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38 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Sacred Texts Archive

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Chapter thirty five. In this chapter we have three communions and three funerals Numeral
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one. Three communions between God and Jacob. Number one. God ordered Jacob
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to Bethel, and in obedience to that order, he purged his house of
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idols and prepared for the journey Verses one through five. Number two. Jacob
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built an altar at Bethel to the honor of God that had appeared to him,
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and in performance of his vow Verses six and seven. Number three,
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God appeared to him again and confirmed the change of his name and covenant with
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him Verses nine through thirteen, of which appearance Jacob made a grateful acknowledgment Verses
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fourteen and fifteen. Numeral two. Three funerals number one Deborahs Verse eight,
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number two, Rachel's verse Verses sixteen through twenty, number three, Isaacs Verses
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twenty seven through twenty nine. Here is also Reuben's incest Verse twenty two,
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and an account of Jacob's sons Verses twenty three through twenty six. Jacob summoned
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to Bethel. Jacob's journeys towards Bethel b. C. Seventeen thirty two,
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Verse one, and God said unto Jacob, arise and go up to Bethel
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and dwell there, and make there an altar unto God that appeared unto thee
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when thou fleddest from the face of Esau, thy brother. Verse two.
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Then Jacob said, unto his household and to all that were with him,
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put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean and change
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your garments verse three. And let us arise and go up to Bethel,
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and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the
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day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went
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verse four. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in
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their hand, and all their ear rings which were in their ears. And
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Jacob hid them under the oak which was by se Cham verse five. And
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they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round
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about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. Here
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numeral one, God reminds Jacob of his bow at Bethel and sends him thither
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to perform it. Verse one. Jacob had said in the day of his
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distress, if I come again in peace, this stone shall be God's house.
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Chapter twenty eight, verse twenty two. God had performed his part of
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the bargain and had given Jacob more than bread to eat and raiment to put
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on. He had got an estate and had become two bands. But it
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should seem he had forgotten his vow, or at least had too long deferred
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the performance of it seven or eight years. It was now since he came
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to Canaan. He had purchased ground there and had built an altar in remembrance
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of God's last appearance to him when he called him Israel chapter thirty three,
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verses nineteen twenty. But still Bethel is forgotten. Note time is apt to
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wear out the sense of mercies and the impressions made upon us by them.
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It should not be so, but so it is. God had exercised Jacob
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with a very sore affliction in his Family chapter thirty four, to see if
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this would bring his vow to his remembrance and put him upon the performance of
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it. But it had not this effect. Therefore God comes himself and puts
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him in mind of it. Arise, go to Bethel. Note one,
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As many as God loves, he will remind of neglected duties one way or
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another. By conscience or by providences. Two. When we have vowed a
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vowed to God, it is best not to defer the payment of it.
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Ecclesiastes five, verse four. Yet better late than ever, God bade him
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go to Bethel and dwell there. That is, not only go himself,
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but take his family with him, that they might join with him in his
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devotions. Note in Bethel the house of God, we should desire to dwell.
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Psalms Chapter twenty seven, verse four. That should be our home,
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not our inn. God reminds him, not especially of his vow, but
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of the aca vision of it. When thou fledest from the face of Esau.
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Note the remembrance of former affliction should bring to mind the workings of our
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souls under them. Psalms Chapter sixty six, Verses thirteen and fourteen, Numeral
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two. Jacob commands his household to prepare for this solemnity, not only for
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the journey and remove, but for the religious services that were to be performed
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Verses two and three. Note one, before solemn ordinances, there must be
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solemn preparation. Wash you, make you clean, and then come and let
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us reason together. Isaiah Chapter one, Verses sixteen through eighteen two. Masters
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of families should use their authority for the promoting of religion in their families.
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Not only we, but our houses also should serve the Lord. Joshua chapter
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twenty fourth, verse fifteen, observe the commands he gives his household, like
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Abraham chapter eighteen, verse nineteen one. They must put away the strange gods,
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strange gods in Jacob's family strange things. Indeed, could such a family
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that was taught the good knowledge of the Lord admit them? Could such a
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master to whom God had appeared twice and oftener connive at them? Doubtless this
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was his infirmity. Note those that are good themselves can always have those about
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them so good as they should be. In those families where there is a
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face of religion and an altar to God. Yet many times there is much
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amiss and more strange gods than one would expect. In Jacob's family. Rachel
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had her Teraphim, which it is to be feared, she secretly made some
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superstitious use of the captives of Siechim brought their gods along with them, and
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perhaps Jacob's sons took some with the plunder. However, they came by them.
