V.i-22. And Joseph was told, Behold, thy father is sick. And he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And it was told Jacob, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee. And Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed, and said unto Joseph, The Almighty God appeared unto me in Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said unto me, Behold, I will cause thee to grow and multiply, and will make thee a Han people, and will give this land unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession. Now therefore thy two sons [Ephraim and Manasseh], which were born unto thee in Egypt, before I came in unto thee, shall be my sons.
They shall be like Reuben and Simeon. And they that thou begettest after them shall be thine; but these shall be called by their brethren's names in their inheritance. And it came to pass, when I was come out of Mesopotamia, that Rachel died with me in the land of Canaan, by the way of a highway to Ephrath; and I buried her by the way of Ephrath, which is now called Bethlehem. And Israel saw the sons of Joseph, and said, Who are they? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me here. And he said, Bring them hither unto me, that I may bless them. For the eyes of Israel were heavy with age, and could not well see.
And he brought her unto him. And he kissed them, and hugged them, and said unto Joseph, Behold, I have seen thy face, which I thought not of; and, lo, God hath made me to see thy seed also: and Joseph took them from his bosom, and they fell down upon the earth upon their faces. Then Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand, against Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand, against Israel's right hand, and brought them to him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon the head of Ephraim the youngest, and his left hand upon the head of Manasseh: and he did so knowingly with his hands, because Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, saying, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has nourished me all my life to this day, the angel who has delivered me from all evil, bless these sons, that they may be called by my name and by the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, that they may grow and become many on the earth. But when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon Ephraim's head, it displeased him, and he fasted his father's hand, and turned it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And said unto him, Not so, my father, this is the firstborn; lay thy right hand upon his head. But his father refused, saying: I know it well, my son, I know it well, this also shall become a full one, and shall be great; but his youngest brother shall become greater than he, and his seed shall become full of people. So he blessed them that day, saying, After thy manner shall Israel be blessed, that it may be said, God set thee as Ephraim and Manasseh. And so he set Ephraim before Manasseh. And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die, and God shall be with you, and shall bring you again into the land of your fathers. I have given you a piece of land apart from your brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow. 1)
What follows is, in sum, an interpretation of the 46. 47. 48. chapter.
1) In the Erlangen edition, the text of the 49th chapter follows here.
(1) Then we have heard how the heavy plague lasted two years in Egypt before Jacob came in, and how it lasted five years. But all that was in Egypt was consumed, and the money that was in the land and round about came in heaps into the king's house. After that, in the sixth year, all the livestock went up. In the seventh year the king's land and people became his own, like the servants, so that he had power over them as over the cattle. For this reason Joseph gave him an abundance of riches.
2 Thus, when God wants to make a country rich and great, He does so that it must become great even if all the others perish. Now we have heard that he was a fine king, pious and sensible, who knew God and learned God's word from Joseph. How is it then that Joseph, the holy man, and Pharaoh, the pious king, rule so horribly, burdening and subduing the land, leaving them nothing of their own, making them poor, serfs, even to the point of beating the fifth man over the land forever; is this also Christian or just?
3 Everyone knows that there is a common, regular interest in the countries, although it is not here with us, because it is called the tithe, that one gives annually the tenth part of all kinds of goods in the country to the authorities; one also considers it a beneficial, fine right. However, I would like to see tithing in this country as well, and I might even suggest that a fifth be given, so that everything would be bad; it would not be possible to act and act in the same way. For where one does not tithe, but strikes a named sum on a city, so that one gives as much, the other as much, the sum must fall one year as the other, God grant, it may be, as it may, whether it hardly comes to twenty or forty florins. If the income and the stock last once in seven or eight years, it will spoil five or six years after that; so that half of it will be gone in that way, and the people will have to give the greater part of their goods as interest. What have they gained?
