Commentary on the Holy Bible

The fatneaa of Oie earth] What Homer calls euSae •ifsuf>i(. Ilias ix. 1. 141. and Virgil, uber gleba, Maeta i. 631. both dgnlMng a soil naturalhl fertOe. Under this, therefore, and the former expressions, Isaac wiuhes his son all the blessinn which a plentifiu country can produce: tor, as I> Clare rightly observes, if the dews and seasonable rains of heaven fall upon a fruitful soil, nothing but human industry is wanting to the plcniifil enjoyment of all temporal good things. Hence they are represented in the Scripture as emblems of prosperity, of plenty, and c( the blessing of Ood, Deut xxxiii. Vi, 28. Uicah v. 7. lU

heaven, and > the Iktness (HT the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

29 *Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; be lord over thy brethren, and ^let thy mother's sons bow down tothee: >carBed be every one that curaeth thee, and blessed he he that meeseth thee.

30 1[ And It came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of tossing Jaet^, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the preaenoe of Isaac hb father, that Esau his brother came io from his hunting.

31 And he mm had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his ikther, and said unto his &ther, Let my father arise, and • eat <^ his son's venison, that thr soul may bless me.

33 And Isaac* trembled very exeeedla^y, and said, Who? i^ereir he that hath 'taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of aH before thou earnest, and have blessed him? yea, p and he shall be blessed.

Terse 29. La people eerte thee] " However alike dkiir tempMSl Bdvantx^ee were to each odio-," soya Bp. Newton, " in all spiritual gifts and graces tlie younger brodmr was to have tne supenority, was to be the happy instrnment of conveying the blessing to oil nations — In Uiee, and in thy aeed tiCail all the famdiea of the earth be bteaatd. and to this are to be referred, in their full force, those expressioiu, Ijet people aerve Oite; and nationa bow down to thee! euraea be every one that euraeth thee, and btaatd be he that bUaaeA Sue. tbe same proaitse was made to Abndnm in the name of God, / will bleat them that Ales* thee, and eurae him that niraeth tkee, ch. xii. 3. and it is here related to Jacob, and tims poraphrased in the Jerasalem Targum — " He who curseth thte. riudl be eoned as Balaam tlie. son of Beor: and he who blesaedi the& shall be blessed as Moses the prophet, die law-ghrer or Israel." It appears that Jacob was, on the wtiote, a nnn of more relipon, and believed the dirine prooiisea more than Esau. The posterity of Jacob likewise preserml the true religion and the wcvuhip of one Clod, while the Kdomitcs were sunk in idolatry; and of the seed of Jacob was horn at last the Saviour of the world. T^ie was the peculiar privilege and advantage of Jacob, to be die haf^ instrument of conveying^ these blessings to all nations, "niis was his greatest superiority over Esau; aad in this sense St. Paul understood and applied the nro^letT— 7^ elder shall aerve the younger, Rom. iz. vL The ChriM, the Saviour of tlie world, was to be bom of some ors family; and Jacob's was preferred to Esau's, oat of the good pleasure of Almighty God, who is certaiDly the best jtidge of fitness and expedience, and has undoume»l right to dispense his fevours as he shall see proper! fbr be mn to Hoses, as the apostle proceeds to argoe, ver. IS. — wilt have men^ on whom I will have mercy; and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." And when die Gentiles were converted to Christianity, the prophecy was fulfilled literally— I*ei)>«w/< aerve thee, and let ntUiona bow down to thee; and will be more amply fulfilled, when tlie fiilnesa of the OentUea shall come and all Israel ahail be aaved.

Verse 33. And Isaac trembled] Tin ma^inal reading is very literal and proper— Jnd Isaac trembled wiOi a ■great trembling greatly. And this shows the deep eoocem he felt for his own deception, and the iniquilyof the means by which it had heea brought aboiiL iVm^ Isaac must have heard of that which God had spoken to Rebekah— 7^ elder t3iaH aerve the yoanger, and eooM never have wished to reverse this divine purpose; yet be might certainly think that the sinritual blessine might be conveyed to Esan, and 1^ him to all the nattms of the earth, notwilhstanoing the superiori^ of secular domimou on the other side.

Yea, and he shall be bleaaed] Prom what is said in diis verse, collated with Heb. xii. 17. we see how binding the conveyance of the birth-right was^wfaen communieated with the riles already mentioned. When Isaac foond that be had been deceivra by Jacob) he eertainly would hm

M IT And wben Bsau heaird the words of hie father, •■ he cried With a great aod exceeding Utter cry, and said unto' Eis father. Bless me, even me euso, O my father.

^ And he said, Thy brother came with subtiUtr, and hath taken away thy blessing.

36 And he said, Is not ne rightly named

* Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: ^he took away my birth-right; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And be said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing fi»r me?

37 And Isaac answered and said unto Keau, ■ Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants: and <^with corn and wine have I ■sustained hfan: and what shall I do now unto thee, my •on?

38 And Esau said unto his &ther; Hast thou bot one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice,

39 Ana Isaac his father answered and said onto him. Behold. > thy dwelling sh^l be ^ the fatness of the earui, and of the dew of heaven from above;

Kveraed the blesung, if hs cotiM; btit tts it had been con- Teved in the prt^r toxramenUU way, this was impossible. I haet blasai htm, nyahe, yea, and he n>u#(, or will, be bUMed, Hence it ii said by tlic apoatle, Ksaxijimnd no ^aecjor repenla/we, >iiT»m( yaf,Kirir »v% ivf«, no place lot dum^e qf mind or purpoge in hia fether, Hunigk he 90ught a earefuHy vUh tears. The &ther could not reverae it, because the grant had already been made and coofinned. Bullet the reader otwerve, that this had nothing to do widi the final salmtion of poor outwitted Esau, nor, indeed, with that of his unnatural brodier.

Verae 35. Baih taken away thy bUaainf^ lliis bleasing, which was a, different thiogfrom the birthright, seems to consist of tv)0 par/s;, 1. The dominion generally and fnally over the other part of the family; and, 2. Being Oie prOKeniton of die Jleinah. But the former ii man e^4icitl7 declared than the latler.— See the aotes on cb.

He took aieoy ny MrAri^ft/] So he might nvwith oonsiderafale proprie^ i for tbrnigh he it to JscMi^ yet, as Jacob had taken advantage oi his perishing aituauon, he etmiidered the set a> a speeies of robbery.

Verse 40. By thy »word»kaU tkmt It'te] This does not ahaalutely mean that the Edomites alwuM have constant wan^ but that ih^riMoId be of a fierce and warlike diapontioo, gaining their naienance by kuntbtg, and by indfttorv ineuniona upon the powBssiona of others. Biahop Newlon apeaka on ihia auUeet with his usual

good aenae and nugmoit— "The elder branch, it is here nretoM, should del^ht more in war and violence, but yet should be Pibdued l» the younger. By thy avord Mhalt thou lift, and shaU terve thy frrotAw-.— Kaau himself

Tiolene^ oxpelling from theiiee the An-iUc^ llie former inhahitwnia, Deut. ii. 32. By what means they spread themaelves brther amon? the Arabians ia not known: but it appears that, upon a scilition and separation, sevcrtd of the Edomites came and seized upon the aouttiweat parts of JtideB, during llie BabyloQisb oaptiniy, and settled there ever after. Before and after diis, they were almost eoMinually at war with the Jews: upon eveiy occasion, tbn were ready to join with their enemies; and when Neouehadnezzaf besieged Jerusalem, they encouraged him oiterly to destroy the city, saying — Pate U, rate it, even to the faundationt thereof, PsaT. cxxxvii. 7. And even ioog sAer they were subiwed by the Jews, they retained die same martial spirit; for JosepUua, in his lime, gives Ibem the character of " a turbulent and disorderly notion, always erect to commotions, and rejoicing in cheji^s: at the least adulation of dioae who breech them, beginning war, and baating to battle as to a feast. " And a liule bsbts the last ne^ ot Jeniaalem, they came^ at the

40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and 1 shalt serve thy brother; and " it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt hreak his yoke from off thy neck.

41 T[ And Esau "hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart-, • The days of mournii^ for my father are at hand: p then will I slay my brother Jacob.

42 If And these words of Esau her elder son, were told to Rehekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and eak! unto him. Behold, thv nrotber Esau, as touchiiur thee, doUi <)coiiuort hinwelf, purposing to kffl

43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother ' to Haran;

44 And tarry with him a few dayS, until thy brother's fury turn away j

45 Until thy brother'.8 anger turn away fbom thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee fJrom thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day t

entreaty of the SSeatots, to assist them against tlie priesta and people; and there, together with the Zealots, commiltMl unheard-of cruelties, and barbarously murdered Annas, die high priest, from whose deatli Josephus dates the dusiructioii of the city. " See Dr. Dodd.

And — when thou tkait have Ou Arminion} It is here foretold, that there was to be a time when the elder was to have dominion, and shake off die yoke of the younger. The word tvi tarid, which we translate haj>e domJnSon, is radier of doubtful meaning, aa it may be deduced from three dififerent roots, 1^' yaraa, to d^md, to be brought down, or brouglit low; m-* radah, to obtain rule, or have dominion; and rud^ to complain i meaning either that when reduced very low, God would magni^ his power in their behalf and deliver them from the yoke oi their brethren; or, vrtien th^ ahould he increased so as to venture to sd a Ain^r over iAem, or that wben they mourned for Utcir tranBgresaions, Ood would turn their captivity. The Jerusalem Targum gives the words the foUQwing turn: — "When the sons of Jacob attend to the law, and <A»erve the precepts^ they shall impoee the yoke of servitude upon thy neck; but when they shall turn away diemselves from attidying the law, and neglect the

Sracept^ thou dialt break off the ydce of aervitaide from ly neck. " -

''It was David who imposed the yok& aod at that time the Jewish people observed the law; but the yoke was very galling to the Edomites from the first; and towarda the end of Solomon's reign, Hadad, the Edonile, oif the blood royal, who hod been carried into Egypt from hia childhood, returned into his own country, am raised some distuibances, I Kings zt but was not able to recover hia throne, hia subjects being overawed by the garriaons which David had plaiced among them; but in the reign of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, kin^ of Judah, the Bdomitea reTMted Jrom und&r the d&mmton of Judah, and made themaelret a fdng, 2 Kings viii. 20, 22, Jdiorom made some attempts to sulMlue them again, but could not prevail; so tlie Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day, 2 Chron. xxi 8, 10. wid hmty this part of the prophecy was ftiltilled about nine hundred years alter it was delivered. " — See BiAop Newton.

