477 Esau entreats his father, B. C. cir. 1779. CHAP. XXVII. A. M. cir. 2225. venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. 34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. 35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. 36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? Chap. xxviii. 3, 4; Rom. xi. 29. XXV. 26.- That is, a supplanter.filled, 2 Sam. viii. 14; ver. 29. and receives a blessing B. C. cir. 1779 37 And Isaac answered and A. M. eir. 2225 38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou 39 And Isaac his father answered and said 40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and h Heb. xii. 17.- Though Isaac must have heard of that which God had spoken to Rebekah, The elder shall serve the younger, and could never have wished to reverse. this Divine purpose; yet he might certainly think that the spiritual blessing might be conveyed to Esau, and by him to all the nations of the earth, notwithstanding the superiority of secular dominion on the other side. Yea, and he shall be blessed.] From what is said in this verse, collated with Heb. xii. 17, we see how binding the conveyance of the birthright was when communicated with the rites already mentioned. When Isaac found that he had been deceived by Jacob, he certainly would have reversed the blessing if he could; but as it had been conveyed in the sacramental way this was impossible. I have blessed him, says he, yea, and he must, or will, be blessed. Hence it is said by the apostle, Esau found no place for repentance, uerav yap to our cupe, no place for change of mind or purpose in his father, though he sought it carefully with tears. The father could not reverse it because the grant had already been made and confirmed. But this had nothing to do with the final salvation of poor outwitted Esau, nor indeed with that of his unnatural brother. constant wars; but that they should be of a fierce and And when thou shalt have the dominion] It is here and Esau said in his heart, The days of and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to mourning for my father are at hand; then Haran; will I slay my brother Jacob. 42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Until thy brother's anger turn away from Eccles. vii. 9; Obad. 10; Eph. iv. 26, 27.- Psa. Ixiv. 5 have dominion, is rather of doubtful meaning, as it may be deduced from three different roots, TV yarad, to descend, to be brought down or brought low; 17 radah, to obtain rule or have dominion; and 7) rud, to complain; meaning either that when reduced very low God would magnify his power in their behalf, and deliver them from the yoke of their brethren; or when they should be increased so as to venture to set up a king over them, or when they mourned for their trans-violence against thy brother Jacob, in the return of his gressions, God would turn their captivity. The Jerusalem Targum gives the words, the following turn: "When the sons of Jacob attend to the law and observe, the precepts, they shall impose the yoke of servitude upon thy neck; but when they shall turn away themselves from studying the law and neglect the precepts, thou shalt break off the yoke of servitude from thy neck." used about the end of the first century of the Christian era. Thus were they rewarded for insulting and oppressing their brethren the Jews; and hereby other prophecies were fulfilled, viz., Jer. xlix. 7, &c.; Ezek. |xxv. 12, &c.'; Joel iii. 19; Amos i. 11, &c.; and particularly Obadiah; for at this day we see the Jews subsisting as a distinct people, while Edom is no more, agreeably to the words of Obadiah, ver. 10: For thy posterity from Egypt, shame shall cover thee, and thou shall be cut off for ever. And again, ver. 18: There shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau, for the Lord hath spoken it. In what a most extensive and circumstantial manner has God fulfilled all these predictions! and what a proof is this of the Divine inspiration of the Pentateuch, and the omniscience of God!" Verse 41. The days of mourning for my father are at hand] Such was the state of Isaac's health at that time, though he lived more than forty years afterwards, that his death was expected by all; and Esau thought that would be a favourable time for him to avenge himself on his brother Jacob, as, according to the custom of the times, the sons were always present at the burial of the father. Ishmael came from his own country to assist Isaac to bury Abraham; and both Jacob and Esau assisted in burying their father Isaac, but the enmity between them had happily subsided long before that time. 