9 And Jacob said, The years of my wanderings have been a hundred and thirty; small in number and full of sorrow have been the years of my life, and less than the years of the wanderings of my fathers.
When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone.
Your rules have been melodies to me, while I have been living in strange lands.
Let my prayer come to your ears, O Lord, and give attention to my cry, make an answer to my weeping: for my time here is short before you, and in a little time I will be gone, like all my fathers.
You have made my days no longer than a hand's measure; and my years are nothing in your eyes; truly, every man is but a breath. (Selah.)
My loved ones, I make this request with all my heart, that, as those for whom this world is a strange country, you will keep yourselves from the desires of the flesh which make war against the soul;
For here we have no fixed resting-place, but our search is for the one which is to come.
By faith he was a wanderer in the land of the agreement, as in a strange land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who had a part with him in the same heritage: For he was looking for the strong town, whose builder and maker is God. And by faith Sarah herself had power to give birth, when she was very old, because she had faith in him who gave his word; So that from one man, who was near to death, came children in number as the stars in heaven, or as the sand by the seaside, which may not be numbered. All these came to their end in faith, not having had the heritage; but having seen it with delight far away, they gave witness that they were wanderers and not of the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are searching for a country for themselves. And truly if they had kept in mind the country from which they went out, they would have had chances of turning back. But now their desire is for a better country, that is to say, for one in heaven; and so it is no shame to God to be named their God; for he has made ready a town for them.
You send man back to his dust; and say, Go back, you children of men. For to you a thousand years are no more than yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night. ... In the morning it is green; in the evening it is cut down, and becomes dry. We are burned up by the heat of your passion, and troubled by your wrath. You have put our evil doings before you, our secret sins in the light of your face. For all our days have gone by in your wrath; our years come to an end like a breath. The measure of our life is seventy years; and if through strength it may be eighty years, its pride is only trouble and sorrow, for it comes to an end and we are quickly gone. Who has knowledge of the power of your wrath, or who takes note of the weight of your passion? So give us knowledge of the number of our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.
See how short my time is; why have you made all men for no purpose? What man now living will not see death? will he be able to keep back his soul from the underworld? (Selah.)
Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers: (For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:)
For we, as all our fathers were, are like men from a strange country before you, who have got a place for a time in the land; our days on the earth are like a shade, and there is no hope of going on.
Now Barzillai was a very old man, as much as eighty years old: and he had given the king everything he had need of, while he was at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. And the king said to Barzillai, Come over with me, and I will take care of you in Jerusalem. And Barzillai said to the king, How much of my life is still before me, for me to go up to Jerusalem with the king? I am now eighty years old: good and bad are the same to me; have meat and drink any taste for me now? am I able to take pleasure in the voices of men or women in song? why then am I to be a trouble to my lord the king?
Now after these things, the death of Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, took place, he being then a hundred and ten years old.
And Moses at his death was a hundred and twenty years old: his eye had not become clouded, or his natural force become feeble.
And I made an agreement with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their wanderings.
So Joseph came to his death, being a hundred and ten years old: and they made his body ready, and he was put in a chest in Egypt.
Now the years of Abraham's life were a hundred and seventy-five. And Abraham came to his death, an old man, full of years; and he was put to rest with his people.
And Nahor was twenty-nine years old when he became the father of Terah: And after the birth of Terah, Nahor went on living for a hundred and nineteen years, and had sons and daughters:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 47
Commentary on Genesis 47 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 47
In this chapter we have instances,
Gen 47:1-12
Here is,
Gen 47:13-26
Care being taken of Jacob and his family, the preservation of which was especially designed by Providence in Joseph's advancement, an account is now given of the saving of the kingdom of Egypt too from ruin; for God is King of nations as well as King of saints, and provideth food for all flesh. Joseph now returns to the management of that great trust which Pharaoh had lodged in his hand. It would have been pleasing enough to him to have gone and lived with his father and brethren in Goshen; but his employment would not permit it. When he had seen his father, and seen him well settled, he applied himself as closely as ever to the execution of his office. Note, Even natural affection must give way to necessary business. Parents and children must be content to be absent one from another, when it is necessary, on either side, for the service of God or their generation. In Joseph's transactions with the Egyptians observe,
Gen 47:27-31
Observe,