C H J e 27:1-40. Deception of father and brother by Jacob and Rebekah. f 27:41. Hatred of Esau. K 27:42-28:5 Departure of Jacob to Padam-aram. I g 28:6-9. Esau's wives. h 28:10-22. Jacob's vision at Bethel. I g 29:1-31:55. Jacob's wives. h 32:1,2. Jacob's vision at Mahanaiam. H J f 32:5-33:17. Reconciliation of Esau. e 33:18-34:31. Deception of Shechemites by Jacob's sons. K 35:1-15. Return of Jacob to Padam-aram.
1: And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old (about 137 years - same age as his brother Ishmael died at. He recovered and lived 43 years longer, cp.35:28), and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said to him, "My son:" and he said to him, "Behold, here I am."
2: And he said, "Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
3: Now therefore take, I pray you, your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison (Heb. hunt me some hunting. Fig Polyptoton, and Metonymy [of cause, when the cause is put for the effect], by which venison, the result of hunting, is put for hunting itself. In 25:29 Esau missed his venison and lost his birthright. Was he now to miss it again and loose his blessing?)
4: And make me savory meat such as I love (see vv.9,14 and 25:28), and bring it to me, that I may eat, that myself may bless you before I die." (He must have heard that He was to bless Jabob, for it came by "faith" he ultimately did so-Heb.11:20, and it came by "hearing"-Rom.10:17. "The will of the flesh" made him wish to bless Esau-cp. v.4 with 25:28. But his faith in the end overcame "the will of the flesh" in him.)
5: And Rebekah was listening when Isaac was speaking to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
6: And Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son saying, "Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother saying,
7: 'Bring me some venison (see v.3), and make me savory meat, that I may eat, and bless you before the Lord (Yahaveh) before my death.'
8: Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you.
9: Go now to the flock, and fetch me from there two kids of the goat; and I will make them savory meat for your father, such as he loves:
10: And you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, and that he may bless you before his death."
11: And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth man.
12: My father will perhaps feel me, and I will seem to him as a deciever (he shrinks from the detection, not the fraud); and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing."
13: And his mother said to him, "Upon me be your curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them." (i.e. the kids of the goat)
14: And he went and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savory meat, such as his father loved.
15: And Rebekah took goodly clothing of her eldest son Esau (=desired clothing, all clothing in the East to this day marks the social rank and position of the wearer. Among the Bedouins, the chief and his eldest son wear a distinctive garment. This accounts for Jacob's desire here, and his act with Joseph 37:3. Being the garment of the firstborn it doubtless denoted also his official and priestly position. Here used of sacred things. Not the word rendered clothes in Deut.29:5. No wonder Esau is called "profane" when he sold his birthright. Cp. He.12:16), which was with her in the house and put them on Jacob her youngest son:
16: And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon his neck.
17: And she gave him the savory meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
18: And he came to his father, and said, "My father:" and he said, "Here I am; who are you my son?"
19: And Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn (said perhaps because he bought the birthright. Covert action?); I have done according as you bid me: arise, I pray you, sit and eat my venison, that you may bless me."
20: And Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?" And he said, "Because the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) brought it to me."
21: And Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near, I pray you, that I may feel you my son, whether you be my very son Esau or not."
22: And Jacob went near Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
23: And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy as his brother's Esau's hands: so he blessed him.
24: And he said, "Are you my very son Esau?" And he said, "I am."
25: And he said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat my son's venison (see v.3), that myself may bless you." And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.
26: And his father Isaac said to him, "Come near now (not an adverb of time, but an expletive in command, emphasising the solemnity of the command. It must have been at this point that Isaac's faith overcame "the will of the flesh", and made him resolve to bless Jacob, in spite of it), and kiss me, my son."
27: And he came near and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, "See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord (Yahaveh) has blessed:
28: Therefore God (Elohim) give you of (partitive preposition, to give out, bless) the dew of the heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn (=bread and solid food generally) and wine (usually combined with "corn" for all liquids. Your land will always produce. We [U.S. and the Americas are decendants of Jacob. This great nation produces so much food that our very farmers, the life blood of the nation, are criticized and penalized. Because of the gift of God and the blessing of this nation with the waving fields of pottage [grain]. See v. 38)
29: Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you: cursed be every one that curses you, and blessed be he that blesses you."
