Commentary on the Holy Bible

I shall leave this subject with chronologists and critics, and shall not altempt to decide on either opinion. That of Dr. Kennicolt I think Ihe most likely, and to it I have ailapted the chronology, in those cases, to which it relates.

JacoTi, proceeding on fiis joiirne)/, is met by the ati gels of God, 1, 2. Sends mesaeitgers hefore him lo liis brother Esau, requesting to be favourably received, 3 — 5. The messengers return rciihout tin aimrer, but zcith the inteUigcmx that Esau, rcilh four hundred men, teas coming to meet Jacob, 6. lie ^^ greal/i/ alarmed and adopts prudent means J'or the safety of himself and familt/, 7, 8. His ajj'cctiiig prai/er to (iod, g — 1'2. Prepares a present of Jive droves of different cattle for his brother, l,j — 15. Sends ihetnfoncard before him, at a certain distance from each other, and insfi'ucts the drivers rchat to say tchen met by Esau, 15 — 20. Sends Iiis Ktves, servants, children, and baggage, over the brook Jabbok, by night, 21 — 28. Himself stai/s behimt, and urestles zcith an angel until the break of day, 24. He prevails, and gets a new name, '25 — '20. Calls the name of the place Peniel, 30. Is lame in his thigh in consequence of his zcrtstlin^ with the angel, 31, 32.

^ ^ I,.^..ux.v. Jacob sent messengers j before him to Esau his brother "unto the land of Scir, 'the '^ country of Edom.

AND Jacob went on his way, and • the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw tliem, he said. This is God's "host: and he called the name of that j 4 And he commanded them, saying, ^ Thus

Ver.ie 1. The angels of God met him] Our word Angel comes from the Greek AyyiXaq angelos, wliicli litoially signifies, a nic.'isenger, or as translaleJ in some uf our old Dibles a tidings-hringer. The Hebrew word "jSTJ ntaluk, from "]N'? Inac to send, miiihter to, employ, is nearly of the same miport; and hence we may see the propriety of St. Augustin's i remark, Nonicn noa natimc scd officii^ " it is a name, not of nature but of ollice," and hence it is apphed indilleiently to a human agent or messenger, 2 Sam. ii. 5. xi. 19, 22, 23, 25 Prov. xiii. n. to a prophet, Ha^;";. i.: 3. to a priest, Mai. ii. 7. compare Kccles. ii (i. to celestial spirits, Psal. ciii. 19, 20, 22. civ. 4. cxlviii. 2, 3, 4. Jub iv. 18.

We often, says Mr. Parkhurst, read of the rUH' ixbo malak Yehovah, or D'H^X 'ixVo mttlakey Elohim, the angel of Jehovali, or the angels of God, that is, his agent, personatoi-, mean of fi^ihiliij/, or action; what was employed by God to render liiin>elf visible and approacliable by flesh and blood. This angel was evidently a liKuian form, surrounded or ae- €onipanied by /i'^/i; or g/o»3^, with or in which, Jehovah was present: see Gtn. xix. 1712, 16. Judg. xiii. 6. 21. Exod. iii. 2, 6. By this vision, says Mr. Ainsworth, God confirmed Jacob's faith in him vho commanded his angels to keep his: people in all their ways, Psal. xci. 11. Angels are here called j Cod's host, camp or unny, as in wars; for angels are God's I soldiers, Luke ii. 13. horses and chariots of fire, 2 Kings ix. 1"?. fighting for God's people against their enemies, Dan. x. 20. of them there are thousand thousands, and ten thousand ■ times ten thousand, Dan. vii. 10. And they are all sent forth I to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation, Heb. i. I 14. And they pitch a camp about them that fear G<id, i P.snl. xxxiv. a. (jne of the (ililest of the Greek Poet.s, He- | friod, seem."; to liavo* iiad a tokrably correct notion of the angelic ministry.

shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant

Verse 2. Blahanaim."] The two hosts, if read by the points, the angels forming one, and Jacob and his company forming another, or sunply hosts or camps in the plural. There was a city buildcd afterw:irds here, and inhabited by the priests of God, J-^h. xxi. 38. For what purpose tlie angels of God met Jacob does not apjjear from the text: probably it was intended to shew him that he and all his com- ■ paiiy were under the care of an especial Providence; and con.sequeully to excite and confirm his trust and confidence in God.

The doctrine of tlie ministration of angels has been much abused, not only among the heathens, but also among Jeivs and Christians; and perhaps most among the latter. Angels with feigned names, titles, and influences have been, and still are invoked and worshipped by a certain class of men; because they have f >und that God has been pleased to employ them to minister to mankind, and hence they have made supplications to them to extend their protection, to shield, defend, instruct, &c. Tiiis is perfectly absurd. 1. l^hftj' are God's instruments, not self determining agents. 2, They can only do what they are appointed to perform; for there is no evidence that they have any discretionary power. 3. God helps man by ten thousand means and instruments, soxTiie intellectual; as angels; some rational, as men; some e>- rationul, as brutes; and some merely material, as the sun, wind, rain, food, raiment, and the various productions of the earth- He theiefoie, helps by whom he will help, and to him alone, belongs all the glory; for should he be determined to destroy, all these instruments collectively, could not save. Instead therefore, of worshipping them, we should take thenown advice, Rev. xxii. 9. See thou do it not — Worship

Verse 3. Jacoh sent messengers] 0'3S?0 malacim, the same word which is before translated angels. It is very likely that these messengers had been sent, some time before he had this vision at Mahanaim; for they appear to have returned while Jacob cneaiiiped at the brook.labbok, where he had the vision of angels; see ver. 6. and 23.

The land of Seir, the country of Edam] This land which was, according to Dr. Wells, situated on the south of the Dead.Sea, extending from thence to the Arabian Gidph, 1 Kings ix. 26. was formerly possessed by the Iloriles, Gtn. xiv. 6. but Esau with his chiMren drove thein out, destro)'ed them, and dwelt in tlieir stead, Deut. ii. 22. And thither Esau went from the face of his brother Jarob, chap, xxxvi. 6, 1. 'I'hus wc find, he verified the prediction, by thy sword shuU thou live, chap, xxvii. 40.

Verse 4. Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau] Jacob acknowled jes the «/j;cno;7fy of his brothei'; lor the time was

A.M.W65. Jacob saith tlms, I have sojourned ^^ ^ '^'^' with Laban, and stayed there until now:

5 And "I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and men-servants, and women-servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that ^ I may find grace in thy sight.

6 IT Aiid the messengers returned to Jacob, saying. We came to thy brother Esau, and also 'he comcth to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and ''distressed: and he divided the people that ixris with him,- and the flocks and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

8 And said. If Esau come to the one com- 1 pany, and smite it, then the other company ■ which is left shall escape.

Verse 6. Esau — coyneth — and four hundred men v:hh him.'] Jacob, con.scious that he had injured his brother, was now apprehensive that he was coming witli hostile intentions, and that he had every evil to fear from his displeasure. Conscience is a terrible accuser. — It was a fine saying of a heathen.

IIOR. Ep. 1. i. E. i. V. 60. Be this thy brazen bulw ark of defence. Still to preserve thy conscious innocence. Nor e'er turn pale with guilt. FRANCIS.

• In other words. He titat has a ^ood conscience, has a brazen j vail for his defence; for a guilty conscience needs no accuser; ' sooner or later it will tell the truth, and not only make the.man turn pate, whu has it; but alsio cause him to tremble,

I It does not appear, that Esau in this nieelin;;- had any hos- 'tile intention; Init was jeally coming with a part of his serivants or tribe, to do his brother honour. If he had had any; contrary intention, God had removed it; and the angelic host which Jacob met with before, might have inspired him vitli 'sufficient confidenrs in God's protection. But v.e find, that when he needed failh most, he appears for a time, to have de- Tived but little benefit from ils influence; partly from the sense |he had of the injury he had done to his brother; and partly;from not attending sufiiciently to the assurance which God jbad given him of his gracious protection. I Verse 7. He divided the people, Sfc] His prudence and cun- Ining were now turned into a right channel, for he took the |iuost eflectual method to appease his brother, had he been irri-

9 IF 'And Jacob said, ' O God of A.M.2?es. my lather Abraham, and God of my "' ^ ^'"^- father Isaac, the Lord ^ which saidst unto me, Retiun luito thy countrj-, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

10 '' I am not worthy of the least of all the ' mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with " my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

1 1 ' Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, fi-om the hand of I'^saii: for I fear liim, lest he will come and smite me, and '" the mother " with the children.

12 And "thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

tated; and save, at least, a part of his family. This dividing and arranging of his flocks, family, and domestics, has something in it, highly characteristic. To such a man as Jacob such expedients would naturally present themselves.

Verse 9. 0 God of »ij/ father Abralutm, i^c.] This prayer is remarkable for its simplicity and energy: and it is a model loo for prayer, of which it contains the essential constituents. I • Deep self-abasement. 2. Magnification of God's mercy. 3. Deprecation of the evil to which he was exposed. 4. Pleading the promises that God had made to him, and 5. Takmg encouragement from what God had already wrouglit.

Verse 10. I am not ivorthy of the least of all the mercies.l The marginal rcadmg is more consistent with the original: noxn Ssoi O^nzinn '?2D TMVp katoneti micol ha-chasadim u-7nicol ha-emeth. I 'am less than all the compassions, and than all the fdithfulness — which thou hast sheiued unto thy servant. l^robably St. Paul had his eye on this passage, when he wrote Eph. iii. S. — unto mc icho am less than the least of all.taints. A man who.sees himself in the light of God, will ever feel tliat he has no good but what he has received, and that he deserves nothing of all that he has. The Archangels of God cannot use a ditlL'rent language; and even the spirits of just men consummated in their plenitude of bliss at God's right hand, cannot make a higher boast.

