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A. M. CIR. 2225. B. C. CIR. 1779.

dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his | Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I
eldest son, and said unto him, My son:
am a smooth man:
said unto him, Behold, here am I.

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2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:

3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul d may bless thee before I die.

5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

61 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD, before my death.

obey my voice 8 Now therefore, my son, according to that which I command thee.

9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make themsavoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:

10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.

a Prov. 27. 1. James 4. 14.-b Ch. 25. 27, 28-c Heb. huntd Ver, 27. Ch. 48. 9, 15. & 49. 28. Deut. 33. L-e Ver. 13-fVer. 4.-g Ver. 4.-h Ch 25. 25-i Ver.22

This seems to be the sole reason why savoury meat is so particularly mentioned in the text:-1. When we consider that no covenant was deemed binding unless the parties had eaten together: 2. That to convey this blessing some rite of this kind was necessary; and 3. That Isaac's strength was now greatly exhausted, insomuch that he supposed himself to be dying, we shall at once see why meat was required on this occasion, and why that meat was to be prepared in such a manner as to deserve the epithet of savoury. As I believe this to be the true sense of the place, I do not trouble my readers with interpretations, which I suppose to be either exceptionable or false.

Verse 5. And Rebekah heard] And was determined, if possible, to frustrate the design of Isaac, and procure the blessing for her favourite son. Some have pretended, that she received a divine inspiration to this purpose; but if she had, she needed not to have had recourse to deceit, to help forward the accomplishment of a divine purpose. Isaac, on being informed, would have had too much piety not to prefer the will of his Maker to his own partiality for his eldest son; but Rebekah had nothing of the kind to plead, and therefore had recourse to the most exceptionable means to accomplish her ends.

Verse 12. I shall bring a curse upon me] For, even in those early times, the spirit of that law was understood, Deut. xxvii. 18. Cursed is he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way; and Jacob seems to have possessed at this time, a more tender conscience than his mother.

Verse 13. Upon me be thy curse, my son] Onkelos gives this a curious turn-It has been revealed to me by prophecy, that the curses will not come upon thee, my son. What a dreadful responsibility did this woman take upon her at this time! The sacred writer states the facts as they were, and we may depend on the truth of the statement: but he no where says, that God would have any man to copy this conduct. He often relates facts and sayings which he never recommends.

Verse 15. Goodly raiment] Mr. Ainsworth has a sensible note on this place. "The priest in the law had holy garments to minister in, Exod. xxviii. 2-4. which the Septuagint there, and in this place, term TTON, THE robe, and Grav aysay, the holy robe. Whether the first-born, before the law, had such to minister in, is not certain; but it is probable by this example: for had they been common garments, why did not Esau himself, or his wives, keep them? But being, in all likelihood, holy robes, received from their ancestors, the mother of the family kept them in sweet chests, from moths and the like; whereupon it is said, ver. 27. Isaac smelled the smell of his garments." The opinion of Ainsworth is followed by many critics.

Verse 19. Iam Esau, thy first-born] Here are many palpable falsehoods, and such as should neither be imitated nor excused. Jacob, says Calmet, imposes on his father

a

21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.

24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? and he said I am.

25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.

26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:

28 Therefore God give thee off the dew of

a Ver. 12-b Ver. 16.- Ver. 4.- Hos. 14. 6.-e Heb. 11. 20-f Deut. 33. 13, 28. 2 Sam. 1. 21.-g Ch. 45. 18.-h Deut. 33. 28.-i Ch. 9. 25. & 25. 23-k Ch. 49.8.

heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

k

29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: 'cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.

32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn, Esau.

33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, P and he shall be blessed.

