Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 33 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis

Transcript

33 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Philosophy and Faith

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty. In this chapter we have an account of
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: the increase Numeral one of Jacob's family. Eight children. More
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: we find registered in this chapter Dan and Naptali by
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: Bilhah Rachel's maid, Verses one through eight, Gad and Asher
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: by Zilpah, Leah's maid, Verses nine through thirteen, isaacar Zebulen
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: and Dinah by Leah Verses fourteen through twenty one, and
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: last of all, Joseph by Rachel Verses twenty two through
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: twenty four, Numeral two. Of Jacob's estate, he makes a
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: new bargain with Laban Verses twenty five through thirty four.
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: And in the six years further service he did to Laban,
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: God wonderfully blessed him so that his stock of cattle
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: became very considerable Verses thirty five through forty three. Herein
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: was fulfilled the blessing with which Isaac dismissed him. Chapter
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: twenty eight, verse three, God make THEE fruitful and multiply THEE.
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: Even these small matters concerning Jacob's house and field, though
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: they seem inconsiderable, are improvable for our learning. For the
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: scriptures were written not for princes and statesmen to instruct
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: them in politics, but for all people, even the meanest,
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: to direct them in their families and callings. Yet some
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: things are here recorded concerning Jacob, not for imitation, but
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: for admonition increase of Jacob's family b. C. Seventeen forty five,
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: verse one. And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: no children, Rachel envied her sister and said, unto Jacob,
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: give me children, or else I die verse two. And
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, am
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: I in God's stead? Who hath withheld from thee the
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: fruit of the womb verse three. And she said, behold
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: my maid, Bilhah, go in unto her, and she shall
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: bear upon my knees, that I may also have children
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: by her verse four. And she gave him Bilhah, her
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: handmaid to wife, and Jacob went in unto her verse five,
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: and Bilha conceived and bear Jacob a son. Verse six.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: heard my voice, and hath given me a son. Therefore
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: she called his name Dan verse seven. And Bilhah, Rachel's maid,
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: conceived again and bear Jacob a second son verse eight.
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: And Rachel said, with great wrestlings have I wrestled with
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: my sister, and I have prevailed? And she called his
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: name Naptalai verse nine. When Leah saw that she had
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: Jacob to wife verse ten. And Zilpah Liah's maid bear
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: Jacob a son verse eleven. And Leah said, a troop cometh,
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: and she called his name Gad verse twelve. And Zilpah's
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: may bear Jacob a second son verse thirteen. And Leah said,
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed,
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: and she called his name Asher. We have here the
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: bad consequences of that strange marriage which Jacob made with
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: the two sisters. Here is numeral one, an unhappy disagreement
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: between him and Rachel verse one and two, occasioned not
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: so much by her own barrenness as by her sister's fruitfulness. Rebecca,
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: the only wife of Isaac, was long childless, and yet
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: we find no uneasiness between her and Isaac. But here,
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: because Leah bears children, Rachel cannot live peaceably with Jacob.
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: Number one, Rachel frets she envied her sister verse one.
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: Envy is grieving at the good of another, than which
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: no sin is more offensive to God, nor more injurious
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: to our neighbor and ourselves. She considered not that it
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: was God that made the difference, and that though in
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: this single instance her sister was preferred before her, yet
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: in other things she had the advantage. Let us carefully
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: watch against all the risings and workings of this passion
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: in our minds. Let not our eye be evil towards
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: any of our fellow servants, because our masters is good.
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: But this was not all she said to Jacob, give
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: me children, or else I die. Note we are very
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: apt to err in our desires of temporal mercies, as
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: Rachel here Subscript one. One child would not content her.
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: But because Leah has more than one, she must have
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: more too. Give me children Subscript two. Her heart is
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: inordinately set upon it, and if she have not what
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: she would have, she will throw away her life and
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: all the comforts of it. Give them to me, or
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: else I die. That is, I shall fret myself to death.
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: The want of this satisfaction will shorten my days. Some
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: think she threatens Jacob to lay violent hands upon herself
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: if she could not obtain this mercy. Subscript three. She
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: did not apply to God by prayer, but to Jacob
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: only forgetting that children are a heritage of the Lord. Psalms.