For with mi/ staff] i. e. mi/sclf alone, without any attendants, as the Chaldee has [ji'opcrly rendered it.

Verse II. And the mother with the children] He must lia\e had an awful opinion of his brother, when be used this expression, which implies the utmost cruelty, proceeding in, the work of slaughler, to total extermination; see Hos. x. 14.

Verse 12. Make th/ seed as the sand"] Having come to \\\e promise by which the Covenant was ratified both to Abraham and Isaac, be ceased; his faith having gained slion;; confinnation in a jironiisc which he knew could uot fail, and

A.M. 2i65. ]3 ^ And he lodged there tliat "•^'•^^■''-'' same night; and took of that whicli came to his hand •" a present for Esau his brother;

14 Two hundrctl she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred evrcs, and twenty nixm,'

15 Thirty milch camels v/ith their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten Ibles.

16 And he delivered tliem into the hand of his servants, every dro\'e by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass oxev before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

17 And he connnanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying. Whose art thou? and whither goest tliou? and whose are these before thee?

18 Then thou shalt say. They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he?« behind us.

19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and- all that fol- I lowed the droves, saying. On this manner shall I ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. I 20 And say ye moreover. Behold, thy servant! Jacob is beliind us. For he said, I will "ap- I pease him with the present that goeth before I me, and afterward I will see his tiice; pcradi venture he will accept ' of me.

21 So went tlie present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company''.

22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two women-servants, and his eleven sons, " and passed over the ford Jabbok.

23 And he took them, and ''sent them over the brooJc, and sent over that he had.

24 % And Jacob was left alone; and there ' wrestled a man with him until the ^ breaking of the day.

which he found was made over to Iiini, as it had been to his father and iriandfaiher.

Verse lo. And took of that which came to his handl N3n TT3 ha-ba b.' tj.'ido, which caine under his hand, i. e. what, in the course of CJud's providence, came under his poioer.

Verse 14. Two hundred she-goats, S)-c.] This was a princely present, and sucii as was sufficient to have compensated F.sau, for any kind of temporal loss he might have sustained in being deprived of his birth-right and blessing. The tliirly milch camels «ere particularly valuable; for milch camels amoufi tlie Aj'abs, constitute a principal part -of their riches, the creature being every way,so serviceable, that tlie providence of God appears jjcculiarly kind and wise in providing such a beast for those countries, where no other aniinal could be of equal service, " The she-camel give? milk continually, not ceasing even when with young; the milk of which," as Pliny has remarked, "when mixed with tiiree parts of water, alltirds the mosl pleasant and wholesome beverage." Camcli lac liabent, donee iterum gravescant, suavissiniunjqno hoc existimatui; ad luium mcnsurum tribus a(jiia:.xidditis. Hi.^t. Nat. lib. xi. cap. 41.

Verse 15. Ten bulls] Tlie Syriac and Vulgate have twenty; but ten is a sufTicicnt proportion to Ihcforiy kine. By all tliis we see that.Jacob was led to make restitution for the injury he bad done to his brother. Restitution for injuries done to man, is essentially itqui-silc if in our power. He who can, and will net make restitution for the wrongs he h^ done, can have CO claim even on the 7itercy of (iod.

Vtr-iC 22. Passed oxer the ford Jabbok.] This brook or rividet rJsfs in the mountains of Galaad, and falls into the Joroai) at the south extremity of the lake of Gencsaret.

Verse 24. And there ivrestled a man •aiith him.] This was doubtless the Lord Jesus Christ, who, among the Patriarchs, assumed that human form, which in the fulness of time he really took of a woman; and in which he dwelt thirty-three years among men. Me is here stj'lcd an angel, because he was /Acya^ns PouXng AyyEXos, (see the Septuagint, Isa. \k. 7.) the 7)/«» scn'.;er of the srreut counsel, or design, to redeem iiiUen man frotu death, and bring him to eternal glory; see chap. xvi. 1.

But it may be asked. Had he here a real human body, or only its/onu? — The latter, doubtless. How then could he wrestle with Jacob? It need not be supposed that this angel mu.-^t have assumed a human body, or something analogous to it, in order to render himself WnwiWe by Jacob; for as the soul, which is pure spirit, operates on the body by the order of God, so could an angel operate on the body of Jacob, during a whole night, and produce in his imagination, by the eflfect of his power, every requisite idea of corporeity; and in his nerves, every sensation of substance, and yet no substantiality be in the case.

If angel.s in ap|iraring to men, borrow human bodies, as i« thought, how can it be supposed that with such gross substances, they can disappear in a inotnent? Ceiiainly they du nott;iJce these bodies into the invisible world with them; and the established laws of matter and motion require a gradual di.sap|xaring, howsoever swiftly it may be effected. But this is not allowed to be the case; and yet they are reported to vanish instantaneoushj. Then they must render themselves invisible by a cloud, and this must be of a very dense nature, in order to hide a huiiuin body. But this very expedient would make Xheir departure still more evident,. as the cloud must be more dense aiid ajiparent than the body, in order t«

Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled

26 And * he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh: And he said, ' I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27 And he said unto him, "What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

28 And he said, '' Thy name shall be called

29 And Jacob asked liini, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, " Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

I SO And.lacob called the name of the place i ' Peniel: for " I have seen God lace to face, and my life is preserved.

31 ^ And as he passed over Penuel the sua

hide it. This, therefore, does not remove the difficulty. But if they assume a quantity of air or vapour so condensed as to become visible, and modified itito llie appearance of a human body, they can in a moment dilute and rarefj/ it, and so disappear; for when liie vehicle is rafL-fied beyond the power of natural vision, as their own substance is invisible, they can instantly vatiish.

From Hos. xii. 4. we may learn, that the wrestling of Jacob, mentioned in this place, was not merely a corporeal exercise, but also a spiritual one; He wept and made iupplication unto liiin; see the Notes there.

Verse 25. TIte hollow of Jacob's thigh i:-as out of Joint] i What this implies is dilVicult to find out: it is nut likely that '. it was a complete luxation of the thigh bone. It may meaivl no more than that he received a stroke on the sjroin, not a ] touch, for the Hebrew word ysi nas;a often signifies to smite | with violence, which stroke, even if comparatively slight, on \ such a part, would effectually disable him for a time, and! cause hiiii to halt for many hours, if not for several days. I | iDight add, that in this place, the groin, a blow might be of i fatal conieijuence; but as the angel gave it, only as a proof of his power and to siiew that he cottld not prevail, because; he would not, hence the blow was only disabling, without being dangerous; and he was probably cured by the time the j sun rose; see verse 31. i

Verse 26. L^t me '^o, for the day hreaketli] Probably j meaning, that as it was now morning,.lacob mu.^t rejoin his i wives and children, anil proceed on their jcjurney. 'I'hougli, phantnins ate supposed to disappear xvhcn titc sun rises, that j could be no rea-on in this case. Most of the angelic appearances mentioned in the Old and New Testaments, took place in open day, which put their reality out of question.

\'erse 28. T/iy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel] 7X~U" Yisrael, from T,:' sar, a prince, or niiy sarnh, lie ruled as a prince, and "tlS* el, God; or rather, from l^'X ish, a man, (the N alepli being dropped) and n.S"l raah, he »aw bx* el, God; and tliis corresponds with the name which Jacob imposed oti the place, calling it bii''2-i peniel, the faces of God, or of Elohim, which faces or appearances being maiiifesled to Inm, caused him to say, verse 30. D'nVx Ti'Nl O'lfi 7K DOD raiihi Ehhim panim el panim, i. e. " / have seen the Elohim faces to faces, (i. e. fully and completely, without ' any medium,) 'B'£J VsOHl iw tinnalsel naphshi, and my soul is redeemed "

We may learn from this, that the redemption of the soul will be the blessed consequence of wresthng by prayer and supplication with God: " The kingdom of heaven sutlereth violence, and the violent lake it by force." From this time •Jacob became a new man: but it was not till after a severe struggle, that he got his name, his heart, and his character changed. After this, he was no more Jiicob the supplanter; but Israel, ihe man who prevails ivith God, and sees him face to face.

And hast prevailed.] More literally, thou hast had power xeith God, and wilh man thou shall als i prevail, 3'nTN Off tin elohim, wilh the strong God: D''iyjN DV im anashim, with weak feeble man. There is a beautiful opposition here between the two words: seeing thou hast been powerful with the Almighty, surely thou shalt prevail over perishing mortals. As thou hast prevailed wilh God, thou shalt also jirevail with men, God calling the things that were not, as though they had already taken place: because, the prevalenc)- of this people, the Israelites, by means of tiie Messiah, who should proceed from them, was already determined in the Divine Counsel. He has never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye my face in vain. He who wrestles must prevail.

Verse 29. Tell me, J prat/ tliee, tliy name] It is verj' likely that Jacob wished to know the name of this angel, that he might invoke him in his necessities; but this might have led him into idolatry, for the doctrine of the Incarnation could be but little understood at this time; hence, he refuses to give himself any name, yet shews himself to be the true God, and so Jacob understood him, see verse 28. but he wished to have heard from his own lips, that name by which he desired to be invoked and worship])ed.

