The signet used by kings and persons of rank in the East was a ring which served all the purposes of sealing. All the Orientals, instead of signature by sign manual, use the impression of a seal on which their name and title (if they have one) is engraved. Among intriguing and malicious people, it is so easy to turn the possession of a man's seal to his disgrace, by making out false documents, that the loss of it always produces great concern. This shows how much Judah put himself in the power of Tamar, when he gave her his signet; and one reason of his anxiety, "Let her take it to her, lest we be ashamed," may therefore mean something beyond the mere discovery of the immoral action; "Lest by some undue advantage taken of the signet, I may be endangered." In an Indian court, the monarch still takes the ring from his finger, and affixes it to the decree, and orders the posts to be despatched to the provinces, as in the reign of Ahasuerus. When an eastern prince delivers the seal of empire to a royal guest, he treats him as a superior; but when he delivers it to a subject, it is only a sign of investiture with office. Thus the king of Egypt took off his ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph's hand, when he made him ruler over all his dominions; and the king of Persia took off the ring which he had taken from Haman and gave it unto Mordecai.-PAXTON.

CHAP. 39. ver. 6. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not aught he had, save the bread which he did eat.

All respectable men have a head servant called a Kanika-Pulli, i. e. an accountant, in whose hands they often place all they possess. Such a man is more like a relation or a friend, than a servant; for, on all important subjects, he is regularly consulted, and his opinion will have great weight with the family. When a native gentleman has such a servant, it is common to say of him, "Ah! he has nothing-all is in the hand of his KanikaPulli."-"Yes, yes, he is the treasure pot." "He knows of nothing but the food he eats."-ROBERTS.

CHAP. 40. ver. 13. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head, and restore thee unto thy place and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

The ancients, in keeping their reckonings or accounts of time, or their list of domestic officers or servants, made use of tables with holes bored in them, in which they put a sort of pegs, or nails with broad heads, exhibiting the particulars, either number or name, or whatever it was. These nails or pegs the Jews call heads, and the sockets of the heads they call bases. The meaning therefore of Pharaoh's lifling up his head is, that Pharaoh would take out the peg, which had the cup-bearer's name on the top of it, to read it, i. e. would sit in judgment, and make examination into his accounts; for it seems very probable that both he and the baker had been either suspected or accused of having cheated the king, and that, when their accounts were examined and cast up, the one was acquitted, while the other was found guilty. And though Joseph uses the same expression in both cases, yet we may observe that, speaking to the baker, he adds, that Pharaoh shall lift up thy head from off thee, i. e. shall order thy name to be struck out of the list of his servants, by taking thy peg out of the socket.-BIBLIOTHECA BIBLICA, cited by STACKHOUSE.

CHAP. 41. ver. 40. Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

Pococke, when he describes the Egyptian compliments, tells us, that upon their taking any thing from the hand of a superior, or that is sent from such a one, they kiss it, and as the highest respect put it to their foreheads. This is not peculiar to those of that country: for the editor of the Ruins of Balbec observed, that the Arab governor of that city respectfully applied the firman of the Grand Seignior to his forehead, which was presented to him when he and his fellow-travellers first waited on him, and then kissed it, declaring himself the Sultan's slave's slave. Is not this what Pharaoh refers to in Gen. xli. 40? "Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word," (or on account of thy word,)" shall all my people kiss," (for so it is in the original;) "only in the throne will I be greater than, thou:" that is, I imagine, the orders of Joseph were to be received with the greatest respect by all, and kissed by the most illustrious of the princes of Egypt. Drusius might well deny the sense that Kimchi and Grotius put on these words, the appointing that all the people should kiss his mouth. That would certainly be reckoned in the West, in every part of the earth, as well as in the ceremonious East, so remarkable for keeping up dignity and state, a most strange way of commanding the second man in the kingdom to be honoured. It is very strange then that these commentators should propose such a thought; and the more so, as the Hebrew word pee is well known to signify word, or commandment, as well as mouth. As this is apparent from Gen. xlv. 21; so also that the preposition by al, often signifies according to, or on account of, is put out of the question by that passage, as well as by Sam. iv. 12, Ezra x. 9, &c. These are determinations that establish the exposition I have been giving. "Upon thy commandment," or when thou sendest out orders, "my people, from the highest to the lowest, shall kiss," receiving them with the profoundest respect and obedience.-HARMER. In Psalm ii. 12, it is written, "Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way.' Bishop Patrick says on this, "Kiss the son; that is, submit to him, and obey him." Bishop Pococke says, "The Egyptians, on taking any thing from the hand of a superior, or that is sent from him, kiss it; and, as the highest respect, put it to their foreheads." It is therefore probable that Pharaoh meant, that all should submit to Joseph, that all should obey him, and pay him reverence, and that only on the throne he himself would be greatest. When a great man causes a gift to be handed to an inferior, the latter will take it, and put it on the right cheek, so as to cover the eyes; then on the left; after which he will kiss it. This is done to show the great superiority of the donor, and that he on whom the gift is bestowed is his dependant, and greatly reverences him. When a man of rank is angry with an inferior, the latter will be advised to go and kiss his feet; which he does by touching his feet with his hands, and then kissing them.