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: One hundred and twenty seven, Verse three. We wrong both
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: God and ourselves when our eye is more to men
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: the instruments of our crosses and comforts, than to God.
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: The author observe a difference between Rachel's asking for this mercy.
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: In Hannah's First Samuel, Chapter one, verse ten, Rachel envied,
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: Hannah wept. Rachel must have children, and she died of
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: the second. Hannah prayed for one child, and she had
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: four more. Rachel is importunate in peremptory. Hannah is submissive
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: and devout. If thou wilt give me a child, I
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: will give him to the Lord. Let Hannah be imitated
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: and not Rachel, and let our desires be always under
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: the direction in control of reason and religion. Number two.
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: Jacob chides it most justly. He loved Rachel, and therefore
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: reproved her for what she said amiss. Verse two. Note
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: faithful reproofs and products and instances of true affection Psalms.
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: One hundred and forty one, Verse five. Proverbs twenty seven,
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: verses five and six. Job reproved his wife when she
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: spoke the language of the foolish women Job two, verse ten.
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: See First Corinthians, chapter seven, verse sixteen. He was angry,
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: not at the person, but at the sin. He expressed
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: himself so as to show his displeasure. Note sometimes it
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: is requisite that a reproof should be given warm, like
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: a medical potion, not too hot lest it scald the patient,
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: yet not cold lest it prove ineffectual. It was a
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: very grave and pious reply which Jacob gave to Rachel's
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: peevish demand, am I in God's stead? The Chaldee paraphrases it, well,
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: dost thou ask son of me? Aughtest thou not to
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: ask them from before the Lord? The Arabic reads it,
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: am I above God? Can I give thee? That which
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: God denies thee? This was said like a plain man.
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: Observe Subscript one. He acknowledges the hand of God in
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: the affliction which he was a sharer with her in
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: He hath withheld the fruit of the womb. Note whatever
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: we want, it is God that withholds it. A sovereign lord,
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: most wise holy and just, that may do what he
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: will with his own, and is debtor to no man
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: that never did, nor ever can do any wrong to
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: any of his creatures. The keys of the Clouds, of
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: the Heart, of the Grave, and of the womb are
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: four keys which God had in his hand, and which
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: the Rabbins say he entrusts neither with angels nor seraphim.
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: See Revelations chapter three, verse seven, Job chapter eleven and
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: verse ten, and Job Chapter twelve, verse fourteen. Subscript two.
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: He acknowledges his own inability to alter what God had appointed.
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: Am I in God's stead? What dost thou make a
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: god of me? Dios quiro gods ilifacit, He to whom
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: we offer supplications is to us a god. Note sub
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: point one. There is no creature that is or can
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: be to us in God's stead. God may be to
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: us instead of any creature, as the sun instead of
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: the moon and stars. But the moon and all the
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: stars will not be to us instead of the sun.
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: No creature's wisdom, power and love will be to us
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: instead of God's sub point two. It is therefore our
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: sin and folly to place any creature in God's stead,
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: and to place that confidence in any creature which is
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: to be placed in God only Numeral two, an unhappy
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: agreement between him and the two handmaids. Number one. At
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: the persuasion of Rachel, he took Bilha, her handmaid, to
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: wife that, according to the us usage of those times,
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: his children by her might be adopted and owned as
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: her mistress's children. Verse three. She would rather have children
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: by reputation than none at all, children that she might
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: fancy to be her own and call her own. Though
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: they were not so, One would think her own sister's
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: children were nearer akin to her than her maids, and
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: she might, with more satisfaction, have made them her own
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: if she had so pleased. But so natural is it
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: for us all to be fond of power. Children that
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: she had a right to rule were more desirable to
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: her than children that she had more reason to love.
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: And as an early instance of her dominion over the
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: children born in her apartment, she takes a pleasure in
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: giving them names that carry in them nothing but marks
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: of emulation with her sister, as if she had overcome
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: her subscript one at law, she calls the first son
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: of her handmaid Dan judgment, saying God hath judged me
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: verse six, that is given sentence in my favor. Subscript two.
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: In battle, she calls the next Naptali wrestlings, saying I
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed. Verse eight.
