Commentary on the Holy Bible

Verse 46. I am tveary of my life] It is very likely that Rebekah kept many of the circumstances related above from the knowledge of Isaac; but as Jacob could not go to Padan-aram without his knowledge, she appears here quite in her own character, framing an excuse for his departure, and concealing the true cause. Abraham had been solicitous to get a wife for his son Isaac from a branch of his own ^mily; hence she was brought from Syria. She is now afraid, or pretends to be afraid, that her son Jacob will marry among the Hittites, as Esau had done; and therefore makes this to Isaac the ostensible reason why Jacob should immediately go to Padan-aram, that he might get a wife there. Isaac, not knowing the true cause of sending him away, readily falls in with Rebekah's proposal, and immediately calls Jacob, gives him suitable directions and his blessing, and sends him away. This view of the subject makes all consistent and natural; and we see at once the reason of the abrupt speech contained in this verse, which should be placed at the beginning of the following chapter.

1. In the preceding notes I have endeavoured to represent things simply as they were. I have not copied the manner of many commentators, vi'ho have laboured to vindicate the character of Jacob and his mother in the transactions here recorded. As I fear God, and wish to follow him, I dare not bless what he hath not blessed, nor curse what he hath not cursed, a

of my life because of the daugh- a. m. cir. 2225 ters of Heth: - if Jacob take a ^- ^- "''• '''^- wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these lohich are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

I consider the whole of the conduct both of Rebekah and Jacob in some respects deeply criminal, and in all highly exceptionable. And the impartial relation of the facts contained in this and the xxvth chapter, gives me the fullest evidence of the truth and authenticity of the sacred original. How impartial is the history that God wTites! We may see, from several commentators, what man would have done, had he had the same facts to relate. The history given by God details as well the vices as the virtues of those who are its subjects. How widely different from that in the Bible is the biography of the present day! Virtuous acts that were never performed, voluntary privations which were never borne, piety which was never felt, and in a word lives which were never lived, are the principal subjects of our biographical relations. These may be well termed the Lives of the Saints, for to these are attributed all the virtues which can adorn the human character, with scarcely a failing or a blemish; while on the other hand, those in general mentioned in the sacred writings stand marked with deep shades. What is the inference which a reflecting mind, acquainted with human nature, draws from a comparison of the biography of the Scriptures with that of uninspired writers ] The inference is this — the Scripture history is natural, is probable, bears all the characteristics of veracity, narrates circumstances which seem to make against its own honour, yet dwells on them, and often seeks occasion to repeat them. It is true! infallibly true! In this conclusion common sense, reason, and criticism join. On the other hand, of biography in general we must say that it is often unnatural, improbable,- is destitute of many of the essential characteristics of truth; studiously avoids mentioning those circumstances which are dishonourable to its subject; ardently endeavours either to cast those which it cannnot wholly hide into deep shades, or sublime them into virtues. This is notorious, and we need not go far for numerous examples. From these facts a reflecting mind will draw this general conclusion— an impartial history, in every respect true, can be expected only from God himself.

2. These should be only preliminary observations to an extended examination of the characters and conduct of Rebekah and her two sons; but this in detail would be an ungracious task, and I wish only to draw the reader's attention to what may, under the blessing of God, promote his moral good. No pious man can read the chapter before him without emotions of grief and pain. A mother teaches her favourite son to cheat and defraud his brother, deceive his father, and tell the most execrable lies! And God, the just, the impartial God relates all the circumstances in the most ample and minute detail! I have already hinted that this is a strong proof of the authenticity of the sacred

book. Had the Bible been the work of an impostor, a single trait of this history had never appeared. God, it is true, had purposed that the elder should serve the younger; but never designed that the supremacyshould be brought about in this way. Had Jacob's unprincipled mother left the matter in the hands of God's providence, her favourite son would have had the precedency in such a way as would not only have manifested the justice and holiness of God, but would have been both honourable and lasting to himself. He got the birthright, and he got the blessing; and how little benefit did he personally derive from either! What was his life from this time till his return from Padan-aram? A mere tissue of vexations, disappointments, and calamities. Men may endeavour to palliate the iniquity of these transactions; but this must proceed either from weakness or mistaken zeal. God has sufficiently marked the whole with his disapprobation. 3. The enmity which Esau felt against his brother Jacob seems to have been transmitted to all his posterity; and doubtless the matters of the birthi-ight and the blessing were the grounds on which that perpetual enmity was kept up between the descendants of both families, the Edomites and the Israelites. So unfortunate is an ancient family grudge, founded on the opinion that an injury has been done by one of the branches of the family, in a period no matter how remote, provided its operation still continues, and certain secular privations to one side be the result. How possible it is to keep feuds of this kind alive to any assignable period, the state of a neighbouring island sufficiently proves; and on the subject in question, the bloody contentions of the two houses of York and Lancaster in this nation are no contemptible comment. The facts, however, relative to this point, may be summed up in a few words. 1. The descendants of Jacob were peculiarly favoured by God. 2. They generally had the dominion, and were ever reputed superior in every respect to the Edomites. 3. The Edomites were generally tributary to the Israelites. 4. They often revolted, and sometimes succeeded so far in their revolts as to become an indepeyident people. 5. The Jews were never subjected to the Edom ites. 6. As in the case between Esau and Jacob, who after long enmity were reconciled, so were the Edomites and the Jews, and at length they became one people. 7. The Edomites, as a nation, are now totally extinct; and the Jews still continue as a distinct people from all the inhabitants of the earth! So exactly have all the words of God, which he has spoken by his prophets, been fulfilled!

4. On the blessings pronounced on Jacob and Esau, these questions may naturally be asked. 1. Was there any thing in these blessings of such a spiritual nature as to aiTect the eternal interests of either? Certainly there was not, at least as far as might absolutely involve the salvation of the one, or the perdition of the other. 2. Was not the blessing pronounced on Esau as good as that pronounced on Jacob, the mere temporary lordship, and being the progenitor of the Messiah, excepted'? So it evidently appears. 3. If the blessings had referred to their eternal states, had not Esau as fair a prospect for endless glory as his unfeeling brother? Justice and mercy both say — Yes. The truth is, it was their posterity, and not themselves, that were the objects of these blessings. Jacob, personally, gained no benefit; Esau, personally, sustained no loss.

Isaac directs Jacob to lake a loife from the family of Laban, 1,2; blesses and sends him away, 3, 4. Jacob -begins his journey, 5. Esau, perceiving that the daughters of Canaan were not pleasing to his parents, and that Jacob obeyed them in going to get a wife of his own kindred, 6-8, ivent and took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael his father^ s brother, 9. Jacob, in his journey towards Haran, came to a certain place, (Luz, ver. 19,) where he lodged all night, 10, 11. He sees in a dream a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, on which he beholds the angels of God ascending and descending, 12. God appears above this ladder, and renews those promises which he had made to Abraham and to Isaac, 13, 14; promises Jacob personal protcctinn and a safe return to his oion country, 15. Jacob aivakes, and makes rejlections upon his dream, IH, 17. Sets up one of the stones he had for his pillow, and pours oil on it, and calls the place Beth-el, 18, 19. Makes a vow that if God ivill presei've him in his journey, and bi-ing him back in safety, the stone should be God's house, and that he loould give him the tenths of all that he should have, 20 — 22.