"Thus," saya Dr. Dodd, quoting Biahop Newlwj, "have we traced, in our notes on ibis and the xxvUt chapter, the accomplishment of this prophecy from the beginning; and we find that the tuition of iho Edomites hcu, at several times, been conquered by, and made tributuary to the Jewa,but never (he nation of the Jews (o the Edomites; and me Jews have been the more considerable people, more known in the world, and more famous in niatory. We know, indeed, little more of the history of the Edomitea than as it is connected with that ot the Jews t and where is the name or the nation now 7 They wens swallowed up and lost, partly among the Nabatheaa Arabs, and partly among the Jews: and the very name, as Dr. Prideaux baa observed, was abcdiilied and disused about the end of ihfl first century of the Christian mm. Thus were they rewarded for inudting and t^ipreasinK Owir

46 And B.^kah said to Tsaac, ' 1 am weary of my Itte because of the daughters of Heth: ^ if ^icob take a wife of the daiiehters of Heth, auch as these which, are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me 1

AND Isaac called Jacob, and "blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him. Thou shftlt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

brethren the Jews; and hereby other prophecies were fulfilled, viz. Jerem. xliz. 7, &c.'Ezek. zzv. 12, Ac- Joel ill. 19. Amm i. 11, &c. and particularly Obadiah: for at this day we see the Jewa mibsisiing ai a distinct people, ^ile Edam ii no more, agree^ly to tlie words of Obadiali, ver. ICL iAy viomm agairut thy brothtr,^aeob, in

th« return of his posterity from Egypt, ahavu Aall coper Oiee, and thou sKall bo cut qjf for eeer. And acaJn, ver. 13. There thall jiot be any remaining ijf the house of JStaUf for the Lord hath tpoken it. In what a most exteanve and circumstantial manner has God fiilfilled all these predictions! And what a proof is tliis of die divine inspiration of the Pentateuch, ani] the omjusciepce of God I "-~See the notes on chap. zzv.

yeraB4^ TTk daytt^ mourning for my JitHker art at kcmd\ Such vaa the stale of Isaaas nealdi at that time, though he lived more than fbrM' years afterward, diat hia death was expected by all: and Esau thought, that would be a fitTour&ole time for him to avenge himself on his brother Jact^t as, according to the custom of Che times, the eons vere alwimi present at the burial of the father. Ishmael came from nis own country to assist Isaac lo bury Abnluun, ch. zzv. 9. and both Jacob and Esau assisted in buiying their lather Isaac, eh. xzzv. 29. but the enmity between them had happily subsided long before that time.

Yerse 42. Doth cohifort kimacif, puiporine to InU tbte] "yh anu^Q meih7ta<Jum Uea, Houbi^i renders, eogitat tuper te. he thinks or meditates to kill thee. This sense ts naOinu enoug^h here, but it does not apnear to be the nteaiiiiu' of the original! nor does Houbigant himself ^TeitUlifl sense in his JRaeijiea Hebrai'queM, ^ere is no doubt that Esau, in his hatred to his brother, felt himself pleased witli the thought that he should soon have the opportunity of avenging his wrongs.

Verse44. Tarry wm him a fw daye] Itwasprobably fitrtu ywn before he returned: and it is likely R^kan saw Dim no more; for it is the general opinion of the Jeiridi rabbins, that she died before Jacob's return from Padan-amn, whether the period of his stay be considered tventy or /br^y years. See on chap. xxzi. 38, &c.

Verse4fi. Why AouJd J be deprived aUo i^yaaboth?] If Bsau should kill Jacotx then the nearest alcin to Jacob, who was by the patriarchal taw, Oen. ix. 6. the avenger tS blood, would kill Esau: and both these deaths might poaaiUy take piece in the same day. This appears lo be the "v* "'"g of Rd>ekah. Hiose mo are ever endeavourlog to sanctify the meant by the end, are fUll of perplexity •na digress. God will not give his blessing to even a divine service, if not done in his own way, on principles of truth and righteousness. Rebekah and her son would lake the means out of Ood's hands — they compassed themselves witli their own sparks, and warmed thems^lvea witli their own fire; and this had they at the hand of Ood, they lay down in sorrow, <3od would have brought abiwt his designs in a w^ consistent with his own perfiwtions) for he had fully determined that the elder ^tould feme the younger, and that tlie Messiali should spring, not ft^m the fuinily of Esau, but from that of Jacob; oikI needed not the cunning crafrincss or deceiu of men to aooomplish his purposes. Yet in his mercy he overruled all ttiMB circumstances, and produced good, where things, if left to thetr own operations and issues, would tiave produced nothing but evil. However, after this reprehensible tnnsaotlon, we hear no more of Rebekah. The Spirit mentions her no more. Terse 46.] i amwar^^my l^e\ It is very likely tbat

2 'Arise, go to ' padon-arant, to the hoase of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of * Laban thy mother's brother.

3 I And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiplv thee, Uiat thou nayeit be a I' multitude of people:

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

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

6 H When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padan-aram, to take nim a wife from thence; and that as he bleeeed him, he gave him a charge, saying. Thou shaltQot take awife of the daugntere of Canaan;

Rebekah kept many of the circumstances related above from the knowledge of Isaac; but as Jacob eould not go to Padan-aram without his knowledge, she appears here quite in her own diaraeter, framing en excuse fer his departure and eotueallng the true cause. Abraham bad been solicitous to get a wife for his son Isaac from a branch of his own fiunily; hence «fte was brou^t from Syiia. She is now afrak^ or pretends to be afraid, that her son Jacob may marry among the HxtHUa, as Esau had done i and therefore makes this to Isaac the oatatHbU reamm why Jacob should immediately go to Paifeji-aiam, that ho might get a wife there. Inac, not knowing the true cause of semmig him away, readily falls in withltefaekan's proposals, aud immediately calls Jacoix nve* him suitelde directions and his blessing, and sends nim away. Vtum view of the subject makes lul consistent and natural i and we see at once the reason of the abrupt speech contained io this verse.

In the preceding notes, I have endeavoured to represent things simply as incy were. I have not copied the manner of many commentators, who have laboured to vindicate the characters of JnecA and his mether in the transactions here recorded. As I fear Ood, and widi lo follow him, I dare not bless what he hath not blessed, nor euise what be hath not cursed. ] 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 (iacts contained in this and the xzvth chapter, gives me the fiillest evidence of the truth and authenlicily of the sacred original. How impartial is the history that God writes I We may se^ from several commeniaiors, what man would have done, hod he had the same facts lo relate, liie history given by God, details as well dte ricta as the virtutx of those who arc its subjects. How widely different (irom that in the Bible, is the biography at the present day 1 Virtuous acta, that were never performed; voluntary privations, which were never botTw; piety, which was never felt; and, in a word, Hvet, whidi were never lived — are the principal subjects of our biographical relations. These may be well termed the Lives qf the ^intt; tot to these are attributed all the virtues which can adorn the human character, vnih scarcely a fiiiling or a blemish; white, on the oilier 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 eotnparison of the biograplw of the Scripturea, with that of vntntpired wrilemT The inference is this; the Scripture history is nattiral, is probable, bears all the characteristics of veracity j narrates circumstances which seem to make against its own honour, yet dwella on them, aAd often smJcs occasion to bepbat them. It is true I infitlllbly true t In this eonehiuMi, common sense, reason, and criticism, join. On the other Iwnd, of biography in general, we must eay, that it is often unnatural, tmprobabl& is destitute of many of the essential character! slice of truth; studiously avoids mentioning those circumstances which are dishonourable to its subject: ardently eitdeavours either to cast those which it cannot wholly liiae into deep shade% or sublime them into virtues. This is notorionB; and we need not go far for numerous examples. Aom tfteaa faciB, a reflecting mind xrill draw iliis general conchisioth— an impartial history, in every respect true, can be expected only from God himself.

Hiese should be only preliminary observations to an extended examination of the eharaeten and eonduet Of

7 And that Jacob obeyed his father, and hie mother, and was ^ne to Padan-aram;

8 And Esau seeins ■ that the daughters of Canaan '■pleased not Isaac hia father;

F**^*^ and hsr two wnu i but thU. in detail would be an ungradoua raak, and I wiih only to draw the reader's •uontioa (o what nwr, under the bleming of God, promote hia inaral good. IVo pioua man can read the chapter before him without emotions of grief and pain. A mother leaehea her bvoarite son to cheat and defiaud his brother, deeein hia tuher, aod tell the most execrable Uee I And Ctod, the just, ibe initial Ckid, relate* all die sinum- ■tanoas in na moat ample end minute detaill I have already hinted, lhat this u a strong proof of the authenticity of the saiired book. Had the Bible been the work of u impoator, a aingle trait of this history had never aspeared. Ood, it ia Une, bad purposed that the eitUr atauU serve the younger; but never desi^md that the auptamaey aboula be brought about in this w^. Had JaeoVa ui^riDeipled mother left tba matter io the hands of Oad*! providence^ her bvoorile aon would have had the precedency in such a way as would not only have oianifeeied the justice and holiness of Ood, but would have been both hanouraile and lotting to HmsBLF-. He got the birArMt, and he got the blaginf^; and how nttle benefit did he pereonafly derive firom either 1 What was hia Ufe from ibia time Ull hia return from Padanaram T A men tissue of vexations, dia^ipointmentB, and ealamities. Hen may endeavour to palliate the iniquity of these transactions, but thii must proceed ddter mnn weakness or mistaken zeal. God has fuffideDtly marked the whole with his ditapprobation.

"Rie enmity whi^ Eeau felt against his brodter Jacob, seems to have been transmitted to all his poateri^; and doubtless Ihe matters of the birthrigkt and the buying, were the grounds on which that perpetual enmity was kept up between the desoendaats of ooth fiunilies, the Eatmiiea and the Jtraelitet. So unfortunate it an aneieot &mih' grudge, founded on the opinion, that an injury has been done by one of the branches nf the fiunily, in a period no matter how remote, provided its operations still eontinue^and certain secular privations to one aide be the result. How possible it is to keep feuda of this kind alive to any assignable period, the stale of a neighbouring island sufficiently proves: aitd on the subject to question, the bloody contentions of the two haiue* of Yokk and Lak- CAersa in this nation, are no contemptible comment. The fccts, however, relative to this point^ may be summed up in a few words. 1. The descendants of Jacob were peculiarly bvoured by Ood. 2. They generally had the dominion, and were ever reputed superior in every respect to tlte Edomiieo. 3. The Edomites were generally tributary to the Israelites. 4. TTiey oflen revolted, aiid sometimes succeeded so br in their revolts, as to become an indtpendtnt people, fi. Hie Jews were never subjected to the Bdomitea. S. Aa in the caae between Esui and Jacob, who, after ions enmity, were reconciled, so were the Edomilea and the Jews, and at length they became one people. 7. "nie Edomites, aa a nation, arc now totally extinct; and the Jews still continue as a distinct people from all the inhaliitanta of the earth I So exactly have all Ibe words of Ood, which he has spoken by his prophets, been ftilfilledl

Ob the bleaahigfl pnnoonoed on Jacob and Esau, these fMstiana may naturally be asked. 1. Was dters any thing m these blessings of such a spiritual nature, aa to afiSnt the eternal interaU of eitberl Certainly there was not, at least, as far as misht ab»oluttly involve the salvation of (be one, or the perdition of Ihe other. 2. Was not the bleasmg pronounced on Esau as good as that pronotuwed on Jacob, the mere temporary Jordt/tip, and being the pngtmUir of the JUkniaK, excepted T So it evidently qipeara. 3. If the bleaaings had referred to their eternal Mates, had not Esau as lair a prospect for endless glory as hia deceitful and unfeeling brother? Justice and mercy both say — Yet. TTie truth is, it was their potteriiy and not diemselvesk that were the objects of these Ueaainga. NOTES ON CHAPTCR XXVIH. Verse 1. And Itaae caUed Jaeob] See the note on ver. 46> of the preoe^^ng chapter.

And butted him\ Now voluntarily and cheerfully confirmed to him the blessing, which be had before obtained Arongh subtlety. Ii was necessary that he should have this MoAnnaCion previous to his departure; else conaidertng the way io which he had obtained both the birlkriM m dM butting, he might be doubtftil) aeoording to his

9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had, ■Malulaththo daii^hter of Ishmael Abrnham's aon, '''the sister

own wor^ whether be mi^t not have got a curse instead of a bleaaittg. As the btessine now prononnced on Jacob was obtained without any trick or deception on his part, it ia likely that it produced a salutary eifect upon his mind, mi^t have led nim to confession of hia sin, and prepnrea his heart for those diaeoveriea of God's goodnaas, with which he was fiivoured at Luz.