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: As if all Jacob's sons must be born men of contention,
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: See what roots of bitterness, envy, and strife are, and
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: what mischief they make among relations? Number two, At the
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: persuasion of Leah, he took Zilpah her handmaid to wife.
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: Also verse nine, Rachel had done that absurd and preposterous
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: thing of giving her maid to her husband in emulation
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: with Leah. And now Leah, because she missed one year
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: in bearing children, does the same to be even with her,
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: or rather to keep before her? See the power of
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: jealousy and rivalship, and admire the wisdom of the divine
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: appointment which unites one man and one woman only for
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: God hath called us to peace and purity. First Corinthians,
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: Chapter seven, Verse fifteen. Two sons Zilpah bore to Jacob,
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: whom Leah looked upon herself as entitled to, in token
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: of which she called one gad verse eleven, promising herself
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: a little troop of children, and children are the militia
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: of a family. They fill the quiver Psalms one hundred
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: and twenty seven, Verses four and five. The others she
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: called Asher happy, thinking herself happy in him, and promising
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: herself that her neighbors would think so too. The daughters
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: will call me blessed Verse thirteen. Note it is an
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: instance of the vanity of the world and the foolishness
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: bound up in our hearts, that most people value themselves
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: and govern themselves more by reputation than either by reason
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: or religion. They think themselves blessed if the daughters do
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: but call them so. There was much amiss in the
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: contest and competition between these two sisters. Yet God brought
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: good out of this evil for the time being now
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: at hand, when the seat of Abraham must begin to
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: increase and multiply. Thus Jacob's family was replenished with twelve sons,
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: heads of the thousands of Israel, from whom the celebrated
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: twelve tribes descended and were named Verse fourteen. And Reuben
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: in the field and brought them unto his mother Leah.
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: Then Rachel said to Leah, give me I pray THEE
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: of thy sons Mandrakes verse fifteen. And she said, unto her,
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband?
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: And wouldst thou take away my sons mandrakes also and
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: Rachel said, therefore he shall lie with THEE tonight for
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: thy sons Mandrakes verse sixteen. And Jacob came out of
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: the field in the evening, and Leah went out to
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: meet him and said, thou must come in unto me,
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: for surely I have hired THEE with my sons Mandrakes.
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: And he lay with her that night verse seventeen. And
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived and bear Jacob
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: of the fifth son verse eighteen. And Leah said, God
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: hath given me my hire because I have given my
• 13:06
  Speaker 1: maiden to my husband. And she called his name Isaacar
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: verse nineteen. And Leah conceived again and bear Jacob the
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: sixth son, verse twenty. And Leah said, God hath endued
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: me with a good dowry. Now will my husband dwell
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: with me because I have borne him six sons. And
• 13:26
  Speaker 1: she called his name Zebulen verse twenty one. And afterwards
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: she bare a daughter and called her name Dinah verse
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: twenty two. And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: her and opened her wim verse twenty three. And she
• 13:43
  Speaker 1: conceived and bear a son, and said, God hath taken
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: away my reproach verse twenty four. And she called his
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: name Joseph, and said, the Lord shall add to me
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: another son. Here is numeral one. Leah fruitful again after
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: she had for some time left off bearing Jacob. It
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: should seem associated more with Rachel than with Leah. The
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: law of Moses supposes it a common case that if
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: a man had two wives, one would be beloved and
• 14:11
  Speaker 1: the other hated Deuteronomy, chapter twenty one, verse fifteen. But
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: at length Rachel's strong passions betrayed her into a bargain
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: with Leah that Jacob should return to her apartment. Reuben,
• 14:23
  Speaker 1: a little lad five or six years old, playing in
• 14:25
  Speaker 1: the field, found man drags du deaeum. It is uncertain
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: what they were. The critics are not agreed about them.