'It was David who imposed the yoke, and at that time the Jewish people observed the law; but the yoke was very galling to the Edomites from the first; and towards the end of Solomon's reign Hadad, the Edomite, of the blood royal, who had been carried into Egypt from his childhood, returned into his own country, and raised some disturbances, but was not able to recover his throne, his subjects being overawed by the garririsons which David had placed among them; but in the reign of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. Jehoram made some attempts to subdue them again, but could not prevail; so the Edomite's revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day, 2 Chron. xxi. 8, 10, and hereby was fulfilled about nine hunthis part of the prophecy dred years after it was delivered." See Bishop Newton. "Thus," says Bishop Newton, have we traced, in our notes on this and the xxvth chapter, the accomplishment of this prophecy from the beginning; and we find that the nation of the Edomites has at several times been conquered by and made tributary to the Verse 44. Tarry with him a few days] It was Jews, but never the nation of the Jews to the Edomites; considerable people, probably forty years before he returned, and it is and the Jews have been the more more known in the world, and more famous in history. likely Rebekah saw him no more; for it is the geneWe know indeed little more of the history of the ral opinion of the Jewish rabbins that she died before Edomites than as it is connected with that of the Jews; Jacob's return from Padan-aram, whether the period and where is the name or nation now? They were of his stay be considered twenty or forty years. See swallowed up and lost, partly among the Nabathean on chap. xxxi. 38, &c. Arabs, and partly among the Jews; and the very name, | Verse 42. Doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.] mithnachem lecha, which Houbigant renders cogitat super te, he thinks or meditates to kill thee. This sense is natural enough here, but it does not appear to be the meaning of the original; nor does Houbigant himself give it this sense, in his Racines Hebraiques. There is no doubt that Esau, in his hatred to his brother, felt himself pleased with the thought that he should soon have the opportunity of avenging his wrongs. Verse 45. Why should I be deprived also of you as Dr. Prideaux has observed, was abolished and dis- both] If Esau should kill Jacob, then the nearest akin Rebekah's alarm on account B. C. cir. 1779. CHAP. XXVII. B. C. cir. 1779. of the daughters of Heth. A. M. cir. 2225. thee, and he forget that which of my life because of the daugh- A. M. cir. 2225. thou hast done to him: then I will ters of Heth: if Jacob take a send, and fetch thee from thence: why should wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these I be deprived also of you both in one day? which are of the daughters of the land, what 46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary good shall my life do me? 2 Chap. xxvi. 35; xxviii. 8; Num. xi. 15; 1 Kings xix. 4; Job iii. 20-22.—a Chap. xxiv. 3. I consider the whole of the conduct both of Rebekah and Jacob in some respects deeply criminal, and in all highly exceptionable. And the impartial relation of the facts contained in this and the xxvth chapter, gives me the fullest evidence of the truth and authenticity of the sacred original. How impartial is the history that God writes! We may see, from several com to Jacob, who was by the patriarchial law, Gen. ix. 6, the avenger of blood, would kill Esau; and both these deaths might possibly take place in the same day. This appears to be the meaning of Rebekah. Those who are ever endeavouring to sanctify the means by the end, are full of perplexity and distress. God will not give his blessing to even à Divine service, if not done in his own way, on principles of truth and right-mentators, what man would have done, had he had the eousness. Rebekah and her son would take the means out of God's hands; they compassed themselves with their own sparks, and warmed themselves with their own fire; and this had they at the hand of God, they lay down in sorrow. God would have brought about his designs in a way consistent with his own perfections; for he had fully determined that the elder should serve the younger, and that the Messiah should spring not from the family of Esau, but from that of Jacob; and needed not the cunning craftiness or deceits of men to accomplish his purposes. Yet in his mercy he overruled all these circumstances, and produced good, where things, if left to their own operations and issues, would have produced nothing but evil. How-shades. What is the inference which a reflecting ever, after this reprehensible transaction, we hear no more of Rebekah. The Holy Spirit mentions her no more, her burial