Verw 2. Arite, go to Padan'oram] IWs manoD) in its spirit and design, is nearly the same as lhat eh^ zxiv. which see. There have been several ingenious coniecturea concerning the retinue which Jact^ bad, or mignt have had, for his journey | and by some he has been supposed to have been veil attended. Of this nothing it mentioned here, and the reverse seems to be intimated elsewhere. It i^iprars from ver. II. that he lodged in the open air, with a atone for hia pUlow } and front chap, xxxii. 10. he appears to have taken the jonmey-on /oo(, with hia staff in tiis hand; nor is there even the most indirect mention of any attendants, nor is it probable there were any. He took, no doutit, provinons with him su£Scient to carry him to the nearest encampment, or village^ on the way, where he would naturally reeniit his bread and water to cany him to the next Mage, and so an. Hie oil that he poured on the pillar, might ba a little of that which ha had brou|^t for nis own use, and can be no raiiimal argument of his having a stock (npro>nBians,samntacanwl% Ac. for which it ms been grav^ braoj^t. He had God alone with him.

Verse 3. Thai Ihou mayeH be a muiliiude qf peoplt} ■Tsy Vnp^ tiJtehat immim. Here is stnnediing very remarkable in the original words; they signify literally j'br an ottembty, eongregvHon, or cAunA of peepUt; rdbrring, no doubt, to the Jewish church in (he wildentess, but more particularly to the QiritHan dmreh, composed of every Kindred anid nation and people and tongue. This is one essentialpart of the bleasmg of Abraham; see ver. 4.

Verse 4. Oive thee the bletting of Abraham] Hay he confirm the inheritance with all its attendant bleseings to thee, to the excltuion of Esau; as he did to me, to the exclusion of Iriimari. But according to St. Paul, much more than this is cmlainly intendeahere; for it appear^ from Gal. iii. 6 — 14. that Ute bletting of Abraham, which is to come iipon the ChniiUt through Jema Chrit, com- |»-isea the whole doctrine of justification by foith and ita attendant fffivilcees, vis. redemption from the curse of ths law, remission oTaina^ and the promise of the Holy Spirit* including the constitution and establishment of the Christian church.

Verse S. Bethuel the Syrian] Literally the Arammrt, to call«^ not be«uise be was of the race of Aram, the son of Sbem, but because he dwelt in that country which had been formerly possessed by the descendanta of^Anra.

Verse 9. TTien vent Etau unto Jihnuul\ Those who are apt to lake every thing by tlie wrong hatidle, and who think it was utterly imposaitile 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 mat be did this with a sincere desire to obty and pUate hit parmtt. Having heard the pious advice which Isaae gave to Jacob, he therefore went, and took a wife from ma hmihr of hia grand&tber Abmbam, as Jacob was desired to oo out of me fiunily of his maternal uncle Laban. Mahalath, whom he took to wife, atood in the same degree of relationship to Isaac his fatlier, as Rochet did to his mother Rehekah. Esau married hia father^s niece: Jacob married his mother's niece. It waa therefore most obviously to please his parents that Esau took this additional wife. It ia supposed that Ishmael must have be«) dead thirteen or iboiteen yean before this time, and that going to hkmael, signifles only going to the /omtiy of lahmael. If we follow the common computation, and allow that Isaac waa now about one hundred and thirty-six. or one hundred and thirty-seven years of age, and Jtem seventy-seven, and as Ishmael died in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of his ag^ whidi, according tftthe common computation, was (he one hundred and ivrenty-third of Isaac, then lAmael must have been dead about fourteen years. Bat if we allow the ingemoua resr soning of Mr. Skinner and Dr. Kmnicott, that Jacob waa at this time only fifty-teten years of age, and Isaae ctmaequentlyonlyon«Atmrfr«< amlMMtttosn, it will appear dwt lafamwl did not die tiUste yssr* after this ponodi

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sua was set; and he took of the stonee of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

12 And he " dreamed, and behold a ladder set upon 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 fatherland iheGod of Isaac: ' the land whereon thou hest, to thee wSl I give it, and to thy seed;

and hence, with propriety it might be aaid, Baau went unto AAmod-HUkd tow MBhalnth the dtuighter of lahmael — to bo bia wife. See the notes on chap. xxzi. 38, A«.

Tens U. A cM-fotn ^aee, and tarriad there ati night, beeaUMC t/u ntn wia set] From ver. 19. we find this etr- Uin place waa Imx, or some part of its vicinity. Jacob had probably int«nded to reach Luz, but the aim Iteing set, and night coming on, he either could not reach the city, or he mi^ht siispect the inhabitants, and rather prefer the open field, aa be mim bave heard of tbe ctemcler and oootmct of the nir-'n of Sodom and Gomorrah; or the Bates might be idiut by tbe time he reached it, which wbula {Movent his aJmiaaion; for it frequently happens, to the preiaat day, thnt iravdlerx not reaching a oity in the eastern countries, previous to tlie shuUiog of the gates, are obliged to lod^ under the walls all niriitt as, when once abut, they refuse to open ihem tilt the next day. "niia was prolnbly Jacob's case.

Ha look of the atonn\ He look me of the itMtes that were in that place: for from ver. 18. we find it was one etone only, which he had for his pillow. Lux is supposed to have tieen about forty-eight miles diitant from Beersheba; too great a journey for one day, tbroug^ what we may conceive, very unready roads.

Verse 12. lie dreamed, and behold a tadtter] A multitude of fiinriful things bave been spoken of Jacob's viai<m «f the ladder, anti its signification. It tnigbt have several 'ilesigns, as God chooses to acconplisb die greatest number of rods by the fewest and simplest means poasihie. 1. It is very likely that its primarv design was to point out the proBidetKe of God, by whicn he watches over and 'regulates ^1 terrestrud thinn; for nothing is left to merely nanira] causes; a heavenly agency pervades, actaates, and directs all. In bia present cuvumstances, it was i^gbly neGeuary that JectA should bave a clear and distinet view of tfiis subject, that he might be tbe better prepared to meet ^1 occurrences with the conviction, that ail was working together for his good. 2. It might be intended also to point out tbe intercourse between heaven and earth, aiM the connexion of both worlds by the means of angdtc ministrv. That this is lact, we learn from nmny histories in the Old Testament; and it is a doctriite that is unequivocally knight in the New. Are thetf not all miiMerlng spirits, ttu forth to minister for them vho sAoU be heirs of salvation? 3. It was probably a type of Chsist, in whom both worlds meet, and in whom the divine nature are conjoined; the LADOKX was set tqion the babth, and the top d/UrnuAsd to hsaveh: for GOD was manifest in tbe FLESH; and in him dwelt all the fuinesa of the Godbead bodily. Nothing could be a more expressive emblem eS the incamatioQ and its effeeu: Jesus Christ is the grand eonnecting medium between heaven and earth, and between God and man. £y him, God comes down to man: (Arou^/t him, man ascends to God. It appears that our Lord applies the vision in this wny Umsei/^ let. In that remarkable speech to Nathaniel, Here^ler ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels nf OodaiitauUng and descending on the Son of man t John i. 61. 2dly. In his speech to llinmna, John xiv. 6, "I am tbe way, and the truth, and the Ifei no man comcJA. unto the Father tndbv me."

Vnse 14. TTiif seed iitaU beaathe dust] The people Aat shall descend from thee, shall be extremely nuroerws; and in thee and thy seed — the Iiord-JBSDs desoan^ng from tliee, according to tbe JUA—shall all the fmUies ef the earth, ocA only all of thy race, but all the oihur famdiu or tribes at mankind, vrtiicb bave not pro-.119

14 And thy seed shall be aa the dust of the earth, and thou shalt i spread abroad *to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and lo the south: and in thee and-i in thy eeed shall aU the families of the earth be bleescd.

15 And, behold, " I am with thee, and wSl " keep thee in all places whither thou goest, BsiA will "bring thee again into this land; for p I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of

16 ^ And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Stu-ely the Loan is in '' this place and I knew it not.

17 And he was afraid, and said. How dreadful is this place I this ia none other but the house of God, and this if the gate of heaven.

ceeded from the Abrabomic family, be blessed; for Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death fob etxet max, Heb. ii. 9.

Verse 16. And bdwld, /am ictA thee] For I fill the heavens and the eanli: — my WOhd shall be thy help; Yargum — and will keep thee in all places, m iS» r»rx, in aU, this aay; Sepluagint. I shall direct, help, and support thee in a peculiar manner, in iliy present journey; be with thee while thou sojouruest wiui thy tmcle; and leill bring thee again into this land; so that in aJI thy coitcems thou mmst consider thyself under my e^ecial providence, for IwHl not leave Ihie: thy descenoante alsc^ shall be my peculiar people, whom I shall continue to preserve as such, until I have done that which I hate spoken to thee uf; until the Messiah shall be born of thy race; and all the families of the earth, tbe Gentiles, be nifsnca through thee, the Gfwpel beine preached to them, and (hey, with the believing Jews, matite omb ^ld, under oke SkuuBBfi, and one Bi^up or Overseer <a aouU. And tUs circumstantial promise has been literally and punctually fiilfilled. Known unto God are all his icor/ca from the beginning.

Verse 16. TTie Lord is in this place; and I knew it not} That is, God has made tliia place his peculiar residence: it is a place in which he meets with, and reveals bimseif to hia followers. Jacob might have supposed ibat this place had been consecrated to God. And itrasalready been supposed, that bis mind having been brought into a humble irame; he was prepared to nold communion with his Maker.

Verse 17. How dreadful u this place} The appearance of tbe ladder, die angels, and die divine glory at tbe top of the ladder, must liave left deep, solemn, aiidevcn tmm impressiona on tbe nund of Jacob; and hence the exclamotion in tbe Text, How drew^ul is this place!

This IE none other but the house God] The Chaldee gives this place a curioui turn; "Tliis is not a common place, but a place in which God delights; and opposite to ibis place is the gate of heaven." Onkelos seems lo suppose that the gate or entrance into heaven was actually aboee this spot; and that when tbe ftngels of God descended to earth, titey came through that opening into this place, and returned by tbe same way, and it really appears that Jacob bimseif had a nmilar notion.

Verse 18. And Jacob — took the stone — andstt it up for a pillar] He placed the stone in an erect posture, that it mi^ht stand as a monument of die extraordinary vision which be had in diis place: anc^ he poured'oil upon it, diereby consecrating it to God, so diot it might be considered an altar, on which libations might be poured, and sacrifices o&red unto God.— See cliap. xxxv. 14.

"Tbere is a foolish tradition, that the stone set up by Jacob was afterward brought to Jerusalem, from which, after a long lapse of time, it was brought lo Sruin, from^ Spain to Ireland, from Ireland to Scotland, ana on it dte kinn of Scotlutd sat to be orownedi and concerning vidiiidi the following leoidne verses were made:

Edward the first bad it brwight to Westminster, and there ibis stone, called Jacob's Ptllar, and Jacob's PtUov^ is now pbced under tbe ctuur on which the king sits when erownsd I It would be as ridiculous to attempt to disprove the trudi of this tradition, aa to prove that tbe stMie under the old chair in Westminster was tbe identical stone which served the patriarch for a bolster.

18 And locob rose ap early in the mornine, and took the stone that)ie had put his pillows, and * set it up for a pillar, ^ and poured oil upon the top of it.

19 And he called the name of *that place * Beth-el: but the name of that city wof cal/ed LuK at the first.

20 • And Jncob vowed a vow, saying, If ' Qod will be with me, and will keep me in this

•lian dedicated to divioe worship, were aliPKya Bnointad with oil. Thia a^|>earfl to have been cotuiderea aa a codneration of them to the object of the worriiip, and a meam of inHni-ing the god or goddess to take up their rerideDce there, uid answer dis petitjons of their votaries. Anointii^ MOfiea, images, &c. is used in idolatrous oountriea to the pieaent day, and the whole idol is generally smeared over widi oil. Sometimes, bendea die anointing, a crown or nrland was placed on the stone or altar, to nooour the dmiuty, who was sapposed in conseqoence of the anoint' <>Vt to nvB set im hii residence in that place. It was on this ground thai the seats of polished stone, on which the kii^ sat in the front of their palaces to administer justice, were aaoinUd; merely to invite the Dei^ to reside there, that true judgment miglit be giveik and « r^bteous senteooe always be pronounced. Of this we have an instance in Homer, Odyss. T. 406—10.