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: We are sure they were some rarities, either fruits or flowers,
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: that were very pleasant to the smell. Canticles Chapter seven,
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: verse thirteen. Note the God of Nature has provided not
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: only for our necessities, but for our delights. There are
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: products of the earth in the exposed fields, as well
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: as in the planted protected gardens, that are very valuable
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: and useful. How plentifully is Nature's house furnished and her
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: table spread. Her precious fruits offer themselves to be gathered
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: by the hands of little children. It is a laudable
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: custom of the devout Jews, when they find pleasure, Suppose
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: in eating an apple, to lift up their hearts and say,
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: blessed be he that made this fruit pleasant, or in
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: smelling a flower, blessed be he that made this flower sweet.
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: Some think these mandrakes were Jessamine flowers. Whatever they were,
• 15:21
  Speaker 1: Rachel could not see them in Leah's hands where the
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: child had placed them, but she must covet them. She
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: cannot bear the want of these pretty flowers, but will
• 15:30
  Speaker 1: purchase them at any rate. Note there may be great
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: sin and folly in the inordinate desire of a small thing.
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: Leah takes this advantage, as Jacob had of Esauce, coveting
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: his red pottage, to obtain that which was justly due
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: to her, but to which Rachel would not otherwise have consented.
• 15:49
  Speaker 1: Note strong passions often thwart one another, and those cannot
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: but be continually uneasy that are hurried on by them.
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: Leah is overjoyed that she shall have her husband's company again,
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: that her family might yet further be built up, which
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: is the blessing she desires and devoutly prays for, As
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: is intimated verse seventeen, where it is said God hearkened
• 16:10
  Speaker 1: unto Leah. The learned Bishop Patrick very well suggests here
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: that the true reason of this contest between Jacob's wives
• 16:17
  Speaker 1: for his company, and their giving him their maids to
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: be his wives, was the earnest desire they had to
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: fulfill the promise made to Abraham, and now lately renewed
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: to Jacob, that his seed should be as the stars
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: of heaven for multitude, and that in one seed of
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: his the Messiah, all the nations of the earth should
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: be blessed. And he thinks it would have been below
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: the dignity of this sacred history to take such particular
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: notice of these things, if there had not been some
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: such great consideration in them. Leah was now blessed with
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: two sons. The first she called isaacar a Hire, reckoning
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: herself well repaid for her mandrakes nay, which is a
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: strange construction of the providence rewarded for giving her maid
• 17:00
  Speaker 1: to her husband. Note we abuse God's mercy when we
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: reckon that his favors countenance and patronize our follies. The
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: others she called zebulen dwelling, owning God's bounty to her.
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: God has endowed me with a good dowry Verse twenty.
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: Jacob had not endowed her when he married her, nor
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: had he wherewithal in possession. But she reckons a family
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: of children, not a bill of charges, but a good
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: dowry Psalms. One hundred and thirteen, Verse nine. She promises
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: herself more of her husband's company, now that she had
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: borne him six sons, and that in love to his children,
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: at least he would often visit her lodgings mention his
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: maid verse twenty one of the birth of a daughter, Dinah,
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: because of the following story concerning her chapter thirty four.
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: Perhaps Jacob had other daughters, though their names are not registered.
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: Numeral two Rachel fruitful At last, Verse twenty two, God
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: remembered Rachel, whom he sees to have forgotten, and hearkened
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: to her, whose prayers had been long denied. And then
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: she bore a son. Note as God justly denies the
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: mercy we have been inordinately desirous of, so sometimes he
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: graciously grants at length that which we have long waited for.
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: He corrects our folly, and yet considers our frame and
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: does not contend forever. Rachel called her son Joseph, which
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: in Hebrew is akin to two words of a contrary signification,
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: asaf absdud. He has taken away my reproach, as if
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: the greatest mercy she had in this son was that
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: she had saved her credit, and Joseph had eidot. The
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: Lord shall add to me another son, which may be
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: looked upon either as the language of her inordinate desire.
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: She scarcely knows how to be thankful for one unless
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: she may be sure of another, or of her faith.
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: She takes this mercy as an earnest of further mercy.