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Now they must put them away. Two, they must be clean and
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change their garments. They must observe adieu decorum, and make the best appearance
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they could. Simeon and Levi had their hands full of blood. It concerned
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them particularly to wash and to put off their garments that were so stained.
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These were but ceremonies signifying the purification and change of the heart. What are
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clean clothes and new clothes without a clean heart and a new heart? Doctor
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Lightfoot, by their being clean or washing themselves understood. And Jacob's admission of
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the proselytes of Sicham and Syria into his religion by baptism, because circumcision had
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become odious. Number three, they must go with him to Bethel verse three.
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Note masters of families, when they go up to the House of God,
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should bring their families with them. Numeral three. His family surrendered all
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they had that was idolatrous or superstitious. Verse four. Perhaps if Jacob had
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called for them sooner, they would sooner have parted, with them, being
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convicted by their own consciences of the vanity of them. Note sometimes attempts for
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reformation succeed better than one could have expected, and people are not so obstinate
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against them as we feared. Jacob's servants had even the retainers of his family,
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gave him all the strange gods and the ear rings they wore, either
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as charms or to the honor of their gods. They parted with all.
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Note reformation is not sincere if it be not universal. We hope they parted
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with them cheerfully and without reluctance, as Ephrium did when he said, what
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have I to do any more with idols? Joseiah chapter fourteen, verse eight,
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get you Hence Isaiah chapter thirty, verse twenty two. Jacob took care
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to bury their images. We may suppose in some place unknown to them,
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that they might not afterwards find them and return to them. Note we must
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be wholly separated from our sins, as we are from those that are dead
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and buried out of our sight. Cast them to the moles into the bats.
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Isaiah Cha two u, verse twenty numeral four. He removes without molestation
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from si Chem to Bethel verse five. The terror of God was upon the
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cities, though the Canaanites were much exasperated against the sons of Jacob for their
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barbarous usage of the Sichemites. Yet they were so restrained by a divine power
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that they could not take this fair opportunity which now offered itself when they were
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upon their march to avenge their neighbour's quarrel. Note the way of duty is
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the way of safety. While there was sin in Jacob's house, he was
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afraid of his neighbors. But now that the strange gods were put away and
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they were all going together to Bethel, his neighbors were afraid of him.
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When we are about God's work, we are under special protection. God is
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with us while we are with him. And if he be for us,
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who can be against us? See Exodus chapter thirty four, verse twenty four.
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No man shall desire thy land when thou goest up to appear before the
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Lord. God governs the world more by secret terror on men's minds than we
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are aware of Jacob's arrival at Bethel v. S. Seventeen thirty two,
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verse six. So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of
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Canaan, that is Bethel, he and all his people that were with him
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verse seven. And he built there an altar and called the place El Bethel.
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Because there God appeared unto him when he fled from the face of his
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brother verse eight. But Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, died, and she was
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buried between Bethel under an oak, and the name of it was called long
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Bachuth verse nine. And God appeared unto Jacob again when he came out of
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paddan Aram and blessed him verse ten. And God said unto him, thy
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name is Jacob. Thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but
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Israel shall be thy name. And he called his name Israel. Verse eleven.
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God said unto him, I am God Almighty, Be fruitful and multiply.
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A nation and company of nations shall be of THEE, and king shall
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come out of thy loins verse twelve. And the land which I gave Abraham
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and Isaac to THEE, I will give it, and to thy seed after
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THEE will I give the land verse thirteen. And God went up from him
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in the place where he talked with him verse fourteen. And Jacob set up
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a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of
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stone. And he poured a drink offering thereon. And he poured oil thereon
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verse fifteen. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with
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him, Bethel. Jacob and his retinue, having safely arrived at Bethel,
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we are here told what passed there Numeral one. There he built an altar
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Verse seven, and no doubt offered sacrifice upon it, perhaps the tenth of
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his cattle, according to his vow, I will give the tenth unto thee.
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With these sacrifices, he joined praises for former mercies, particularly that which
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the side of the place brought afresh to his remembrance. And he added prayers
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for the continuance of God's favors to him and his family. And he called
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the place that is the altar El Bethel, the God of Bethel. As
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when he made a thankful acknowledgment of the honor God had lately done him in
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calling him Israel, he worshiped God by the name of El elohe Israel.