Ttua gives a vori of the sense of the passage; but the last line, on which much stress should be laid, is most misenbly rendered by the English poet: it should be tnnalalcd,

■*WknIU)WM,ap«I la couimI M lb fodi beeaoee inspired by their wisdom, and which inspiration be and bis successor look ntios to secure by consecrating wMi the anoiniittg oU, tne seat of judgmcot on whicE th^ were accustomed to siL Some of the ancient commeatators on Homer mistook die meaning of this place Bv not understanding the nature of the custom; and these Cmaper unfortunately follows, translating "resplendent OS with oil which a4Ldestroys the whole sens^ and eblileimtes the allosion. Tliis sort of anointing, was a common custom in all antii]uiLy, and was probably derived from this circumstance. Arnobiiu tells us tliot it was CMstomary with himeell^ witile a heathen, "when he saw n smooth p<riisbed stone that had been smeared with oil, lo kim and adore ii, aa if possessing a divine virtue." Si quando eotuptxeram lubrieaium lapidcm, et tr oUvi unguwu wordUalum, {ordinatumT) tanquam inesselvia jmmmu, oAUoftar, t^fabar. And Theodoret, in his ei^^-fourth question on Oenesis, asserts that many pious women in his time, were accustomed to anoiiU the coffins of the martyrs, 4k, And in catholic countries, when a church is consecrated, they anoint the door>poets, pillars, •liars, &c So under ilie law, there was aAoty anointing aii, to sanctify the tabernacle, laver, and ell Other things uaed in Ooo'b service; Exod. zl. 9, Reverse 19. Be ealUd Uu name that place Beih-e£\ That is, the fiotue Ood; for in consequence of his having atu^nted the stone, and thus eonaearatul it lo God, be considered it as becoming henceforth his peculiar resideaee i see on the sroeeding verse. This word should be •Iwajn pronouncea as two distinct syllables, each slrougly neeented, Beih-EI.

Was called LvJt at theJtrtC\ The Hebrew has tiSm I^Di Lat, wtiich the Roman edition of the Septuaitinl Inoslates OvA.i;t>.,v;, OxdamUntz; the Alexandrian MS. fh.Mwi^ai>(, OulammaUt; the Aldine, Ov^.a^^i'tv^ Ouiammaout; Symmnchus, Anjnniivc, Lammaoue; and some Others, Ouxo^. Ouiam, The Hebrew sVw tUam, is sometimes a particle signifying aa, hut as; VtaeB, it may signifr that the place was called Beth-El, as tt wm formcdy Luz. As Lu2 signiiies an almond, almojid or haxeitree, this place proboLly had iis name from a niimbw of such trws growii^ in that region. Many of the nncienu confounded this einr with Jeruialem, to which they attribale the eight following names, which are all exprewed n this verse:

way that I go, and wiH give me > bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

21 So that <> I come again to my father'i house in peace: i then shall the Lord be my God:

22 And thia stone, which I have set for a pillar, kslmll be Ood's house: lahdof all that thou Shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto

From Beth'EI, came the BaithuHa, Bttht/Uia, Bi»Ti»kia, or animated stoma, so celebrated in antiquity, and to which divine lumours were paid. The trwlition of Jaeob anointing this stone, and calling the place Betk-El, gave rise to all the auperstitioua aceounts of the BaUhvtta or conBaeratid stones, which we find in Sandumiatao and others. These beoime abused to idi^Umus purpoees, anf) benoe God strongly pmhibits them, Lev. xxvi \., aua u is very likely, that stooee of this kind, were the moat ancient objects of idolatrous worship: these were afterward formed into beautiful human fi^iree, male and fetnaUh when the art of strulpfurs became tolerably perfected: ana hence the origin q/* idolatry, as (ar aa it refers to the worshippingof tmog-M; for these being consecrated by an<^min^, &c were supposed immediately to become inatrnd with the power ana energy of somedivinity. Heooe theui the Baithylia, or living atones of the ancient Ph<jBnicians> &0. As oti is an emnlem of the gifts and-graces of the Holy Spirit, Psal. xlv. 7. 1 Jtdm ii. 20, 27.: so those who receive this anointing are considered aa being alive unto God, and are expres^ called by Sl Peter living ttone»f 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5.; m^ not the ^>ostle have reference to those living stones or ^etAyUia of antiquity, and thus correct the notion, by allowing that those rather represented the true worshippers of God, who were consecrated to his service and mode partakers of the Holy Ghost; and that these alone could ue properly called the living stones, out of whioh the true spiritual temple is compost^ 1

Verse 20. V<mta a vow] A solentn holy promise, by wliieh a man bouud himself to do certain things, iu a particular way, time, dec. and for power to accomplish which^ he depended on God; hence all vows were mode with prayer, see Psal. Ixi. 6. Judges xi. 30, 31. see on E^ev, XXV ii. 1, &c.

^ God wiUbevithme, du;.] Jacob seems lo make ihie vow rather for him vaalaritv than for himself, as we may learn from verses 13, 14, and IBj for he particularly refbra to the promises wliicli God lutd already made to him. which concerned ihe muUiplicalion qf ku offspring, am their establishment in that land. It, tlien, God shall fulfil these promises, he binds bis posterUy to btilld God a house or temple, and to devote, for tlie niatntenance of his worship^ tlie tenth of all their earthly goods. lUs mode of interpretation removes that appearance of at^f'intertat which almost any other view of tlie aabiect oresenti. Jacob had certainfy, long ere tliis, taken Jehovah for his God; and bo thoroughly hod be been inmructed in (bo knowledge of Jehovah, that we may rest satisfiod no reverses ot fortiiiiB could have induced him to upoetatiie: but as his taking refuse with Loban was probably typieal of the sojourning of Ins descendants in Egrypt— h:B persecution, so as to be obliged to depart rromXaban-Mbe hod trcotnieot of liis posterity by the EgypUana— his rescue from death, preservation on liis iouriiey, re-establidiment in his own country, &c. were all typical of die exodus of his descendants, tlicir travels in ihe de«r^ and esioblidtment in the promised land — where tliey Imilt a house to God; and where, for the support and maintenance of the pure worship of God, tlicy gave to the priests and Levites the ttnih ofaU their teoruUy produce. If all this be understood OS referrine to Jacob only, the Scripture gives lis no information how he performed his vow.

Verso 22. 77tw stone— shall be GotFs house] That is, (as for as this matter refers to Jacob alone) should 1 lie preserved to return in mfenr, 1 shall worsttip God in ihis place. And this purpose he fulfilled, see chap. xxxv. 7 and 14. for there he buildcd an altar, anointed it with oil, and poured a drink-tiff'ering thereon.

For a religious and practical use of. Jacob's vision, ace the note* on veree 12.

On the doctrine of tWuM, pei^u^ a word may be bor »• from one who never receiveu any; and has none in proa-

THEN Jacob ■ went on his journey, >■ and came into the land of the * people of the east.

2 And he looked, and beheld a well in the field, and, lo. there leere three flocks of sheep lying by it; ior out of that well they watered the fiocla: and a great stone -wets upon the weU'H mouth.

3 And thither were all the flocks ealhered: and they rolled the stone from the welPs mouth, and watered the sheep; and put theetoae again upon the weU'a mouth ui his place.

4 And Jacob said unto them. My brethren, whence 6e ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

5 And he said unto them, Know ye Labanthe Bon of Nahor? And they ea id, We Know him.

6 And he said unto them, * Is he well? ' And they said. He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter comethwith the sheep.

7 And he said, Lo, 'tri«yet high day; neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye die sheep and go and Ihed

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

9 H And iriiile he ret ^lake with them. ^ Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept

10 And it came to pass, when Jacd> saw Rachel the daughter of Labao his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and ' rolled the etone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of LaJban bis mother's brother.

11 And Jacob ^kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.

13 And Jacob told Rachel that he vas i her father's brother, and that he v)at Rd>el[ah's son: "and she ran and told her ftther.

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 kiseed him, and brought him to his house. And he told LalKin all these things.

pecL TWua, in their origin, spptat to hare been a son of auharutie qfftring miue unto God; «nd probably were something nmUor to the mirwwA, which we learn from Gen. iv. waa in use almost from the foundation of the world. When God enabliahed a regular, and we may add, an expensive worahip, it waa neceaeaiy that a proper provision should be made for the support of those who were obliged to devote their whole time to it, and oonaequently were deprived of the opportunity of providing for uiemselves in any secular way. It waa soon found that a Itnth part of the produce of the whole land waa necesnry for thiB purpose, aa a whole tribtt that of heoi, waa devoted to the publie service of Godi and when the land waa divided, ntia tribe received no inherilanee among their brethren. Heoee, for their support, the lawfif tUka waa enacted; and by these, the prtesis and Levites were not oohr aupported as the ministers of God, but aa the teadurt mi inUretawa ot the people) performing a great variety of religious dutiesybr (Acm, whidi, otherwise, they themadvea were bound to perfbnn. As this mode of supponing the miniatara of God was instituted by himself wo we may rest asmred it was rational and JnaL 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 nve up their whole time, talents, and strength, lo waicn over, labour for, and inatract llw people in spiritual tilings, jtiatiee requires diat tbev shall receive their support from Ilie work. Bow worthlew and wicked must that man be, who is continually receiving good from the Lord's hands, without restoring any port lor die support of true religion, •ad for eharitame purposes! To such, God nys, thtir taUtthaUbteamsamarita Ihem, and thai ht wUl curse Hulr MiiHng». God expects returns of eratitude in ihii ■my from every man; he that has much should give plenleously I he that has liul^ should do hia diligence to give of that little.

It is not the business of these notes to dispute on the article of tilJua — perhaps it would be well could a proper tubstUule be fauna for them, and tlie clergy paid by some other method. But still the liUmunr is worthy of hii hire; and the maintenance of (he jmfr/tc mtniatry of the word of God, should not be left to tlie caprices of men. He who is only supported Jor his work, wil) be probably abandoned when he is no longer capable of public service; I have seen many i^ed and worn-out ministers reduced to great necessity, anu almost literally obliged to beg their bnad among those whose opulence and solvation were, onhr Goc^ Uiofhula of their ministry! Sudi persons may think they do God servioe by diapuUng against " TUhu, aa legal institutions, long since abrogated," wliile they permit their worn-out mmisters to starve: but how shall they appear in tliat day when Jesus shall say, / wat Jbingry, and ye gave me no meatt tklr^, and ye gate menodrink; naUtd,andyedothtd menet! It is tni^ that where a provision is eetabUJud on a certain orde/ of priesthood, by the law, it may be sometimea claimed and consumed by the worthless and the probne; but this is no necessarv coosequeooe of such estulishment, as there are laws, wtiich, if put in action, have sufficient energy to expel every wicked and slothftil servant from the vineyanl of ChrisL At all events, this is no reason why tliose who have eerved God and their genemtion, should not be comfortably supported during that service; and when iucapobla of it, w furnished at least with the necessaries or life. Iliou^ many ministers have reason to complain of this neglect, who have no claims oft a legal eeelesiastical esuUimtnent; yet none have cause fsr louder eomplaint than the generality of those called mraUt, or uobeiwfieed ministers, in the Church of England.