When the Mohammedans meet each other after a long absence, the inferior will touch the hand of the superior, and then kiss it. All, then, were to kiss Joseph, and acknow、 ledge him as their ruler.-ROBERTS.

Ver. 42. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand.

That is, his signet. In the ring there is generally a seal, on which the name of the sovereign is engraved. This signet is dipped in a coloured matter, and impressed over the royal orders, instead of the king's title. Whoever is in possession of this seal, can issue commands in the name of the king. What is said in this text, would be expressed in modern language by, "Pharach raised Joseph to the dignity of grand vizier.' The symbol of power and authority given to the grand vizier, is the seal of the sultan with his cipher, which is intrusted to his care. The signet was considered, in the East, from the most ancient times, as the sign of delegated power. That given to the grand vizier is so great, that no officer of state, no minister, dares to resist, or even to contradict his orders, without risking his head, because every one of his commands is obeyed, as f

it had proceeded from the throne, or from the mouth of the sultan. He likewise receives almost royal honours; all about him bears the stamp of the highest honour, power, and splendour. Lüdecke, in his Description of the Turkish Empire, says, "The grand vizier is the principal of all the officers of state, and his dignity is similar to that with which Pharaoh invested Joseph. He is called Your Highness. The emperor scarcely differs from him except in name. There is nothing at the European courts similar to his dignity, and the premiers ministres, as they are called, are nothing to him. Being keeper of the imperial signet, he always has it suspended round his neck. The investing him with it, is the sign of his elevation to office, and the taking it off, of his discharge. Without further orders or responsibility, he issues all orders for the empire." In like manner, when Alexander the Great, on his death-bed, delivered his signet to Perdiccas, it was concluded that he had also given to him his royal powers, and intended him for his successor. (CURTIUS.)-The arraying of Joseph in fine linen, was probably a part of the ceremony of investing him with his high dignity. Thus the grand vizier on the day of his appointment is invested with a double golden caftan, or robe of honour.-ROSEN

MULLER.

This practice is still common, but was much more so in former times. "Aruchananan, a king, once became greatly enamoured with a princess called Alli, and desired to have her in marriage; but being in doubt whether he should be able to have her, he sent for a woman who was well skilled in palmistry! She looked carefully into his hand, and declared, 'You will marry a princess called Alli-you shall have her.' The king was so delighted, that he took his ring off his finger, and put it upon that of the fortuneteller." Should a rich man be greatly pleased with a performer at a comedy, he will call him to him, and take off the ring from his finger, and present it to him. Does a poet please a man of rank; he will take the ring off his finger, and put it on his. A father gives his son-inlaw elect a ring from off his finger. When the bridegroom ges to the house of his bride, her brother meets him, and pours water on his feet; then the former takes a ring from off his finger, and puts it on that of the latter. Does one man send to another for any particular article, or to solicit a favour, and should he not have time to write he will give his ring to the messenger, and say, "Show this in proof of my having sent you to make this request." Is a master at a distance, and does he wish to introduce a person to the notice of another; he says, "Take this ring, and you will be received." Pharaoh's ring carried with it the highest mark of favour towards Joseph, and was a proof of the authority conferred on him.-ROBERTS.

Ver. 43. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

As to magnificent riding, chariots are not now made use of in the East, either by men, or even the fair sex. It may be difficult to say what this is owing to: whether to the difficulty of their roads, or to the clumsy and unmechanical manner of constructing their carriages; or to a junction of both causes. Certain it is, that they are not now used in these countries: and the magnificence of the furniture of their horses makes up the want of pompous chariots. Anciently, however, chariots were used by the great: they were thought most deadly machines of war; it was courage in war that in those ruder times gave dignity, and seems to have been chiefly looked at in conferring royal honours; it was natural then for their kings to ride in chariots, as their great warriors at that time in common did; which roval chariots were without doubt most highly ornamented. In the most magnificent of all that Pharaoh had, but one, Joseph was made to ride. But when chariots were laid aside in war, their princes laid aside the use of them by degrees, and betook themselves to horses, as upon the whole most agreeable, and they endeavoured to transfer the pomp of their chariots to them, and richly indeed they do adorn them.-HARMER.