Wht-rrfure la it that thou dost ask after mj/ name?] Canst thou be ignorant who I am.? And he blessed him there: gave him the new heart, and the new nature, which God alone can give to fallen man: and by the change he wrought in him, sufficiently shewed who he was. After this clause, the Aldine edition of the Septuagint, and several MS8. add o eitti 6aa- /xaa-rov, or, kai toi/to eitti iaunaarov, which is wonderful: but this addition seems to have been taken from Judges xiii. 18.

" rose upon him, and he halted upon I hollow of the thigh, ^ unto this day: his thigh. because he touched the hollow of

32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not.; Jacob's thiirli in the sinew tliat shrank. 0/ the sinew which slirank, v.'liich «y upon the

V<rs'; 31. Y'/if Sim resc upon him} Did the prophet Malarhi rciei' to this, chap. iv. 2. Unto you that j'cur my name shall the Smt of ri'^htmuincsi arise with healing in hii •.uini;s? Possibly with I'.ic nsin;; of the siin, ivhirli Liiay here be uii- (lerslond as fnibieinatical of the Sun of rii^hieousnesn, thr Lord Ji-mts, the pain anil weakness ofhis lliii^li (ias-wl away; and he fcit b<nh in Soul and liody thai he was iieuk-d o!' his plag^ues.

V'tr^e 32 T/mnfore the children of hrncl cat not of the tint,^] What thi.'i ^inew was, neither.fy; nor Christian can tell; | U'.'ii it can a'ld nothing eitluT to science, or to a true iindersiandmi; of the Text, to multiply coniectures. I have already supposed that the part which the ana:el tonched or struck, was the ^roin; and if thi> be ri;j:ht, the.5/nr.i-, 7ierre or muscle i\iAl sliraiil:, must be sought for in that place.

1. After his reconciliation with I-r.ban, Jacob proc^ds on his way to Canaan, and as God, who was continually watchin;;- for his welfare, saw the trials to which he would shortly he fxposed, thtrefore hf provided for him the instructive vision of anpfcls, that he niiglit tee that those who were for him, were n ore, than those who could be against him. A proper consideration of Gud's omniscience is of the utmost I advantage to every i^i nuine Christian. He knows whereof we | are made; be remombers that we are but dust, he sees our ] trials and difhcuities. and his eye affects his heart. Hence, he is < v( r devising means that his baiiisiii d be not expelled | from hirn.

2. Jacob's recollection of his!/ni/nJ«c.si and /H/!M/2ce to his brother, when he bears tliat he is comin<j- to meet him, fills j his soul with fear, and obliques him to betake himself to God; by prayer and supplication. How important is the office of conscience? And how necessary are times of trial and dijfi-! culty when its voire is loudest, and the heart is best prepared I *o receive its reproofs! In how many cases ha:> conscience 1 ulunibered, till it pleased God to send siime trial by which il has been power. ully awakened, and the salvation of the sinner, was the result. Before I ivas afflicted J iceitl astray.

3. Thoiip;h salvation be the free gi't of God, yet he g-ives it not to any who do not earnestly seek it. The dccprr the conviction of t;uilt ami helplessness is, the. more earnest the apphcati<in to Ciod for mercy is likely to be. They, "whose s:\lvaiion costs tiicm strong crying- and tears, are not likely, iumianly speaking, to part witii it ligluly: they remember the vinegar and the gall, and they watch and pray that they enter not into temptation.

4. In the strife and agony requisite to enter in at the straight gate, it is highly necessary that we should know, that the grace and salvation of God are not purchased by our tears, &c. for those things, which are only proofs and arguincnts that we have sinned, can never remove the iniquity of our transgressions. A sensible and pious man observes on this subject, " That prayer and wrestling with God should he made, as though no other means were to be practised; and tiien, the best means be adopted, as tliough no prayer or wrestling had been used." God marks evru this strife, tliough highly pleasing in his sight, with such proofs of its own utter insufllciency, that we iriay carry about witli us the memorial of our own weaknesii, worlhlessness, and slowness of heart to believe. God smote the thigh of Jacob, 1. That he might know he had not prevailed by his n-xn strength, but by the power and mercy of his God. 2. I'bat he might have the most sensible evidence of the reality of the divine interposition in bis behalf. 3. That he might see God's displeasure ag.iinst his unbelief And, 4. That men in general might be tau;ht, that those who will be the disciples of Christ must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and mortify their members which arc upon the earth. Those who have not cut oif a right band or fool, or plucked out a right eye, for the kingdom of heaven's sake, are never likely to see God, The religion that costs us nothing, is, to us, xvorth nothing.

T'.Hi(t, liil/ijoiir hunrhed men meets.Jacob, 1. l(e places his children under their respective mothers, passes over be' fore iherii, and bo;cs himself to his brother, <2,:^. Esau receives him zcith great affection, 4. lieeeives the homage oj the handmaids, Lc.ili, li.icliel and their children,.5 — 7- Jacob offers him the present of cattle which he at first rejascs, but after mn-li eiilreati), accepts, 8 — 1 1. Invites.Jacob to accompany him to mount Scir, 12. Jacob eiTuses himsclj' because uf his Jlochs and his children, but promises to follow him, 13, 14. Esau offers to leave hiinr some of his attendants, uhich Jacob declines, \b. Esau returns to Scir, \6, and Jacob journies to Siiccotli, 17, and to Shalom in the land of Canaan, 18. Bui/s a parcel oJ' ground from the ckildven (j/'llamot, I;), and rrfJ- int ultar tiitich he calls El-elolie-Israc!, 20.

came and with him lour hundred nien. And li:; divided the children unto Leah, and luito Rachel, and unto the two handmaids,

2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children alter, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

3 And he passed over before them; and ''bowed hiniself to the jTromid seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 'And F.sau ran to meet him, and embraced him, "^ and till on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the woliien and the children; and said. Who are those *with thee? And he said. The chiklren Svhich God hath a;raeiousIy G,iven thy servant.

(J Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near, and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

NOTF.S ON CII.\P. XXXIII. \''( r~c> I. Dc/iolil, Es'tii came, and vjii/i him four humhed wfii] It li.is been trcnci-ally siippojcil that Ksaii came with an intention to dt-.'-lroy liis lii-ollier; and for that purpo'-c bronniit will) liirn four linndrcfl armed men. I'lit, 1. tliere is no kind of evidcnic of this prttrndtd lioslility. 2. There is no proof iliat ihe four hundred nun that Ksaii brought with him wern:it ail armed. '.). Hnt titrre is every proof that lie acted towards his hrollitr.lacoh willi all openne.-;s and eandonr; and witli such a ((>ri;el!Mlne.ss of past injuries, as none but a iireat mind could have been capable of ^V'lly then should ihc character of ihis man he perjietiially vilified } Here U the -secret. V/ilh some people, on ihc nio,-l ungrounded assumption, L'^sau is a rcprohntc, and the type and figure of all reprobates; and thereiorc he must he every thing that is bad. This s-ervts a syxiem; but, whether true or false in ib-elf, it has neither countenance nor.support from the character or conduct of Ksail.

Verse 2. lie put the hand/iiaids and their children foremost'] 1 here is something 9o artificial in tlii't arranijenient of Jacob's fannly, that it must ha,ve had somn peculiar dexitpi. Was Jacob still appreheasivc of danger, and)mt ilmsc foremost whom he least esteemed,' thai, if the ibremost met «ith any evil, those who were behind mii;ht escape on iheir swift biass? ch. x.\.Kii. 7, 8. Or d:d he intend to keep his cuoiccit treasure to the last, am! exhibit Lis beautiful Kachcl

by "all this drove which I met? And

9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; "keep that thou hast unto thy.scU!

10 And Jacob.said. Nay, 1 pray thee, if no\f I ha\e ibiind grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand; lor therefore I ' have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face ol" God, and thou wast pleased with me.

1 1 Take, I pray thee, '" my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because 1 have " enough. "And he urged him; and he took //.

12 And he said. Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

13 And he said unto him. My lord knowelli that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should over-drive them one day, all the flock will die.

14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before

and favourite Josqdi, after K.«au had.<:een all the rest, in order to make the epcr impression on his mind?

Verse 4. Rsau. t to mat him] How sincere and p;en!iine is tiiis conduct of j-.sau, and at the same time how magnanimous! He had buried ail his resiiitment, and foi';;ottcn all his injuries; and receives his brotliir with the strongest demonstiations not only of forgiveness, but of fiaternal ajfeciion.

And kissed him] irpa"1 raii/ishukehu. In the Masoretic Bible?, each 1< tti r of tins wnrd is noted wiih a point over it, to make it emphatic. And by this kiud of notation, the Hahbins wished to draw the attention of the ri'ad<r to the change that had taken place in Ivsau, and the ainceriiy with whicU he received his brother Jacob.

Verse 10. Receive my present at my hand] Jacob could not be certain that he had found favour with huau, unless the present had been received: for, in acceptinj^ it, Esau necc-ssardy became his friend, aecordin;.^ to the custom oV tiio.se times, and that country. In the eastern countricit, if your present Ix: received by your su])crior, you m-iy rely on his friendship; if it be not received, you have every thiii{^ to fear. It is on this irruund l)iat Jacob was so urj^ent with E-au to receive his present, because he knew that, after this, he must treat him.as a friend

Ver-e 14. Until I come unto mi/ lord unto Scir] li!< very likely that Jacob was perfeeily sincere in his expressed pur-

A. M 2265. his servant; and I will lead on softly, ^•^- '''^^- according *as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord ''unto Seir.

