And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
Ver. 11. And his brethren envied him.] Envy is a filthy fruit of the flesh Gal 5:21 and the devil; who is called, the envious man; Matthew 13:19 ; Mat 13:25 and such wisdom is said to be "devilish." Jam 3:15 The Pharisees, envying our Saviour, did the devil's work. Joh 8:41 So did Cain, the devil's patriarch, when he laid his cruel club on the innocent head of his brother Abel. And Saul, when, seized upon by the evil spirit more than a melancholy humour, he envied David, and sought his death. For, this vice, as it makes the heart to boil with hellish venom, so it blisters out at the tongue, as here; "They could not speak peaceably to Joseph," but scoff, and consult his ruin. It sits, also, looking out at the windows of the eyes; and, as a basilisk, blasteth the object. a Hence, invidere; to see with an evil eye, and naughty mind: and our English saith, to overlook a thing; that is, to bewitch it. This very looking upon other precellencies, whereby we are over shined, so as to lust to have that light put out, that our candle might shine above it - this is every man's sin - though it act nothing, yet it is abominable. Jam 4:5 As, on the other side, to rejoice in the good parts of others, though it eclipseth our light, and this from the heart; this is indeed more than to excel others in any excellency, if this be wanting. For this, it is good to get the heart fraught with mercy, meekness of wisdom, fear of God, - whose providence cuts us out our various conditions and proportions, - zeal for his glory, as Moses; humility, charity ("Love envieth not," 1Co 13:4); and to take heed of strife. Rom 13:13 "Envy and strife" go coupled; they are brought in there by the brace, as it were twisted together. Likewise, of pride and vain-glory; Php 2:3 covetousness; Pro 28:22 contention about words; 1Ti 6:4 self-love, ignorance, &c.; all which make the soul sick of the fret, Psalms 37:8 ; Psa 73:3 and to pierce itself through with many sorrows. For, this sin killeth the silly one, Job 5:2 if it kill no other. Envy and murder b go coupled. Rom 1:29 Gal 5:21 A hectic it is to itself, however; the same that rust is to iron, blasting to corn, or a moth to the cloth it breeds in. It drinketh the most part of its own venom, gnaws on its own heart, is consumed in its own fire, as Nadab and Abihu were; and, like the snake in the fable, licks off its own tongue, as envying teeth to the file in the forge. Socrates called it, the saw of the soul. c David compares it to fire in billets of juniper, which burns vehemently, and continues, they say, more years than one. Simul peccat et plectitur: expedita iustitia, saith Petrarch. Other sins have some pleasure; this hath none, but torment. It is a very hell above ground, and paves a way to the unpardonable sin, as in Saul, and the Pharisees.
a Nescio quis teneros, &c.; fascino, Bασκαινω, i.e., τοις φαεσι κτεινειν .
b φθονου και φονου. φθονος, of φθινω, to consume.
c Serram animae.