The Hebrew has for bow the knee, "Tender Father," which I believe to be the true meaning. Dr. Adam Clarke

says the word abrec, which we translate bow the knee, might as well be translated any thing else. In chapter xlv. 8, Joseph says himself, "God hath made me a father to Pharaoh." A younger brother is called the little father; he being the next in authority. The king's minister (if a good man) is called the little father. There are five persons who have a right to this parental title. The father himself, a king, a priest, a gooroo or teacher, and a benefactor. Joseph was indeed the father of the Egyptians.— ROBERTS.

CHAP. 42. ver. 15. Hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh, ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

Extraordinary as the kind of oath which Joseph made use of may appear to us, it still continues in the East. Mr. Hanway says, the most sacred oath among the Persians is "by the king's head;" and among other instances of it we read in the Travels of the Ambassadors, that "there were but sixty horses for ninety-four persons. The mehemander (or conductor) swore by the head of the king, (which is the greatest oath among the Persians,) that he could not possibly find any more.' And Thevenot says, "his subjects never look upon him but with fear and trembling; and they have such respect for him, and pay so blind an obedience to a. 21s orders, that how unjust soever his commands might be, ey perform them, though against the law both of God and nature. Nay, if they swear by the king's head, their oath is more authentic, and of greater credit, than if they swore by all that is most sacred in heaven and upon

earth"-BURDER.

Ver. 37. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee deliver him into my hand, and I will ́ bring him to thee again.

Is a man placed in great difficulty, and does he make a solemn promise, in which another person is also involved; he will say, "Ah! if I do not this thing, then kill my children." "Yes, my lord, my children shall die if I do not accomplish this object." Ah! my children, your lives are concerned in this matter."-ROBERTS.

CHAP. 43. ver. 3. And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

See on 2 Sam. 14. 24.

Ver. 7. And we told him according to the tenor of these words.

The margin has, for words, "mouth." Send a messenger with a message to deliver, and ask him, on his return, what he said, he will reply, "According to your mouth !”— ROBERTS.

Ver. 18. Seek occasion against us, and fall upon us.

The margin has this, "Roll himself upon us." (Job xxx. 14. Psa. xxii. 8. xxxvii. 5. Prov. xvi. 3.) For to say a man rolls himself upon another, is the eastern way of saying he falls upon him. Is a person beaten or injured by another: he says of the other," He rolled himself upon me." Of the individual who is always trying to live upon another, who is continually endeavouring to get something out of him, it is said, "That fellow is for ever rolling himself upon him." So, also, "I will not submit to his conduct any longer; I will beat him, and roll myself upon him." Has a man committed an offence, he is advised to go to the offended, and roll himself upon him. A person in great sorrow, who is almost destitute of friends, asks in his distress, "Upon whom shall I roll myself?" When men or women are in great misery, they wring their hands and roll themselves on the earth. Devotees roll themselves round the temple, or after the sacred car.-ROBERTS.

Ver. 19. And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house.

Who, in India, has not seen similar scenes to this? When people come from a distance to do business, or to have an interview with a person, they do not (if it can be avoided) go to him at once, but try to find out the head servant, and after having made him some little present, try to ascertain the disposition of his master, what are his habits, his possessions, and his family. Every thing connected with the object of their visit is thoroughly sifted, so that when they have to meet the individual, they are completely prepared for him!-ROBERTS.

Ver. 25. And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they

should eat bread there.

Presents are commonly sent, even to persons in private station, with great parade. The money which the bridegrooms of Syria pay for their brides, is laid out in furniture for a chamber, in clothes, jewels, and ornaments of gold for the bride, which are sent with great pomp to the bridegroom's house, three days before the wedding. In Egypt they are not less ostentatious; every article of furniture, dress, and ornament is displayed, and they never fail to load upon four or five horses, what might easily be carried by one: in like manner, they place in fifteen dishes, the jewels, trinkets, and other things of value, which a single plate would very well contain. The sacred writer seems to allude to some pompous arrangement of this kind, in the history of Joseph: "And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon.' They probably separated into distinct parcels, and committed to so many bearers, the balm, the honey, the spices, the myrrh, the nuts, and the almonds, of which their present consisted. -PAXTON.