Verse 1. And Isaac called Jacob] See the note on ver. 46 of the preceding chapter.

And blessed him] Now voluntarily and cheerfully confirmed to him the blessing, which he had before obtained through subtlety. It was necessary that he should have this confirmation previously to his departure; else, considering the way in which he had obtained both the birthright and the blessing, he might be doubtful, according to his own words, whether he might not

of the daughters of ^ Laban thy mother's brother.

3 s And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be ^ a multitude of people:

4 And give thee * the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee: that thou mayest inherit the land ^ wherein ^ thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

have got a curse instead of a blessing. As the blessing now pronounced on Jacob was obtained without any deception on his part, it is likely that it produced a salutary effect upon his mind, might have led him to confession of his sin, and prepared his heart for those discoveries of God's goodness with which he was favoured at Luz.

Verse 2. Go to Padan-aram\ This mission, in its spirit and design, is nearly the same as that in chap, xxiv., which see. There have been several ingenious conjectures concerning the retinue which Jacob had, or might have had, for his journey; and by some he has been supposed to have been loell attended. Of this nothing is mentioned here, and the reverse seems to be intimated elsewhere. It appears, from ver. 1 1, that he lodged in the open air, with a stone for his pillow; and from chap, xxxii. 10, that he went on foot with his staff in his hand; nor is there even the most indirect mention of any attendants, nor is it probable there were any. He no doubt took provisions with him sufficient to carry him to the nearest encampment or village on the way, where he would naturally recruit his bread and water to carry him to the next stage, and so on. The oil that he poured on the pillar might be a little of that which he had brought for his own use, and can be no rational argument of his having a stock of provisions, servants, camels, &c., for which it has been gravely brought. He had God alone with him.

Verse 3. That thou mayest be a multitude of people] O'DJ? bnp; likhal ammim. There is something very remarkable in the original w'ords: they signify literally for an assembly, congregation, or church of peoples; referring no doubt to the Jewish Church in the wilderness, but more particularly to the Christian Church, composed of every kindred, and nation, and people, and tongue. This is one essential part of the blessing of Abraham. See ver. 4.

Verse 4. Give thee the blessing of Abraham] May he confirm the inheritance with all its attendant blessings to thee, to the exclusion of Esau; as he did to

6 When Esau saw that Isaac A. m. cir. 2225 had blessed Jacob, and sent him — — i_^^^l_^ away to Padan-aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him, he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;

7 And that Jacob obeyed his father, and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aran^;

8 And Esau seeing >" that the daughters o'f Canaan ^ pleased not Isaac his father; •

9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto tlie wives which he had, ° Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, p the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

10 And Jacob 1 went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward ^ Haran.

me, to the exclusion of Ishmael. But, according to St. Paul, much more than this is certainly intended here, for it appears, from Gal. iii. 6-14, that the blessing of Abraham, which is to come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, comprises the whole doctrine of justification by faith, and its attendant privileges, viz., redemption from the curse of the law, remission of sins, and the promise of the Holy Spirit, including the constitution and establishment of the Christian Church.

Verse 5. Bethuel the Syrian] Literally the Aramean, so called, not because he was of the race of Aram the son of Shem, but because he dwelt in that country which had been formerly possessed by the descendants of Aram.

Verse 9. Then went Esau unto Ishmael] Those who are apt to take every thing by the wrong handle, and who think it was utterly impossible for Esau to do any right action, have classed his taking a daughter of Ishmael among his crimes; whereas there is nothing more plain than that he did this with a sincere desire to obey and please his parents. Having heard the pious advice which Isaac gave to Jacob, he therefore went and took a wife from the family of his grandfather Abraham, as Jacob was desired to do out of the family of his maternal uncle Laban. Mahalath, whom he took to wife, stood in the same degree of relationship to Isaac his father as Rachel did to his mother Rebekah. Esau married his father's niece; Jacob married his mother's niece. It w^as therefore most obviously to please his parents that Esau took this additional wife. It is supposed that Ishmael must have been dead thirteen or fourteen years before this time, and that going to Ishmael signifies only going to the family of Ishmael. If we follow the common computation, and allow that Isaac was now about one hundred and thirty-six or one hundred and thirty-seven years of age, and Jacob seventy-seven, and as Ishmael died in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of his age, which according to the common computation was the one hundred and twenty-third of Isaac, then Ish-

all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

1 2 And he ^ dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold * the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

13 ^ And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, ^ I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: ^ the land

mael must have been dead about fourteen years. But if we allow the ingenious reasoning of Mr. Skinner and Dr. Kennicott, that Jacob was at this time only fifty-seven years of age, and Isaac consequently only one hundred and seventeen, it will appear that Ishmael did not die till six years after this period; and hence with propriety it might be said, Esau went unto Ishmael, and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael to be his wife. See the notes on chap. xxxi. 38, &c.

Verse \\. A certain place, and tarried there] From ver. 19 we find this certain place was Luz, or some part of its vicinity. Jacob had probably intended to reach Luz; but the sun being set, and night coming on, he either could not reach the city, or he might suspect the inhabitants, and rather prefer the open field, as he must have heard of the character and conduct of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah. Or the gates might be shut by the time he reached it, which would prevent his admission; for it frequently happens, to the present day, that travellers not reaching a city in the eastern countries previously to the shutting of the gates, are obliged to lodge under the walls all night, as when once shut they refuse to open them till the next day. This was probably Jacob's case.

He took of the stones] He took one of the stones that were in that place: from ver. 18 we find it was one stone only which he had for his pillow. Luz was about forty-eight miles distant from Beer-sheba; too great a journey for one day, through what we may conceive very unready roads.

Verse 12. He dreamed, and behold a ladder] A multitude of fanciful things have been spoken of Jacob's vision of the ladder, and its signification. It might have several designs, as God chooses to accomplish the greatest number of ends by the fewest and simplest means possible. 1. It is very likely that its primary design was to point out the providence of God, by which he watches over and regulates all terrestrial things; for nothing is left to merely natural causes; a heavenly agency pervades, actuates, and directs all. In his present circumstances it was highly necessary that Jacob should have a clear and distinct view of this subject, that he might be the better prepared to

1 4 And ^ thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt y spread abroad ^ to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and ^ in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

1 5 And, behold, ^ I am with thee, and will •= keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will ^ bring thee again into this land; for ^ I will not leave thee, *" until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

meet all occurrences with the conviction that all was working together for his good. 2. It might be intended also to point out the intercourse betioeen heaven and earth, and the connection of both worlds by the means of angelic minis try. That this is fact we learn from many histories in the Old Testament; and it is a doctrine that is unequivocally taught in the New: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them ivho shall he heirs of salvation? 3. It was probably a type of Christ, in whom both worlds meet, and in whom the Divine and human nature are conjoined. The LADDER ivas set up on the earth, and the TOP of it reached to heaven; for GOD was manifested in the FLESH, and in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Nothing could be a more expressive emblem of the incarnation and its effects; Jesus Christ is the grand connecting medium between heaven and earth, and between God and man. By him God comes down to man; through him man ascends to God. It appears that our Lord applies the vision in this way himself, 1st, In that remarkable speech to Nathanael, Hereafter ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending a?id descendi7ig on the Son of man, John i. 5 1. 2dly, In his speech to Thomas, John xiv. 6: I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

Verse 14. Thy seed shall be as the dust] The people that shall descend from thee shall be extremely numerous, and in thee and thy seed — the Lord Jesus descending from thee, according to the flesh, shall all the families of the earth — not only all of thy race, but all the oibei families or tribes of mankind which have not proceeded from any branch of the Abrahamic family, be blessed; for Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man, Heb. ii. 9.

