Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Genesis 46:4
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
I will go down with thee into Egypt, etc.] Which was enough to silence all his fears; for if the presence of God went with him to protect and defend hide, to bless and prosper him, and to direct, support, and comfort, he had nothing to fear from any quarter: and I will also surely bring thee up [again]: Jarchi takes this to be a promise that he should be buried in the land of Canaan, which had its fulfilment, when his corpse was carried out of Egypt to Machpelah, and there interred; but rather this refers to the bringing up of his posterity from thence in due time, for which Jacob might be most solicitous, and so the Targum of Jonathan, “and I will bring up thy children from thence:” and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes: and so close them when he was dead; this, as Aben Ezra says, was a custom of the living to the dead, and it used to be done by the nearest relations and friends, though now with us commonly by strangers, or those that are not akin: this was a custom among the Greeks and Romans, as appears from Homer f1809, Virgil f1810 , Ovid f1811, and other writers f1812; and so, among the Jews, Tobias is said to shut the eyes of his wife’s father and mother, and to bury them honourably, “Where he became old with honour, and he buried his father and mother in law honourably, and he inherited their substance, and his father Tobit’s.” (Tobit 14:13) Of the Vulgate Latin version: Maimonides f1813 reckons this of closing the eyes of the dead, among the rites used towards them, and so in the Talmud f1814 : now by this expression Jacob was assured that Joseph was alive, and that he should live to see him, and that Joseph would outlive him, and do this last office for him; and, as Ben Melech observes, by this he had the good news told him that Joseph should remain behind him, to sustain and support his sons, and his sons’ sons, all the years that he should live after him.
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