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So now that he was making a grateful recognition of God's former favor to him
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at Bethel, he worships God by the name of El Bethel, the God
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of Bethel, because there God appeared to him. Note the comfort which the
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saints have in holy ordinances is not so much from Bethel, the house of
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God, as from El Bethel, the God of the house. The ordinances
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are but empty things if we do not meet with God in them Numeral two.
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There he buried Deborah, Becca's nurse, verse eight. We have reason
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to think that Jacob, after he came to Canaan, while his family dwelt
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near see Cham, went himself it is likely often to visit his father Isaac
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at Hebron. Rebecca probably was dead, but her old nurse, of whom
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mention is made Chapter twenty four, verse fifty nine, survived her, and
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Jacob took her to his family to be a companion to his wives, her
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countrywomen, and an instructor to his children. While they were at Bethel,
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she died, and died lamented, so much lamented that the oak under which
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she was buried was called Alon buccuth, the oak of weeping. Note one,
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Old servants in a family that have in their time been faithful and useful
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ought to be respected. Honor was done to this nurse and her death by
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Jacob's family, though she was not related to them, and though she was
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aged. Former services in such a case must be remembered. Two. We
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do not know where death may meet us, perhaps at Bethel, the house
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of God. Therefore let us be always ready. Number three. Family afflictions
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may come even when family reformation and religion are on foot. Therefore, rejoice
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with trembling numeral three. There God appear to him verse nine, verse nine,
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to own his altar, to answer to the name by which he had
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called him, the God of Bethel, verse seven, and to comfort him
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under his affliction verse eight. Note God will appear to those in a way
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of grace that attend on him in a way of duty. Here one he
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confirmed the change of his name verse ten. It was done before by the
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angel that wrestled with him Chapter thirty two, verse twenty eight. And here
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it was ratified before the divine majesty or Sechinaw that appeared to him. There.
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It was to encourage him against the fear of Esau, here against the
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fear of the Canaanites, who can be too hard for Israel, a prince
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with God. It is below those who are thus dignified to droop and despond.
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Two he renewed and ratified the covenant with him by the name El Shadai,
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I Am God, Almighty God All Sufficient. Verse eleven. Able to
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make good the promise in due time, and to support THEE and provide for
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THEE in the meantime. Two things are prompt must him, which we have
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met with often before. One that he should be the father of a great
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nation, great in number, a company of nations shall be of thee.
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Every tribe of Israel was a nation, and all the twelve a company of
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nations, great in honor and power. King shall come out of thy loins.
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Two that he should be the master of a good land Verse twelve,
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described by the grandees Abraham and Isaac, to whom it was promised, not
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by the occupants, the Canaanites, in whose possession it now was. The
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land that was given to Abraham and Isaac is here entailed on Jacob and his
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seed. He shall not have children without an estate, which is often the
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case of the poor, nor an estate without children, which is often the
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grief of the rich. But both these two promises had a spiritual signification,
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of which we may suppose Jacob himself had some notion, though not so clear
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and distinct as we now have. For without doubt, Christ is the promised
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seed, and Heaven is the promised land. The former is the foundation,
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and the latter the topstone of all God's favors. Three. He then went
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up from him and from over him in some visible display of glory, which
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had hovered over him while he talked with him. Verse thirteen. Note the
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sweetest communions the saints have with God in this world are short and transient,
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and soon have an end. Our vision of God in heaven will be everlasting.
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There we shall be ever with the life Lord. It is not so
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here numeral four. There Jacob erected a memorial of this. Verse fourteen one
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he set up a pillar. When he was going to padam Ram. He
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set up for a pillar that stone on which he had laid his head.
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This was agreeable enough to his low condition and his hasty flight. But now
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he took time to erect one more stately, more distinguishable and durable, probably
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placing that stone in it in token of his intending it for a sacred memorial
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all his communion with God. He poured oil and the other ingredients of a
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drink, offering upon it. His vow was, this stone shall be God's
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house, that is, shall be set up for his honor as houses to
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the praise of their builders. And here he performs it, transferring it to
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God by anointing it. Two, he confirmed the name he had formerly given
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to the place verse fifteen, Bethel, the House of God. Yet this
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very place afterwards lost the honor of its name and became beth a van,
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a house of iniquity. For here it was that Jeroboem set up with one
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of his calves. It is impossible for the best man to entail upon a
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place so much as the profession and form of religion. Death of Rachel b.