30: And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end to blessing Jacob, and Jacob was scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
31: And he also made savory meat, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, "Let my father arise, and eat of his son's hunting, that you may bless me."
32: And Isaac his father said to him, "Who are you? And he said, "I am your son, your firstborn Esau." (Esau still claims what he sold)
33: And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Fig. Polyptoton is thus beautifully rendered. Heb. "trembled a great trembling greatly" see 26:28. This was not from doubt, or from the discovery [now made vv.26,27], but on account of the difficulty into which it had brought him with a man of Esau's temperament), and he said, "Who? where is he that has taking hunting and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and blessed him, yes, and he shall be blessed."
34: And when Esau heard the voice of his father, he cried with a great and exeeding bitter cry, and he said to his father, "Bless me, even so, Oh my father."
35: And he said, "Your brother came with subtlety, and he has taken away your blessing."
36: And he said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? for he has supplanted me these two times (Jacobed or over-reached me. See note on 25:25 & 32:28): he took away my birthright; and behold, now he has taken away my blessings." (This "blessing" is the "it" of Heb.12:17)
37: And Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Behold, I have made him your lord (a mighty man to you, fulfilled in 2 Sam.8:14), and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine (see v.28) have I sustained him: and what shall I do to you now, my son?"
38: And Esau said to his father, "Have you but one blessing, my father? bless me, even so, Oh my father." And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. (See Heb.12:17, but could not change his father's mind)
39: And Isaac his father answered and said to him, "Behold, far from the fatness of the earth shall be your dwelling, and far from the dew of the heavens above; (Jacob had already recieved the blessings "of" the fatness of the earth or the land-v.28. Esau's was to be far from it, in the desert; and so it was. Look at where Russia is today geographically above the 50th parallel, land won't produce well. Russians are descendants of Esau. And look what happened in 1917, the church doors were nailed shut. See the book of Obadiah for this curse [privitive].)
40: And by the sword shall you live, and shall serve your brother (see 1 Sam.14:47, 2 Sam.8:14, 2 Kings 8:20, and cp. 1 Kings 22:47); and it shall come to pass when you shall have the dominion, that you shall break his yolk from off your neck."
41: And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing where with his father blessed him: And Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand (Isaac mistaken, vv.1,2. Esau mistaken here); then will I slay my brother Jacob."
42: And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, "Behold, your brother Esau, as touching you, does comfort himself, purposing to kill you.
43: Now therefore my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee for yourself to Laban my brother to Charan (see 11:31. Frontier town Charan devouted to the moon-god);
44: And tarry with him a few days, until your brother's fury turn away; (Rebekah mistaken, for Jacob was there 20 year)
45: Until your brother's anger turn away from you, and he forget that which you have done to him; then I will send, and fetch you from there; why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?" (Jacob by Esau's hand, and Esau by the avenger of blood)
46: And Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth (refers to Esau's wives, see 26:34,35): if Jacob take a wife of the daughtes of Heth such as these which are the daughters of the land, what good would my life be to me?"
6: When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and (6 "ands" vv.6-8, the effort of Esau to note what would please his parents. #6=the human number, also Satan's number) sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from that place; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "You shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;" (Cp. 24:3, and remember who these Canaanites were)
7: And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to the plain of Syria;
8: And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; (see 25:35)
9: Then went Esau to Ishmael, and took to the wives which he had Mahalath (=sickness) the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth (=heights), to be his wife.
10: And (25 "ands" in vv.10-15, #25=5x5=grace intensified) Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran.
11: And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took from among the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. (That "rock" that he used as a pillow is Jacob's pillar, or the Stone of Scone, which exists today and sets under the coranation throne in Ireland)
12: And he dreamed, and behold, a stairway set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. (It was the gate to heaven, contact with God and man)
13: And, behold, the Lord (Yahaveh) stood beside him (it is not the angels, but the Divine faithfulness and promise, which mark "this place" and make it "the house of God" vv.16,17), and said, "I am the Lord GodY(ahaveh Elohim) of Abraham your father, and the God (Elohim) of Isaac: the land whereon you lay, to you will I give it (as He said to Abraam and Isaac, note the "shalls" and "wills" in this and all these repititions of Yahaveh's covenant), and to your seed;
14: And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south (notice that the 4 points form a cross): and in you (mark the personal gift, and see 17:7, and 50:24) and in you seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (This can be flfilled ONLY in Christ)
15: And, behold, I am with you, and will keep you in all places werever you go, and will bring you again into this land; for I will not leave you (This promise first made here, to Jacob for covenant grace; to the people, for their journey-Deut.31:6; to Joshua, for conflict-Josh.1:5,8; to Solomon, for work-1 Chron.28:20; to us, for daily provision-Heb13:5,6), until I have done that which I have spoken to you of."