Verse 15. And, behold, 7 am %vith thee] For I fill the heavens and the earth. "My Word shall be thy help." — Targum. And will keep thee in all places, ev ry 66c) -rracTj, in all this way. — Septuagint. I shall direct, help, and support thee in a peculiar manner, in thy

the Lord is in ^ this place; and I knew it not.

17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the

present journey, be with thee while thou sojournest with thy uncle, and loill bring thee again into this land; so that in all thy concerns thou mayest consider thyself under my especial providence, jTor I will not leave thee. Thy descendants also shall be my peculiar people, whom I shall continue to preserve as such until I have done that ivhich I have spoken to thee of — until the Messiah shall be born of thy race, and all the families of the earth — the Gentiles, he blessed through thee; the Gospel being preached to them, and they, with the believing Jews, made one fold under one Shepherd, and one Bishop or Overseer of souls. And this circumstantial promise has been literallv and punctually fulfilled.

Verse 16. The Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.'\ That is, God has made this place his peculiar residence; it is a place in which he meets with and reveals himself to his followers. Jacob might have supposed that this place had been consecrated to God. And it has already been supposed that, his mind having been brought into a humble frame, he was prepared to hold communion with his Maker.

Verse 17. How dreadful is this place!] The appearance of the ladder, the angels, and the Divine glory at the top of the ladder, must have left deep, solemn, and even awful impressions on the mind of Jacob; and hence the exclamation in the text, How dreadful is this place!

This is 7ione other but the house of God] The Chaldee gives this place a curious turn: " This is not a common place, but a place in which God delights; and opposite to this place is the gate of heaven." Onhelos seems to suppose that the gate or entrance into heaven was actually above this spot, and that when the angels of God descended to earth, they came through that opening into this place, and returned by the same way. And it really appears that Jacob himself had a similar notion.

Verse 18. And Jacob — took the stone — and set it up for a pillar] He placed the stone in an erect posture, that it might stand as a monument of the extraordinary vision which he had in this place; and he poured oil upon it, thereby consecrating it to God, so that it might be considered an altar on which libations might be poured, and sacrifices offered unto God. See chap. xxxv. 14. The Brahmins anoint their stone images with oil before bathing; and some anoint them with sweet-scented oil. This is a practice which arises more from the customs of the Hindoos than from their idolatry. Anointing persons as an act of homage has been transferred to their idols.

There is a foolish tradition that the stone set up by Jacob was afterwards brought to Jerusalem, from which, after a long lapse of time, it was brought to Spain,

18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and ^ set it up for a pillar, ^ and poured oil upon the top of it.

from Spain to Ireland, from Ireland to Scotland, and on it the kings of Scotland sat to be crowned.; and concerning which the following leonine verses were made: —

Ni fallat fatum, — Scoti quocunque localum hivenieyit lapidem, — regnare teneniur ibidem. Or fate is blind — or Scots shall find Where'er this stone — the royal throne.

Camden''s Perthshire. Edward I. had it brought to Westminster; and there this stone, called JacoFs pillar, and JacoVs pilloiv, is now placed under the chair on which the king sits when crowned! It would be as ridiculous to attempt to disprove the truth of this tradition, as to prove that the stone under the old chair in Westminster was the identical stone which served the patriarch for a bolster.

And poured oil upon the top of it.] Stones, images, and altars, dedicated to Divine worship, were always anointed with oil. This appears to have been considered as a consecration of them to the object of tTie worship, and a means of inducing the god or goddess to take up their residence there, and answer the petitions of their votaries. Anointing stones, images, &c., is used in idolatrous countries to the present day, and the whole idol is generally smeared over with oil. Sometimes, besides the anointing, a crown or garland was placed on the stone or altar to honour the divinity, who was supposed, in consequence of the anointing, to have set up his residence in that place. It appears to have been on this ground that the seats of polished stone, on which the kings sat in the front of their palaces to administer justice, were anointed, merely to invite the deity to reside there, that true judgment might be given, and a righteous sentence always be pronounced. Of this we have an instance in Homer, Odyss. lib. v., ver. 406-410: —

The old man early rose, walk'd forth, and sate On polisVd stone before his palace gate; With unguent smooth the lucid marble shone, Where ancient Neleus sate, a rustic throne. Pope.

This gives a part of the sense of the passage; but the last line, on which much stress should be laid, is very inadequately rendered by the English poet. It should be translated, —

Where Neleus sat, equal in counsel to the gods; because inspired by their wisdom, and which inspiration he and his successor took pains to secure by consecrating with the anointing oil the seat of judgment

1 9 And he called the name of

name of that city was called Luz at the first. 20 ™ And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If

on which they were accustomed to sit. Some of the ancient commentators on Homer mistook the meaning of this place by not understanding the nature of the custom; and these Coicper unfortunately follows, translating " resplendent as with oil;" which as destroys the whole sense, and obliterates the allusion. This sort of anointing was a common custom in all antiquity, and was probably derived from this circumstance. Arnobius tells us that it was customary with himself while a heathen, "when he saw a smooth polished stone that had been smeared with oils, to kiss and adore it, as if "pOS'sessing "a-Sivine^virtue." Si quando consfexeram lubricatum lapidem, et eJ: oUvi unguine sordidatum {ordinatum?) tanquam inesset vis prtEsens- adulabar, affabar. And Theodoret, in his eighty-fourth question on Genesis, asserts that many pious women in his time were accustomed to anoint the coffins of the martyrs, &c. And in Catholic countries when a church is consecrated they anoint the door-posts, pillars, altars, &c. So under the law there was a holy anointing oil to sanctify the tabernacle, laver, and all other things used in God's service, Exod. xl. 9, &c.

Verse 19. He called the name of that place Beth-el] That is, the house of God; for in consequence of his having anointed the stone, and thus consecrated it to God, he considered it as becoming henceforth his peculiar residence; see on the preceding verse. This word should be always pronounced as two distinct syllables, each strongly accented, Beth-El.

Was called Liiz at the first.] The Hebrew has Tw aSiN Ulam Luz, which the Roman edition of the Septuagint translates Ovlafilovi^ Oulamlouz; the Alexandrian MS., Ou2,a/ifiavc Oulammaus; the Aldine, Ovlaiifxaovg Oulammaous; Symmachus, Aafifiaovg Lammaous; and some others, Ovlafi Oulam. The Hebrew iID7lX ulam is sometimes a particle signifying as, just as; hence it may signify that the place was called Beth-El, as it ivas formerly called Luz. As Luz signifies an almond, almond or hazel tree, this place probably had its name from a number of such trees growing in that region. Many of the ancients confounded this city with Jerusalemf<,^ ^,hich they attribute the eight following n^^^^^ ^^-^^ ^^^ ^H ^^. pressed m this verse -.^ne'^

*^' 'Solyma, Luz, Beth-El, Hierosolyma, Jebus,.^lia. The holy city is call'd. as also Jerusalem and Salem.