15 And Esau said. Let me now "leave wth thee some of the folk that arc with me: And he said, "What needeth it? 'let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

pose of visiting Esau at Seir; but it is as likely, that circumstances afterwards occurred, that rendered it either ini)5roper or impracticable; and we find that Esau afterwards removed to Canaan, and lie and Jacob dwelt there together for several years. See chap, xxxvi. 6.

Verse 17. Jourmytd to Succolli] So called from rSO succoth, the booths or tents, which Jacob erected there for the restin;! and convenience of his family, who, in all probabdity, continued there for some considerable time.

Verse 1 8. And Jacob came to Shulan, a city of Sheclicm] The \(ord ohv Slialtin, in the.Sauiaritan DlSs^ Shalom, should be translated here in peace, or in safety. iVfter resting some time at Succoth, which was necessary for tlie safety of his flocks and the comfort of his fannly, he got safely to a city of fShechera, in heahh ot body, without any loss of his cattle, or servants; his wives and children being also in safety. Coverdulc and Matthevcs translate this woni as above, and with llieui agree the Clialdee and the Arabic: it is not likely to have been the name of a city, as it is no where else to be found. iSliechem is called, in Acts vii. 16. Sychem, and in John iv. 5. Sychar — in the Arabic it is called Nablovs, and to ihe present day Neapolis. It was near to Samaria, and the place where the wretched remains of the sect of the Samaritans were lately found, and from whom Dr. Huntington received a perfect copy of the Samaritan Pentateuch.

Verse 1 9. Fur a hundred pieces of tnotiey] The original PD'iJ'p nN03 be-mtah ktsitali, lias been a matter of long and learned (ll■>cu^si(ln among critics. As Lesitah signifies a lamb, it may imply that Jacob gave the Ilamorites one hundreil lambs, for the field; but if it be the same transaction that St. Stephen refers to in Acts vii. 16. it was money, ri/j-y); a^yu^iou, a sum or price of silver, which was given on the occasion. It has been conjectured that the money had the figure of a lamb stamped on it, liecause it was, on an av( rage, the value of a lamb; and hence it might be cidled a Lesitah or lamb from the impression it bore. It is certain that in many countries, the coin has had its name from the ima^e it bore: so among our ancestors a coin was called an ant^el because it bore the image of an angi 1: hence also a Jacobus, a Carolus, a Leicis, (Louis d'Or) a Joe, because certam coins in England, Spain, France, and Portugal bore on one side the image of the kings of those couDtrics, James, Charles, Lewis, Joseph. The Athenians had

17 5[ And Jacob journeyed to 'Succoth, and built him a house, and made booths tor his cattle: therelbre the of the place is called "Succoth.

18 ^ And Jacob came to "Shalem a city of 'Shechem", Vvhich is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before tlie city.

19 And ' he bought a parcel of a field, Avhere he had spread his tent, at tlie hai:id of the chil-

a coin called Sou;, an ox, because it was stamped with the figure of an ox: hence the saying in Mschylus,

" I must be silent concerning other matters; a great ox walks upon my tongue;" to signify a person who had received a bribe for secrecy; i. e. a sum of money, on each piece of which an ox was stamped; and hence called Sou;, an ox. The word opes, riches, is a corruption of the word oixs, sheep, because these animals in ancient times, constituted the principal riches of their owners: but when other cattle were added, the word pccunia, {\'vo\-apecus, cattle) which we translate money, and from which we still have our English term pecuniary, ajipears to have been substituted for otes; because pecus, pecoris, and pecus, pecudis, were used to signify all kinds of cattle, large and smnll. Among our British and Saxon ancestors, we find coins stamped with the figure of an o.r, horse, hog, goat, i;c. and this custom arose in all probability, both among them and other nations, from this circumstance, that in primitive times, the coin was the ordinary value of the animal whose image it bore. It is, all circumstances weighed, most likely that a piece of money is here intended; and possi~ bly marked with the image of a lamb; but as the original word ntS'li'p Lesitah, occurs only here, and in Josh. xxiv. 32. and Job xlii. 15. this is not sufficiently evident, the word itself beinir of very doubtfiil signification. Mr. Parkhurst is of opinion that tlie kesitah bore the image of a lamb; and that these lamb-coins of the ancient Hebrews, typified the Lamb of God, who, in the divine purpose, was considered as slain from the fmindation of the world; and who purchased us unto God with bis own blood. The conjecture is, at least, pious, and should lead to useful reflections. Those who wish to see more on this subject, may consult the writers in the Crilici Sacri, and Calmet.

Verse 20. And he erected there an altar] It appears that Jacob had a very correct notion of the providence and mercy of God; hence he s.ays, ver. 5. The children luhich Ood hath GKACIOUSLY given thy servant — and in ver 11. he attributes all his substance to the bounty of his Maker — Take, I pray thee, my blessing — because God hath dealt ciRAClOUSLY i^ith me, and because J hate enow^h. Hence he viewed God as the

A.M.i'265. jirgn of >Hamor, Shechcm's father, ^i^LlIl'll for an hundred ■" pieces of money.

God of all grace, ami to him be erects an altar, tledicalinn; it to God, the God of Israel, referring particularly to tlie cluin:^e ot his own name, and the niacies which he then received: and hence, perhaps, it would be best to translate the words, Tlie stro!l!^ God (i>) llie God of Israel; as by tiie power of his grace and goodness he had rescued, del'eiided, blessed and siipiwrled hiui from his youth up, until now. The erecting altars with particular names, a])pears in other places: so Exod. xvii. 15. ISIoses calls his altar, Jtlwvali-nisst, " tiie Lord is my banner."

I. \\"hen a man's ways please God, lie maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. W lirn Jacob liad got reconciled to God, God reconciled his brother to him. The hearts •fall men are in the hands of God, and he turns them howsoever he will.

20 And he erected there an altar; and 'called it " El-elohe-Israel.

Dinali, the daughter of Jacob ami Leah, going out to see the daughters of the land, is ravished hi/ Shechem, the son of llanior, 1, 2. He entreats his father lo get her for him to Tcifc, 3. Jacob and his sons hear of the indiguittf offered to Dinah, 5 — 7- llamor proposes the suit of Shechan to Jacob and his sons, and off'ers them a rarieti/ of advantages, 8 — 10. Shechem himself comes fom-ard, begs to have Dinah to uife, and offers dotcry lo any exteid, 11, VI. The sons of Jacob pretoul scruples of conscience to give their sister to one tcho nas iincirciuncised; and require, as a condition of this marriage, and of intermarriages in general, that all the Shecheinilcs should be circumcised, 13 — 17- Ilamor and Shechem consent, 18, 19- They lay the business before the elders of their city, dxcell on the advantages of a connection zcilh Jacob and his family, and propose to them the condition recjuired by the sons if Jac(d>, 0.0 — 2,'3. The elders consent, and all the males are circumcised, '24. While the Shechemiles arc incapable of d fending themselves, on the third day after their circumcuion, Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah, came upon the city, slew all the males, sacked the city, took the women and children captives, and seized on all the cattle belonging to the Shechemiles, 25 — '29. Jacob is "reatlu displeased and alarmed at this treachery and cruelty oj his sous, and lays before them the probable consequences, 30. Thcij endeavour to vindicate their conduct, 31.

Vtrse 1. And Diniili — -jnent out to see the daus^htcrs of the land] It is supposed, that Jacob had been no» about s< ven or eight years in Ihr land, and that Dinah, who was but abuut seven years of age when Jacob came to C.uiaan, was now

2 And when Shechem the son of

about fourteen or fifteen. Why, or on what occasion, she went out, v.e know not; but tiie reason given by Josephus i» very probable, viz. that it was on one of tlieir/<r.vaia/«.

Verse 2. Priixe >f the'cowitry] i. e. Haniov was prince; Shechem was the son of the prince, or chief. Our versioo

J- % And Shecheni "spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get nie this damsel to wife.

5 And' Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daugliter: now his sons were with his cattle in the riekl, and Jacob ''held his peace until they were come

6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out; sister:)

Shechernites shall be circumciseSi unto her brethren. Let me find grace A.M.cir.a3C6. in your eyes, and what ye shall say ^- '^■^•"' '^"»- unto me I will gi\'e.

12 Ask me never so much ''dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but ffive me the damsel to wife.

13 ^ And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father ' deccitfiilly, (and said, because he had defiled Dinah their

*7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved.

wrought folly in Israel, in lying v/ith Jacob's daughter; *■ which thing ought not to be done.

8 And Hamor conmumed v/itii them, saying. The soul of my son Shechem longeth ii)r your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.

9 And make ve marriages with us, a?id give

14 And they said unto them. We cannot, do this thing, to give otu' sister to one that is uncircumcised; for "^that were a reproach unto

15 But in this Viill v'e consent unto ycu: If ye will be as ^ve be,- that every male of you be circumcised;

16 Then will wc give our daughters unto you,, and we will take your daughters to us; and we-

your daughters unto us, and take our daughters |' people.

unto you. 1: 17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be

10 And ye shall dwell 'with us: and ^ the land j circumcised; then will we take our daughter,.

in, and ' get you possessions therein. I 18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shell And Shechem said unto her father and; chem Hamor's son.

appears lo represent Sliec hem as prince: but liis fatiiur was the diief of the couiUry. — See ver. 6, 8, &c.

Verse 3. SpaLe Idnilly uiUo tite (bniisel.'] Literally, he spake io the heart of the damsel — endfavoured to gain her nflcclions, and to reconcile her to hei- disijrace. It iippcyr.s Munciently evident from tliis and the preceding verse, that there had heen no consent on ilie part of Dinah, that tlic whole was an act of violence, aiul tiiat, she wuj now detained bj force in ihi; house of Shechem. Here she was found, when Simeon and Levi sacked the city, ver. 2o.