excepted, chap. xlix. 31. See on chap. xxxv. 8. -Verse 46. I am weary of my life] It is very likely that Rebekah kept many of the circumstances related above from the knowledge of Isaac; but as Jacob could not go to Padan-aram without his knowledge, she appears here quite in her oron character, framing an excuse for his departure, and concealing the true cause. Abraham had been solicitous to get a wife for his son Isaac from a branch of his own family; hence she was brought from Syria. She is now afraid, or pretends to be afraid, that her son Jacob will marry among the Hittites, as Esau had done; and therefore makes this to Isaac the ostensible reason why Jacob should immediately go to Padan-aram, that he might get a wife there. Isaac, not knowing the true cause of sending him away, readily falls in with Rebekah's proposal, and immediately calls Jacob, gives him suitable directions and his blessing, and sends him away. This view of the subject makes all consistent and natural; and we see at once the reason of the abrupt speech contained in this verse, which should be placed at the beginning of the following chapter, 1. In the preceding notes I have endeavoured to represent things simply as they were. I have not copied the manner of many commentators, who have laboured to vindicate the character of Jacob and his mother in the transactions here recorded. As I fear God, and wish to follow him, I dare not bless what he hath not blessed, nor curse what he hath not cursed, same facts to relate. The history given by God details as well the vices as the virtues of those who are its subjects. How widely different from that in the Bible is the biography of the present day! Virtuous acts that were never performed, voluntary privations which were never borne, piety which was never felt, and in a word lives which were never lived, are the principal subjects of our biographical relations. These may be well termed the Lives of the Saints, for to these are attributed all the virtues which can adorn the human character, with scarcely a failing or a blemish; while on the other hand, those in general mentioned in the sacred writings stand marked with deep' mind, acquainted with human nature, draws from a comparison of the biography of the Scriptures with that of uninspired writers? The inference is this the Scripture history is natural, is probable, bears all the characteristics of veracity, narrates circumstances which seem to make against its own honour, yet dwells on them, and often seeks occasion to REPEAT them. It is true! infallibly true!. In this conclusion common sense, reason, and criticism join. On the other hand, of biography in general we must say that it is. often unnatural, improbable is destitute of many of the essential characteristics of truth; studiously avoids mentioning those circumstances which are dishonourable to its subject; ardently endeavours either to cast those which it cannnot wholly hide into deep shades, or sublime them into virtues. This is notorious, and we need not go far for numerous examples. From these facts a reflecting mind will draw this general conclusion an impartial history, in every respect true, can be expected only from God himself. 2. These should be only preliminary observations to an extended examination of the characters and conduct of Rebekah and her two sons; but this in detail would be an ungracious task, and I wish only to draw the reader's attention to what may, under the blessing of God, promote his moral good. No pious man can read the chapter before him without emotions of grief and pain. A mother teaches her favourite son to cheat and defraud his brother, deceive his father, and tell the most execrable lies! And God, the just, the impartial God relates all the circumstances in the most ample and minute detail! I have already hinted that this is a strong proof of the authenticity of the sacred Directions to Jacob book. of Jacob were peculiarly favoured by God. 2. They generally had the dominion, and were ever reputed superior in every respect to the Edomites. 3. The Edomites were generally tributary to the Israelites. 4. They often revolted, and sometimes succeeded so far in their revolts as to become an independent people. 5. The Jews were never subjected to the Edom ites. 6. As in the case between Esau and Jacob, who after long enmity were reconciled, so were the Edomites and the Jews, and at length they became one people. 7. The Edomites, as a nation, are now totally extinct; and the Jews still continue as a distinct people from all the inhabitants of the earth! So exactly have all the words of God, which he has spoken by his prophets, been fulfilled! Had the Bible been the work of an impostor, ment. The facts, however, relative to this point, may a single tra.: of this history had never appeared. God, be summed up in a few words. 