From Beth-EI came the Baetylia, Bethyllia, Bat- Tv'kia, or animated stones, so celebrated in antiquity, and to which Divine honours were paid. The tradition of Jacob anointing this stone, and calling the place Beth-El, gave rise to all the superstitious accounts of the Baetylia or consecrated stones, which we find in Sanchoniathon and others. These became abused to

and will give me ° bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

idolatrous purposes, and hence God strongly prohibits them, Lev. xxvi. 1; and it is very likely that stones of this kind were the most ancient objects of idolatrous worship: these were afterwards formed into beautiful human figures, male and female, when the art of sculpture became tolerably perfected, and hence the origin of idolatry as far as it refers to the worshipping of images, for these, being consecrated by anointing, &c., were supposed immediately to become instinct with the power and energy of some divinity. Hence, then, the Baetylia or living stones of the ancient Phoenicians, &c. As oil is an emblem of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, so those who receive this anointing are considered as being alive unto God, and are expressly called by St. Peter living stones, 1 Pet ii. 4, 5. May not the apostle have reference to those living stones or Baetyllia of antiquity, and thus correct the notion by showing that these rather represented the true worshippers of God, who were consecrated to his service and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and that these alone could be properly called the living stones out of which the true spiritual temple is composed?

Verse 20. Vowed a vow] A vow is a solemn, holy promise, by which a man bound himself to do certain things in a particular way, time, &c., and for power to accomplish which he depended on God; hence all vows were made with prayer.

If God ivill be with me, c^c] Jacob seems to make this vow rather for his posterity than for himself, as we may learn from ver. 13-15; for he particularly refers to the promises which God had made to him, which concerned the multiplication of his offspring, and their establishment in that land. If, then, God shall fulfil these promises, he binds his posterity to build God a house, and to devote for the maintenance of his worship the tenth of all their earthly goods. This mode of interpretation removes that appearance of self-interest which almost any other view of the subjoct presents. Jacob had certainly, long ere this, taken Jehovah for his God; and so thoroughly had he been instructed in the knowledge of Jehovah, that we may.Z^^' satisfied no reverses of fortune could have induced him to upostatize: but as his taking refuge with Laban was probably typical of the sojourning of his descendants in Egypt, his persecution, so as to be obliged to depart from Laban, the bad treatment of his posterity by the Egyptians, his rescue from death, preservation on his journey, re-establishment in his own country, &c., were all typical of the exodus of his descendants, their travels in the desert, and establishment in the promised land, where they built a house to God, and where, for the support and maintenance of the pure worship of God, they gave to the priests and Levites the tenth of all their icorldly produce. If all this be understood as referring to Jacob owZy, the Scripture gives us no information how he performed his vow.

shall the Lord be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for

Verse 22. This stone — shall be God''s house] That is, (as far as this matter refers to Jacob alone,) should I be preserved to return in safety, I shall worship God in this place. And this purpose he fulfilled, for there he built an altar, anointed it with oil, and poured a drink-offering thereon.

On the doctrine of tithes, or an adequate support for the ministers of the Gospel, I shall here register my opinion. Perhaps a word may be borne from one who never received any, and has none in prospect. Tithes in their origin appear to have been a sort of eucharistic offering made unto God, and probably were something similar to the minchah, which we learn from Gen. iv. was in use almost from the foundation of the world. When God established a regular, and we may add an expensive worship, it was necessary that proper provision should be made for the support of those who were obliged to devote their whole time to it, and consequently were deprived of the opportunity of providing for themselves in any secular way. It was soon found that a tenth part of the produce of the whole land was necessary for this purpose, as a whole triOe, that of Levi, was devoted to the public service of God; and when the land was divided, this tribe received no inheritance among their brethren. Hence, for their support, the law of tithes was enacted; and by these the priests and Levites were not only supported as the ministers of God, but as the teachers and intercessors of the people, performing a great variety of religious duties for them which otherwise they themselves were bound to perform. As this mode of supporting the ministers of God was instituted by himself, so we may rest assured it was rational and just. Nothing can be more reasonable than to devote a portion of the earthly good which we receive from the free mercy of God, to his own service; especially when by doing it we are essentially serving ourselves. If the ministers of God give up their whole time, talents, and strength, to watch over, labour for, and instruct the people in spiritual things, justice requires that they shall receive their support from the work. How worthless and wicked must that man be, who is continually receiving good from the Lord's hands without restoring any part for the support of true religion, and for charitable purposes! To such God says, Their table shall become a snare to them, and that he will curse their blessings. God expects returns of gratitude in this way from every man; he that has much should give plenteously, he that has little should do his diligence to give of that little.

It is not the business of these notes to dispute on the article of tithes; certainly it would be well could a proper substitute be found for them, and the clergy

give me I will surely give the tenth unto

paid by some other method, as this appears in the present state of things to be very objectionable; and the mode of levying them is vexatious in the extremoi and serves to sow dissensions between the clergyman and his parishioners, by which many are nbt only alienated from the Church, but also from the power as well as the form of godliness. But still the labourer is worthy of his hire; and the maintenance of the public ministry of the word of God should not be left to the caprices of men. He who is only supported for his work, will be probably abandoned when he is no longer capable of puWic service. I have seen many aged and worn-out ministers reduced to great necessity, and almost literally obliged to beg their bread among those whose opulence and salvation were, under God, the fruits of their ministry! Such persons may think they do God service by disputing against " tithes, as legal institutions long since abrogated," while they permit their worn-out ministers to starve: — ^but how shall they appear in that day when Jesus shall say, Iivas hungry, and ye gave me no meat; thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; naked, and ye clothed me not? It is true, that where a provision is established on a certain ordet of priesthood by the law, it may be sometimes claimed and consumed by the worthless and the profane; but this is no necessary consequence of such establishment, as there are laws which, if put in action, have sufficient energy to expel every wicked and slothful servant from the vineyard of Christ. This however is seldom done. At all events, this is no reason why those who have served God and their generation should not be comfortably supported during that service; and when incapable of it, be furnished at least with the necessaries of life. Though many ministers have reason to complain of this neglect, who have no claims on a legal ecclesiastical establishment, yet none have cause for louder complaint than the generality of those called curates, or unbeneficed ministers, in the Church of England: their employers clothe themselves with the wool, and feed themselves with the fat; they tend not the flock, and Jheir substitutes that perform the labour and do the drutf^gry of the office, are permitted at least to half starve on ah' inadequate remuneration. Let a national worship be supported, but let the support be derived from a less objectionabL'^ source than tithes; for as the law now stands relative i?,.*'^.?."??, B2. one purpose of moral instruction or piety can be promoted by the system. On their present plan tithes are oppressive and unjust; the clergyman has a right by law to the tenth of the produce of the soil, and to the tenth of all that is supported by it. He claims even the tenth egg, as well as the tetith apple; the tenth of all grain, of all hay, and even of all the pro duce of the kitchen garden; but he contributes nothing to the cultivation of the soil. A comparatively poor man rents a farm; it is entirely out of heart, for it has been exhausted; it yields very little, and the tenth is not much; at the expense of all he has, he dresses and manures this ungrateful soil; to repay him and heep up the cultivation would require three years' produce. It begins to yield well, and the clergyman takes the tenth which is now in quantity and quality more in value than a pound, where before it was not a shilling. But the whole crop would not repay the farmer's expenses. In proportion to the farmer's improvement is the clergyman's tithe, who has never contributed one shilling to aid in this extra produce! Here then not only the soil pays tithes, but the ma.n's property brought upon the sod pays tithes: his shll and industry also are tithed; or if he have been obliged to borroio cash, he not only has to pay tithes on the produce of this borrowed money, but five per cent, interest for the money itself. All this is oppressive and cruelly unjust. I say again, let there be a national religion, and a national clergy supported by the state; but let them be supported by a tax, not by tithes, or rather let them be paid out of the general taxation; or, if the tithe system must be continued, let the poor-rates be abolished, and the clergy, out of the tithes, support the poor in their respective parishes, as was the original custom