Verse 1. And JatxA went on hU^mty] Hie original is verv remarkable. And Jacob t^ed up hUJeet, and ke travdtsd unto Ike tandttfOu chiidrm ythe east. There is a certain eke«rfulneM marked in the origins!, which compMis wett with the state of mind into which he had been brou^t by the vision of the ladder and the promises of Qod. Be now saw, that having God for hia protector, he had nothing to fear; and thereiore he went on his way rejoicing;.

PeopU o/" th^ eaa(\ The inhabitants of Hesopotamia and the whole couutiy beyond the Euphrates, are called ktdsm, or taatertu, in the earred writings.

verse 2. 7%ree Jlocks of eh^p] itn 7>on, small cattle, such as thetp, goats, Ac see on chap. xii. IG. Sheep, in a healthy state, seldom drink in cold and comparadvciy cold countries; but it was probably different in hot climates. The three Jloeks, \{ Jtoda and not thtflierd* be meSB^ which were lying now at the well, did not belong to /yiAan, but to lliree other chiefs; for Laban'a fleck was yet to come, under the care of Bachel, ver. 6.

Jloeke, tlie Samariian reads iSntV'S^'^'*''"*^**'^' which reading Uoabigant strongly contends to be the true one, aa well in this verse as m verse 8. It certainly cannot be aud, that aU Oujtodn rolled the atone/rom Ik* welt enuntik, and watered the Atep — and yet so itappears 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 tkey put Ikt atone again upon Iht welPe mourn] It is very likely that the stone was a large one, which waa necesuary to prevent iH-mindcd individuals from either disturbing die water, or filling up die well: hence a great stone was provided, which required the joint exertions of several shepherds lo remove it; and hence those who arrived first, waited till all the others were come up, that they migitt water their rcapeciive fiocks in concert.

14 And LfibBU aaid to him, ■ siirely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him

15 IT And Laban said unto Jacob, Decaaee tbou art my brother, abouldst thou therefore Merve me foe noaght? tell me, what jAoU thy \fiieea be 7

16 And Laban had two daufihtera: tiie name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the yonneer wa» Rachel.

17 Leah was tender-eyed; bnt Rachel was

18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and oaid, 'I will Mm thee eeren years finr Rachel thy younger dmwfater.

19 And Laban said, • It i$ better that I give her to tbee, than that I should give her to aoothor man: atnde with me.

80 And Jacob ' served seven years for Raehel: and they seemed unto him out a few days, for the love he had to her.

. the lanpuge of LaLen aod his Gumily was ChalcUe, and •ot Hebmri ka Aaa. zxxi. 47. but from the namea «faid> l^ah gave to net children, we see that the two hagiMgwa had raaiiy words in eonanon; and therefore imm and flie Aenhecda mMit understand eadi other with little difficult. It u pcaaaHe abo that Jacob mifiht have biH>Bd the Cfaaidee or Aimmittdi language from his ■Mher, as this was hie iMithtr't tongw. '

VerxS. Li^Mnthtttnu^Nahor] iSon is here put for gaiiirfssn, for Lidnn wm son of Bethuel the son of

▼8m6. AAeiecU?] ^f? o^mA«-sAaiom2o7 Is (here paaee le him 1 Ptat«t among the Helirews, signified all liimds prosperity. Isbe aprosperous man m lus family, and in his property) aatl Otej said, He is vcU, o^v akalem, his proMer& soimded stroi^Iy guttural,) aigmnee a s^«ep or not; And she probably had her name mm iter fendneas fbr these aninuls.

Versa 1. U U high day — The day is but about half rm — neitktr is it titru that the cattle thouid be galhered. toyetWrj It is surely not time yet to put litem into the folds: giTe them therefore water, and take thmm again to pasture.

Verse 8. W« tmmot, tmtU ail Ae Jloda—thepherda— see ver.X— Ae gatkmtd /tosAsr} It is a nile that ihe atone rinll not w removed till all the shepherds and the floefci^ wfaieh have a right to this well, be gathered tovedker; then, and not beiore, we may water the sheep.

Verae 9. Rwkd cants viWi her fatntr^a fiteep] So we Ind that young women were not ktpt ameeaUd in tht Amms^ till the time they were morrieo, wluch is the com- Hon ghtea pat oa nefrf Umah, a virgin, one eonetaled, SM on ehap. utv. 43. Nor was it beneath the digni^ of tfw daogfalBra of the most opulent diiaft to cany wwer from tbo well, as in the case of Rebekah; or tend sheef:^ a» in the ease of Rachel. The chief property in those tiroea conatsied in Jtoi^t, and who so proper to ta)co care of them, aa those vho were interested m their safety and inerease 1 Hntest Inboiir, ftur from being a discredit, is an bODOur both to high and tova. The king himself is served by the Aeld{ and without it, and the Iwour necessary for its ealtiTation, all ranks must perish. Let every son, let every danj^ter learn, that it is iw discredit to be emplt^^, whenever it may be neoeesary, in the meanest offices, by which the ioicfcsts of the tunily may be htmaatiy prolAoud.

Terse I(L Jfamftweni R«f r, and roSsdlAe stone] Probata the flock of Laban was (he last of those whioi had a rfgm to Ae well: that flock being now come, Jacob assorted tf>e shefdwrds to roll off the stone: for it is not Ulsely be did it by himself, and so assisted his cousin, to wbom he was as yet unknown, to water her flpdc

Yerae IL Meet Mated Raeh4\ A simple and pure awAod bv iriueh the primilive hdiabitania of die earth teatilM their flriendshin to eaeh other — first abused by kypocriiea, who prcKnaed alTeetion while their vile beorta ineditatfff terror — see the oase of Joab— and afterword disRianed by reflnen on morals, who, wliile thev ' pre* tended to atumble at those innocebt expressioae of otnctton and fciendrtiip, were wptiAt of ctHnniuing the gnwsest era of immirtty.

31 IJ And Jacob &aid unto Laban, Give me my wifg, for my days are fulfilled, Ibat i may s e;o ID unto her.

22 And Laban fathered 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, awl brought uer to him; and be went in unto her.

24 And Laban gave tmto his dauber Leah Zilpah his maid for a handmaid.

So And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it tpos Leah: and he said to Laban, What i* this thou hast done mito me? did not I serve with tbee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou begiiiled me 1

26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, ' to give the yoimger before the firstborn.

27 k Ful^ her wedc, and we will give thea this abo, for the service which thon B&GUt Mrve with me, yet seven other years.

God for the &vour he bad ibown him, in eondoeting him thus for in peace and safety.

And iB€pt] From a sense of the goodness of his heavenly Father, and his own unworthioess of the protection aaa succeaa with which he had been fevoured. The saniB exprcsdons of kindness and pure auction are xqweted on thepart of Laban, ver. 13.

Verse 16. Became Aou art my brother, &c.] Though thou art my nearest relative, yet I have no ri^t to uy servioes without giving thee on adequate reconopense. Jacob had passed a whole month in the fiunily of Laban, in which he had undoubtedly rendered himseli of considerable service. Aa Labao, who was of a very saving, if not cQHetotw disposition, saw that he was likely to be of great use to him in his secular concerns, he wished to secure bis services, and therefore asks him what wages bs wished to have.

Verse IT. L/cah wu tender-eyed\ no^ ralcoffi, t^ft, deheaie, lovely. I believe the wora means just the reverse of the significUion generally given to it. The design of the inspired writer ia to compare both the sisiera logether, that the balance may appear to be greatly in fevour of Rachel. The chief recommendation of Leah, was her »Hft and beautiful eyes; but Rachel was Wtnc yepAoA ^oor, beautiful in her thape. penon, mien, and gait; ant) rwno nD> yoAaih marek, beoutifiif in her anitUcnavce. The words plainly signify, a j£ne sAape, and Jlne Jealurea i all that con be considered as eisentiol to personal beauty. TherefoFe Jsct^ loved her } and was wilhng lo become a 6ond.#erra>U for seven years, that he might get her ta '■■ wife; for in bis destitute stale he could produce no dowry, and it was the custom of tliooe times, nr the bttier to receive aportion,/ar bis douducr, and not to give one vilh her. Trie bod system of eoucanon, by wbidi women are spoiled and rendered in general good foi; nothing, makes it necessary for the husband to get a dowry with his wife, to enable him - lo maintain her: whereas in former times, they were well educated, and extremely useful; hence he who got a vi/e, almost invariably got a prize.

Verse 20. And Jacob terved teven years for /?acW] In ancieiK times it appears to have been a custom among all nations, that men should give doioriea for their wives: and in many countries this oustom still prevails. When Shecliem asked Dinah for wife, he said, Ask vu never so muA dowry and gifl, and J viU give aecordinf^ a» ye thali say unto me, chap, xxziv. 12. When Eliezar went hy Abraham's command, to «t Rebekah to be' wife to Isaac, he took a profiision of riches with him, in nlvor, ffoid, jeteeU, tad raiment, with other autly thing*, which, wheo the contract was made, he gave to Rebuob, her mother, and her brothers, see chap, xziv, 10^ 22, 63. David, in order to be Sours son-in-law, must) instead of admn^ kill Goliob; ajid when this was doo& he was not penoitied to anousa Hiebal till be bad killed one hundred ntilistlnee, 1 Sam. xvU. 25. and xviii. 26. Tbe proplhet Hoeea bougbt bis wife for^een piece* iff gilvtr, and a homer and a half 4/* barUyr chap. iii. 2. llie same otisiom prevailed among (he ancient Greek*, Indiana, and Germane. The Romana also hod a sort of marriage which was entitled per coemplianem^ by purchase. 1W TWiors and 'Parka still buy tbeir wives % but among llte Utter they are ^^^^ as a sort of slawa.

28 1[ And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Radiel his daughter to wife also.

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter ■ Bilha his handmaid to be her maid.

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 1[ And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he * opened her wcnnb: but Rachel was barren.

ta^:^. 33 And Leah conceived, and bare a

for she said, Surely the Lord hath » looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

bare a son; and said Because the Lord

hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name * Simeon.

Kcl^'im 34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time

Berodotus mentions a very mngular custom among the Babyloniana, which may serve to throw light on the conduct of Laban towards Jacob. " In every district," sa^s he, " they annuaily assemble all the marriageable virpina on & certain day; and when the men are come loffcther, and smrtd round the place, the erier ntaatf up, sells one ^fter aoother, always bringing forward the vuiat bea\Uiful fint; and having sold ber for a ^reat sum of gold, he puts np ber wbo is ^teemed second in beau^. On this occanon, the richest of the Babylonians used to contend for the fiurest wife, aiid to outbid one another. But the vulgar are content to take the u^ly and tame vAlh money: for when all the beautifiil virgins are sold, the crier orders ^e moat deformed to stand up: and after he has openly demanded who will marry her with a amail sum, she is at length given to the man that is contented to marry her with the Utut. And in this manner, the money arising from the sale of tlie handsome, serves for a portion (o those, whose look was disagreeable, or who bad any bodily imperfection. A father was not permitted to indulge his own fancy in the choice of a husband for his daugTiter; neither might the purchaser carry off the woman which he had bought, without giving sufficient security that he would live with her as nis own wife. ITioae also who received a sum of money with such as could bring no price in this market, were obliged a]so to give suffieient security that they would live with them \ ana If they did not, they were obliged to refund the money." See Hendotm, in Clio, p. edit. Gales and see Cainut,.ia loco. Tnus Loboa mode use of the beoufjr iff Auftd, to di^MW of his daughter Ltah, in the wpirit of the Babylonian ci» torn, though not in the IMer.