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C. Seventeen thirty two, verse sixteen. And they journeyed from Bethel,
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and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath. And Rachel
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travailed, and she had hard labor verse seventeen. And it came to pass
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when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said, unto her fear,
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not thou shalt have this son, also verse eighteen, And it came
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to pass as her soul was in departing, for she died, that she
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called his name Benoni, but his father called him Benjamin verse nineteen. And
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Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is beth Lehem,
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verse twenty. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave, that is
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a pillar of Rachel's grave. Unto this day we have here the story of
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the death of Rachel, the beloffed wife of Jacob. One. She fell
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in travail by the way, not able to reach Bethlehem, the next town,
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though they were near it. So suddenly does pain sometimes come upon a
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woman in travail, which she cannot escape or put off. We may suppose
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Jacob had soon a tent up convenient enough for her reception. Two. Her
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pains were violent. She had hard labor, harder than usual. This was
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the effect of sin. Chapter three, verse sixteen. Note human life begins
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with sorrow, and the roses of its joy are surrounded with thorns. Three.
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The midwife encouraged her verse seventeen. No doubt she had her midwife with
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her ready at hand. Yet that would not secure her. Rachel had said,
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when she bore Joseph, God shall add another son, which now the
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midwife remembers and tells her her words were made good. Yet this did not
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avail to keep up her spirits. Unless God command away, fear no one
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else can. He only says, of one having authority, fear not.
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We are apt in extreme perils to comfort ourselves and our friends with the hopes
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of the temporal deliverance, in which we may be disappointed. We had better
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found our comforts on that which cannot fail us, the hope of eternal life.
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For her travail was to be the life of the child, but to
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her own death. Note though the pains and perils of child bearing were introduced
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by sin, yet they have sometimes been fatal to very holy women, who,
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though not saved in child bearing, are saved through it with an everlasting
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salvation. Rachel had passionately said, give me children, or else I die.
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And now that she had children, for this was her second, she
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died. Her dying is here called the departing of her soul. Note the
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death of the body is but the departure of the soul to the world of
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spirits. Five. Her dying lips called her new born son Venoni, the
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son of my sorrow. And many a son not born in such hard labor,
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yet proves the son of his parent's sorrow and the heaviness of her that
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bore him. Children are enough the sorrow of their poor mothers in the breeding,
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bearing and nursing of them. They should, therefore, when they grow
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up study to be their joy, and so, if possible, to make
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them some amends. But Jacob, because he would not renew the sorrowful remembrance
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of his mother's death, every time he called his son by his name,
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changed his name and called him Benjamin, the son of my right hand,
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that is very dear to me. Set on my right hand for a blessing
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the support of my age, like the staff in my right hand. Six.
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Jacob buried her near the place where she died, and she died in
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child bed. It was convenient to bury her quickly, and therefore he did
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not bring her to the burying place of his family. If the soul be
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at rest after death, it matters little where the body lies in the place
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where the tree falls there. Let it be No mention is made of the
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mourning that was at her death, because that might easily be taken for granted.
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Jacob, no doubt, was a true mourner. Note great affliction sometimes
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befalls immediately after great comforts. Lest Jacob should be lifted up with the visions
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of the almighty with which he was honored, was sent as a thorn in
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the flesh to humble him. Those that enjoy the favors peculiar to the children
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of God, must yet expect the troubles that are common to the children of
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men. Deborah, who had she lived, would have been a comfort to
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Rachel in her extremity, died but a little before. Note when death comes
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into a family, it often strikes double God by it speaks once, yea
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twice. The Jewish writers say the death of Deborah and Rachel was to expiate
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the murder of the Sichamites, occasioned by Dinah, a daughter of the family.
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Seven. Jacob set up a pill upon her grave, so that it
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was known long after to be Rachel's sepulcher Fir Samuel, chapter ten, verse
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two. And Providence so ordered it that this place afterwards fell in the lot
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of Benjamin. Jacob set up a pillar in remembrance of his joys verse fourteen.