Jacob proceeds on his journey, 1. Comes to a well where the flocks of his uncle Laban, as icell as those of several others, were usually loatered, 2, 3. Inquires from the shepherds concerning Laban and his family, 4-6. While they are conversing about loatering the sheep, 7, 8, Rachel arrives, 9. He assists her to water her flock, 10; makes himself known unto her, 11, 12. She hastens home and communicates the tidings of JacoVs arrival to her father, 12. Laban hastens to the ivell, embraces Jacob, and brings him. home, 13. After a month's stay, Laban proposes to give Jacob ivages, 14, 15. Leah and Rachel described, 16, 17. Jacob proposes to serve seven years for Rachel, 18. Laban cansents, 19. When the seven years were fulfilled, Jacob demands his wife, 20, 21. Laban makes a marriage feast, 22; and in the evening substitutes Leah for Rachel, to whom he gives Zilpah for handmaid, 23, 24. Jacob discovers the fraud, and upbraids Laban, 25. He excuses himself, 26; and promises to give him Rachel for another seven years of service, 27. After abiding a week ivith Leah, he receives Rachel for wife, to whom Laban gives Bilhah for handmaid, 28, 29. Jacob loves Rachel more than Licah, and serves seven years for her, 30. Leah being despised, the Lord makes her fruitful, while Rachel continues barren, 31. Leah bears Reuben, 32, and Simeon, 33, and Levi, 34, and Judah; after ivhich she leaves off bearing, 35.

'pHEN Jacob "" went on his journey, ^ and came into the land of the " people of the east.

2 And he looked, and behold a well in the iield, and, lo, there ivet^e three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

'eople of the east.] The inhabitants of Mesopotamia and the whole country beyond the Euphrates are called Ti^y^ kedem, or easterns, in the sacred writings. Verse 2. Three flocks of sheep] jXX tson, small cattle, such as sheep, goals, &c.; see on chap. xii. 16. Sheep, in a healthy state, seldom drink in cold and comparatively cold countries: but it was probably different in hot climates. The three flocks, [{flocks and not shepherds be meant, which were lying now at the well, did not belong to Laban, but to three other chiefs;

3 And thither were all the flocks a. m. cir. 2225.

stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the welFs mouth in his place.

4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, '^ Of Haran are we.

for LabaU's flock was yet to come, under the care of Ilachel, ver. 6.

Verse 3. All the flocks] Instead of num^'n hadariin, flocks, the Samaritan reads -^iTfV*^¥ haroim, shepherds; for which reading Houbigant strongly contends, as well in this verse as in verse 8. It certainly cannot be said that all the flocks rolled the stone from the weWs mouth, and ivalered the sheep: and yet so it appears to read if we prefer the common Hebrew text to the Samaritan. It is probable that the same reading was originally that of the second verse also.

And put the slone again upon the weWs niouth] It is very likely that the stone was a large one, which was necessary to prevent ill-minded individuals from either disturbing the water, or filling up the well; hence a great stone was provided, which required the joint exer tions of several shepherds to remove it; and hence those who arrived first waited till all the others were come up, that they might water their respective flocks in concert.

6 And he said unlo them, ^ Is he well? ^ And they said, He is well: and behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

7 And he said, ho,.^ it is yet high day: neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

8 And they said. We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.

9 And while he yet spake with them, ^ Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them.

10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw

guage of Laban and his family was Chaldee and not Hebrew; (see chap. xxxi. 47;) but from the names which Leah gave to her children we see that the two languages had many words in common, and therefore Jacob and the shepherds might understand each other with little difficulty. It is possible also that Jacob might have learned the Chaldee or Aramitish language from his mother, as this was his mother's tongue.

Verse 5. Laban the son of Nahor] Son is here put for grandson, for Laban was the son of Bethuel '.he son of Nahor.

Verse 6. Is he well.?] lS aibiyri hashalom lo? Is there peace to him? Peace among the Hebrews signified all kinds of prosperity. Is he a prosperous man in his family and in his property 1 And they said, He is ivell, CDl^jy shalom, he prospers. —

Rachel — cometh with the sheep.] Sni rachel (the ch sounded strongly guttural) signifies a sheep or ewe; and she probably had her name from her fondness for these animals.

Verse 7. It is yet high day] The day is but about half run; neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together — it is surely not time yet to put them into the folds; give them therefore water, and take them again to pasture.

Verse 8. We cannot, until all the flocks be gathei-ed together] It is a rule that the stone shall not be removed till all the shepherds and the flocks which have a right to this well be gathered together; then, and not before, we may water the sheep. See on ver. 3..

Verse 9. Rachel came with her father'' s sheep] So we find that young women were not kept concealed in the house till the time they were married, which is the common gloss put on n07>' almah, a virgin, one concealed. Nor was it beneath the dignity of the daughters of the most opulent chiefs to carry water from a

sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled ^ the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

1 1 And Jacob ^ kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. ■»

12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was ^ her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: ^ and she ran and told her father.

13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the ^ tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that ° he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

14 And Laban said to him, p Surely thou

the well, as in the case of Rebekah; or tend sheep, as in the case of Rachel. The chi&f property in those times consisted in flocks: and who so proper to take care of them as those who were interested ia their safety and increase 1 Honest labour, far from being a discredit, is an honour both to high and low. The king himself is served by the field; and without it, and the labour necessary for its cultivation, all ranks must perish. Let every son, let every daughter, learn that it is no discredit to be employed, whenever it may be necessary, in the meanest offices, by which the interests of the family may be honestly promoted.

Verse 10. -Jacob went near, and rolled the stone] Probably the flock of Laban was the last of those which had a right to the well; that flock being now come, Jacob assisted the shepherds to roll off the stone, (for it is not likely he did it by himself,) and so assisted his cousin, to whom he was as yet unknown, to water her flock.

Verse 1 1. Jacob kissed Rachel] A simple and pure methou by which the primitive inhabitants of the earth testified their friendship to each other, first abused by hypocrites, who pretended affection while their vile hearts meditated terror, (see the case of Joab,) and afterwards disgraced by refiners on morals, who, while they pretended to stumble at^'^ose innocent expressions of affection and friendship, wpre capable of committing the grossest acts of impurity.

And lifted up his voice] It may be, in thanksgiving to God for the favour he had shown him, in conducting him thus far in peace and safety.

And wept.] From a sense of the goodness of hia heavenly Father, and his own unworthiness of the success \\dth which he had been favoured. The same expressions of kindness and pure affection are repeated on the part of Laban, ver. 13.

15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for naught? tell me, what shall thy wages he 1

1 6 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

Verse 15. Because thou art my brother, djrc] Though thou art my nearest re'ative, yet I have no right to thy services without giving thee an adequate recompense. Jacob had passed a whole month in the family of Laban, in which he had undoubtedly rendered himself of considerable service. A.s Laban, who was of a very saving if not covetous disposition, saw that he was likely to be of great use to him in his secular concerns, he wished to secure his services, and therefore asks him what wages he wished to have.