Verse 7. IL hud lerowrhtfoi'ij in Iircef] The land, afier- ^vards gfcnerally lalkd hrael, was not as yet so named; and the sons of J.icob were neillier called hriid, hruelitea, nor »/tu;s, till lonjr afier llii-: how, then, can it he."^aid tliat i^heellem had u-roiightfultij in Israel? The woids arc capable of a mote literal Iranslaliou — 'pS'-.C'O be-yisrocl, may be translated, a<;tiin.st hrnel. 'I'lie annxl had said, Tliy name sluilt b- called no mure Jacob — not onlj/ Jacob — but hrael. It was this that aitu^ravaied the oftiEnce of Shei hem: he wrought f.i'y against hrael, tlie prince of God, m lying with the <laujbter of.lacob. Here both the names are given — Jacob, who'e daughter was dented — and Lsruel, ihc prince nf iiO'l, agr.insl whom the of'ience was cominitted.

Verse 1 3.- Answered— dcceitfnllii] \^ liich nothing: could e.\cuse; yet,!o shew tliat ihey had had much provoeaiion, it is immediately subjoined, 113T1 vu-yedaberu, thcj/ spuLc thus, because he had defied Dinah titcir.sis'.er; for so this parenthesis should be rca<J.

Verse 14. That weve a reproach unto us.] Becau^^e the uncircumcisi'd were not in the covenant of God; and to have given an heiress of llu' promise,, to one who had no kind of riylit to its spiritual blfs<inu,'s, Irom v;huni might sprin"' children who would natvu'ally wa'k in the way of their fatl.c r, \^oi'.Jd have been aLsurd, reproachful, and icickid. Thus iiiC they were perfectly rii-ht; but to iiiake this holy principle a I hike for their deceitful and murderous ])urposes, was the full smn of wii'kedncss.

Verse 17. Then xcill ice lake nur daughter, and;-:• ii'ill be i;om:1 It is natural to supp'ose, that the tribe of Hauior was very inconsiderable, el..^e,they would not have sounht an alliance with the family of Jacob, and have come.*o readily into a pain'iil disgraceful jneasure, without liavin^ either I'.ie sancti(m of divine auihorit!/ or reason; for it does pot appear that the sons of Jacob urged eitl^ier. And they are thrsufenr.d here, thai if thoy do not aijrte to be circuiiicised, Daiah shall be

A.5I c.r.-".6(;. 19 And the young man deferred 1, of his city: and every male was cir not to (h> the thing, because he had dehght in Jaeoh's daughter: and he Jew? ' nioreji honourable th.an all fhe house of his tiither.!|

20 % And llanior and Shechcm his son came;; unto the gate of their city, and communed with ii the men of their city, saying, |j

21 These men are peaceable witli us; there- 1 fore let them dwell in the lanrl, and trade there-;] in; for the land, behold, it is large enough for, them; let us t;il;e their daughters to us lor wives, and let us give them our daughters.

22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male " among us be circiunciscd, as they are circumcised.

23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of their's be our's? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell Y\ith us.

24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened ali that " went out of the gate

25 % And it came to pass on the third day,^ wh.en they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, 'Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took c:\eh man. his sword, and came upon the city boldly, anil slew all tlie males,

26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the" "* cdoc o\'^ the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.

27 The soiis of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had detiled their sister.

28 They Uio\ Jieir sheep, and tlieir oxen, and their asses, ta<X that which k'«a- in the city, and that whi<'i. iC'fi'. in the field,

29 Ani?\\ their wealth, and all their little ones, and;heir wives took they captive; and spoiled even all that ivas in the hou.se.

taken iVom them, and re.^tored to Ikt fiininy.; and ths is proUahly wliaf. tlio Shecliemiies saw lliey had mil power at prtscnt to prtvcnt.

Verse 2.'5. Sliall not tJicir ciiltle tnid their fubslnwe — be ours?] Tliis was a bait htid out for the poor unsuspectingpeople of Hamor, by their princ-e and his son, who were not Dnicii less deceived than the people themselves.

Verse 24. Eveiy male k/is circumcisedj These simple ■ people must have had very great afiection for tiieir ciiief and; hi>.<on, or have been nnder the influence of the most passive; obedience, lo iiavo come so nadily into this r.iea.sure, and to have submitted to tins rite. Bist llie pe/li/ prinres in Asiatic countries have ever been absolute and dcspoiic, their subjfcis payinsi^ tiiein tlie most prompt and uiind obedience. I shall give a few examples from Mr. llichard.^on's Di?.~ertalions.

" Aim T/iulier, chief of the Carmatlduns, about the year nine hundred and tliirtj', ravaged the territory of Mecca, defded tlie temple, and destroyed nearly 40.000 jieople. With only 500 l^or^e he w(nt to lay siege to l}a.t;hd.>d — the califlP's general, at ll;e head of 30,000 nn n, mnrched out to seize hiui; bi:t bf fore he attacked him, he sent an oflScer to siiciiuon him to surrender. ' How niany iniii has the califf's j^i-neral?' saiil Aim Tliahcr. — ' Thiity thoii.-and,' replied the offictr. — 'Among them all,' says the Carniathian rhiefj 'has he got three like mine.?' — Then ordering his (bllowers to ap]'roath, lie conimandid one to stab himseltj another to throw iiimselt from a |.rtcipice, and a third to plunge into the Tigris — all iliree instantly obeyed, and perished. Then turning to the oflieer, he said — ' He who has such troops, needs not Value the number of his enemies!'

'• Hassan Sabat, one of those petty princes formerly known in Asia and Europe by the title Slieekli-itl-jibel, or old man of tlie mcuntam, being required by an ambassador to do homage to his master, the Sultan Jlalcksiiali Jelaleddin, without giving any ansvser, ordered one of his attendants to poniard hitnse.f, and another to leap from the b.iitlemtnts of the tower; and he was instantly obeyed! Then turning to the ambassador, he said — ' Seventy thousand are thus attentive to my commands. Let this be my answer."' — On a principle of this kind, we may account fur the prompt obedience of the people of H-.mior.

Verse 25. On the third dai/, ivlt-n they trcre sore] W'hen the inflammation was at the height, and a fever ensued, which rendered the person utterly helple-s, and his state critical — Simeon and Levi — the half brotliers of Dinah — took each man his stvord — probably assi.sted by that portion of the servants which l-.elped them to take care of the flock — came on the citj/ fcoW/y — nci bctach, securrly, without being si(Specled, and l>cing in no ilaugerof meeting with nsi.stanci- — and slevi all the males. Greut as the provocation was, and it certainly was very great, this was an act of unparalleiled treachery and cruelly

V'( Tse 27. The sons of Jacob] The rest of Jacob's son*, tlie pmaining brothers of Simeon and Levi — spoiled tite city. Tiion>.;ll. the others couid.slay the defenceless male.s, it waslot likely that lliey could have c.irried away all the booty, with the women, children, and catile: it is therefore most natural to suppose, that the rest of the sons of Jacob as-'isted at last, in this business.

A.M.cir.;?.66. a yg havc " troublcd mc " to make Bc.cir.i7j8. j^^^ j.^ stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanitcs and the Perizzites: "^ and I, being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and great distress, and endangered my jiersonal safety — to viake tne to stink; to render nie odious to the surrounding tribes, so that there is every reason to suspect, tiiat when tliis deed is come abroad, they will join in a confederacy against me, and extirpate my whole family. And had lie not been under the peculiar protection of God, this, in all human probabUity, would have been the case: but he had prevailed with God, and he was also to prevail with men. That Jacob's resentment was not dissembled, we have the fullest proof in his depriving these two son» of tlie birth-right, which otherwise they had doubtless enjoyed. —.See ch. xlix. 5, 7. where "some additional circumstances are related.

Verse 31. Sliouid lie deal with our sister as with a harlot?] On this outrage alone they vindicated their flagitious conduct. Tlie word harlot first occurs here: the original is not B'jVfi pilgnsh, which we reader concubine — see its explanation, th. xxii. 21-. — but rUIT zonah, which ordinarily signifies, one who prostitutes herself to any person fur hire. Our word harlot is said to have been derived from a very odd circumstance:— Riibert, duke of Normandy, seeing a fine looking country girl dancing with her companions on the green, took her to his bed. She was the daughter of a skinner, and her name was Arlotta; and of her, Williiim, surnamed tite Conqueror, was born. Hence, it is said, all such women were from her called harlots, as William himself was usually termed the Bustard. But Horelet, the diminutive of whore, is not a less likely derivation.

Solomon has very properly said — My son, enter not into the path of tlie wicked, and go not in the way of evil wen; avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away, Prov. iv. 14-, 15. Had not Dinah gone out to.see the daughters of the land, and very possibly at one of their idolatrous festivals, she had not sulli'red the foul disgrace meulioiicd in tliis chapter. Not only prudence dictutes, that young women should keep at home, but God expressly commands it, Til. ii. 5. Dinah got among idolaters, and thus partook of their iniquities, and this led to the most base and cruel transaction upon record. How true is the saying — Those who wander out of the iviiy of understanding, shall abide in the congregation of the dead! In the case before us, blame stems to attach to all parties.

