Lectures on the History of Joseph
Publisher's note.
This series of lectures covers chapters 37 to 50 of Genesis, focusing on Joseph’s life but including Jacob’s prophetic statements regarding his twelve sons in Genesis 49. Lawson makes profound and searching observations relating Joseph‘s life to many aspects of Christian experience. It will be appreciated by all readers for its readability, but pastors will also prize it for its surefooted handling of the more difficult questions relating to the events covered.
George Lawson (1749-1820) was for forty-nine years the minister of the Scottish Succession church in Selkirk. He became renowned as a writer alongside his preaching, producing commentaries on Proverbs, Ruth, Esther, the life of David and this work on the life of Joseph.
Contents:
Prefatory Note
Preface
Lectures on the History of Joseph
1. Joseph is hated by his brethren, who form a resolution to destroy him
2. Joseph is sold by his brethren
3. Joseph obtains his master’s favour, but meets with dangerous temptations from his mistress, which he nobly withstands
4. Joseph is falsely accused by his mistress, and cast into prison
5. Joseph interprets the dreams of the chief butler and baker of the king of Egypt (1)
6. Joseph interprets the dreams of the chief butler and baker of the king of Egypt (2)
7. Pharaoh’s dream
8. The interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream
9. Joseph’s exaltation, and his care to lay up supplies of corn against the famine
10.The accomplishment of Pharaoh’s dream
11.Joseph’s brethren are sent to Egypt by their father to buy corn
12.Joseph treats his brethren as spies, and confines them to a prison, where they are seized with deep remorse for their cruel treatment of their brother
13.Joseph’s brethren in prison are struck with remorse for their cruelty to him, in refusing to comply with his piteous cries for mercy. They all return to their father, except Simeon, who is left in bonds
14.Joseph’s brethren return to their father; they are all terrified at finding their money in the mouth of their sacks
15.Jacob sends his sons the second time into Egypt to buy corn
16.Joseph’s brethren go down to Egypt, and find no complaints made against them on account of the money that was returned in their sacks
17.Joseph’s brethren are entertained at his table
18.Joseph’s cup is put into Benjamin’s sack, which affords a pretext for bringing him back to Joseph
19.Judah’s speech to Joseph in favour of Benjamin
20.Joseph makes himself known to his brethren, and soothes the anguish of their troubled spirits
21.Joseph comforts his brethren, and sends a kind message by them to his father
22.Joseph’s interview with Benjamin
23.Joseph’s brethren return to their father, and inform him of Joseph’s glory in Egypt, and of his ardent desire to have his father with him. Jacob is almost overpowered with the tidings
24.Jacob, at Beersheba, is encouraged by God to go down to Egypt
25.Jacob goes down to Egypt with all his family and all his substance
26.The meeting of Jacob and Joseph
27.Joseph gives his brethren directions what account of themselves they should give unto Pharaoh, and procures a royal mandate for settling them in the land of Goshen
28.Joseph introduces his father to Pharaoh, assigns to his father and brethren the place of their residence, and supplies them with food convenient for them
29.Joseph gains for the king all the money of Egypt, with the cattle and land, which he returns to the people upon easy conditions
30.Jacob obtains from Joseph a solemn promise to bury him in the land of Canaan
31.Joseph visits his dying father with his two sons
32.Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph (1)
33.Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph (2)
34.The burial of Jacob
35.Joseph’s brethren obtain from him new assurances of his forgiveness and protection
36.The dying words and death of Joseph
Lectures on the Blessings Pronounced by Jacob on his Twelve Children
1. Jacob’s solemn call to his children to attend to his dying words. Prediction concerning Reuben
2. Prophecy concerning Simeon and Levi
3. The blessing of Judah
4. The blessings of Zebulun, Issachar, and Dan
5. The blessings of Gad, Asher, and Naphtali
6. The blessing of Joseph
7. The blessing of Benjamin. Jacob dies after giving orders to all his sons concerning his burial
Publisher's note.