1 Ch. 12. 3. Numb. 21. 9.--m Ver. 4.-n Heb. trembled with a great trembling greatly.-o Heb. hunted.-p Ch. 28. 3, 4. Rom. 11. 20,

Zech. viii. 12. And on the other hand, the withholding of these, denotes barrenness, distress, and the curse of God, 2 Sam. i. 21. Hag. i. 10.-See Dodd.

should be much alike. It was said to Jacob-God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: and much the same is said to Esau, ver. 39.-Behold thy dwelling shall be the Verse 29. Let people serve thee] "However alike their fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from temporal advantages were to each other," says Bp. Newabove. The spiritual blessing, or the promise of the blessed ton," in all spiritual gifts and graces the younger brother seed, could be given only to ONE; but temporal good was to have the superiority, was to be the happy instruthings might be imparted to both. Mount Seir and the ment of conveying the blessing to all nations-In thee, and adjacent country, was at first the possession of the Edom- in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. ites; they afterward extended themselves farther into and to this are to be referred, in their full force, those exArabia, and into the southern parts of Judea. But where- pressions, Let people serve thee; and nations bow down ever they were situated, we find in fact, that the Edomites to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed in temporal advantages, were little inferior to the Israel-be he that blesseth thee. The same promise was made to ites. Esau had cattle, and beasts, and substance in abun- Abraham in the name of God, I will bless them that bless dance, and he went to dwell in Seir of his own accord; thee, and curse him that curseth thee, ch. xii. 3. and it is but he would hardly have removed thither with so many here repeated to Jacob, and thus paraphrased in the Jerucattle, had it been such a barren and desolate country as salem Targum-"He who curseth thee, shall be cursed some would represent it. The Edomites had dukes as Balaam the. son of Beor: and he who blesseth thee, and kings reigning over them, while the Israelites shall be blessed as Moses the prophet, the law-giver of were slaves in Egypt. When the Israelites, on their re- Israel." It appears that Jacob was, on the whole, a man turn, desired leave to pass through the territories of of more religion, and believed the divine promises more Edom, it appears that the country abounded with FRUIT- than Esau. The posterity of Jacob likewise preserved FUL FIELDS and VINEYARDS-Let us pass, I pray thee, the true religion and the worship of one God, while the through thy country; we will not pass through the fields, Edomites were sunk in idolatry; and of the seed of Jacob or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the was born at last the Saviour of the world. This was the water of the wells, Num. xx. 17. And the prophecy of peculiar privilege and advantage of Jacob, to be the happy Malachi, which is generally alleged as a proof of the instrument of conveying these blessings to all nations. barrenness of the country, is rather a proof of the con- This was his greatest superiority over Esau; and in this rary-I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his sense St. Paul understood and applied the prophecy-The heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness, Mal. i. elder shall serve the younger, Rom. ix. 12. The Christ, 2. for this implies that the country was fruitful before; and the Saviour of the world, was to be born of some one that its present unfruitfulness was rather an effect of war family; and Jacob's was preferred to Esau's, out of the and devastation, than any natural defect in the soil. If good pleasure of Almighty God, who is certainly the best the country is barren and unfruitful now, neither is Judea judge of fitness and expedience, and has undoubted right what it was formerly." to dispense his favours as he shall see proper; for he says to Moses, as the apostle proceeds to argue, ver. 15.—“ I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." And when the Gentiles were converted to Christianity, the prophecy was fulfilled literally-Let people serve thee, and let nations bow down to thee; and will be more amply fulfilled, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved.

As there was but little rain in Judea, except what was termed the early rain, which fell about the beginning of spring, to moisten and fertilize the earth, and the latter rain, which fell about September: the lack of this was supplied by the copious deus, which fell both morning and evening, or rather through the whole of the night. And we may judge, says Calmet, of the abundance of these dews by what fell on Gideon's fleece, Judges vi. 38. which being wrung, filled a bowl. And Hushai compares an army ready to fall upon its enemies, to a dew falling on the ground, 2 Sam. xvii. 12. which gives us the idea that this fluid fell in great profusion, so as to saturate every thing. Travellers in these countries assure us, that the dews fall there in an extraordinary abundance.