1. The descendants it is true, had purposed that the elder should serve the younger; but never designed that the supremacy should be brought about in this way. Had Jacob's unprincipled mother left the matter in the hands of God's providence, her favourite son would have had the precedency in such a way as would not only have manifested the justice and holiness of God, but would have been both honourable and lasting to HIMSELF. He got the birthright, and he got the blessing; and how little benefit did he personally derive from either! What was his life from this time till his return from Padan-aram? A mere tissue of vexations, disappointments, and calamities. Men may endeavour to palliate the iniquity of these transactions; but this must proceed either from weakness or mistaken zeal. God has sufficiently marked the whole with his disapprobation. 4. On the blessings pronounced on Jacob and Esau, 3. The enmity which Esau felt against his brother these questions may naturally be asked. 1. Was there Jacob seems to have been transmitted to all his pos- any thing in these blessings of such a spiritual nature terity; and doubtless the matters of the birthright and as to affect the eternal interests of either? Certainly the blessing were the grounds on which that perpetual there was not, at least as far as might absolutely inenmity was kept up between the descendants of both | volve the salvation of the one, or the perdition of the families, the Edomites and the Israelites. So unfor- other. 2. Was not the blessing pronounced on Esau tunate is an ancient family grudge, founded on the as good as that pronounced on Jacob, the mere tempoopinion that an injury has been done by one of the [rary lordship, and being the progenitor of the Messiah, branches of the family, in a period no matter how excepted? So it evidently appears. 3. If the blessremote, provided its operation still continues, and cer- ings had referred to their eternal states, had not Esau tain secular privatious to one side be the result. How as fair a prospect for endless glory as his unfeeling possible it is to keep feuds of this kind alive to any brother? Justice and mercy both say-Yes. The assignable period, the state of a neighbouring island truth is, it was their posterity, and not themselves, sufficiently proves; and on the subject in question, the that were the objects of these blessings. Jacob, perbloody contentions of the two houses of YORK and sonally, gained no benefit; Esau, personally, sustained LANCASTER in this nation are no contemptible com- no loss. CHAPTER XXVIII. Isaac directs Jacob to take a wife from the family of Laban, 1, 2; blesses and sends him away, 3, 4. Jacob begins his journey, 5. Esau, perceiving that the daughters of Canaan were not pleasing to his parents, and that Jacob obeyed them in going to get a wife of his own kindred, 6–8; went and took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael his father's brother, 9. Jacob, in his journey towards Haran, came to a certain place, (Luz, ver. 19,) where he lodged all night, 10, 11. He sees in a dream a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, on which he beholds the angels of God ascending and descending, 12. God appears above this ladder, and renews those promises which he had made to Abraham and to Isaac, 13, 14; promises Jacob personal protection and a safe return to his own country, 15. Jacob awakes, and makes reflections upon his dream, 16, 17. Sels up one of the stones he had for his pillow, and pours oil on it, and calls, the place Beth-el, 18, 19. Makes a vow that if God will preserve him in his journey, and bring him back in safety, the stone should be God's house, and that he would give him the tenths of all that he should have, 20-22. B. C. cir. a B. C. cir. 1779. A. M. cir. 2225. AND Isaac called Jacob, and take a wife of the daughters of A. M. cir. 2225. a Chap. xxvii. 33.- Chap. xxiv. 3. NOTES ON CHAP. XXVIII. Verse 1. And Isaac called Jacob] See the note on ver. 46 of the preceding chapter. And blessed him] Now voluntarily and cheerfully confirmed to him the blessing, which he had before 2 Arise, go to a Padan-aram, to the house e Hos. xii. 11.- d Chap. xxv. 20. obtained through subtlety. It was necessary that he should have this confirmation previously to his departure; else, considering the way in which he had obtained both the birthright and the blessing, he might be doubtful, according to his own words, whether he might not Jacob goes to Padan-aram. B. C. cir. 1779. CHAP. XXVIII. B. C. cir. 1779 Esau marries Mahulath. A. M. cir. 2225. of Bethuel thy mother's father; 6 When Esau saw that Isaac A. M. cir. 2225 and take thee a wife from thence had blessed Jacob, and sent him of the daughters of Laban thy mother's away to Padan-aram, to take him a wife from brother. thence; and that as he blessed him, he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; 3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people: 4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. 