And thty teemed to him Jntt a few daya\ If Jacob hod been obliged to wait Moen yeara before he married Rachel, could it possiblybe said, that they eould i^pear to him as a fevB day 7 ''Hiough the letter of the text seems to say the contnury, yet iho-e are eminent men, who atrongly etmtend that ne received Rachel soon after die month wal floished, see ver. 14. and then served aeven years for ber; which might reallv appear but a few days to him, because of his increasing love to her: but others think ihia quite incompatible with all the circumstances marked down in the text; and on the aiipposhion th^ Jacob was not now seventy -seven yean ofagfi, as most dirottologera make him, mit only futy-seven. see on chap. zxxi. there will be ^me sufficient to allow (or all the transactions which are recorded in his history, during his stay with Laban. As to the incredibility of a pataumaie later, as aome have termed him, waiCIn^ patiently for aeven veara before he eould possen the object of his wishes, and those seven Tears appearing to him as only a few days, it may be «alufaetonly accounted for, tliey think, two ways. I. He had the continual company of his elect spouse, and this certainly would take away all tedium in the case. 2. Love af&in were not carried to such a pitch of insanity among the patriarchs as they have been in modem times — tiuy wwe much more sober and sedate, and scarcely ever married before they were fornr ynn of age, and then men for esnvaniency, and the desire of bavins an nff^pring, Aaa for any other parpoae. At the very (owest oompuianOI^ Jaoob was now fifty-seven, and eoueqnemly nnttt will my husband be joined unto me, beoeuae I have borne him three sons: therefore was hii name called > Levi. 35 And she conceived again, and iS-iS

bare a son: and she said. Now will I

Am) when Rachel saw that 'she bare Jacob no diildren, Raciiel 'envied her ustw;

have pRsaed those days in which vasaian nina away with rooson. Still, however, the obviooa constructkm of the text shows, that he got Rachel the week after he bad married Leah.

Verse 21. daya are Jv^Ued\^ My seves yeorsan now completed — let me have my wife, for whom I Imva given this service as a dotrry.

Verse 22. Laban — mada afeaaty mvo miilUak, ai§Btiies a feast of dnnlnng. As marriage was a very m&on contract, there is moi^ reasoo to believe that aacr^ktm were offered on the occasion, and Hbaiiinu poured «ut; and we know that, on fisstival occasions, a cup oif wuu was offered to every guestt and as this. was drank witb particular ceramonies, the feast might derive ils aame froia this circumstance, which was the most prominent and observable on such occasions.

Verse 23. In Oit «rentn^~Ae took Leah kia daughter) As the bride was always veiled, and the bride-chsmbet generally dark, or nearly so, and as Leah was brought lo Jacob in the etening, the jmpositkm here practUed by Laban might easily pass imdetacted by Joeob^ till the ensuing day discovered the fraud.

Verse 24. And Laban gave — ZUpah hi* maid] Slaves given in this way to a doaghter on he^ marriage, were the peculiar property of the daughter [ and over thena the husband had neither right nor power. — See the case ut Sarah and Hagar, chap. zvi. 1, Ax.

Verse 26. II mrut not be ao done in our eountry] It was an early custom lo give dat^lers in Boarriage aoooid ing to their sMtivrfty t and it is worlby ot remark, that the oldest people now existing next to the Jews, I mean the Hindoos, nave this not merely as a aiitom, but as a poeiiive lavi: and they deem it criminal to give a younger dau^ter in marriage while an ekler dai^hler reouuoa unmarried. Amoi^ them, it is a high onenee, equal t» adultery, **for a man to marry while his aUar brolkmr remaitis Hnmorried / or for aman to give bis dau^fiter to such a peraott, or lo give hia. youngest daughter in nnrriase while the eldest sitter remaina unmamed."— Code of I3entoo Iaws, c xt. sect. 1. p. 204. This, it ^ipeai^ was a custom at Mesopotamia; but Laban took care (o conceal it from Jacob till after he had given him Leah.

Verse 27. Pu^ her week] Tht morriags feast, it s^ pearo, lasted aeven daya; it would not, iherefwc^ have been proper lo break on the solemnities to wliich all (ha men of the place had bepn invited, ver. 22. and probabl7 Laban wished to keep his^rottd from the public eye; therefore he informs Jacob, that if he will fulfil the marriage mek for Leah, he will give him Rachel at the end of It, on condition of hia serving seven other yeam To this the neoessity of the case caused Jacob to i^rea { and thus I^bon hod'^^rfe^n years service instead of *•»« £ for it is not likely that Jacob would have served oven seven daya for Leah, as his affection was wholly set m Rachel, the wife of hie own choice. By this atroU^gem Lsfaan gained a settlement for both his daughters. What a man soweth, that riiall he reap. Jacob hod before pnoiatd de-. ceit, and is now deoeivedi and Laban, the inomoMBt tt it, was afterward deerived'hinuelt

Verae28. And Jacob did »o-mdka gave ktmilMaH It is perfectly plain that JaetA did not aenra wno jtm end eaid uato Jacob, Give me ehiUren, "or else I die.

2 And Jacob's aneer was kindled against Radnl: aul he saia, ^Am l in God's stead, who hath withbdd fi-om thee the irnit of the womb?

3 And she aaid. Behold « my maid Klhah, go in unto her; <' and ahe shall hear upon my knees, * that I may also ^ have children by her.

4 And she ^ve him Bilhah her hand-maid < io wife: and Jacob went in unto her.

DHce 6«/bnha M Raobel to wife t bat hanng iMot a week with Lesh, snain keqwig ibe marriage faufi, ne then got Bsdiel, SIM aenred sfierward leveo years tor her. Coaneziona ot dtis kind are now called ineeatuoua j Xnl it aif>eara tlMy were allowable in those ancient times, {a takinf both liitera, it doei not appear that any blame a? tachea to Jacob, tboug^ in conaetjuence of it, he was vexed bf their ^alousiea. It was probably became of thii ch&t.uc law. Lev. xviii. 18. was made, Tkm ahalt n»t toie a vife to htr eMai*, to wx lur, baidt* Ou otfter^ in htr Imlime. Altar tins, all sueh mtniagea were stnetly forbiddea.

Terse 31. Tfte Lord $axe that Leah vxu haitd] From Aia, and the preoediag verae, we get (he genuine meaning ef the word nv aanak, to hate, in eertain disputed olacei in the Seriptnrea. TTie word simply sigmfies a leu tugree X0M.- so it is said, ver. 30. "Jacob loved Rachri mora than Leah;" i. e. he loved Leah Um than RacheL and thU is called hating ia ver. 31. H%m tJu Lord •av that Leah uxu hatta; that is. that she bad le»» <\feetUm sbovn to her than was her due, as one of the legiti' male wives of Jacob, h» opened her womb — be bleesea her with diildren. Now the frequent intercourse of Jacob wid) Leah — see the following verses — sufficiently proves that be did not halt her, in ibe sense in which this term is used among us: but he felt and showed U»» affedUm tor her than for her sister. So^ Jacob hav« I loved, bat E»au kme I hated, MaL j. 2, 3. aitdRom. ix. 15. simply means, I have shown a greater degree of afieotion for Jacob and bis poateri^, than I have done for Eeau and his descendant^ faf giving the former a better earthly portion than 1 have given to the latter; and by choosing the fkmily of Jacob to be the progenitors of the Messiah. But not one word of all tlfis relues to the eternal states of either of the two natioosL Those who endeavour to snpport certain peculiarities of their creed W such scriptures as these, do greatly err, not knowing toe Scripture, and not properly coiwifcriM eitlier the eotereignh/ or the mercy of God.

Terse 33. SheeaUtdkU name Simoon^ x^fow ehimian, hearing: 1. e. God had bleaaed her with another son, be' essae m hsd heard that the laaa Aoled^loved less than Raebel was, as die eonlsxt ttUa tis.

Tens 34. Thar^^ire im« Ut name eoUsd Z>t»t] «iS list, ioteerif beesuas riie «q>poBed that, in consequence «f ajftbese cfaildrei^ Jseob would become Joined to ner in as strong aJGsetton, at least, as he was to Rachel. From Levi sprang the tribe of Leeitee, who, insMd of thejb-sChmn, were joined unto the priesU ia the lervica of die nnetoarv. — See Numb, xviii. 24.

Terse 36. She called fne name JudaJi] tmrr ytkudah, a tonfeeeori sue who acknowtedgee God, and aeknowledges that all good eomes from his hands; and gives hiro As praise due to his grace and mercy. Prom this patriarch die Jew* have their name t arn coald it be now rightly uplied to them, it would intimate that they were a people thia eot^es* Ood, ackpowttdge his bounty, and praiee him for his grace.— See Rom. li, 29.

L^bearing} That is fin-s time; for slie had several ehiloTsn after ward, see esapb xxz. 17, dw- Literally tnnlsiBd. die original tvffO icfn ta&mod miledeth—ehe iftsrf e/iuj'rom bearing, wbidi eertainlydoes not convey die same steening as that in ow tfsnslation: •'le one pesring Id signify, that she eeaeed entirtfy Irom baving efaildm j the other, that she only deeieted for a time, whjeh was probably occasioned by a temporary suspension sf Jacob's eompany, who appears to nave deserted the tSQtof Leah, throu^ ihejealous management of Rachel. — Sss Am^ xzx. 14,16, &c.

Tba iirtelligaiit and pioas ears of the origtaal inhabitants sT ths watM W esU their children by thoae names wfaieh ■sn daMtiytivs of MOM fwswMaUc sflMrf in.AssMsMM^

6 lAod Bilhah conceived and bare Jacob a son.

6 And*Radiel said, God hath ^judred me, and hath also heard my voice, and bath enven me a son: therefore called she his name > Dan.

7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid con-

ceived again, and bore Jacob a second

8 And Rachel eaid. With * great wrestlingB have I wrestled with sister, and I have prevailed: and she called Iub name i Naphtali."

eircumetoTKe of their birth, or domeetie occurrence, ia worthy not only of reepect, but of imitation. Am ths name itself oontiiuiallr called to the miik^ both of the parents and llie child, the circumstance from which It ori-

S'nated, it could not foil lobe a lasting blessing to bodL ow widely differant ia our custom 1 Unthinking and ungodly, we impoM names upon our ofispring as we do opon our cattle; and often the dog, the horse, the monkey, ai>d the parrot, share in common with our children (he names whidi are c^led C^rMion/ Some of our Chrisdanwunea, to called, aie abeurd, othera see HdiadQuei, andadiirdelassjnioiow*: these laat being taken from the demon gods and goodessea of heathenism. May we ever hope that the rational and pious custom recommended is tbe Scriptures shall ever be restored, even among those who profess to belieee in, fear, and loot God I NOTES ON CHAPTER XXX. Terse 1. Give me Aildren or elee I die] This is a most reprehensible speech, and argues not only envy and jealatieu, but also a total want of dependence on Ood. She luui the greatest share of her husband's affection, and

Ewas not satisfied, unless she could engross all the privies whidi her sister emiwed I How true is the saying, Bnvy i» aa rottenneet qf ike boneel Prov. xiv. 30. And, Jeatmay i* ae crud at the grave. Cant. viii. 6.

Terse 2. Am 1 in Ood^e etead?] Am I greater than God, to give thee what he has refiised?

Verse 3. Sfceshoit bear upon my Aiue*] The handmaid was the sole property of the mistress, as has already been remarked in tlie case of Hagar; ana therefore not only all her labour, but even the children borne by her, were tbe property (rf the mistress. Tliese female Blave% theiirfbr^ bore children efcaWous/y for their mistresses: and this spears to be die import of the term, ehe thail bear upon my kneee.

tltat I may aleo hate children by her — nj'oo ruatntwibaneh mimennah — and f ehaU be builded up by herl Hence p ben, a eon, or child, from roi banah, to oui/<2, beeauae, aa a house is formed of the stone^ Ac that enter into its composition, so is a fiunily by chlltfren.