The fatness of the earth] What Homer calls cue evens, Ilias ix. 1. 141. and Virgil, uber glebæ, Æneis i. 531. both signifying a soil naturally fertile. Under this, therefore, and the former expressions, Isaac wishes his son all the blessings which a plentiful country can produce for, as Le Clerc rightly observes, if the dews and seasonable rains of heaven fall upon a fruitful soil, nothing but human industry is wanting to the plentiful enjoyment of all temporal good things. Hence they are represented in the Scripture as emblems of prosperity, of plenty, and of the blessing of God, Deut. xxxiii. 13, 28. Micah v. 7.

Verse 33. And Isaac trembled] The marginal reading is very literal and proper- And Isaac trembled with a great trembling greatly. And this shows the deep concern he felt for his own deception, and the iniquity of the means by which it had been brought about. 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 birth-right was, when communicated with the rites already mentioned. When Isaac found that he had been deceived by Jacob, he certainly would have

A. M. CIR. 2225. B. C. CIR. 1779.

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 subtility, 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 birth-right; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

38 And Esau said unto his father; Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, a and wept.

39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, i thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

a Heb. 12. 17-b Ch. 25. 25.-e That is, a supplanter. Ch. 25. 33-e Fulfilled 2 8am 9 14. Ver. 29-Ver. 28-g Or, supported.-h Hebr. 12. 17-i Ver. 28. Hebr. 11. 20. Or, of the fatness.1 Ch. 23. 23. Obad. 18. 19, 20. 2 Sam. 8. 14.

reversed the blessing, if he could; but as it had been con-
veyed in the proper 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, μετανοίας γαρ τοπον ουχ ευρε, no place
for change of mind or purpose in his father, though he
sought it carefully with tears. The father could not re-
verse it, because the grant had already been made and
confirmed. But let the reader observe, that this had noth-
ing to do with the final salvation of poor outwitted Esau,
nor, indeed, with that of his unnatural brother.

Verse 35. Hath taken away thy blessing] This blessing, which was a different thing from the birthright, seems to consist of two parts: 1. The dominion generally and finally over the other part of the family; and, 2. Being the progenitors of the Messiah. But the former is more explicitly declared than the latter.-See the notes on ch.

xxv. 31.

Verse 36. Is not he rightly named Jacob ?] See on ch. xxv. 26.

He took away my birthright] So he might say with considerable propriety; for though he sold it to Jacob, yet, as Jacob had taken advantage of his perishing situation, he considered the act as a species of robbery.

Verse 37. Behold, I have made him thy lord] See on ver. 28.

Verse 40. By thy sword shalt thou live] This does not absolutely mean that the Edomites should have constant wars, but that they should be of a fierce and warlike disposition, gaining their sustenance by hunting, and by predatory incursions upon the possessions of others. Bishop Newton speaks on this subject with his usual good sense and judgment-"The elder branch, it is here foretold, should delight more in war and violence, but yet should be subdued by the younger. By thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother.-Esau himself might be said to live much by the sword; for he was a cunning hunter, a man of the field, ch. xxv. 27. He and his children got possession of Mount Seir by force and violence, expelling from thence the Horites, the former inhabitants, Deut. ii. 22. By what means they spread themselves farther among the Arabians is not known: but it appears that, upon a sedition and separation, several of the Edomites came and seized upon the southwest parts of Judea, during the Babylonish captivity, and settled there ever after. Before and after this, they were almost continually at war with the Jews: upon every occasion, they were ready to join with their enemies; and when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, they encouraged him utterly to destroy the city, saying-Rase it, rase it, even to the foundations thereof, Psal. cxxxvii. 7. And even long after they were subdued by the Jews, they retained the same martial spirit; for Josephus, in his time, gives them the character of "a turbulent and disorderly nation, always erect to commotions, and rejoicing in changes: at the least adulation of those who beseech them, beginning And a little war, and hasting to battle as to a feast." before the last siege of Jerusalem, they came, at the

40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

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41 And Esau "hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand: P then will I slay my brother Jacob.