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: Has God given me his grace? I may call it
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: Joseph and say he shall add more grace? Has He
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: given me his joy? I may call it Joseph and
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: say he will give me more joy has he begun,
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: and shall he not make an end Jacob's bargain with
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: Laban b. C. Seventeen forty five, verse twenty five. And
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, that
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: Jacob said, unto Laban, send me away, that I may
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: go unto mine own place and to my country verse
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: twenty six. Give me my wives and my children, for
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: whom I have served THEE, and let me go, for
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: thou knowest my service which I have done THEE verse
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: twenty seven. And Laban said, unto him, I pray THEE
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: if I have found favor in thine eyes terry. For
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: me for thy sake verse twenty eight. And he said,
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: appoint me thy wages, and I will give it verse
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: twenty nine. And he said, unto him, thou knowest how
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: I have served THEE, and how thy cattle was with
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: me verse thirty. For it was little which thou hadst
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: before I came, and it is now in Crea done
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: to a multitude. And the Lord hath blessed THEE since
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: my coming. And now when shall I provide for mine
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: own house? Also verse thirty one, And he said, what
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: shall I give thee And Jacob said, thou shalt not
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: give me anything. If thou wilt do this thing for me,
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: I will again feed and keep thy flock verse thirty two.
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: speckled among the goats, And of such shall be my
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: higre verse thirty three. So shall my righteousness answer for
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: me in time to come, when it shall come for
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: my hire before thy face, every one that is not
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: speckled and spotted among the goats and brown among the
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: sheep that shall be counted stolen with me verse thirty four.
• 20:49
  Speaker 1: And Laban said, behold, I would it might be according
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: to thy word verse thirty five. And he removed that
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: day the he goats that were ring straked and spotted,
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted,
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: and every one that had some white in it, and
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: the hand of his sons verse thirty six. And he
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: set three days journey betwixt himself and Jacob, and Jacob
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: fed the rest of Laban's flocks. We have here numeral
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: one Jacob's thoughts of home. He faithfully served his time
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: out with Laban, even his second apprenticeship, though he was
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: an old man, had a large family to provide for,
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: and it was high time for him to set up
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: for himself. Though Laban's service was hard, and he had
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: cheated him in the first bargain he had made, Yet
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: Jacob honestly performs his engagements. Note a good man. Though
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: he swear to his own hurt will not change. And
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: though others have deceived us, this will not justify us
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: in deceiving them. Our rule is to do as we
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: would be done by, not as we are done by.
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: Jacob's term having expired, he begs leave to be gone.
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: Verse twenty five observed Number one. He retained his affection
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: for the land of Canaan, not only because it was
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: the land of his nativity and his father and mother
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: were there whom he longed to see, but because it
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: was the land of promise, and in token of his
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: dependence upon the promise of it. Though he sojourn in Haran,
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: he can by no means think of settling there. Thus
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: should we be effected towards our heavenly country, looking upon
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: ourselves as strangers here, viewing the heavenly country as our home,
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: and longing to be there. As soon as the days
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: of our service upon earth are numbered and finished. We
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: must not think of taking root here, for this is
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: not our place and country. He Brews, Chapter thirteen, Verse fourteen,
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: number two. He was desirous to go to Canaan, though
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: he had a great family to take with him, and
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: no provision yet made for them. He had got wives
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: and children with Laban, but nothing else. Yet. He does
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: not solicit Laban to give him either a portion with
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: his wives or the maintenance of some of his children. No,
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: all his request is give me my wives and my children,
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: and send me away. Verses twenty five and twenty six.
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: Note those that trust in God and his providence and promise,
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: though they have great families and small incomes, can cheerfully
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: hope that he who sends mouths will send meat. He
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: who feeds the brood of the ravens will not starve
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: the seed of the righteous. Numeral two. Laban's desire of
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: his stay Verse twenty seven in love to himself, not
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: to Jacob, or to his wives or children. Laban endeavors
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: to persuade him to continue his chief shepherd in treating
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: him by the regard. He bore him not to leave
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: him if I have found favor in thy eyes terry.
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: Note churlish selfish men know how to give good words
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: when it is to serve their own ends. Laban found
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: that his stock had wonderfully increased with Jacob's good management,
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: and he owns it with very good expressions of respect,
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: both to God and Jacob. I have learned by experience
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: that the Lord has blessed me for thy sake. Observe
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: Number one Laban's learning. I have learned by experience. Note
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: there is many a profitable good lesson to be learned
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: by experience. We are very unapt scholars if we have
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: not learned by experience the evil of sin, the treachery
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: of our own hearts, the vanity of the world, the
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: goodness of God, the gains of Godliness, and the like.