Verse 17. Leah was tender-eyed] HOI raccoth, soft, delicate, lovely. I believe the word means just the reverse of the signification generally given to it. The design of the inspired writer is to compare both the sisters together, that the balance may appear to be greatly in favour of Rachel. The chief recommendation of Leah was her soft and beautiful eyes; but Rachel was ixr\ niJ' yephath toar, beautiful in her shape, person, mien, and gait, and DN"^^ HD' yephath march, beautiful in her countenance. The words plainly signify a fine shape 2,nA fine features, all that can be considered as essential to personal beauty. Therefore Jacob loved her, and was willing to become a bond servant for seven years, that he might get her to wife; for in his destitute state he could produce no dowry, and it was the custom of those times for the father to receive a portion /or his daughter, and not to give one with her. One of the Hindoo lawgivers says, " A person may become a slave on account of love, or to obtain a wife." The bad system of education bv wlilch women are spoiled and rendered in general good for nothing, makes it necessary for the husband to get a dowry with his wife to enable V.lin to maintain her; whereas in former times the,y were well educated and extremely useful, hence^fe who got a wife almost invariably got a./j)rize;'ox as Solomon says, got a good thing. /''

— ^t!^5R-3J9. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel] In ancient times it appears to have been a custom among all nations that men should give dowries for their wives; and in many countries this custom still prevails. When Shechem asked Dinah for wife, he said. Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I ivill give according as ye shall say unto me. When Eliezer went to get Rebekah for Isaac, he took a profusion of riches with him, in silver, gold, jewels, and raiment, with other costly things, which, when the contract was made, he gave to Rebekah, her mother, and her brothers.

1 8 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, ^ I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

1 9 And Laban said, ' It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

20 And Jacob '^ served seven years for

David, in order to be Saul's son-in-law, must, instead of a dowry, kill Goliath; and when this was done, he was not permitted to espouse Michal till he had killed one hundred Philistines. The Prophet Hosea bought his wife for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer and a half of barley. The same custom prevailed among the ancient Greeks, Indians, and Germans. The Romans also had a sort of marriage entitled per coemplionem, " by purchase." The Tartars and Turks still buy their wives; but among the latter they are bought as a sort of slaves.

Herodotus mentions a very singular custom among the Babylonians, which may serve to throw light on Laban's conduct towards Jacob. " In every district they annually assemble all the marriageable virgins on a certain day; and when the men are come together and stand round the place, the crier rising up sells one after another, always bringing forward the most beautiful first; and having sold her for a great sum of gold, he puts up her who is esteemed second in beauty. On this occasion the richest of the Babylonians used to contend for the fairest wife, and to outbid one another. But the vulgar are content to take the ugly and lame with money; for when all the beautiful virgins are sold, the crier orders the most deformed to stand up; and after he has openly demanded who will mary her with a small sum, she is at length given to the man that is contented to marry her with the least. And in this 'iiauner the money arising from the sale of the handsome served for a portion to those W'hose look was disagreeable, or who had any bodily imperfection. A father was not permitted to indulge his own fancy in the choice of a husband for his daugliter; neither might the purchaser carry off the woman which he had bought without giving sufficient security that he would live with her as his own wife. Those also who received a sum of money with such as could bring no price in this market, were obliged also to give sufficient security that they would live with them, and if they did not they were obliged to refund the money." Thus Laban made use of the beauty of Rachel to dispose of his daughter Leah, in the spirit of the Babylonian cus tom, though not in the letter.

And they seemed unto him but afeio days] If Jacob had been obliged to wait seven years before he married Rachel, could it possibly be said that they could apt,ear to him as a few days? Though the letter of the text seems to say the contrary, yet there are emi-

days are fulfilled, that I may ^ go in unto her

22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and ^ made a feast.

23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid /or a handmaid.

nent men who strongly contend that he received Rachel soon after the month was finished, (see ver. 14,) and then served seven years for her, which might really appear but a few days to him, because of his increasing love to her; but others think this quite incompatible with all the circumstances marked down in the text, and on the supposition that Jacob was not now seventy-seven years of age, as most chronologers make him, but only fifty-seven, (see on chap, xxxi.,) there will be time sufficient to allow for all the transactions which are recorded in his history, during his stay with Laban. As to the incredibility of a passionate lover, as some have termed him, waiting patiently for seven years before he could possess the object of his wishes, and those seven years appearing to him as only a few days, it may be satisfactorily accounted for, they think, two ways: 1. He had the continual company of his elect spouse, and this certainly would take away all tedium in the case. 2. Love affairs were not carried to such a pitch of insanity among the patriarchs as they have been in modern times; they were much more sober and sedate, and scarcely ever married before they were forty years of age, and then more for convenienoy, and tlie desire of having an offspring, than for any other purpose. At the very lowest computation Jacob was now fifty-seven, and consequently must have passed those days in which passion runs away with reason. Still, however, the obvious construction of the text shows that he got Rachel the week after he had married Leah.

Verse 2 1. My days are fulfilled] My seven years are now completed, let me have my wife, for whom I have given this service as a dowry.

Verse 22. Laban — made a feast.] nni^'O mishteh signifies a feast of drinking. As marriage was a very solemn contract, there is much reason to believe that sacrifices were offered on the occasion, and libations poured out; and we know that on festival occasions a cup of ivine was offered to every guest; and as this was drunk with particular ceremonies, the feast might derive its name from this circumstance, which was the most prominent and observable on such occasions.

Verse 23. In the evening — he took Leah his daushter] As the bride was always veiled, and the bride chamber generally dark, or nearly so, and as Leah was

and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve vsdth thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

26 And Laban said. It must not be so done in our country, ^to give the youi^ger before the first-born.

27 y Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also, for the service which thou shalt serve with me, yet seven other years.

28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week:

brought to Jacob in the evening, the imposition here practised might easily pass undetected by Jacob, till the ensuing day discovered the fraud.

Verse 24. And Laban gave — Zilpah his maid] Slaves given in this way to a daughter on her marriage, were the peculiar property of the daughter; and over them the husband had neither right nor power.

Verse 26. It must not be so done, in our country] It was an early custom to give daughters in marriage according to their seniority; and it is worthy of remark that the oldest people now existing, next to the Jews, I mean the Hindoos, have this not merely as a custom, but as a positive law; and they, deem it criminal to give a younger daughter in marriage while- an elder daughter remains unmarried. Among them it is a high offence, equal to adultery, " for a man to marry while his elder brother remains unmarried, or for a man to give his daughter to such a person, or to give his youngest daughter in marriage while the eldest sister remains unmarried." — Code of Gentoo Laws, chap. XV., sec. 1, p. 204. This was a custom at Mesopotamia; but Laban took care to conceal it from Jacob till after he had given him Leah. The words of Laban are literally what a Hindoo would say on such a subject.