This series of lectures covers chapters 37 to 50 of Genesis, focusing on Joseph’s life but including Jacob’s prophetic statements regarding his twelve sons in Genesis 49. Lawson makes profound and searching observations relating Joseph‘s life to many aspects of Christian experience. It will be appreciated by all readers for its readability, but pastors will also prize it for its surefooted handling of the more difficult questions relating to the events covered.
George Lawson (1749-1820) was for forty-nine years the minister of the Scottish Succession church in Selkirk. He became renowned as a writer alongside his preaching, producing commentaries on Proverbs, Ruth, Esther, the life of David and this work on the life of Joseph.
Contents:
Prefatory Note
Preface
Lectures on the History of Joseph
1. Joseph is hated by his brethren, who form a resolution to destroy him
2. Joseph is sold by his brethren
3. Joseph obtains his master’s favour, but meets with dangerous temptations from his mistress, which he nobly withstands
4. Joseph is falsely accused by his mistress, and cast into prison
5. Joseph interprets the dreams of the chief butler and baker of the king of Egypt (1)
6. Joseph interprets the dreams of the chief butler and baker of the king of Egypt (2)
7. Pharaoh’s dream
8. The interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream
9. Joseph’s exaltation, and his care to lay up supplies of corn against the famine
10.The accomplishment of Pharaoh’s dream
11.Joseph’s brethren are sent to Egypt by their father to buy corn
12.Joseph treats his brethren as spies, and confines them to a prison, where they are seized with deep remorse for their cruel treatment of their brother
13.Joseph’s brethren in prison are struck with remorse for their cruelty to him, in refusing to comply with his piteous cries for mercy. They all return to their father, except Simeon, who is left in bonds
14.Joseph’s brethren return to their father; they are all terrified at finding their money in the mouth of their sacks
15.Jacob sends his sons the second time into Egypt to buy corn
16.Joseph’s brethren go down to Egypt, and find no complaints made against them on account of the money that was returned in their sacks
17.Joseph’s brethren are entertained at his table
18.Joseph’s cup is put into Benjamin’s sack, which affords a pretext for bringing him back to Joseph
19.Judah’s speech to Joseph in favour of Benjamin
20.Joseph makes himself known to his brethren, and soothes the anguish of their troubled spirits
21.Joseph comforts his brethren, and sends a kind message by them to his father
22.Joseph’s interview with Benjamin
23.Joseph’s brethren return to their father, and inform him of Joseph’s glory in Egypt, and of his ardent desire to have his father with him. Jacob is almost overpowered with the tidings
24.Jacob, at Beersheba, is encouraged by God to go down to Egypt
25.Jacob goes down to Egypt with all his family and all his substance
26.The meeting of Jacob and Joseph
27.Joseph gives his brethren directions what account of themselves they should give unto Pharaoh, and procures a royal mandate for settling them in the land of Goshen
28.Joseph introduces his father to Pharaoh, assigns to his father and brethren the place of their residence, and supplies them with food convenient for them
29.Joseph gains for the king all the money of Egypt, with the cattle and land, which he returns to the people upon easy conditions
30.Jacob obtains from Joseph a solemn promise to bury him in the land of Canaan
31.Joseph visits his dying father with his two sons
32.Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph (1)
33.Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph (2)
34.The burial of Jacob
35.Joseph’s brethren obtain from him new assurances of his forgiveness and protection
36.The dying words and death of Joseph
Lectures on the Blessings Pronounced by Jacob on his Twelve Children
1. Jacob’s solemn call to his children to attend to his dying words. Prediction concerning Reuben
2. Prophecy concerning Simeon and Levi
3. The blessing of Judah
4. The blessings of Zebulun, Issachar, and Dan
5. The blessings of Gad, Asher, and Naphtali
6. The blessing of Joseph
7. The blessing of Benjamin. Jacob dies after giving orders to all his sons concerning his burial