Rachel envied her sister — Envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more injurious both to God, our neighbour, and ourselves. But this was not all, she said to Jacob, give me children or else I die — A child would not content her; but because Leah has more than one, she must hav... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob's anger was kindled — He was angry, not at the person, but at the sin: he expressed himself so as to shew his displeasure. It was a grave and pious reply which Jacob gave to Rachel, Am I in God's stead? — Can I give thee that which God denies thee? He acknowledges the hand of God in the af... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold my maid, Bilhah — At the persuasion of Rachel he took Bilhah her handmaid to wife, that, according to the usage of those times, his children by her might be adopted and owned as her mistresses children. She would rather have children by reputation than none at all; children that she might cal... [ Continue Reading ]
Rachel had done that absurd and preposterous thing of putting her maid into her husband's bed, and now Leah (because she missed one year in bearing children) doth the same, to be even with her. See the power of rivalship, and admire the wisdom of the divine appointment, which joins together one man... [ Continue Reading ]
Reuben, a little lad of five or six years old, playing in the field, found mandrakes. It is uncertain what they were; the critics are not agreed about them: we are sure they were some rarities, either fruits or flowers that were very pleasant to the smell, Song of Solomon 7:13. Some think these mand... [ Continue Reading ]
And God hearkened unto Leah — Perhaps the reason of this contest between Jacob's wives for his company, and their giving him their maids to be his wives, was the earnest desire they had to fulfil the promise made to Abraham (and now lately renewed to Jacob) that his seed should be as the stars of he... [ Continue Reading ]
Mention is made, of Dinah, because of the following story concerning her, Genesis 34:1, &c. Perhaps Jacob had other daughters, though not registered.... [ Continue Reading ]
God remembered Rachel, whom he seemed to have forgotten, and hearkened to her, whose prayers had been long denied, and then she bare a son. Rachael called her son Joseph, which, in Hebrew, is a — kin to two words of a contrary signification: Asaph, abstulit, he has taken away my reproach, as if the... [ Continue Reading ]
Laban was willing to consent to this bargain, because he thought if those few he had that were now speckled and spotted were separated from the rest, which was to be done immediately, the body of the flock which Jacob was to tend, being of one colour, either all black or all white, would produce few... [ Continue Reading ]
Here is Jacob's policy to make his bargain more advantageous to himself than it was likely to be: and if he had not taken some course to help himself, it would have been an ill bargain indeed; which he knew Laban would never have considered, who did not consult any one's interest but his own. Now Ja... [ Continue Reading ]