Terse 6. She called hie name Dan\ Because she found God had Judged for her, and decided that she sboiild hsws a son by means of her handmaid i henos dtt called his name p Dan, judging.

Terse 8. Ste ealled hie name NaphialQ '^nsj nophtali, Blfy wreetling, according to the common mode of interpretatim; but it ts more likely that die root ^ns poiof signifiaa to Mat or enftafas. Hence Mr. Parkhurst trans- USem ths versa " the tvietinge, agency or operation^ Ood, I am entteieM vith my eteteri" that is, my family is now entwined, or interwoven, with my sister's feroilv, and has a chance of producing ibf promised seed." Ilie Septuaeint, Aguila, and dtsFulMfs^lnve n«arly dw same meaning. It is, however, difficult to fix the true meaning of the <mglnsl.

Tarse It fiks called hio name Oad] This has been variously transbUed. ii Oad, may swnEfy a iroep, an army, a eoldier, t/alee god, (Isai. Ixv. 11.) supposed to be the same as Jupiter or Mare.- for as Laban appears to have been, if not an idolater, yet a dealer in a sort of judicial astrology, see cltap. xxxi. 19. I^^eah, in saying lu oagad, wbieh we translate, a troop oomeA, mi^t mean. Ay or with the aeeieloem qf Oad, a particular pianet or etar, JnpUer, possibly, I bavs gotten tUsacmt iberefcrs she ealled him after the name of that planet or Mar, from which she supposed the mceour came, see the note on ch^ xxxi. 19. The Septuagint translate it it T<,x^. teiih goad fortune; the Vulg^ fdieiUr, happily; but in all Uds diversity oar own translation may appear as probiU>le as any, if not the genuine one, ■»» ba gad (for the keri at maiginal reading has it in iiso words) a troop eometh t wheresM the textu^ reading has it only in one, i» bagad, vrith a troop. In Tavemer's Bible, published by Bec/t^ IBtt, die void is translated as an sselamMion, Ooodhtek!

9 7 When Leah saw that she had led bearbag, she took Zilpab her maid, and > gave her

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

13 And Leah said, *Hrtppy am I, for the daughters <' will call me bleesed: and she called hiB name * Asher.

B.c2' im 1* If And Reuben went in the days '■ of wheat harvest, and found ' mandrakes in the field, and brougrht them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, » Give me, I pray thee, of tliy eon's mandrakes.

15 And she said unto her, Isit a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel Baid, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy eon's mandrakes.

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

18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hir<^ because I have given my maiden to my husband: aod she called bis name ■ Issachar. B:c£;n£ l^ And Leah conceived again, and '■ — bare Jacob the sixth son.

30 And Leah said, Ood hath endued me U'itk a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I havetxH-ne him six sons: and ehG called his name >' Zebuhm. > ' acSm ^1 And afterwards she bare a

at/uri, in my happineMt, therefore abe called hia name AjAar, tWM that is, bUaaedn^ or hajminen-

Vene 14. JtatUn—fouTid mandrahsM] mrm Aufutm. What theaa -wnt ia utterly unknown: and Uanted mea bam wasted muoh time and pnia^ in andawmiring to ffueaa out a. probable meaning. Some trailalate the void others jeaaamitu, others citrons, othera mushrwmt, othera Jlg*t and aome think the word meaiM fiowrt, or Jbn» Jmeen, in general. Haaa^aaiat, the intimate friend wmI pupil of lAntU, who travelled into the Holy Land 10 rnaks diaeoweriea in natural history, imafinea that the i4ant commonly «tlled mandrakt la inteiuled: apsakii^ <rf Nazareth ia CtalUaa, be aaya, "What I faimd moat nmarkable at this village, was the great mmber of Viandraku which grew in a vale below it: I had not the vleaeure to see this plant in blossom, the fruit now (May Ml, O. S.) hanging ripe to the stem, which lay withered on the grmmd. From the season in which UUt mandrake blossoms, and ripens fruit, one might foim a eonjeoture, that it waa EUchel's dudaim. Tnem were brooghl her in SU vheat^tarMtl, which, in Qalil«$, is in A« month tff Miy, about this time, and the mandrake was now ta fruit. ^' Both among the Oreeks and Orientals, this plant waa held in high reput^ as being of a prolific virtue, and helping conception; and from it phUtrte or love potion* van made; and this fiivonred by the meaning of the CTiginal which signifies loeea, i. e. incentives to matrimonial oonnexiona: and it waa probably on ihia acoouat that Rachel deaired u have them. The whole aeoount, however, is very obscure^

Verae 16. Tntw ha»t taken aaay my Aus&ond] It appeara probable, that Rachel had found means to engroM the whole of Jacob' s alieetjon and compaiw, see dutp. xziz. 36. and that she now agreed to iK hnn visit (be tent of Leah, on account of reoeiving some of tba fruits or pl«nt« which Reuben had found.

S3 And die conceived, and bare a am; and said, God hath taken away f nqr re* proach:

24 And she called his name ^Joaepfa; and said, ' Tha Lord shiUl add to me anodur

25 IT And it came to pass, when Rachri had home Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban,

' Send me away, that I may go unto ' mine own place, and to my cotmtry,

26 Give me my wives and my ohildren, "for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my -service which I have done

27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, I have fotmd favour in thine eyes, tarrg: far ' I have learned by experience mat the Lcno hadi blessed me * for thy sake,

^8 And he said, ' Appoint me thy ttages, and I will give a.

29 And he said unto him, ' Thou knowest how I have served tbea, axid bow thy cattle was with me.

30 For it wa* little which thou hadst before 1 came, and it is note ■ increased unto a multitude { and the Lord hath Uessed thee ■smee my coming: and now when lAall I ^inwide fiir mine own house also 1

31 And he said, What shall I give thee 7 And Jacob said. Thou sbalt not^ive me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will agam feed and keep thy flock:

22 I will t»i8s through nil thy flodi to-day, removinc from thuice, all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle amoog the sheep, and the spotted and specUea among the goats: and ■ 0/ mich shall be mjr hire.

33 So shall my ' righteotUness answer lor me

■ in time to come, when it shaD come for my hire before thy face: every one that t# not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall m counted stolen with me.

the Jewish women, an intense desire of having children; and it seems to have been produced, not from any peouiiar afieclion for children, simply conaidered in tbemaelve^ but tbrou^ the hope of having a share in die hlnaainc of AfarsMUB, fay bnagiiu[ forth Aim m iriMm all SMoss of the earth were to be blessed.

Verse 13. Godhaihgitenmemvhiro^Slukari "taw— and ahe called hi* name leaachaT] -tsvWK TUs word ii oompounded of yeeh, is, and "ov akekar, vmib, from ■or ehalmr, to content, oati^y, foiurale; hence a aatisbction or compensadon for work done, Ac

Verse 20. Now viU mp ktuband dwell wiA me] vixMeni, uid die called oia nana Zaftiditii, pSai a dmdting, or cohabitation, as ahe now agpedsd that Jaeob would dtee// widiA«r,as hehad before dwelt vith RaekeL

Verae 21. And called her namu Dinak\ ran Din*h, judgmaiL Aa Rachel had c^led her aim by BOksikt Dax, ver. 6. so Leah calla ber <i*"g*^M' DotaiL Ood having jitdged and determined for her aa wall as for bar sister, in the preceding inatanoa.

Verse 22. And Godkearkened toker) Aftardie seven reproof which Rachel bad receiwl from her htistwnd, ver. 2. itafftearsthatshe sought Ood b^trnwy and that he heard her, ao that her prayer and (aith oMamed what her impatience and unbelief had prevented.

Verse 24. £A« called hi* name Jdeeph] ipp ftuflt, adding, or he who add* t dieieby proi^etioally dedsnng that God >-ould add ml* her -itnaOier son, which warn aeoompltshed in the birth of Benjamin^ chap. xxxr. 1&

Terse 2T. /AoMlsontedAyaxpirieNce] mrnnscAosM^ from wm naduuk, to witm attentively, to otaarwi, to fry into. I have dihratly aooaidcnl the whole of d» fioadnol; andatsiksadieiBenaMol ny prc|Mr9',aad Am

S4 And Laban said, Behold, I woald it misht be according to thy word.

35 And he removed that day the he-^tHtts that were ring-strnked and spotted, and all the ehegoat* that were speckled and spotted, aiUl erery one that had some white in it, and aJl the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the ' hand of his sons.

36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of L^Nko's flocka.

(bat the Lord hath blessed me Tor thy nke. For the Btesning of the word vra TuuAash, ate on ch&p. iiL I, &c.

TerM 30. For it was UllU wUcA thou hatUi btfort I taatt} Jacob takes advantage of the conoessioo mnda by kia fluhisr-in-Iaw, and aaaerta that it was fbrbis sake that the Lord bad bleswd him — aintx my coming, ^'jri^ U^gdi, menrdtitg to my /ooUUfM — every step I took in thy ■wrice, God prospWed lo the DuihipHcatioa of thy flocks ■DdOToperty.

miru own hoate?] Jacob had •Irettdy latd his nan; and from what is afterward mentioncxL we find him unn|- kU hia akill and experience to provio! Ua his bmily hf a rapid tDcreaie of his flocks.

All Oe tptekted and tpotted coAIe] nv aeh, which we tnntalate eatlU, ngnifiea tlie young, either of sAssp or giHttM, what we flail a lainA or • kid. SpaeUad iffn nakom, agnifies inlerqwsMt with vaHoiuljf etbmred tpoU.

Spottad] if^ tahty spotted with larga spot*, either of the Mme or different colours, from t6e tola, to paithf to make parti-coloured, or pt^k-vork, see Ezek. xvi. 16.

And aii the frrown) Din dtwn. I rfKnld rathar suppose dlii to ai^ifr red or j/elloio, as the root signifiea to be warm or hot.

ia eztremelr difficult to find out, from the32dand 36(h versea, in wnai the harzain of Jacob with his bdieria-law properly ooosisted. It appears from ver. 32. that Jaeob was to Kave for his wi^ea all the tpeckUd, tpotted, aad krmtn, amun^ the shaep and the goats; and of course, that all those which were not parti-coIoured, should be eoiuidered aa the property of Labon. Sut in ver. 35. it appears that L^ms separated all the parti-eoUmred cattle, aad delivered them into the haikds of Ida om aona; which ■eemi as if he h^il taken these for his own ^jopvftyi and left the oUmtb to JacoL It has been eoiuecturea that Labaa, for the BTeater security, when h« nod separatod the parti-coloured, which by the agreement belong«» to Joetrii, see ver. 32. put them under the care of his own sons, «4ule Jacob fed the flock of Ltbon, ver. 36- three d^s* jountey beia? between the two flocks. I£ therefore, the ioeks under uie care of Labon's eona brought forth young that were all of one cohur, thias were put to the flocks of Lalao under the core of Jaiccb; and if any of the floeka aodar Jacob's care brought forth paril-ixtloured young, (hey were pot to the Socks belonfinf to Jacob, under ttie oare of Lvun's sons. This conje'^ture is not sati«fiu:tory. and the true m-^auiaj upeara to he this: Jacob had agreea to take all the p^rti -coloured for his wages. Aa he was BOW only beginning to act upon thit agreement, conaevtently non? of th^ cattle vet belonged to him; thwvnn Laban aeparttied from the tlnck, ver. 35. all such cattle as Jaoob might afterward claim in consequence of his bargain; for aa yet he hail no ri^t; therefore Jacob oom- Btenced his service to Italian with a flock that did not cootaia a sini;le anim\I of the description of those to which he mi^t be entitled; and the others were sent away tmder l« eve of Laboo's aona, three (bva* journey from thon of whudt Jacob had the eare. The bargain, therefore, seemed to bo wholly in favour of Laban; and to turn it to his own advantage, Jacob made use of the etrotagerai aAerward meottoiMa. 'Riis mode of interpretation ramovea all the appami oontradiction between the 321* •ad 36tb vnrsea, with whidi commeotaton in geoNal have httn srievfxuly perplexed. From the whole account w« leara, mat Laban acted with great jMtui«iwa and eou- Uent aiu Jaeob with great htdgmenL Jacob had alreaify amid fcurlasa years, and had got do patrimony whatever, dkom^ ha had nowafiuailyof AMlMduldreB, altMKMiia

37 1f And ^ Jaeob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hasel and cheBOUt tree; and pilled white etrakea in them, and made the wldte appear which it>a» in the rods.