4. i have overlapped what has been given to the spiritual beggars so far, and ge-
The people found that half of the poor people's goods had fallen there, and they had to feed themselves on the other half. For a poor man's goods, land, cattle, and the like, whether they bear anything or nothing, they must give as much one year as the next. But if a man had to give a tenth cow and calf every year, and so on, he would have the advantage, if it bore him much, he would give much, if it bore him little, he would give little; then the 1) people should not be pressed with the said sum, but would have to wait for happiness with them. But now a poor man of misfortune must wait alone, the overlords sit free and secure; God give, one spoils or prosper, so the interest must fall.
Now say, whether these were not more reasonable people than we? have naturally put interest on the land, that it may have suffered and come to. It would be more painful to keep the ninth, or even the eighth part of the property, because one often gives away half of it, sometimes more than one takes in. That is why the cities have to pay interest on themselves, and why they are ruined by it. That is why people complain that there is no more money and property in the world, and soon everyone is ruined.
(6) Therefore they were wise men, and it was not unjust for Joseph to bring the land and goods under the king. The grain and the land were his; so it was a friendship that he sold them for an equal penny, and gave goods for goods; which is equal and fair in all the world, for he was not guilty of feeding them all; nor would it have been advisable. For one must keep the people in check and constrained; otherwise, if one fed him 2) Omnes for nothing, he would become too wanton and go dancing on the ice.
(7) If there were vain pious people, they should not be compelled nor tamed; but the rabble is too wicked, and as soon as too much will is left to it, no one can deal with it. Therefore, it is not worthwhile to let the common man go without coercion and insistence. It must be set in a regiment and order, which must therefore be left alone.
1) Erlanger: the.
2) He = Lord.
They do not give them enough for nothing, but goods for goods or money. Who else would work and sit still? You can see how it is about the heap; if you allow him a hand's breadth, he takes four and twenty cubits.
8 Therefore, though it may seem a hard and grievous thing for Joseph to make such complaints of the people, yet it has been gracious and profitable that both the common man and the authorities may prosper thereby. But there is no doubt that Joseph was so pious that he did not let poor people who did not have to pay for it suffer hardship, but gave it for free; but from others, who had to pay for it, he also took it. Further, we have heard above that the holy fathers, both Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob also, had many of their own people or servants, who were sold like cattle; item, also more things done that are worldly than received and shed blood; all of which can be considered as not having been done in a brotherly or Christian way. But to act in a Christian and brotherly manner does not belong to the worldly regiment; God Himself has determined how one should act with servants, maidservants and their children, and the like.
(9) Christianity and evangelicalism are to rule the consciences alone; but to rule the world are sharp and strict laws, to restrain the wickedness of which they are all full; but that it may be restrained, the other pious men, who have no need of it, must keep up, for the sake of common peace. So now he has brought the land to himself with God and honor. Whoever wants to count it further, let him do so, even if it is difficult to give the fifth. Let it come to pass that they give the sixth, or the seventh, or the eighth. [All this would be advisable if other burdens, customs duties, purchase of interest, and the like, which now daily abound, were abolished, so that both the authorities and we would have enough. And indeed in the Old Testament, with the Jews, one also had to give much, the tithe and all first fruits, and firstlings of cattle and men, to the priests, otherwise also the tithe of the first year, without other things [3 Mos. 27, 30. ff. Cap. 23, 10.], that it has probably become equal to the fifth, which Joseph put on.
(10) But besides this, Moses here writes how the priests are exempt, that they keep their field and goods all as it was ordained for them, that they should eat what was appointed them. This is also one of the texts on which the pope's spiritual law wants to be based, and says that his priests should have their goods free, not subject to interest or tithes. To this the Gospel says: Go and preach, take and eat what is given you, for "a laborer is worthy of his food" [Matth. 10, 10.]. And Paul [1 Cor. 9:14], "The Lord hath commanded that they which preach the gospel should feed on the gospel." So it was ordered in the Old Testament, and here also among the Gentiles. I have often wondered at St. Paul's writing so much about how to feed the belly, and Christ himself is so careful about it; although he did not determine how much to give to the preachers, yet he commanded it so far that they could feed and sustain themselves on it.