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: Number two Laban's lesson. He owns subscript one that his
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: prosperity was owing to God's blessing. The Lord has blessed me.
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: Note worldly men who choose their portion in this life
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: are often blessed with an abundance of this world's goods.
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: Common blessings are given plentifully to many that have no
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: title to covenant blessings. Subscript three. That Jacob's piety had
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: brought that blessing upon him. The Lord has blessed me
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: not for my own sake. Let not such a man
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: as Laban, that lives without God in the world think
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: that he shall receive anything of the Lord James, Chapter one,
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: verse seven, But for thy sake. Note sub point one.
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: Good men are blessings to the places where they live,
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: even where they live meanly and obscurely, as Jacob in
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: the field and Joseph in the prison, Chapter thirty nine,
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: verse twenty three. Sub Point two. God often blesses bad
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: men with outward mercies for the sake of their godly relations,
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: though it is seldom that they have either the wit
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: to see it or the grace to own it, as
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: Laban did here Numeral three. The new bargain they came upon.
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: Laban's craft and coveteousness took advantage of Jacob's plainness, honesty,
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: and good nature, and perceiving that Jacob began to be
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: won upon by his fair speeches. Instead of making him
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: a generous offer in bidding high as he ought to
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: have done all things considered, he puts it upon him
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: to make his demands Verse twenty eight. Appoint me thy wages,
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: knowing he would be very modest in them, and would
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: ask less than he could for shame offer. Jacob accordingly
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: makes a proposal to him, in which number one he
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: shows what reason he had to insist upon so much,
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: considering subscript one that Laban was bound in gratitude to
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: do well for him because he had served him not
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: only faithfully, but very successfully Verse thirty. Yet here observe
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: how he speaks like himself very modestly. Laban had said,
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: the Lord has blessed me for thy sake. Jacob will
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: not say so. But the Lord has blessed thee since
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: my coming. Note humble saints take more pleasure in doing
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: good than in hearing of it. Again, subscript too, that
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: he himself was bound in duty to take care of
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: his own family. Now, when shall I provide for mine
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: own house? Also note faith and charity, though they are
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: excellent things, must not take us off from making necessary
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: provisions for our own support and the support of our families.
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: We must, like Jacob, trust in the Lord and do good,
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: and yet we must like him, provide for our own houses. Also,
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: he that does not the latter is worse than an
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: infidel one Timothy, Verse eight, number two. He is willing
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: to refer himself to the providence of God, which he
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: knew extends itself to the smallest things, even the color
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: of the cattle, And he will be content to have
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: for his wages the sheep and goats of such and
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: such a color speckled, spotted, and brown, which should hereafter
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: be brought forth Verses thirty two and thirty three. This
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: he thinks will be a most effectual way, both to
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: prevent Laban's cheating him and to secure himself from being
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: suspected of cheating Laban. Some think he chose this color
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: because in Canaan it was generally most desired and delighted
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: in their shepherds and Canaan are called nikohim Amos Chapter one,
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: verse one. The word here used for speckled, and Laban
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: was willing to consent to this bargain because he thought
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: off the few he has that were now speckled and
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: spotted were separated from the rest, which by agreement was
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: to be done immediately. The body of the flock which
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: Jacob was to tend, being of one color either all
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: black or all white, would produce few are none of
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: mixed colors, and so he should have Jacob's service for
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: nothing or next to nothing. According to this bargain, those
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: few that were parti colored were separated and put into
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: the hands of Laban's sons and sent three days journey off.
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: So great was Laban's jealousy lest any of them should
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: mix with the rest of the flock to the advantage
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: of Jacob. And now a fine bargain Jacob has made
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: for himself. Is this his providing for his own house?