1. It was wrong in Jacob to suffer his daughter, alone and unprotected, to visit the daughters of the land.

2. It was excessively wicked in Sheche/n to take this advantage of tlie daughter of a respectable stranger, who had souglit his friendship, and came to sojourn among his people; and whose righteous dealing they must have witnessed for at least seven years past. In his behalf we may say, and it would be unjust not to say it, that having done the mischief,

31 And they said. Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?

and sinned deeply against the laws of hospitality, he wished to make all the reparation in his power; and therefore, in the most fiank and liberal manner, he not only ofl'ered, but most pressingly entreated permission, to take Dinah to wife. This was the utmost he could do in such a case. And in this he is a saint of the first order, when compared with the noble and ignoble profligates, who, while blaspheming the Christian name by continuing to assume it, commit all kinds of breaches on the virtue of simple females, and the peace of respectable families, and not only make no reparation, but glory in their shame.

3. It was diabolic in Jacob's sons to slay a whole tribe for the ofience of one man; and specially, as that one had of-, fered to make all the restitution in his power. They required that Hamor, Shechem, and all their sul)jects, should be circumcised, before they could conscientiously consent to give their sister to Shechem in marriage. This required conformity, was made the cloke of the most base and infamous designs. The simple unsuspecting Shechemites agreed to the proposal; and when rendered, by this religious rite, incapable of defending themselves, they were basely nuirdered by Simeon and Levi, and their city destroyed. Jacob, to his great honour, I'emonstrated against this barbarous and bloody act, committed apparently under the sanction of religion; and God shewed his abhorrence of it, by directing the j)atriarch, in his dying moments, to proscribe them from the blessings of the covenant, so that they barely retained a name among the tribes of Israel, being in general small, and ever disreputable, except merely in tlie service of the sanctuary, in which Levi was employed. How often since, notwithstanding this solemn warning, has the pure and benevolent religion of God been made, by wicked and designing men, a political stalking-horse to serve the basest purposes, and a covert to the worst of crimes! But shall we find fault with the holy religion of the blessed God, because w icked men have abused it f God forbid! Were it not so good as it really is, it would be incapable of such abuse. An evil cannot be abused — a good may; and the greater and the more acknowledged the good, the more liable to abuse. As every good is so capable of being abused, does he act wisely who argues against the use of the thing on this account.' Shall we say, that various kinds of gi'ain, fruits, and aliments, are a curse, bec.iuse wicked men abuse them to the purposes of drunkenness and gluttony? This would argue an utter ptrvsrsion of all reason: and is it not on such a pretext as this, that many persons have vcnSircd to call in question even the truths of Chiistianity!

Whatever such men may be determined to think on the subject of this chapter, with the unprejudiced reader the ample and detailed relation which we have here of this barbarous transaction, will appear an additional proof of the veracity and impartiality of the sacred historian.

Jacob is commantWi cfGod to go to Beth-el, and to build an altar there, 1. Ilis exhortation to his faviify to put anay all strange gods, 6iV. '2, 3. The/ deliver them all up, and Jurab hides them in the earth, 4. Thn/ coinme)tre thfir journej/,5.tome tuLiV/., 6. biii/dt/iei-e the tdlar l'A-hex\\-L-\,7. Burial place of Debotnh, liebekah's muse, 8. Cod appears again unto Jacob, 9. Blesses him and renetcs the promises, K) — 13. To commemorate this manifestation of (iod, Jacob sets up a pillar, and calls the place Bcth-e], 14,15. Thei/journej/ to Lpliiatli, K7«f7-f liachel, after hard labour, is delivered of Benjamin, and dies, \G — 19- Jacob sets up a pil'ar on her grave, GO. 27«y journei/ to Ldar, '21. While at this place, Ucubcn defiles his father's bed, 22. Jccount of the children of Jacob, according to their mothers, 2.3 — 26. Jacob comes to MaiTire,io his father Isaac, zcho Kasprobahlij, then in the one hundied and ffty-ei^hth year of his age, 27. Isaac dies, and is buried by his sons Esau and Jacob, 29.

Bctii-cl, and there: and make there an altar unto '' that appeared unto thee " vhcu thou

" and was with me in the way Ashich I went.

4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which tcerc in their hand, and all their 'earrings, which xvere in their ears; and Jacob hid them under "the oak which tcY/.v

5 And they joiu-neyed: and God was upon the cities that were round about

and go up to Beth-el; and them, and they did not pursue after the sons of

2 Then Jacob said imto his '' houshold, and to all that Kcrc v.ith him. Put away "the strange gods that arc among you, and ' be clean, and change your garments:

3 And let us arise I will make there an altar unto God, ^ who an

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXV. Vcri;e 1. Arise, "o up to Bel/i-el.] The transaction that liaJ i lately taken place, rendered it unsafe for.lacob to dwell any 'lunger at the city of Sheciiem; and it seems that, while he iwas reflcctins: on the horrible act of Simeon and Levi, and;nnt knowincj what to do, (iod graciously appraretl to him, and |Comnianded him to sfo up to Heth-el, build an altar there, and jlliiis ptrforpi the vow lie had made, ch. xxviii. 20, '2'2. I Verse 2. Put uv:iiy the strtinge godi] "'Jjn TlVs Elo/iei/ lia- Inecar, the gods of tlie foreigners which were among them. iJacob'.s.servants nt re all Si/rians, and no doubt were addicted jless or more to idolatry and superstition. These gods might |belong to ilii-it!; or, as some have conjectured, they were the ymipliiiit wiiich Rachel stole: but tliese have ahvaily been;Mippose<l to be astrological tables, or something of this kind, lalkd by Lab.Tn his gods, because by them he supposed he jfoiild predict future events, and that they referred to certain iastral ami planetary intelligences, by whose influences subjlunary things were regulated. But it is more natural to jMippose that these gods, found now in Jacob's tainily were iiina^-es of silver, gold, or curious workmanship, which were purification, as enriblematical of the sanctification of tbe sou], has been ifi u.se among all the true worshippers of God from the beginning of the world. In many case.«, the law of Moses more solemnly enjoined rites and ceremonies wiiicb had been in use from the earliest ages.

Verse 3. Anni-ered -me in the day of iny distress] Xot only when he fled from the face of his brother, but more particularly, when he was in his greatest strait, at the brook of Jabol".

Verse 4. Jlnd ear-rings -ichich were in their ears] Whether these rings were in the ears of the gods, or in those of Jacob's family, we may rest assured that they were not mere ornaments, but served for superstitious purposes. Ear-rin^s were certainly worn as amtdcts and charms, first consecrated to some Aod, or formed under some con.stellation, on which magical eharaclers and images were drawn. A very ancient and beautitul one of this kind, brought fiom Kgypt, cut* out of a solid jiicce of cornelian, now lies before nie. It was evidently intended for the ear, as the opening is too small for any human finger; and it is engraved all over with i-trann-e characters and images, which prove that it was intended for a talisiiKtn or anmlct. It seems to be such an one as St. Augustin describes, Epis'l. 73d. which was suspended from the tip of the ears both of men and women, not for the purpose of ornament, but, through an execrable superstition, for the service of dauiions, Execranda superstitio ligatururum, in

Luz, (that IS, Beth-el) which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people that xvere with

7 And he '' built there an altar, and called the place " El-bcth-el: because '' there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

8 % But " Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak: and the name of it was called ^ Allon-bachuth.

9 % And ^ God appeared unto Jacob again when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed

quibus etinin bmurcs virorum in smnmis ex una parte auriculi suspeiisie deputaiUur, non ad placenJiim Itoiitinibas, sed ad serz'iendum demonihus. See the notes on cb. xxiv. 22.

Verse 5. The terror of God'] A supernatural awe, sent bj' the Almiglity — vjas upon the cities that were round about — So that they were not molested in their departure. Tiiis could be owing to nothing less than the especial providence of God.

Verse 1 Et-btth-el] hn n>3 Sx the strong God — the house of the strong God. But the first ^H el, is wanting in one of De Rossi's MSS. as it is also in the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and some copies of the Arabic. The sentence reads much better without it, and much iiiore consistent with the parallel passages.

V^erse 8. But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died] She was sent with Rebekah, when taken by Abraham's servanMo be wife to Isaac, ch. xxiv. 59. How she tame to be in Jacob's family, expositors are greatly puzzled to find out: but the text does not state that she was in Jacob's family. Her death is mentioned merely because Jacob and his family had now arrived at the place where she was buried, and the name of that place was called Allon-bachulh, the oak of weeping, as it is likely her death had been greatly regretted, and a general and extraordinary mourning bad taken place on the occasion. Of Rebekah's death we know nothing. After her counsel to her son, ch. xxvii. we hear no more of her history from the sacred writings. Her name is written in the dust. And is not this designed as a mark of the disapprobation of God } It seems strange, fliat such an inconsiderable person as a nurse should be mentioned, when even the person she brought up is passed by unnoticed! It has been observed, that the nurse of /Eneas is mentioned nearly in the same way by the poet Virgil; and in the circumstances, in both cases, there is a striking resemblance.

Tu auoque littorihus noslris, Mntia nittrix, JUlernam vioriens fanium, Ca'iela, dcdisti: Et nunc servat honos scdcm tuus; ossuque nomen Hesperia in magna, (^i qua est ea gloria) signal.

10 And God said unto him. Thy name is Jacob: " thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, ' but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

1 1 And God said unto him, " I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; 'a nation and a company of nations sliall be of thee, and kings sliall come out of thy loins;

12 And the land " wliich I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I o-ive the land.

13 And God "went up from him in the place where he talked with him.

14 ^ And Jacob "set up a pillar in the place

At pius e.vequiis JEneas rile solutis, • ^

jl^gcre coinposito tiuntdi, poslqvaiii alia quienmt ^quora, tendit iter vctis, portuniqne relinipdt.