5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother. Chap. xxiv. 3; xxyi. 35. Heb. were evil in the eyes, &c. Chap. xxxvi. 3, she is called Bashemath.P Chap. xxv. 13. q Hos. xii. 12.- Called, Acts vii. 2, Charran. r have got a curse instead of a blessing. As the bless-me, to the exclusion of Ishmael. But, according to ing now pronounced on Jacob was obtained without St. Paul, much more than this is certainly intended any deception on his part, it is likely that it produced here, for it appears, from Gal. iii. 6-14, that the blessa salutary effect upon his mind, might have led him to ing of Abraham, which is to come upon the Gentiles confession of his sin, and prepared his heart for those through Jesus Christ, comprises the whole doctrine of discoveries of God's goodness with which he was fa- justification by faith, and its attendant privileges, viz., voured at Luz. redemption from the curse of the law, remission of sins, and the promise of the Holy Spirit, including the constitution and establishment of the Christian Church. Verse 2. Go to Padan-aram] This mission, in its spirit and design, is nearly the same as that in chap. xxiv., which see. There have been several ingenious conjectures concerning the retinue which Jacob had, or might have had, for his journey; and by some he has been supposed to have been well attended. Of this nothing is mentioned here, and the reverse seems to be intimated elsewhere. It appears, from ver. 11, that he lodged in the open air, with a stone for his pillow; and from chap. xxxii. 10, that he went on foot with his staff in his hand; nor is there even the most indirect mention of any attendants, nor is it probable there were any. He no doubt took provisions with him sufficient to carry him to the nearest encampment or village on the way, where he would naturally recruit his bread and water to carry him to the next stage, and so on. The oil that he poured on the pillar might | be a little of that which he had brought for his own use, and can be no rational argument of his having a stock of provisions, servants, camels, &c., for which it has been gravely brought. He had God alone with him. Verse 3. That thou mayest be a multitude of people] yph likhal ammim. There is something very remarkable in the original words: they signify literally for an assembly, congregation, or church of peoples; referring no doubt to the Jewish Church in the wilderness, but more particularly to the Christian Church, composed of every kindred, and nation, and people, and tongue. This is one essential part of the blessing of Abraham. See ver. 4. Verse 4. Give thee the blessing of Abraham] May he confirm the inheritance with all its attendant blessings to thee, to the exclusion of Esan; as he did to Verse 5. Bethuel the Syrian] Literally the Aramean, so called, not because he was of the race of Aram the son of Shem, but because he dwelt in that country which had been formerly possessed by the descendants of Aram. Those Verse 9. Then went Esau unto Ishmael] who are apt to take every thing by the wrong handle, and who think it was utterly impossible for Esau to do any right action, have classed his taking a daughter of Ishmael among his crimes; whereas there is nothing more plain than that he did this with a sincere desire to obey and please his parents. Having heard the pious advice which Isaac gave to Jacob, he therefore went and took a wife from the family of his grandfather Abraham, as Jacob was desired to do out of the family of his maternal uncle Laban, Mahalath, whom he took to wife, stood in the same degree of relationship to Isaac his father as Rachel did to his mother Rebekah Esau married his father's niece; Jacob married his mother's niece. It was therefore most obviously to please his parents that Esau took this additional wife. It is supposed that Ishmael must have been dead thirteen or fourteen years before this time, and that going to Ishmael signifies only going to the family of Ishmael. If we follow the common computation, and allow that Isaac was now about one hundred and thirty-six or one hundred and thirty-seven years of age, and Jacob seventy-seven, and as Ishmael died in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of his age, which according to the common computation was the one hundred and twenty-third of Isaac, then Ish |