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And here he sets up one in remembrance of his sorrows. For so
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it may be of use to ourselves to keep both in mind, so it
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may be of use to others to transmit the memorials of both. The Church
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long afterwards owned that what God said to Jacob at Bethel, both by his
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word and by his rod, he intended for their instructions Hoosia, chapter one
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hundred and twelve, verse four. There he spoke with us the disgrace of
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Reuben b. C. Seventeen sixteen, verse twenty one. And Israel journeyed
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and spread his tent beyond the Tower of Edar verse twenty two. And it
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came to pass when israe Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and
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lay with Bilh, his father's concubine, And Israel heard it. Now.
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The sons of Jacob were twelve verse twenty three, the sons of Leah Reuben,
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Jacob's first born, and Simeon and Levi and Judah and Ishikar and Zebulen
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verse twenty four. The sons of Rachel, Joseph and Benjamin verse twenty five.
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And the sons of Bilh Rachel's handmaid Dan and Naphthali verse twenty six.
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And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid Gad and Asher. These are the
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sons of Jacob which were born to him in Padan Oram verse twenty seven.
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And Jacob came unto Isaac, his father, unto memory, unto the city
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of Arbah, which is hebron where Abraham and Isaac sojourn verse twenty eight.
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And the days of Isaac were ane hundred and fourscore years verse twenty nine.
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And Isaac gave up the ghosts and died, and was gathered unto his people,
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being old and full of days, and his sons Esau and Jacob buried
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him. Here is one Jacob's removal verse twenty one. He also as his
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father's sojourn in the land of Promise, as in a strange country, and
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was not long in a place immediately after the story of Rachel's death. He
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is here called Israel verse twenty one and twenty two, and not often so
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afterwards. The Jews say, the historian does him this honor here because he
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bore that affliction with such admirable patience and submission to Providence. Note those are
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Israel's, indeed, princes with God that support the government of their own passions.
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He that has this rule over his own spirit is better than the mighty
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Israel, a prince with God yet dwells intents. The city is reserved for
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him in the other world. Two. The sin of Reuben a piece of
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abominable wickedness. It was that he was guilty of verse twenty two. That
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very sin which the apostle says first corintheis five verse one. It is not
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so much as named among the gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
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It is said to have been when Israel dwelt in that land, as
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if he were then absent from his family, which might be the unhappy occasion
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of these disorders. Though perhaps Bilhah was the greater criminal, and it is
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probable was abandoned by Jacob for it. Yet Reuben's crime was so provoking that
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for it he lost his birthright and blessing. Chapter forty nine, verse four.
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The first born is not always the best nor the most promising. This
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was Reuben's sin, but it was Jacob's affliction. And what a sore affliction
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it was is intimated in a little compass. And Israel heard it no more
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is said. That is enough. He heard it with the utmost grief and
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shame, horror and displeasure. Reuben thought to conceal it, that his father
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should never hear of it. But those that promise themselves secrecy and sin are
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generally disappointed. A bird of the air carries the voice three. A complete
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list of the sons of Jacob, now that Benjamin the younger was born.
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This is the first time we have the names of these heads of the twelve
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tribes together. Afterwards we find them very often spoken of and enumerated, even
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to the end of the Bible Revelations Chapter seven, verse four, Chapter twenty
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one, Verse twelve. Four. The visit which Jacob made to his father
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Isaac at Hebron, We may suppose he had visited him before since his return,
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for he sorely longed after his father's house, but never till now brought
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his family to settle with him or near him Verse twenty seven. Probably he
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did this now upon the death of Rebecca, by which Isaac was left solitary
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and not disposed to marry again. Five. The age and death of Isaac
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are here recorded, though it appears by computation that he died not till many
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years after Joseph was sold into Egypt, and much about the time that he
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was preferred there. Isaac, a mild, quiet man, lived the longest
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of all the patriarchs, for he was one hundred eighty years old. Abraham
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was about one hundred and seventy five. Isaac lived about forty years after he
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made his will. Chapter twenty seven, verse two. We shall not die
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an hour the sooner, but abundantly the better for our timely setting our heart
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and house in order. Particular notices taken of the amicable agreement of Esau and
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Jacob in solemnizing their father's funeral verse twenty nine, to show how wonderfully God
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had chained Esau's mind since he vowed his brother's murder immediately after his father's death.
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Chapter twenty seven, verse forty one. Note God has many ways of
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preventing bad men from doing the mischief they intended. He can either tie their
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hands or turn their hearts. And of Chapter thirty five,