" Thou too, Cajcta, whose indulgent cares

Adorn Hesperia with immortal fame:

T"j/ name survives, to please thy pensive ghost; '

Thy sacred relics grace the Latian coast.

Soon as her fun'ral rites the prince had paid.

And rais'd a tomb in honour of the dead;

The sea subsiding, and the tempests o'er.

He spreads the flying sails, and leaves the shore." — PiTT.

Verse 9. God appeared unto Jacob again] He appeared to him first at Shechem, when he commanded him to go to Beth-el; and now that he is arrived at the place, God appears to him the second time, and reconfirms to him the Abrahainic ble.ssing. To Isaac and Jacob these frequent appearances of God were necessary; but they were not so to Abraham: for him, one word was sutlicient — Abraham believed God.

Verse 13. And God ivcnt up from him] This was not a vision, nor a strong mental impression, but a real manifestation of God. Jacob saw and heard him speak; and before his eyes he went up — ascended to heaven. This was no doubt the future Saviour, the angel of the covenant. — See chap. xvi. 7.

Verse 14. y4 drink-ojfering] "ysi nesec, a libation, ^hese were afterwards very common in all countries. At first they consisted, probably, of water only; afterwards wine was used. See on Lev. vii. 1, &c. The pillar which Jacob set up vpas to commemorate the appearance of God to him: the drinkoffering and the oil were intended to express his gratitude and dnotivn to his Preserver. It was probably the same pillar

15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake Avith him, " Beth-el.

16 % And they journeyed from Bcth-el; and there was but ""a little way to come to E])]uath; and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour:

17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwite said unto her. Fear not; "thou shalt have this son also.

18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name

which he ha<l set up before, which had since been tlirown down, and which he had ronsccr;!.ted afresh to God.

Verse 16. There was but a Utile luaj/ to come to F.plmitli] The word nt33 kihmth, translated here a little icau, has greatly perplexed commentators. It occurs only here and in chap, xlviii. 1. 2 Kinc^.s v. 19. and it seems to have been some sort of mciisnre a]>plied to land, as we say a mile, an acre, a rood, a perch; but « hat the exact quantity of the Idhrath was, cannot be ascertained. Ephrath, called also Bcthlchaii, and Bethlehem Ephrata, was the birth-place of our ble.ssed Redeemer. See its meaning. Matt. ii. 6.

Verse 1 8..^4- he.r soul utis in dcpariiiigl Is not this a proof that there is an immortal spirit in man, which can exist separate from, and independant of the body? Of Rachel's death it is said, nU'iJ flNi'D he-tsealh naphshah — vi the going u\i-ay of her soul — her hodj/ did not go away, therefore her soul and body must have been distinct. If her breath only had been intended, Offi ncshcm, or fm iTiach, would have rather been u.<ed, as the first means breath, the latter breath or spirit indiflerently.

Hhc called his name Ben-oni] 'JIN }3 the son of my snrron; or affliction — ^because of the hard labour she had in bringing him into the world: but his father called him BenjaiHin. P'l'W the son of my right-hand; i. e. the son peculiarly dear to me. So man of the right-hand, Psal. Ixxx. 1 8. signifies one much loved and regarded of God. The Samaritan has Bcn-yamim, tlic son of days; i c. the son of his old age, as Jacob calls him, chaj). xliv. '20. and Houbigr.nl contends, that this is the true reading, ami that the Ch ddee termination in for im, is a corruption. If it be a corruption, it is as old as the days of St. Jerom, who translates the place Benjamin, id est, Jilius dextra, Benjamin, /hat is, the son of the right-hand.

Verse 20. Jacob set a pillar upon her grave] Was not this the origin of funeral monuments.? In ancient times, and among rude nations, a heap of stones designated the burialplace of the chief: many of these still remain in diflerent | countries. Afterward.s, a rude stone, with a simple inscription was used, containing only the name of the deceased, and

"Ben-oni: but his father called him 'Benjamin.

19 And ' Rachel died, and was buried in the way to ^Ephrath, whicli is Beth-lehem.

20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grax'c " uiito this

21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond 'the tower of Edar.

22 % And it came to pass,, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and ''lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: And Israel heard it. — Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

thnt of his father. But where arts and sciences flom-islied, superb monuments were erected, iiighly decorated, and pompously inscribed. It is very likely from the circumstances of Jacob, tliat a single stone constituted the pillar in this case, on which, if writing did then exist, the name, or rather some hierogly])hical device, was probably inscribed. That which is now called Rachel's pillar, is allowed, by those who have examined it, to be a comparatively modern structure.

Verse 21. Toxver of Edar.] Literally, the tower of the Jlock, and so translated Mic. iv. 8. It is su()postd, that this tower was about a mile from Bethlehem, and to have been the place where the angels a[)peared to the shepherds. The Targuin of Jonathan expressly says — " It is the place in which the King Messiah shall be manifested in the end of days." By the ioiver of the flock, we may understand a place built b}' the shepherd.?, near to some well, for the convenience of watering their flocks, and keeping watcii over them by night.

Verse 22. Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine] Jonathan, in his Targum, says, that Reuben only overthrew the bed of Bilhah, which was set up opposite to the bed of his mother Leah, and that this was reputed to him as if he had lain with her. The colouring given to the passage by the Tarijumist is, that Reuben was incensed, because he found Bilhah preferred, after the death of Rach.el, to his own mother Leah; and, therefore, in his anger, he overthrew htr couch. The same sentiment is repeated by Jonathan, and glanced at by the Jerusalem Targum, ch. xlix. •I. Could this view of the subject be proved to be correct, both piety and candour would rejoice.

A7id Israel heard it] Not one, word is added farther in the Hebrew text; but a break is left in the verse, opposite to which, there is a Masoretic note, which simply states, there is a hiattis in the verse. This hiatus the SepH!agint has thus supplied — xai wovn^ov i^a.vi\ e\<civr:ov avTGu, and it appeared evil in his sight.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.] Called afterwards the twelve patriarchs, because they became heads or chiefs of nunierous families or tribes, Ac ts vii. 8, and the peo2)le that

24 Tlie sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin.

26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher. These arc the sons of Jacob, which Avcrc boru to him in Padanarara.

descentkcl from them are called tlis txvdve tribes. Acts xxvi. 7. James i. 1. Tn-ehc princes came from Lhmael, cli. xxv. 16. who were lieads of families and tribes. And in reference to the twelve pniriarchs, our Lord chose tii-ehe apostles. Strictly speaking, there were thirteen tribes among the Hebrews, as Ephraivi and Mnnasses were counted for tribes, chap, xlviii. 5, 6. but the Scripture, in naming tliem, says Mr. Ainsworth, usually sets down but twelve, omitting the name now of one, then of another, as may in sundry places be observed, Deut. xxxiii. Ezek. xlviii. Rev. vii. &c.

Verse 23. The sons of Leah} The children are arranged here under their respective mothers, and not in order of their birth.

It is well known tliat I'adan-aram is the sauie as RIcsopotamia, and lience the Septuagint translate Mia-oTTOTa/na tk; Xv^ia;, Mesopotamia of Sj/ria. The word signifies beluet'n the. tv;o ritcrs, fiom /otEcro;, the midst, and 7roTa/A.og, a river. It is situated between the Euphrates and Tigris, having Assyria on ihe east, Arabia Diserta, with Babylonia, on the south, Syria on the ivest, and Armenia on the north. It is now the province of Diarbck, in Asiatic Turkey, and is sometimes called I\liii-crannaluir, tlie country beyond the river; and Arum ynharaim, Aram or Syria of the two rivers. It is a place sufficiently celebrated both in the Old and New Testaments.

Verse 27. The city of Arhah, (which is Hebron)'] See chap, xxiii. 2. It has been conjectured that Jacob must have paid a visit to his father btfbrc this time, as, previously to this, he had been some yearns in Canaan; but now, as he was approaching to his end, Jacob is supposed to have gone to live with and comlbrt him in his declining days.

Verse 29. Isaac gave vp the ghost, — ajid luas gathered unto his people'] See on chap. xxv. 8.

Esau and Jacob buried him.] See chap. xxv. 9. Esau, as we have seen, chap, xxxiii. was thoroughly reconciled to his brother Jacob, and now they both join in fraternal and filial alfection to do the la-.t kind otTice to their amiable father. It i-. generally allowed, that the death of Isaac is mentioned here out of his chronological order, as.several of the transactions mentioned in the succeeding chapters, especially the xxxvii. snd xxxviii. must havC' happened during his WUi. Kut that the history of Joseph might not be disturbed, his death is

j 28 i[ And the days of Isaac were a hundred and fourscore years.

29 And Isaac gave up the and died, and "was gathered unto liis people, being old and full of days: and sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

anticipated in this place. It is supposed that he lived at least twelve years after Joseph was sold into Egypt.

This chapter contains several subjects which are well worthy of the reader's most serious altrntion.

1. That such a family as that of,l;icob shoidd have had false gods m it, is a matter not less astonishing than veal: and suppose that we allow, as is very probable, that their images and rings were got from strangers, the Syrians and the Shechemites, yet their being tolerated in the family thou;;h it is probable, this was for a very ^holt time, cannot be easily accounted for. It is true, the LAW was not then given, and the unity of God not so particularly taught as it was afterwards. Besides, we have already seen that certain superstitions were compati'.ile in those early times with general sincerity and attachment to the truth: those times and acts of ignorance were winked at, till supi rior light shone upon the world. Between many of the practices of Laban's family and those of the surrounding heathenish tribes, there might have been but litMe dinirence; and this was probably the reason why Dinah could so readily mix with the daughter>of the land, chap, xxxiv. 1 which led to the fatal consequences already reviewed. Sin is like the letting out of water — when once a breach is made in the dyke, the stream becomes determined to a wrong course, and its progress is soon irresistible. Had net Jacob put away these strange gods, the whole family m.ght have been infected with idolatry. This saying of one of the ancients is good — Viiia transimttit ad posttros, <jui prcvsenlibits ciilpis i:;noscit. SexECA. " He who is indulijent to prcsi nt offcnce.s, transmits sin lo posterity:" the first motions of it should be firmly resisted, •after struggles are too often fruitless.