42 And these words of Esau her elder son, were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill

thee.

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43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;

44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;

45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

m2 Kings 8. 20.-n Ch. 4. 2-8. & 37-4, 8. Ezek. 25. 12-15. 1 John 3. 12-15. Ch. 35. 29. & 50, 3, 4, 10.-p Eccl. 7. 9. Obad. 10. Eph. 4. 26, 27.- Psa. 64. 5. Prov. 2 14. & 4. 16, 17.-r Ch. 11. 81.

entreaty of the Zealots, to assist them against the priests
and people; and there, together with the Zealots, com-
mitted unheard-of cruelties, and barbarously murdered
22 See Dr. Dodd.
Annas, the high priest, from whose death Josephus dates
the destruction of the city.

And when thou shalt have the dominion] It is here
foretold, that there was to be a time when the elder was to
have dominion, and shake off the yoke of the younger.
The word n tarid, which we translate have dominion,
is rather of doubtful meaning, as it may be deduced from
three different roots, yarad, to descend, to be brought
down, or brought low; radah, to obtain rule, or have
dominion; and 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 that when they
mourned for their transgressions, 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.

"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, 1 Kings xi. but was not able to recover his throne, his subjects being overawed by the garrisons which David had placed among them; but in the reign of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, the Edomites rerolled from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king, 2 Kings viii. 20, 22. Jehoram made some attempts to subdue them again, but could not prevail; so the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day, 2 Chron. xxi. 8, 10. and hereby this part of it was delivered."-See Bishop Newton. the prophecy was fulfilled about nine hundred years after

"Thus, says Dr. Dodd, quoting 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 tributuary to the Jews, but never the nation of the Jews to the Edomites: and the Jews have been the more considerable people, more known in the world, and more famous in history. We know, indeed, little more of the history of the Edomites than as it is connected with that of the Jews; and where is the name or the nation now? They were swallowed up and lost, partly among the Nabathean Thus Arabs, and partly among the Jews; and the very name, as Dr. Prideaux has observed, was abolished and disused about the end of the first century of the Christian æra. were they rewarded for insulting and oppressing their 115

46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, 1 am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Isaac directs Jacob to take a wife from the family of Laban, 1, 2; blesses and sends

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2 Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.

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

him away, 3, 4. Jacob begins his journey. 5. Esau perceiving that the daughters thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou

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, he 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 la ller reaching from earth to heaven, on which he beheld 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. Sets up one of the stones he had had for his pillow, and pours oil on it, and calls the place Beth-et, 18, 19. Makes a vow, that if God will preserve him in his journey, and bring him back in salety, the stone should be God's house, and that he would give him the tenths of all that he should have, 2. --- 24

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AND Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, & Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

a Ch. 26. 35. & 28. 8. Numb. 11. 15. 1 Kings 19. 4. Job 3. 20-22-b Ch. 24.8. e Ch. 27. 33-d Ch. 21, 3-e Hos. 12 12- Ch. 25. 20.--g Ch. 22. 23.—h Ch. 24. 29. brethren the Jews; and hereby other prophecies were fulfilled, viz. Jerem. 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 violence against thy brother Jacob, in the return of his 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!"-See the notes on chap, xxv.

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 afterward, 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, ch. xxv. 9. and both Jacob and Esau assisted in burying their father Isaac, ch. xxxv. 29. but the enmity between them had happily subsided long before that time. Verse 42. Doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee] on methnachem leca, 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 Hebraïques, 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 44. Tarry with him a few days] It was probably forty years hefore he returned and it is likely Rebekah saw him no more; for it is the general opinion of the Jewish rabbins, that she died before Jacob's return from Padan-aram, whether the period of his stay be considered twenty or forty years. See on chap. xxxi. 38, &c.

Verse 45. Why should I be deprived also of you both ?] If Esau should kill Jacob, then the nearest akin to Jacob, who was by the patriarchal 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 a divine service, if not done in his own way, on principles of truth and righteousness. 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. However, after this reprehensible transaction, we hear no more of Rebekah. The Holy Spirit mentions her no more.