So it was, because Paul lived, that they would give him nothing, which is why he speaks so much about it 1 Cor. 9, 14, and Gal. 6, 6. 7. he tells them harshly: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; what a man sows, that he will also reap. Christ himself would have had to go for bread and suffer hunger, had he not been able to make bread out of stones [Matth. 4, 3], if it had been necessary, and if the women had not hung on him, who had given him need. We cannot do it any other way, it will remain that the right, pious preachers must go for bread for the sake of the world. We cannot feed one or two right preachers, but we can fill a hundred and a thousand monks and priests who lead us to the devil.
(12) In the Old Testament, all twelve tribes could not feed the one tribe of Levi, so that in the end they had to leave God's word to teach and feed themselves with their hands. Besides, there was almost no spot in the land, there were altars and chapels, where one could give abundantly to the deceivers: When Isabel alone fed four hundred false prophets from her table, and beside them were four hundred prophets of Baal.
There were a hundred prophets who suffered hunger and hardship. Therefore it is true: Those who serve in the word, to them it is fair to give their food. For this reason I respect that Joseph and Pharaoh have set up proper people, and have considered it the noblest work to provide for them, since they are more important than the whole country.
I have also preached and written that the most important thing should be to take good care of the parishes and schools. But there is no one who wants to. Others, priests and fattened bellies, who do nothing but cause all kinds of misfortune, are given enough. What God will say about this, we will also become aware of one day. I have often said that God regards His gifts as precious and valuable; He has also confessed much to Him, He has turned His Son's blood to it, so that the Word would be preached and His apostles would be sent out. Therefore he thinks: The treasure is too noble and good, they are not worth to have it; therefore I will feed my worthy preachers myself. Therefore he does not give it to the mad world to do it, because to his Christians, one, or two, or three; the others let all preachers die of hunger in one day. It is too noble and too great, they are not worthy to do honor to the gospel and its preachers, otherwise they would say they deserved it.
14 So it will soon come to pass that the right preachers will have to leave their ministry and learn a trade just for the sake of food; then they will lose the word through God's wrath and punishment, and again, they will carry heaps to those who preach lies and deception to them. Because the treasure is there, no one turns to it; when it is gone, only then does one look back. Therefore it must go, as Christ [John 5:43] says: "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his name, him will ye receive." We may thank God that we know how it must go, and let the world go to the devil, and console ourselves that we have a Father in heaven who will feed us; if we cannot do more, we work with our hands, and we are excused. It is not possible for us
and have no nourishment from it, although St. Paul did it; it is also not necessary. But if it were necessary and I wanted to make an effort, with God's help I could also preach and do a trade at the same time.
(15) Therefore this example is not to be drawn, since the pope points it out, that they sit securely and firmly in their goods, and may give nothing to anyone, which they have not acquired, but are given by princes, not for the sake of preaching, but for the sake of masses, and endowed as a good work, but for the service of the devil; wherefore they also must have enough, and the true preachers are in want.
16 But this Pharaoh has been a righteous man and has acted in a royal way in taking care of the people who are to preach and teach. You will not find many pagan princes who do the same. So he has provided for both the secular and the ecclesiastical regiment in the best possible way, so that they do not suffer any hardship in body and soul.
17 There is nothing more special in the history, except in the 48th chapter, about the two brothers, Ephraim and Manasseh, whom he blesses and chooses as his sons. This he tells so that afterwards it may be understood how he often tells of the twelve tribes of the people of Israel; for out of Joseph came two tribes, so that he has twice as many as the others. For one generation was to be taken out for the priesthood, so that the place was to be filled again, and the two sons were to be added.