Verse 27. Fulfil her iveek] The marriage feast, it appears, lasted seven days; it would not therefore have been proper to break off the solemnities to which all the men of the place had been invited, ver. 22, and probably Laban wished to keep his fraud from the public eye; therefore he informs Jacob that if he will fulfil the marriage iveek for Leah, he will give him Rachel at the end of it, on condition of his serving seven other years. To this the necessity of the case caused Jacob to agree; and thus Laban had fourteen years' service instead of seven; J"or it is not likely that Jacob would have served even seven days for Leah, as his affection was wholly set on Rachel, the wife of his own choice. By this stratagem Laban gained a settlement for both his daughters. "What a man soweth, that shall he reap. Jacob had before practised deceit, and is now deceived; and Laban, the instrument of it, was afterwards deceived himself.

Verse 28. A7id Jacob did so— and he gave him Rachel] Tt is perfectly plain that Jacob did not serve

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter

30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he "loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him ^ yet seven other years.

31 And when the Lord "^saw that Leah was hated, he ^ opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name ^ Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath ^ looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

seven years more before he got Rachel to wife; but having spent a week with Leah, and in keeping the marriage feast, he then got Rachel, and served afterwards seven years for her. Connections of this kind are now called incestuous; but it appears they were allowable in those ancient times. In taking both sisters, it does not appear that any blame attached to Jacob, though in consequence of it he was vexed by their jealousies. It was probably because of this that the law was made, Thou shall not take a wife to her sister, to vex her, besides the other in her life-time. After this, all such marriages were strictly forbidden.

Verse 31. The Lord saio that Leah was hated] From this and the preceding verse we get the genuine meaning of the word nyi' sane, to hate, in certain disputed places in the Scriptures. The word simply signifies a less degree of love; so it is said, ver. 30: "Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah," i. e., he loved Leah less than Rachel; and this is called hating in ver. 3 1: When the Lord saw that Leah loas haled — that she had less affection shown to her than was her due, as one of the legitimate wives of Jacob, he opened her ivomb — he blessed her with children. Now the frequent intercourse of Jacob with Leah (see the following verses) sufficiently proves that he did not hate her in the sense in which this term is used among us; but he felt and showed less affection for her than for ner sister. So Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated, simply means, I have shown a greater degree of affection for Jacob and his posterity than I have done for Esau and his descendants, by giving the former a better earthly portion than I have given to the latter, and by choosing the family oP Jacob to be the progenitors of the Messiah. But not one word of all this relates to the eternal states of either of the two nations. Those who endeavour to support certain peculiarities of their creed by such scriptures as these, do greatly err, not knowing the Scripture, and not properly considering either the sovereignty or the mercy

cause the Lord hath heard that I loas hated he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name ^ Simeon.

this time will my husband be joined unto rre, because I have borne him three sons: there fore was his name called "^ Levi.

Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name > Judah; ^ and ^ left bearing.

ben, literally, see ye or behold a son; for Jehovah hath looked upon, nxi raah, beheld, my affliction; behold then the consequence, I have got a son!

Verse 33. She called his name Simeoii.] p;;OB' shimon, hearing; i. e., God had blessed her with another son, because he had heard that she was hated — loved less than Rachel was.

Verse 34. Therefore ivas his name called Levi.] M7 levi, joined; because she supposed that, in consequence of all these children, Jacob would become joined to her in as strong affection, at least, as he was to Rachel. From Levi sprang the tribe of Levites, who instead of the first-born, were joined unto the priests in the service of the sanctuary. See Num. xviii. 2, 4.

Verse 35. She called his name Judah] min' yehiidah, a confessor; one who acknoivledges God, and acknowledges that all good comes from his hands, and gives him the praise due to his grace and mercy. From this patriarch the Jeivs have their name, and could it be now rightly applied to them, it would intimate that they were a people that confess God, acknowledge his bounty, and praise him for his grace.

Left bearing.] That is, for a time; for she had several children afterwards. Literally translated, the original mS'D ^0^^■^ taamod milledeth — she stood still from bearing, certainly does not convey the same meaning as that in our translation; the one appearing to signify that she ceased entirely from having children; the other, that she only desisted for a time, which was probably occasioned by a temporary suspension of Jacob's company, who appears to have deserted the tent of Leah through the jealous management of Rachel.

The intelligent and pious care of the original inhabitants of the world to call their children by those names which were descriptive of some remarkable event in providence, circumstance of their birth, or do-?nestic occurrence, is worthy, not only of respect, but of imitation. As the name itself continually called to the mind, both of the parents and the child, the circumstance from which it originated, it could not fail to a be a lasting blessing to both. How widely different is our custom! Unthinking and ungodly, we impose names upon our offspring as we do upon our cattle; and often the dog, the horse, the monkey, and the parrot, share in common with our children the names which are called Christian! Some of our Christian names, so called, are absurd, others are ridiculous, and a third class impious; these last being taken from the demon gods and goddesses of heathenism. May we hope that the rational and pious custom recommended in the Scriptures shall ever be restored, even among those who profess to believe in, fear, and love God!

Rachel envies her sister, and chides Jacob, 1. He reproves her and vindicates him.Plf 9 «A the speckled and spotted among the she-goats, and the brow"!; f sheep 1^ ZXmllfTb' care of his sons, and sets three days'' journey betioeen himself and Jacob 7^\a f J, H the.meiro^s, to cause the cattle to brig forth the ring-stTeatd speck ed,' and s'o JTITj^Z '^

B.-acl'S A^^ ^^^" Rachel saw that ^ she bare Jacob no children, Rachel ^ envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, " or else I die.

2 And Jacob's anger w^as kindled against Rachel: and he said, ^ Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

3 And she said, Behold, « my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; f and she shall bear upon my knees, ^ that I may also ^^ have children by her.

4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid ' to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.^

Verse 1. Give me children, or else I die.] This is a most reprehensible speech, and argues not only envy and jealousy, but also a total want of dependence on God. She had the greatest share of her husband's affection, and yet was not satisfied unless she could engross all the privileges which her sister enjoyed ' How true are those sayings, Envy is as rottenness of the bones! and. Jealousy is as cruel as the grave '

Verse 2. Am I in God's stead] Am I greater than God, to give thee what he has refused?

Verse 3. She shall bearupon my knees] The handmaid was the sole property of the mistress, as has already been remarked in the case of Hagar; and therefore not only all her labour, but even the' children borne by her, were the property of the mistress Jhese female slaves, therefore, bore children vicari-

6 And Rachel said, God hath ^ judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name ' Dan.

8 And Rachel said. With "'great wrest lings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name "" Naphtali.°

ously for their mistresses; and this appears to be the import of the term, she shall bear upon my knees.

That I may also have children by her.] r\:^n'::i nJ3Nl veibbaneh mimmennah, and I shall be built up by her. Hence p ben, a son or child, from nJ3 bajiah, to build; because, as a house is formed of the stones, &c., that enter into its composition, so is a family by children.

Verse 6. Called she his name Dan.] Because she found God had judged for her, and decided she should have a son by her handmaid; hence she called his name p dan, judging.

Verse 8. She called his name Naphtah.] "b^Si naphtah, my wrestling, according to the common mode of interpretation; but it is more likely that the root iT\2 pathal signifies to tivist or entiuine. Hence Mr. Parkhurst translates the verse, " By the twistings — ■ agency or operation, of God, I am entwisted with my

9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and p gave her Jacob to wife.

1 1 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name i Gad.

13 And Leah said, ^ Happy am I, for the daughters ' will call me blessed: and she called his name * Asher. A. M. cir. 2246. 14 And Rcubcn went in the

" mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, ^ Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.

sister; that is, my family is now entwined or interwoven with my sister's family, and has a chance of producing the promised Seed." The Septuagint, Aquila, and the Vulgate, have nearly the same meaning. It is, however, difficult to fix the true meaning of the original.

