THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29).
THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS.
Abraham begat Isaac — The _Tôldôth_ in its original form gave
probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his descent to
Shem, and showing thereby that the right of primogeniture belonged to
him; but the inspired... [ Continue Reading ]
XXXI.
JACOB’S FLIGHT. — THE PURSUIT OF HIM BY LABAN, AND THEIR
RECONCILIATION.
(1) LABAN’S SONS. — No mention hitherto had been made of Laban
having any other children than Leah and Rachel. If his sons were by
the same wife, they would be men about fifty-five or sixty years of
age. In saying that J... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SAID UNTO JACOB. — This is probably the revelation, more
exactly described in Genesis 31:10, as given to Jacob in a dream. It
is there ascribed to Elohim, but here to Jehovah. The narrator’s
purpose in this, probably, is to show that while Jacob regarded the
providence that watched over him... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB SENT AND CALLED RACHEL AND LEAH... — Rachel is placed first,
as the chief wife. The field was probably the pasture where Laban’s
flocks fed, as they were specially under Jacob’s charge; and there,
in the open ground, the three would run no risk of having their
conversation overheard. Jacob’s s... [ Continue Reading ]
TEN TIMES. — That is, a good many times.... [ Continue Reading ]
RAMS. — Heb., _he-goats._ The Authorised Version has made the
alteration, because the word rendered “cattle” is really _sheep_
(and so in Genesis 31:8; Genesis 31:12, &c.); but, like our word
_flock,_ it also included goats.... [ Continue Reading ]
GRISLED. — That is, covered with spots like hailstones, the word
“grisled” being derived from the French _grêle,_ hail. Others
derive the word from _gris, grisaille,_ grey.... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THE GOD OF BETH-EL. — The angel of Elohim (Genesis 31:11) was
the speaker, but the words were those of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13;
Hebrews 1:1). With this verse compare Genesis 28:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HATH SOLD US. — There is a marked asperity towards their father
in the answer of Jacob’s wives, and not only the petted Rachel but
the neglected Leah joins in it. Now, though his sale of them to Jacob
had been more open than Oriental good manners usually allowed, and
though he seems to have acted... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB ROSE UP. — This was the final result of Jacob’s deliberation
with his wives, but it did not take place till the time of
sheep-shearing. Jacob must have prepared his plans very carefully to
be able to leave none of his wealth behind; but he would be greatly
helped in this by the fact that his o... [ Continue Reading ]
LABAN WENT TO SHEAR HIS SHEEP. — The sheep-shearing was a joyous
time, when the hard toil of the shearers was relieved by feasting (1
Samuel 25:8). Laban’s flocks, apparently, were also at some distance
from Haran, and his sons and men-servants would all be with him,
busily occupied in the work. App... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB STOLE AWAY UNAWARES. — _Heb., stole the heart._ But the heart
was regarded by the Hebrews as the seat of the intellect, and so _to
steal a man’s understanding,_ like the similar phrase in Greek,
means to elude his observation.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIVER. — The Euphrates.
MOUNT GILEAD. — Gilead, _the region of rock,_ was the mountainous
frontier between the Aramean and Canaanite races. The form of the word
is so remote from ordinary Hebrew that we have in it, probably, a very
old appellation of this region; and Jacob apparently plays upon... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS BRETHREN. — As Jacob, who had no relatives with him except his
sons, applies this term in Genesis 31:46 to his followers, it is,
probably, an honourable way of describing retainers, who were freemen
and of a higher class than men-servants.
SEVEN DAYS’ JOURNEY. — The route chosen by Jacob was app... [ Continue Reading ]
EITHER GOOD OR BAD. — Heb., _from good to bad:_ a proverbial
expression, rightly translated in the Authorised Version, but
conveying the idea of a more absolute prohibition than the phrase used
in Genesis 24:50.... [ Continue Reading ]
(26-30) LABAN SAID... — Laban reproaches Jacob, first, for carrying
away his daughters secretly, which was an affront to them (Genesis
31:26) and an injury to his own feelings (Genesis 31:28); secondly, he
tells him that he should have punished him but for the Divine warning;
lastly, he accuses him... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SONS. — That is, my grandsons.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS IN THE POWER OF MY HAND. — This is the rendering here of all
the versions, and is confirmed by Deuteronomy 28:32; Nehemiah 5:5;
Micah 2:1; but Keil and Knobel wish to translate, “My hand is for
God.” This comes to the same thing in an impious way, as the sense
would be,” My hand is an El, a go... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB ANSWERED. — Jacob gives the true reason for his flight; after
which, indignant at the charge of theft, he returns, in his anger, as
rash an answer about the teraphim as Joseph’s brethren subsequently
did about the stolen cup (Genesis 44:9).
LET HIM NOT LIVE. — The Rabbins regard this as a pro... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CAMEL’S FURNITURE. — That is, the camel’s saddle. It is now
made of wicker-work, and is protected by curtains and a canopy.
Probably Rachel’s was far simpler; and as the teraphim seem to have
had heads shaped like those of a man, and dwarf bodies, they would
easily be crammed under it.... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB WAS WROTH. — Naturally he regarded the accusation about the
teraphim as a mere device for searching his goods, and when nothing
was found gave free vent to his indignation.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FROST BY NIGHT. — From September to May the nights in the East
are usually cold, and the change from great heat by day to a freezing
temperature as soon as the sun sets is very trying to health.... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS HAVE I BEEN... — Heb., _This for me twenty years in thy house,_
but taken in connection with the preceding _this,_ in Genesis 31:38,
the meaning is “During the one twenty years that I was with thee,
thy ewes, &c.,” upon which follows “During the other twenty years
that were _for me_ in thy hous... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FEAR OF ISAAC — That is, the object of Isaac’s worship. The
reason given by the Jewish Commentators for this remarkable way of
describing the Deity whom Isaac served is that, as his father was
still alive, Jacob would have been wanting in reverence, if he had
spoken of God as “Isaac’s God,” even... [ Continue Reading ]
LABAN ANSWERED... — Laban does not attempt any reply to Jacob’s
angry invectives, but answers affectionately. Why should he wish to
injure Jacob, and send him away empty? All that he had was still
Laban’s in the best of senses; for were not Rachel and Leah his
daughters? And were not their children... [ Continue Reading ]
JEGAR-SAHADUTHA. — These are two Syriac words of the same meaning as
Gal-’eed, _Heap of Witness._ A Syriac (or Aramaic) dialect was most
probably the ordinary language of the people in Mesopotamia, but it
seems plain that Laban and his family also spoke Hebrew, not merely
from his calling the placo... [ Continue Reading ]
MIZPAH. — That is, _Watchtower._ There is, probably, a play in this
name upon the pillar which Laban proceeds to set up, and which in
Hebrew is _Mazebah._ In the reason given for the name Labau calls
Jacob’s God _Jehovah,_ an appellation which he must have learned
from Jacob. and which proves not me... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGE. — The verb is plural, “be _he judges,”_ and as Laban thus
joins the name Elohim with a verb plural, it seems as if he regarded
Abraham’s Elohim as different from the Elohim of Nahor. We ought,
therefore, to translate _the gods of their father._ Apparently, he
thought that Abraham took one of... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB OFFERED SACRIFICE. — The meaning is, that Jacob slaughtered
cattle, and made a feast: but as animals originally were killed only
for sacrifice, and flesh was eaten on no other occasion, the Hebrew
language has no means of distinguishing the two acts.... [ Continue Reading ]