of sons: here they have the due of their vowels and letters. Thirdly, that Porath also is to be understood in the latter clause, Porath Bavoth fruitfulness in daughters. Fourthly, that Shur signifieth natively in Hebrew an Enemy ps. 92. 12. and it is but from the Chaldee idioms that it betokeneth a wall. Joseph's fruitfulness in sons than did chiefly show itself by the well of Shechem where Joshua of Joseph assembleth all the tribes as Prince over them, & there also Jeroboam of Joseph raiseth up that house to a kingdom. From these words of Jacob the inhabitants of Sychar had their warrant to maintain, that their well was Jacobs' well & that his sons & cattle drank of it. For it might not have been digged of a 1000 years after Jacob was dead & gone, for aught any Samaritane alive could tell, if he fetched not his authority from these words of Jacob; who having given that portien of ground to Joseph. Gen. 48. 22. doth here intimate that there was a well in it, & besides that well in his house should rise to honour. His fruitfulness by daughters you may see in Iudg. 21. where the daughters of Jabesh Gilead and of Shiloh both of Joseph make up the breach of an hostile tribe the tribe of Benjamin, or else it had decayed.  
FINIS.