Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
Ver. 1. Then Joseph could not refrain.] No more can Jesus, in the extreme afflictions of his brethren, Isa 42:14 he must cry like a travailing woman; which, though she bite in her pain for a while, cannot long contain. As Croesus's dumb son burst forth into, "Kill not King Croesus." a So when the Church is overlaid by Satan or his instruments, his bowels work, he can hold no longer, but cries, "Save my child, Do the young man Absalom no harm." "I was but a little displeased, and they have helped forward the affliction. Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies," or bowels. Zec 1:15-16 Their groans and moans, as every word of Judah's pathetical speech to Joseph, are as so many darts and daggers at his heart; he must take course for their relief and rescue. For he is a very tender-hearted Joseph, said that martyr, b and though he speak roughly to his brethren, and handle them hardly, yea, and threaten grievous bondage to his best beloved Benjamin, yet can he not contain himself from weeping with us, and upon us, with falling on our necks, and sweetly kissing us, &c.; - as he sweetly goes on in a letter to his wife, Pray, pray for us, everybody; we be shortly to be despatched hence to our good Christ. Amen, Amen.
Cause every man to go out from me.] That he might weep his fill, and not reveal his brethren's faults to strangers. It is wisdom in plastering the wounds of others, to clap our hand on the place, that the world may be never the wiser. Mercer thinks that Joseph concealed from his very father the hard dealings of his brethren with him; for if he had known, he would likely have set some note upon them for their cruelty, as he did upon Simeon and Levi for their bloody butchering of the Shechemites.
a Aνθρωπε, μη κτεινε Cροισον. - Herodot.
b Mr Sanders. Act. and Mon., 1564.