The forms of salutation in the East wear a much more serious and religious air than those in use among the nations of Europe. "God be gracious unto thee, my son," were the words which Joseph addressed to his brother Benjamin. In this country, it would be called a benediction; but Chardin asserts, that in Asia, it is a simple salutation, and used there instead of those offers and assurances of service which it is the custom to use in the West. The Orientals, indeed, are exceedingly eloquent in wishing good and the mercy of God on all occasions to one another, even to those they scarcely know; and yet their compliments are as hollow and deceitful as those of any other people. This appears from scripture, to have been always their character: "They bless with their mouths, but they curse inwardly." These benedictory forms explain the reason, why the sacred writers so frequently call the salutation and farewell of the East, by the name of blessing. -PAXTON. "God be gracious unto thee, my son," was the address of Joseph to his brother Benjamin; and in this way do people of respectability or years address their inferiors or juniors. "Son, give me a little water." "The sun is very hot; I will rest under your shade, my son."-ROBERTS.

took and sent messes unto them from before him but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Public entertainments in the East, are not all conducted in the same way. At Aleppo, the several dishes are brought in one by one; and after the company has eaten a little of each, they are removed; but among the Arabs, the whole provisions are set on the table at once. In Persia, where the last custom is followed, the viands are distributed by a domestic, who takes portions of different kinds out of the large dishes in which they are served up, and lays four or five different kinds of meat in one smaller dish; these are set, furnished after this manner, before the company; one of these smaller dishes being placed before two persons only, or at most three. The same practice obtains at the royal table itself. It is not improbable that the ancient Egyptians treated their guests in a similar way; and in the entertainment given by Joseph to his brethren, we may discover many points of resemblance. The Persians were placed in a row on one side of the room, without any person before them; a distinct dish, with different kinds of food, was set before every guest; circumstances which entirely correspond with the arrangement of Joseph's entertainment.-PAXTON.

Ver. 34. And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

The manner of eating among the ancients was not for all the company to eat out of one and the same dish, but for every one to have one or more dishes to himself. The whole of these dishes were set before the master of the feast, and he distributed to every one his portion. As Joseph, however, is here said to have had a table to himself, we may suppose that he had a great variety of little dishes or plates set before him; and as it was a custom for great men to honour those who were in their favour, by sending such dishes to them as were first served up to themselves, Joseph showed that token of respect to his brethren; but to express a particular value for Benjamin, he sent him five dishes to their one, which disproportion could not but be marvellous and astonishing to them, if what Herodotus tells us be true, that the distinction in this case, even to Egyptian kings themselves, in all public feasts and banquets, was no more than a double mess.-STACKHOUSE.

CHAP. 44. ver. 1. And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.

There are two sorts of sacks taken notice of in the history of Joseph, which ought not to be confounded; one for the corn, the other for the baggage. There are no wagons almost through all Asia as far as to the Indies; every thing is carried upon beasts of burden, in sacks of wool, covered in the middle with leather, the better to make resistance to water. Sacks of this sort are called tambellit;

they enclose in them their things done up in large parcels. here and all through this history, and not of their sacks in which they carry their corn.--ĦARMER.

It is of this kind of sacks we are to understand what is said

Ver. 18. Then Judah came near unto him, und said, O my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

A company of people have always some one among them, who is known and acknowledged to be the chief speaker; thus, should they fall into trouble, he will be the person to come forward and plead with the superior. He will say, "My lord, I am indeed a very ignorant person, and am not worthy to speak to vou: were I of high caste, perhaps

my lord would hear me. May I say two or three words?" (some of the party will then say, "Yes, yes, our lord will hear you.") He then proceeds,-"Ah, my lord, your mercy is known to all; great is your wisdom; you are even as a king to us: let, then, your servants find favour in your sight." He then, like Judah, relates the whole affair, forgetting no circumstance which has a tendency to exculpate him and his companions; and every thing which can touch the feelings of his judge will be gently brought before him. As he draws to a conclusion, his pathos increases, his companions put out their hands in a supplicating manner, accompanied by other gesticulations; their tears begin to flow, and with one voice they cry, "Forgive us, this time, and we will never offend you more."-ROBERTS.

Ver. 21. And thou saidst unto thy servant, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

Hebrew, "gave forth his voice in weeping." In this way do they speak of a person who thus conducts himself: "How loudly did he give forth his voice and weep." "That child is for ever giving for its voice." The violence of their sorrow is very great, and their voice may be heard at a considerable distance.--ROBERTS.