18 Now God performed a miracle: Joseph brought the two children to their father, placed the eldest on his father's right side and the other on his left, and Jacob laid his hands on them as they stood before him; but he turned them back and acted out of courage, so that Joseph was displeased.
19 Now it is evident how in the Old Testament much preference and freedom was given to the first son, that he always took two pieces of inheritance before others, and in addition won the regiment and priesthood; the others had to be his subjects in spiritual and temporal government. This is also due to the first son of Manasseh, but he takes it from him and gives it to the youngest son.
He said, "This one also shall be great, but the youngest shall be greater than he. And from the text also afterward the tribe of Ephraim was proud and haughty, that there was no proud people among the Jews, which boasted so of the blessing; they were but nephews, and the youngest; neither were they the greatest. For the kingdom and government of Israel consisted of them. Who now reads the prophets, he can understand from this, why they attract the name Ephraim so, just as we call with us the Roman empire. The patriarch Joseph deserved the honor with his misery, which he had suffered in Egypt; so that we should see how God rewards again and sets to great honors those who can wait and endure his hand.
20. But the fact that he shows the youngest son is done according to the Gospel, that God thus does: what is great before the world, he lets down; and again, what is least, he lifts up. He who should be called the first becomes the last, so that he never leaves his way; all this to comfort Christians, so that they learn more and more to recognize God as his way, work and manner is, to see only down what is small; whereas the world sees only above itself what is great and high, and thinks that the poor people are completely abandoned. We must hear and see this through all examples, yet we always remain in the old sense and thought.
(21) This is also the purpose of what we heard above [chap. 43, 3], how Joseph commanded his brothers not to see his face, because they would bring the least brother with them. This is also what we are commanded to do, that we always take care of the least of these; must not come before God, bringing with us the least and weakest of Christians. As Christ teaches in Matthew [Cap. 25, 40.], and thus concludes: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." But no one wants to look down and submit to the service of those who are nothing. Therefore we would like to make this a proverb among ourselves and admonish ourselves daily, because Christ is always pointing us to it.
22 So we have heard this history of Joseph to the end, that now is fulfilled the dream which he had dreamed before, how
This is also indicated by the text, where it says: "Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them," which is why they were also angry with him and pushed him away, but were so wonderfully fulfilled that he came to such honor and power precisely because of this, so that they thought to destroy him, and considered nothing so certain, because Joseph, where he lived, would have to be a miserable man all his days. So God goes with the 1) his own, gives them interpretation, what should happen, but so that no one is wondering how it will happen, but seems, how it should go back, and yet is so richly fulfilled. It was a sign that his brothers should call him merciful Lord, and fall at his feet. The dream was from God; therefore it had to happen in such a way that no one could believe it; it had to turn around, so that they made him a servant and sold him, and were sure that the dream was all lies. But since his all things are forgotten, they come and fall at his feet unknowing.
(23) These are all the works of God that He does and impels. He has promised us eternal life, that we may escape from the power of the devil.
1) "den" is missing in the Erlanger.
into eternal divine power. This is promised to us in baptism; but when it is to begin, it turns; [we] then go into the midst of [death], like the dear martyrs who had to go through sword, fire and all misfortune. So when he wants to make rich, high, pious, he makes poor, despised, sinners and evil consciences, so that he drives it everywhere according to the outward appearance, as if it should come to nothing and exist with lies. Blessed is he who understands and does not err or resent it! Joseph shall become a mighty prince, he shall be a poor captive, with great dishonor, as an adulterer; but the greater misery and dishonor have been, the greater welfare and honor shall be given him. So it would be with us, if we could only trust and wait once, we shall have no want nor need of body and soul, and God will be with us in all temptation and affliction, as He says in the 91st Psalm, v. 15.But when He attacks us, we cannot stand; we forget His way of fulfilling His word, namely, that He takes away what He wants to give; but He plays kindly with us, like a father with his dear children, until the time comes that He will shower us with joy.