And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. _Ver. l. Arise, go up to Bethel._] This is not the first time that God tells him of that vow, and calls for performance.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that [were] with him, Put away the strange gods that [are] among you, and be clean, and change your garments: Ver. 2. _Then Jacob said unto his household._] So Gideon began his reformation at his father's house. David also would walk wisely in the mids... [ Continue Reading ]
_And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went._ Ver. 3. _And was with me in the way, &c._] _Deducendo, reducendo, fraenumque socero, fratri, finitimisque Shecemi inieciendo, ne me u... [ Continue Reading ]
And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which [were] in their hand, and [all their] earrings which [were] in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which [was] by Shechem. Ver. 4. _And they gave unto Jacob._] Now they were in danger of destruction, they would do anything. So those false... [ Continue Reading ]
And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that [were] round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. Ver. 5. _The terror of God was upon the cities._] The Hebrews tell us, that they pursued Jacob, and were beaten back by him: whereupon he saith, Gen 48:22 tha... [ Continue Reading ]
So Jacob came to Luz, which [is] in the land of Canaan, that [is], Bethel, he and all the people that [were] with him. Ver. 6. _So Jacob came to Luz._] Which was thirty miles from Shechem: a long journey for such a large family, who went it with hearts full of heaviness, for, "without were fighting... [ Continue Reading ]
And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. Ver. 7. _Because there God appeared._] Heb., _Revelavissent Dii._ Not the angels, but the sacred Trinity. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 1:1 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth. Ver. 8. But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died.] A grave matron she was; of great use while she lived, and much missed when she died. This is not every man's case. Some have the... [ Continue Reading ]
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. Ver. 9. _And God appeared, &c._] A sweet allayment of his late heaviness for Deborah, and a gracious preparative to the ensuing loss of Rachel. The joy of the Lord is the Christian man's strength. Neh 8:10 One sight... [ Continue Reading ]
And God said unto him, Thy name [is] Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. Ver. 10. _And God said unto him, &c._] It is usual with God to revive and renew the promises with fresh supplies of comforts upon the hearts of his f... [ Continue Reading ]
And God said unto him, I [am] God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; Ver. 11. _I am God Almighty._] This is hardly persuaded; and yet it is the ground of all true comfort and spiritual security. We are apt t... [ Continue Reading ]
And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. Ver. 13. _And God went up from him._] Not by local ascension; for he is everywhere; but in respect of that visible sign of his glory, which he now withdrew from over, or from upon Jacob. For the righteous are as God's chariot, say the... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, [even] a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. Ver. 14. _And Jacob set up a pillar._] Or, Had set up a pillar, had poured a drink offering, &c., - to wit, Genesis 28:18,19. And now he eith... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. Ver. 16. _She had hard labour._] Woman, of all creatures, bringeth forth with most pain and peril, as the philosopher _a_ observeth, and experience confirmeth. Her only way is to send for Lady Faith, the best midwife; 1Ti 2:15... [ Continue Reading ]
And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. Ver. 17. _Thou shalt have this son also._] So she had "children," according to her desire; but this last, to her cost, for a chastisement of her strong affections, which... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. Ver. 18. _As her soul was in departing,_] viz., To God that gave it. It is a spiritual, immortal substance, distinct from the body; and can subsist of itself; _a_ as the marine... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. Ver. 19. _And Rachel died._] We forfeit many favours, by over loving them. Our jealous God will not endure us to idolise any creature. Let them that have wives, or... [ Continue Reading ]
And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which [is] Bethlehem. Ver. 20. _And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave._] To testify his love, and continue her remembrance. Dead friends may be lawfully thus honoured with monuments; _modo vitetur luxus et superstitio._ .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that [is] the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. Ver. 21. _Beyond the tower of Edar._] Or, Of the flock. This tower was built, it seems, for the safety and service of shepherds. There it was, probably, that those shepherds, Luke 2:8, watched their flocks.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. Ver. 22. _Reuben went and lay with Bilhah._] A foul fault, in so good a family: but so it sometimes falls out, by the malice of Satan, for the discrediting of religion. Such ugly incest was committed at Corinth, as was hardly _a_ ... [ Continue Reading ]
_And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard [it]. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:_ Ver. 23. Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.] Who, though by his sin he fell from his birthright, yet is here reckoned as a patriarch,... [ Continue Reading ]
And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. Ver. 29. _And Isaac gave up the ghost._] Twelve years after Joseph was sold, and forty years after he first became blind. Three special friends Jacob buries, in this chapter. Crosses come thick: be patient.... [ Continue Reading ]