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: To put it upon such an uncertainty. If these cattle
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: bring forth, as usually cattle do, young ones of the
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: same color with themselves, he he must still serve for nothing,
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: and be a drudge and a beggar all the days
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: of his life. But he knows whom he has trusted,
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: And the event showed subscript one that he took the
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: best way that could be taken with Laban, who otherwise
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: would certainly have been too hard for him, and subscript two,
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: that it was not in vain to rely upon the
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: divine providence, which owns and blesses honest, humble diligence. Those
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: that find men whom they deal with unjust and unkind,
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: shall not find God. So but some way or other
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: he will recompense the injured, and be a good paymaster
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: to those that commit their cause to him. Jacob's Ingenuous
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: Policy b. C. Seventeen forty five, Verse thirty seven. And
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: Jacob took him rods of green poplar and of the
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: hazel and chestnut tree, and pilled white strakes in them,
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: and made the white appear which was in the rods
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: Verse thirty eight. And he set the rods which he
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: had pilled before the flocks and the gutters in the
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: watering tree when the flocks came to drink, that they
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: should conceive when they came to drink verse thirty nine.
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: cattle ringstriked, speckled, and spotted Verse forty. And Jacob did
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: separate the lambs and set the faces of the flocks
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: toward the ringstriked, and all the brown in the flock
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: of Laban, And he put his own flocks by themselves,
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: and put them not unto Laban's cattle verse forty one.
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive,
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: cattle and the gutters, that they might conceive among the
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: rods verse forty two. But when the cattle were feeble,
• 30:40
  Speaker 1: he put them not in. So the feebler were Labans
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: and the stronger Jacobs verse forty three. And the man
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: increased exceedingly and had much cattle, and made servants and
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: men servants, and camels and asses. Here is Jacob's honest
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: policy to make his bargain more advantageous to himself then
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: it was likely to be. If he had not taken
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: some course to help himself, it would have been a
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: bad bargain, indeed, which he knew Laban would never consider,
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: or rather would be well pleased to see him a loser.
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: By so little did Laban consult any one's interest but
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: his own. Now, Jacob's contrivances were number one, to set
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: peeled sticks before the cattle where they were watered. They're
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: looking much at those unusual PARTI colored sticks by the
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: power of imagination, they might bring forth the young ones
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: in like manner PARTI colored, Verses thirty seven through thirty nine.
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: Probably this custom was commonly used by the shepherds of Canaan,
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: who coveted to have their cattle of this motley color.
• 31:42
  Speaker 1: Note it becomes a man to be master of his trade,
• 31:45
  Speaker 1: whatever it is, and to be not only industrious but
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: ingenuous in it, and to be versed in all its
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: lawful arts and mysteries. For what is a man but
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: his trade? There is a discretion which God teaches the
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: husbandman as plain a tree as that is, and which
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: he ought to learn. Isaiah, chapter twenty eight, Verse twenty six,
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: Number two. When he began to have a stalk of
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: ringstraked and brown, he contrived to set them first, and
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: to put the faces of the rest towards them, with
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: the same design as in the former contrivance, but would
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: not let his own that were of one color. Verse
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: forty strong impressions, it seems, are made by the eye,
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: with which therefore we have need to make a covenant.
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: Number three. When he found that his projects succeeded through
• 32:34
  Speaker 1: the special blessing of God upon it, he contrived by
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: using it only with a stronger cattle, to secure to
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: himself those who are most valuable, leaving the feebler to
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: Laban verse forty one and verse forty two. Thus Jacob
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: increased exceedingly verse forty three, and grew very rich in
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: a little time. This success of his policy, it is true,
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: was not sufficient to justify it if there had been
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: anything fraudulent or unjust in it, which we are sure
• 33:04
  Speaker 1: there was not, for he did it by divine direction
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty one, verse twelve. Nor was there anything in
• 33:11
  Speaker 1: the thing itself but the honest improvement of a fair bargain,
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: which the Divine providence wonderfully prospered, both in justice to Jacob,
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: whom Laban had wronged and dealt hardly with, and in
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: pursuance of the particular promises made to him of the
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: tokens of the divine favor. Note, those who, while their
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: beginning is small, are humble and honest, contented, and industrious,
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: are in a likely way to see their latter end
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: greatly increasing. He that is faithful and a little shall
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: be entrusted with more. He that is faithful and that
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: which is another man's shall be entrusted with something of
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: his own. Jacob, who had been a just servant, became
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: a rich master. End of chapter thirty