Verse 46.] I am weary of my life] It is very likely that

n

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.

6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padan-aram, to

take him a wife from thence; and that as be blessed him, he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;

i Ch. 17. 1,6.-k Heb. an assembly of people.-1 Ch. 12. 2-m Heb. of thy cojournings-n Ch. 17. 8.

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 own 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 may 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 proposals, 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.

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 characters 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. 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 commentators, what man would have done, had he had the same facts to relate. The history given by God, details as well the rices 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 shades. What is the inference which a reflecting 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 cannot 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 conclusionan impartial history, in every respect true, can be expected only from God himself.

These should be only preliminary observations to an extended examination of the characters and conduct of

A. M. CIR. 2225. B. C. CIR. 1779.

7 And that Jacob obeyed his father, and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram;

8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;

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 book. Had the Bible been the work of an impostor, a single trait of this history had never appeared. God, 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 Padanaram? 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.

The enmity which Esau felt against his brother Jacob, seems to have been transmitted to all his posterity; and doubtless the matters of the birthright and the blessing, were the grounds on which that perpetual enmity was kept up between the descendants of both families, the Edomites and the Israelites. So unfortunate is an ancient family grudge, founded on the opinion, that an injury has been done by one of the branches of the family, in a period no matter how remote, provided its operations still continues, and certain secular privations to one side be the result. How possible it is to keep feuds of this kind alive to any assignable period, the state of a neighbouring island sufficiently proves: and on the subject in question, the bloody contentions of the two houses of YORK and LANCASTER in this nation, are no contemptible comment. The facts, however, relative to this point, may be summed up in a few words. 1. The descendants 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 Edomites. 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!

On the blessings pronounced on Jacob and Esau, these questions may naturally be asked. 1. Was there any thing in these blessings of such a spiritual nature, as to affect the eternal interests of either? Certainly there was not, at least, as far as might absolutely involve the salvation of the one, or the perdition of the other. 2. Was not the blessing pronounced on Esau as good as that pronounced on Jacob, the mere temporary lordship, and being the progenitor of the Messiah, excepted? So it evidently appears. 3. If the blessings had referred to their eternal states, had not Esau as fair a prospect for endless glory as his deceitful and unfeeling brother? Justice and mercy both say-Yes. The truth is, it was their posterity and not themselves, that were the objects of these blessings. NOTES ON CHAPTER 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 obtained through subtlety. It was necessary that he should have this confirmation previous 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

9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, "the sister of Nebajoth to be his wife.

[graphic]

own words, whether he might not have got a curse instead
of a blessing. As the blessing now pronounced on Jacob
was obtained without any trick or deception on his part, it
is likely that it produced a salutary effect upon his mind,
might have led him to confession of his sin, and prepared
his heart for those discoveries of God's goodness, with
which he was favoured at Luz.

Verse 2. Arise, go to Padan-aram] This mission, in
its spirit and design, is nearly the same as that 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. he ap-
pears to have taken the journey 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
took, no doubt, 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 argu-
ment of his having a stock of provisions, servants, camels,
alone with him.
&c. for which it has been gravely brought. He had God

Verse 3. That thou mayest be a multitude of people] any Saps likehal âmmim. 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 Esau; as he did to me, to the exclusion of Ishmael. But according to St. Paul, much more than this is certainly intended here; for it appears, from Gal. iii. 6-14. that the blessing of Abraham, which is to come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, comprises the whole doctrine of justification by faith and its attendant privileges, viz. 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 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.

Verse 9. Then went Esau unto Ishmael] Those 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 Ishmael must have been dead about fourteen years. But if we allow the ingenious reasoning of Mr. Skinner and Dr. Kennicott, that Jacob was at this time only fifty-seven years of age, and Isaac consequently only one hundred and seventeen, it will appear 117 that Ishmael did not die till six years after this period;

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