3S And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flockB in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should coiM5eive when they came to drink.

39 And the flocks conceited befbre the rod>, fuid brought 'forth cattle ring-atraked,apeddedf and spotted.

ah^ one daughter, besides hia two wives, and their two maids. It was hish time that he should get some property for these; and as nia father-in-law wai ezeesaively paraimoniouB, and would scarcely allow him to live, be was in some sort obliged to make use of strataeem to get an equivalent for hia eervices; but this he puaoed so Bir, as to ruin his father-in-law's flocks, leaving Kim nothing out the refuse, see ver. 42.

Vmvc 37. Rods green poplar] nuS libnA ladi. the Ubneh in generally understood to mean (he ithitepoplar I and the word laA, whieh ia here joined to it, does not eo modi imply greeimam <rf eolour, aa being/re*^ ir oppoaition to ■witheredneea. Had they not been freak, jaat cut of^ he could not have pilled the bark from them.

And of the haxeQ vfj lux, the nu/ orJUberd tree, translated by Mhera the almond tree: ndiieh of the two is hem intended, is not known.

And the c&esnu£ tree] pnv iremm, die;>Iane tree, from B^ydram, hewsBKtufcsci. Hie piana tree is properly called by this name, beeauae of the bark nafuroifypMftng ojf, and leaving the tree bare. Tho Septuagint traneUto it in the same way, itK*iitttt; and its name is supposed to be derived tma '*>■"■'(. broad, on account of its broad epreading braneha^ for whiA the plana tree is remarkable. So we find the Oreciaa army in Homkb, II. ii. 1. 307. sachficiBK aaM wr* rK^rmterm, under abeantiAil plana tree..

See more in Parihurat. 9uch a tree would be peeitliaHy acceptable in hoi oountries, because of ita ^lade.

Pilled wkUe strakea in lhem'\ Probably cutting the bark throu^ in a apiral line, and taking it off in a certain breadUt, all rouiid the rods, so that the rods would appear parti -coloured, the white of the wood showing iieetf wnere die bark waa stripped off.

Verse 38. And he aet the rodawhitA he had pHled before tha Jbdca] It baa long been an opinion, and seems to be founded on mMiy facto, that whatever makes a strong impression on the mind a female in the time of conception and gestation, will have a corresponding influence on the minaor body of (he fmtus. This opinion^ justified by the text, and illustroted by a thousand mcta, la not vet rationally accounted for. It is not oeceaaary to look for a miracle here; for though the foet haa not lieen accounted for on any principle yet known, it ii nevertheless sufficiently plain that the effect doea net exceed the powers dT nature t and I have no doubt that the aame modes of trial used by Jacob, would produce the some resulu in aimilar caaes. "Die finger of God works in nature myriads of waya unknown to ua: we aee effecta without end, of which no rational eouae con be assigned; it haa pleased Ood to work thus and thus, and this is all that we know; and Ood mercifully hides the operationa of his power from man in a variety of cases, that he may bide pnde from him. Even with the little we know, haw &jA are we to be puffed up I We must adore God in a reverential silence on such euoieets as lhee& oonfees our ignorance, and acknowledge, that Natitra » the inttrumeni by which he chooses to work, and that he performs all things according to the counsel of his own will, which ia always infinitely viae and infinitely good.

Verse 40. Jaco6 did a^jorate the lamba, Ac.] When Jacob undertook the care of Labao'a flock, acceding to the agreement already mentioned, there were no pwtieolound iheep or goata among them, see ver. 32. and 3S. therefore the Wng-cfroAed Ao. mentioiied in tftia vena must have been born aince me agreement was made; and Jacob makes use them preeiiely at he used the pOUd rodas that having these t^bre^fr «ye^ during coooep'

40 And Jacob did t^Numte the lambs, and set

the faces of the flocks towards the ring-straked, tutd all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put bis own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban'a cattle.

41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods Before the eyes of the cattle in the cutters, that they misbt conceive among the rode.

42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in:' so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacobus.

43 And the man ' increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maid-aervants, and men-.

all that was our fether^s; and of that which was our father*^ hath he gotten all this ' glory. 2 And Jacob beheld ^ the countenance of La-

3 IT And the LoRo said unto Jacob, ( Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kinr dred: and I will be with thee.

4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the fleld unto his flock,

5 And said unto them, I see your father's coimtenaace, that it ia not toward me as before; but the God of my father i hath been with me.

6 And iiye know that with all my power I. have served your father.

7 And your father hath deceived me, and 1 changed my wages " ten times; but God ' suffered nim not to hurt me.

8 If he said thus, ■> The speckled shall be thv wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he eaid thus, The ring-straked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ring-straked.

9 Thus God bath » taken away the esAtls of your father, and given them to me.

10 And it came to pa«e at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the 4 rams wliidi leaped upon the cattle were nng-straked, speckled, and grisled.

1 1 And ' the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: and I said. Here am I,

12 And he said. Lift up now thine eyes, and

' see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ring-straked, speckled, and grisled: for * I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13 I am the God of Beth-EI, t where thou anointcdst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now " arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said

unto him, ^ Is there yet any portion or inheritance for uB in our father's houee?

lion, the impranion mij^t be made upon their inugination which woald lead to the reaulta alreadr mentioned.

Vene 41. Whenaoever the ttTongtr eaitu (fid eotueive] Tht word rvmvpu mekuAaroth^ which we translate stronger, is understood by several of the ancient interpreters <U eignifying the early, firet-bom, or earbf tpring cattle: and hence it ii opposed to Q'sojr Stuphim, which we tranelaley««b/e, end which SymrruKhus pr(^>er1y rendeimlivTi(a}-«roi, cattle of the aecOTid birth, oa he renders the word mekwAarotk by wt—rty'T*v(, cattle of tbejlrtl, or earUett birUt. Now, thia does not apply merely to two birlhs from (be aame female in one year, which actually did take pl[u% according to the rabbins, the first in Nisan, alxHit our laardi; and the seeond in 7\eri, about our SmUmber but it more particularly refers to early and taieJambs, Ac in the tame year; aa those that are bom juat at the termination of winter, and in the veir commencement of spring, are every way more voluabfe than thoM which were bom later m the same spring. Jacob, therefore, took good heed not to try his ezperimenu with dUMe tats procmeed caltU, because ne knew these wowld produce a de^nerate breed; but with the eul^ cattle which were eirtmg and vigoroiu, by vhidi hia breed must be improved. Hence the whole nock of Laban must be necessanly injured, while, by this ariilice, Jacob's flock vas preserved in a state of increasing perfection. All this proves a consummate knowledge in Jacob of his pastoral ofBce. If extensive breeders in diis country were to attend to the same plan, oUr breed w6uld be improved in a most eminent degree. What a fund of instruction, upon almost every subject, is to be found in the Sacred Writings.

Terse 43. And the man itKreated exeeedinglyl No wonder when he'Msed such means as the above. And had maid-tenantt and men-aervantt, — he was obliged to increase Ihete, aa liis cattle multiplied. And eamda, and OMes — to tfansport hia tents, baggage, and family from place to place, being obliged often to remove, for the beoafit of pasturage.

Wb have already seen many difficultiee in this chapter, and strange inaidenta, for which we are not i^le to account. 1. He vicarious bearing of children. 2. Hie nature and properties of the mandrakes. % The bargain of Jacob and Laban, as related ver. 32. and 35. and 4. Iha buaineaa of the parti-eoloured fioi^ produced by means of die Cemales looking at the variegated rods, may be, eapectally the three last, ranked among the most difficult things in this book. Without encumbering the page with ^uototioiia and opinions, more diversifira than the flocks in relation to which they are jproposed, I have given the best sense I could; and think it much better and safer to confna ignorance, than, under the semblance of wiedotn and learmng, to multiply conjectures. Jacob certainly manifoated muA address in the whole of his conduct with Laban; but though nothing can excuse over-reaching, or inaineerity, yet, no doubt, Jacob supposed himself justified in taking these advantages of a man who had greatly injured ana defrauded him. Had Jacob got Rachel at first, m whom he had honestly and fi^thfully aerved seven yem, there it no evidence whatever tliat be would have taken a second wife. Laban, by having imposed his eldest daughter upon him, and by obliging him to serve seven yean for ber, who never was an object of hia affection, acted a part wholly foreign to every dictate of juatice and honeaty: for tbouf^ it was a custom in that country not to giva the younger dai^ter in marri^ before the elder, y«t as he did itot mention this to Jacob, it cannot plead in hia exoiaef therefore, speaking after the marmer of men, he had reasna 10 expect that Jacob should repay him in his own coin, and right himself^ by whatever means came into his poweri and many think that he did not transgreM the boundaot justice, even in the business of the parti-coloured cattle.

The talent poBseaaed by Jacob was a most dangeroos one; he was what may be tniW called a seftmin^ dwi j his wila were still at work, and aa he devtted, so he e»- euted, being as fruitful in expedients aa he was in pirns. Hiis was the principal and the most prominent characteristic of his lite; and whatever was excessive here, was oning to his mother's tuition — she was evidently a woman who paid little respect to what is called moral principle; and sanctified alt kinds q/* m«an«, by the goodness of the end at which she aimed} whichin social, civil, and religious life, ia the most dangerous principle on which a person can possibly act. In Oiis art she appears to have instructed ber son; and unfortunately for himself, be was in some instances but too apt a jpivfteient. Barly habtl% m not: aaai^ rooted out, eapeeiaflylhosa of a bad kind. Naxt ta

15 Are we not «ounted of him strangerB t for * he hath oold'us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

16 For all the riches which Ood hath taken ■ftom our fhther, that is ours, and our children's: now then^ whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

17 ^ Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

18 And be carried away ail his cattle, and all ' his goods which he had gotten, the (cattle of his

getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram,) for to go to Isaac hia father in the land of Canaan.

19 And Laban went to ahear his sheep: and

(he influence of (he grace and ^irit of Ood, ia a good and reliamis educaiion. ParenU ibould leach their children to M^HM end aUwr low cwming, to fear a lie, and tremble at an eath: and in order to M aucceaaful, they abould iUuatiate their precorf* bjr their own regular tooseienUoua exampU. How va Ood s^qnroved of the whole of Jaeoh'B conduct, I tball not inquire) it ia certain, that Iw attritautea hie luecesa to dirine iaterpoaition, and Ood Umadf ecoiMires Laban'a conduct towarda him; aee chop. zxxL 7 — 12. But Btill be meara to have proceeded ^ai^ Mur than tlua interpoaition aumorixed Mm to go, ei^jeciallv in the meana he used to improve hii own breed, which aeeeanrily led to the deterioration of Laban'a oattle; for after the tranaactiona referred to above, theae cattle could be bat little worth. The whole account, with oil ita Kgftt* and tkade»j I oonaider aa another proof of the impartially jOf the divute hiatorian, and a atnmg evidence of the audtenticity of the Peotateucb. Neithw die apirit of dettU, nor the fortxaUty a{ frimdthip couU ever pan aueh anaeeount.