2. The doctrine of a particular and especial Providence has another proof in this chapter. Afltr the sanguinary conduct of Jacob's.sons, is it not surprising that the neighbouring tribes did not join together, and extirpate the whole family? And so ihey certainly would, hid not the terror of God fallen upon tlKm, ver. 5. Jacob, and the major part of his family were innorent of this great transgression; and on the preservation of their lives, the accomplishment of great events depended: therefore God vratchts over them, and shields them from the hands of their enemies.

3. The impatience and fate of the amiable Uachcl, who can read of without deploring! — (Hve me children, saiil she, or else I die, chap, xxx 1. 1 ler desire was granted, and her death wjB the consequence! God's way is evtr best. \Vs

\ciio\v not what wc ask, nor wlial we oui;Iit lo ask, anil thereforo often a>k amiss, wlien we petition fur such secular things as helonp; to tlie dispensations of God's proridence. For thin"-s of tliis kind we have no revealed directory; and when we a-k for them, it should be with llic deejxst submission to the divine will, as God alone knows what is best for us. \\"\l\\ respect to the soul, every thins^ is clearly revealed, so we may a>k and receive, and have a fidness of joy; but as to our bodies, there is much ie;\son to fear, tiiat liie cmsiver ot our petitions would be, in nunieioiis ca-^es our inevitable destruction. How many prayers docs God in mercy shut out!

4. The transgression of Reuben, of whatsoever kind, was marked not only by the displeasure of his father, but by tiiat of God also, seech, xlix. 4. It brought a curse upon him, and he forfeited tiiereby the right of priuKHi-eniture and the piiesthood: the lirst was given to.ludah, the second to Levi. Is it not in rcicrence to this that our Lord addresses these solemn words to the angol of the cliurcli of Philadelpliia— Behold, I come tjuicLlj/: liold that fust ivliich thou hciat, that NO MAN TAKE THY CUOWN? A man, by sowing a s^miti of forbidden sweets, may reap an abundant harvest of eternal j wretchedness. Header, let not sin rob ihcc of liie kingdom

5. Here we have the death of Isaac recorded: most that can be said of his character has been already anticipated, see ch. xxii. &c. He a;ipears to have been generally pious, deeply submissive and obedient. He was rather an amiable and ^ood, than a c;rcat and useful man. If compared with his son Jacob, in the early part of their lives, he appears to great advantage, as possessing more sincerity and more personal piety. But if compared with his father Abraham, oh! v hat a falling off is here! Abraham is the most perfect character under the Old Testament — and even under the Neiv, he has no))arallel but St. Paul. Isaac, though falling farshort of his father's excellencies, will ever remain a pattern of piety and filial obedience.

The genealogy of Emu, i.e. his sons, by Im Cunamiitish reives AA-dh., Aholihaiiiah, ««(/ Bashematb, 1 — 3. TLe cliililrcn of Allah enid Wi\s\\v\\u\Xh, 4. O/" Aholibamah,.i. lisuii departs from Canaan and goes to Mount Seir, 0 — 3. The generations of Esau, i.e. /(/.v grandchildren, uhi/e in Seir, y— 19. The generations of Sen the Horlle, 20 — 30. AmiU Jiiats luulcs (^ eiaiiii) in the ccildenicss, 24. The kings zchieh reigned in Edom, 31 — 39. The dukes that sueceeded thcni, 40 — 43.

2 '' Esau took his wives of tlic | 4 And '^ Athih bare to Esau Elidaughters of Canaan; Adah tlie: phaz; and Basheniath bare Reuel.

dimghter of Elon tlie Hittite, and " AiioUbainali the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the liivite;

Verse I. These are the 'generations of Esau'] ^\'e lu'.ve here the genealogy of Esau in his sons and grandsons, and also the genealogy of Scir the Horile. Tl)e genealogy of the sons of Esau, born in Canaan, is related ver. 1 — 8. those of Bis grandchildren born in Seir, 9 — 19. those of Seir the Horite, '20 — 30. The generations of ICsan are particularly marked, to shew how exactly God fulfilled the jiromises he made lo him, ch. "xxv. and xxvii. and tho.sc of.Seir the Jlorif&'jvc added, because bis family became insume measure, blended with that of Esau.

Ver^e 2. His ieivcs'] It appears that Esau's wives went by very difftrent names. Aholibamah is named Judith, ch. xxvi. I!i4. J(/«/i is called Bashemath in the same place; and she, who is here called Basheuiath, is called 3Ia'ialulh, ch. xxviii. j 0. These arc vanations which cinuot be easily accounted

5 And Ahohbainah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

for; and they arc not of sufficient importance to engross much time. It Is Well known tliat the same jiersons in Scripture, are often called by dill'erent nanus. See the table of variations ch. XXV. where there are some slight examples.

Anah the daughter of Zibeon] But this same Anah is said lo he the son of Zibeon, ver. 24. though in the second and fourteenth verees he is said to be the daughter of Zibeon. But the Samaritan, the SepluaginI, (and the Sj^riac, in verse 2.) read son iristead of daughter, «hich Iloubigant and Kennicolt contend to be the true reading. Others say, that - daughter should be referred to Ahohbamah, who was llie daughter of Anah, and grand daughter of Zibeon. I should rather prefer the reading of the Samaritan, Septuagint, and Syriac, and read, both here and in ver. 14. " Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the SON of Zibeon," and then the whole will agree with verse 24.

6 if Ami Esaii took his wives, and liis sons, and his daughters, and all the ' persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.

7 " For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and "^ the land wherein they were strangers, coidd not bear them, because of their cattle.

8 Thus dwelt Esau in '' mount Seir: " Esau is Edom.

9 ^ And these are the generations of Esau the father of ' the Edomites iii mount Seir.

10 These are the names of Esau's sons; ^ Ehphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.

11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, " Zepho, and Gatan, and Kenaz.

Timna was concubine to Eliphaz; and she bare to Eliphaz ' Amalek: the sons of Adah Esau's wife.

1 3 And these are the sons of Reuel;

and Zerah, Shanmiah, and Mizzah the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.

Verse 6. Esnu took his wires, ^c] So it appear.^ that Esau and Jacob dwelt totrcther in Canaan, whither the former removed fi'oni Seir, piobaijly soon after the return of Jacob. That they were on liie most friendly footing, this sufficiently proves; and Esau shews the same dignified conduct as on other occasions, in leaving Canaan to Jacob, and returning again to H)ountSeir; certainly a much le.ss fruitful region than that which he now, in behalf of his brother, voluntarily abandoned.

Verse 12. Timna ivas concubine to Elipliaz] As Timna was sister to Lotun the Horite, ver. 22, we see how the family of Esau and the Horites got intermixed. This might give the.sons of Esau a pretext to seize the land, and expel the ancient inhabitants, as we find they did, Ocut. ii. 12.

Verse 15. Dukes nf the sons of Esau] The word duke ■comes from the Latin dux, a captain or leader. The Htbrew sp7N alupli, has the same signification: and as it is also the term for a thousand, which is a grand capital or leading number, probably the ifciVx aluphtj/, or dukes, had this name from being leaders ofj or captains over, a company of one

14 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaaiam, and Korah.

15 ^ These tcrye dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz.

16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes of Eliphaz in the land of Edom: the sons of Adah.

17 And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Missah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom: these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wite.

18 And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaaiam, duke Korah: tliese xvere the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife.

19 These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes.

20 '51 ''These are the sons of Seir A.M.cir.sigs. ' the Horite, who inhabited the land j

thousand men, just as those among the Greeks, called chiliarchs, which signifies the same; and as the Romans called those centurions who were captains over one hundred men, from the Latin word centum, which signifies a hundred. The ducal government was that which prevailed first among the Idmneans, or descendants of Esau. Wtve fourteen dukes are reckoned to Esau, seven that came of his wife Adah, four of Basliemath, and three of Aholibamah.

Verse 16. Duke Korah] This ]3r. Kennieott pronounces to be an interpolation. " It is certain, from verse 4. that Eliphaz was Esau's son by Adah; and from verse 11, 12. that Eliphaz had but six sons, Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatan, Kenaz, and Amalek. It is also certain, from verse 5, and 14. that Korah was the son of Esau, (not of Eliphaz) by Ahnlibamah; and as suth, he is properly mentioned in vcr. 18. These are the sons oi' Aholibamah, Esau's wife — duke Jeush, duke Jaaiam, DUKR KoR.VH. It is clear, therefore, that some transcriber has improperly inserted duke Korah in the 16th verse; from which interpolation both the Samaritan text and the Samaritan version are free." KennicOTT's Remarks. — Every thing con.sidered, I incline to the opinion | that these words were not originally in the text. [ sister xvas Timna. 23 And the children of Shobal ivere these; ^ Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, " Shepho, and Onani.

Horites were the original inhabitants of the country of Scir, called the land of the Horites, and afterwards the land of the Iduineans, when the descendants of I'lsaii had driven tiiem out. These people are first mentioned ch. xiii. 6.