"This," says Chardin, " is exactly the genius of the people of Asia, especially of the women. Their sentiments of joy or of grief are properly transports; and their transports are ungoverned, excessive, and truly outrageous. When any one returns from a long journey, or dies, his family burst into cries, that may be heard twenty doors off; and this is renewed at different times, and continues many days, according to the vigour of the passion. Especially are these cries long in the case of death, and frightful, for he mourning is right down despair, and an image of hell. I was lodged in the year 1676, at Ispahan, near the Royal square; the mistress of the next house to mine died at that time. The moment she expired, all the family, to the number of twenty-five or thirty people, set up such a furious cry, that I was quite startled, and was above two hours before I could recover myself. These cries continue a long time, then cease all at once; they begin again as suddenly, at daybreak, and in concert. It is this suddenness which is so terrifying, together with a greater shrillness and loudness than one could easily imagine. This enraged kind of mourning, if I may call it so, continued forty days; not equally violent, but with diminution from day to day. The longest and most violent acts were when they washed the body, when they perfumed it, when they carried it out to be interred, at making the inventory, and when they divided the effects. You are not to suppose that those that were ready to split their throats with crying out, wept as much; the greatest part of them did not shed a single tear through the whole tragedy." This is a very distinct description of eastern mourning for the dead: they cry out too, it seems, on other occasions; no wonder then the house of Pharaoh heard, when Joseph wept at making himself known to his brethren.-HARMER.

Ver. 14. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them; and after that his brethren talked with him.

When people meet, after long absence, they fall on each other's shoulder or neck, and kiss or smell the part. A husband, after long absence, kisses or smells the forehead, the eyes, the right and left cheeks, and the bosom, of his wife.-ROBERTS."

Ver. 17. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts.

Nearly all the merchandise, which goes by land, is carried by beasts of burden; and, no doubt, will continue to be so till regular roads are constructed. Hence may be seen hundreds of bullocks, or camels, carrying rice, salt, spices, and other wares, traversing the forests and deserts to distant countries. Some of the buffaloes carry immense burdens, and though they only make little progress, yet they are patient and regular in their pace. Bells are tied round the necks of some of the animals, the sound of which produces a pleasing effect on the feelings of a traveller, who now knows that he is not far from some of his fellows. The sound of the bells also keeps the cattle together, and frightens off the wild beasts.-ROBERTS.

CHAP. 46. ver. 4. I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

A father, at the point of death, is always very desirous that his wife, children, and grandchildren should be with him. Should there be one at a distance, he will be immediately sent for, and until he arrives the father will mourn and complain, "My son, will you not come? I cannot die his son, and kiss them, and place them on his eyes, his face, without you." When he arrives, he will take the hands of and mouth, and say, "Nov" I die."-ROBERTS.

Ver. 6. And came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him.

In this way descendants are spoken of. Has a man been deceived by another, he will be asked, "How could you trust him? did you not know him to be bad (veethe) seed." "That fellow is of the seed of fiends." "The reason you see such good things in that youth is, that he is of good seed." "The old man and his seed have all left this village many years ago."-ROBERTS,

Ver. 24. For every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Cunæus, with great plausibility, ascribes this detestation on the part of the Egyptians, to the ferocious dispositions and rebellious conduct of the shepherds who tended their flocks in the plains and marshes of lower Egypt. "These,” says that writer, "were active and able men, but execrable to all the Egyptians, because they would not suffer them to lead their idle course of life in security. These men often excited great commotions, and sometimes created kings for themselves. It was on this account, that the Romans, in succeeding times, when they easily held the rest of Egypt in obedience, placed a strong garrison in all these parts. When you have taken the most exact survey of all circumstances, you will find this was the reason that made the Egyptians, even from the first, so ill affected to shepherds; because these sedentary men and handicrafts could not endure their fierce and active spirits. Pharaoh himself, when he had determined to abate and depress the growing numbers of the Israelites, spake to his subjects in this manner: The Israelites are stronger than we; let us deal wisely, that they increase not, lest, when war arises, they join themselves to our enemies, and take up arms against us.' But this view does not account for the use of the term which is properly rendered abomination, and which indicates, not a ferocious and turbulent character, which is properly an object of dread and hatred, but a mean and despicable person, that excites the scorn and contempt of his neighbours. It is readily admitted, that the detestation in which shepherds were held in Egypt, could not arise from their employment in the breeding of cattle; for the king himself, in the days of Joseph, had very numerous flocks and herds, in the management of which he did not think it unbecoming his dignity to take a lively interest. This is proved by the command to his favourite minister; 'If thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.' Nor were his numerous subjects less attentive to this branch of industry; every one seems to have lived upon his paternal farm, part of failed in the years of famine, all the Egyptians came to which was converted into pasture. Hence, when money, Joseph and said, Give us bread; for why should we die in