Verse 11. She called his name Gad.'[ This has been variously translated. T J gad, may signify a troop, an army, a soldier, a false god, supposed to be the *'ame as Jupiter or Mars; for as Laban appears to have been, if not an idolater, yet a dealer in a sort of judicial astrology, (see chap xxxi. 19,) Leah, in saying TJ3 bagad, which we translate a troop cometh, might mean. By or xvilh the assistance of Gad — a particular planet or star, Jupiter possibly, I have gotten this son; therefore she called him after the name of that planet or star from which she supposed the succour came. See the note on chap. xxxi. 19. The Septuagint translate it ev Tvxri. ivith good fortune; the \\i\gdle, f elicit er, happily; but in all this diversity our own translation may appear as probable as any, if not the genuine one, TJ «3 ha gad, for the heri, or marginal reading, has it in two words, a troop cometh; whereas the textual reading has it only in one, TJ3 bagad, with a troop. In the Bible published by Becke, 1549, the word is translated as an exclamation, Good luck!

Verse 13, And Leah said, Happy am I] "WHl beoshri, in my happiness, therefore she called his name y^H asher, that is, blessedness or happiness.

Verse 14. Reuben — found mandrakes] □'NTH dudaim. What these were is utterly unknown, and learned men have wasted much time and pains in endeavouring to guess out a probable meaning. Some translate the word lilies, others jessamine, olherscitrons, others mushrooms, others ^"-s, and some think the word means ^ot<;er.s, ox fine floivcrs in general. Hassclquist, he intimate friend and pupil of Linne, who travelled

15 And she said unto her, a. M. cir. 2246 ^ Is it a small matter that thou °' ^' ''""• ^^^^ hast taken my husband ■? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said. Therefore he shall lie with thee to-night for thy son's mandrakes.

1 6 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.

18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name ^ Issachar.

into the Holy Land to make discoveries in natural history, imagines that the plant commonly called mandrake is intended; speaking of Nazareth in Galilee he says: " What I found most remarkable at this village was a great number of mandrakes which grew in a vale below it. I had not the pleasure to see this plant in blossom, the fruit noiv (May 5th, O. S.) hanging ripe to the stem, which lay withered on the ground. From the season in which this mandrake blossoms and ripens fruit, one might form a conjecture that it was Rachel's dudaim. These were brought her in the tuheat harvest, which in Galilee is in the month of May, about this time, and the mandrake was now in fruit." Both among the Greeks and orientals this plant was held in high repute, as being of a prolific virtue, and helping conception; and from it philtres were made, and this is favoured by the meaning of the original, loves, i. e., incentives to matrimonial connections: and it was probably on this account that Rachel desired them. The whole account however is very obscure.

Verse 15. Thou hast taken my husband] It appears probable that Rachel had found means to engross the whole of Jacob's affection and company, and that she now agreed to let him visit the tent of Leah, on account of receiving some of the fruits or plants which Reuben had found.

Verse 16. I have hired thee] We may remark among the Jewish women an intense desire of having children; and it seems to have been produced, not from any peculiar affection for children, but through the hope of having a share in the blessing of Abraham, by bringing forth Him in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed.

Verse 18. God hath given me my hire] "»3:y scchari. And she called his name Issachar, 1DB?*wy'. This word is compounded of W^ yesh, is, and IDU/ sachar, wages, from 13K' sachar, to content, satisfy, saturate; hence a satisfaction or compensation for work done, &c.

" '. and bare Jacob the sixth son.

20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons: and she called his name ^ Zebulun.^ A. M. cir. 2250. 2 1 And afterwards she bare a

22 And God ^ remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and ^ opened her womb.

23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away ^ my reproach:

24 And she called his name ^ Joseph; and said, ^ The Lord shall add to me another son.

25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, ^ Send me away, that I may go unto ^ mine own place, and to my country.

26 Give me my wives and my children, 'for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for

Verse 20. Noio loill my husband dioell with me] 'JvJT"' yizbelem; and she called his name Zebulun, jwD?, a dioelling or cohabitation, as she now expected that Jacob would dwell with her, as he had before dwelt with Rachel.

Verse 2 1. And called her name Dinah.] T\y\ dinah, judgment. As Rachel had called her son by Bilhah Dan, ver. 6, so Leah calls her daughter Dinah, God having judged and determined for her, as well as for her sister in the preceding instance. _

Verse 22. And God hearkened to hei-] After the severe reproof which Rachel had received from her husband, ver. 2, it appears that she sought God by prayer, and that he heard her; so that her prayer and faith obtained what her impatience and unbelief had prevented.

Verse 24. She called his name Joseph] '^OV Yoseph, adding, or he irho adds; thereby prophetically declaring that God would add unto her another son, which was accomplished in the birth o{ Benjamin, chap. xxxv. 18.

Verse 25. Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away] Having now, as is generally conjectured, fulfilled the fourteen years which he had engaged to serve for Leah and Rachel. See ver. 26, and conclusion of chap. xxxi.

Verse 27. / have learned by experience] 'HjynJ nichashti, from KTIJ nachash, to view attentively, to observe, to pry into. I have diligently considered the whole of thy conduct, and marked the increase of my property, and find that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake. For the meaning of the word tJ/nJ nachash, see on chap. iii. 1, &c.

27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry. for ^ I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me ^ for thy sake.

28 And he said, ■" Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.,

29 And he said unto him, "Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now ° increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee p since my coming: and now, when shall I ^ provide for mine own house also?

3 1 And he said. What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing; if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock:

32 I will pass through all thy flock to-day removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among

I came] Jacob takes advantage of the concession made by his father-in-law, and asserts that it was for his sake that the Lord had blessed him: Since my coming, 'Sjlb leragli, according to my footsteps — every step I took in thy service, God prospered to the multiplication of thy flocks and property.

When shall I provide for mine own house] Jacob had already laid his plan; and, from what is afterwards mentioned, we find him using all his skill and experience to provide for his family by a rapid increase of his flocks.

Verse 32. I will pass through all thy jiock] |XV tson, implying, as we have before seen, all.'^mailer cattle, such as sheep, goats, &c.

All the speckled and spotted cattle] T\VJ seh, which we translate cattle, signifies the young either of sheep or goats, what we call a lamb or a kid. Speckledflp} nakod, signifies interspersed with variously coloured spots.

Spotted] ii.'hlH talu, spotted with large spots, either of the same or different colours, from \^'3 lala, to patch, to make party-coloured or patch-ivork; see Ezek. xvi. 16. I have never seen such sheep as are here described but in the islands of Zetland. There I have seen the most beautiful broivn, or fine chocolate colonr among the sheep; and several of the ring-streaked, spotted, speckled, and piebald among the same; and some of the latter description I have brought over, and can exhibit a specimen of Jacob's flock brought from the North Seas, feeding in Middlesex.

And all the broivn^] DIH chum. I should rather suppose this to signify a lively broivn, as the root signifies to be toarm or hot.

A.M. 2259. the sheep, and the spotted and " speckled among the goats: and

33 So shall my ^ righteousness answer for me ' in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

34 And Laban said. Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

35 And he removed that day the he-goats