16: And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely rhe Lord (Yehovah) is in this place (Fig. Exclamation, an outburst of words, promted by emotion); and I knew it not.
17: And he was afraid, and said, "How revered (or awesome) is this place! this is none other but the house of God (Elohim) (This "house" is the place where God meets the unworthy in grace. It was so with David-1 Chron.22:1. It is so far for us. Our "place of worship" is where God manifests Himself to us in grace. "The God of all grace" is emphatically "the God of Jacob"-Ps.146:5), and this is the gate of heaven.
18: And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone (see v.11) that he had put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar (afterward forbidden, Lev.26:1. Deut.16:22), and poured oil upon the top of it. (A law before Moses)
19: And he called the name of that place Bethel (=the house of God): but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. (=nut tree, perhaps almond, hazel)
20: And Jacob made a solemn vow (the first recorded vow), saying, "If God (Elohim) will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothes to put on,
21: So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord (Yehovah) be my God (Elohim):
22: And this stone (see vv.11,18;), which I have set for a pillar (see 31:13, and Rev. God's elect are also pillars), shall be Beth-elohim: and of all that You shalt give me I will surely give the tenth to You. (cp. 14:20)
g ią 29:1-14. Arrival at Padan-aram. ką 29:15-30:24. Servitude. i˛ 30:25,26. Return desired. k˛ 30:27-31:16. Service. ił 31:17-55. Return effected.
1759 B.C.
14: And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he abode with him the days of a month.
15: And Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? tell me, what shall your wages be?"
16: And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah (=weary), and the name of the younger was Rachel. (=a ewe)
17: Leah was tender (=weak) eyed; but Rachel was beautiful (comely in form) and well favoured (comely in countenence).
18: And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter."
19: And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me."
20: And Jacob served seven years for Rachel (cp. Hos.12:12); and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
1752 B.C.
21: And Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her."
22: And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23: And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went (Jacob) in unto her.
24: And Laban gave to his daughter Leah Zilpah (=a trickling) his maid for an handmaid.
25: And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold (to call attention to the fact that he was decieved, as he had decieved Isaac. Cp. Ch.27), it was Leah: and he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? did not I serve with you for Rachel? why then have you beguiled me? (=to delude or betray)
26: And Laban said, "It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27: Fulfil her week, and I will give you this also for the service which you shall serve with me yet seven other years.
28: And Jacob did so, and fulfilled Leah's week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. (a popular mistake to suppose Jacob did not marry Rachel till the end of the second seven years, for in the first seven were born seven sons: Rueben, Simeon,Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, and Joseph. In the second seven: Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, Dinah)
29: And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah (=timid, bashfull. This was stricktly in accrdance with the Code of Khammurabi) 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: And when the Lord (Yehovah) saw that Leah was hated (=Fig. Change of Noun, of Cause, by which love and hate are put for esteem or neglect, caused by love and hate = less loved, Deut.21:15, Matt.6:24, Luke 14:26), He opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
1751 B.C.
32: And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben (=behold a man): for she said, "Surely the Lord (Yahaveh) has looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me."
1750 B.C.
33: And Leah conceived again, and bare a son; and said, "Because the Lord (Yehovah) has heard that I was hated, He has therefore given me this son also:" and she called his name Simeon (= hearing).
1749 B.C.
34: And Leah conceived again, and bare a son; and said, "Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have born him three sons:" therefore was his name called Levi (=joiner).
1748 B.C.
35: And Leah conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, "Now will I praise the Lord (Yahaveh):" therefore she called his name Judah (=celebrated, praised); and left bearing.
1749 B.C.
6: And Rachel said, "God E(lohim) has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and hath given me a son:" therefore called she his name Dan (=judge).
1748 B.C.
7: And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
8: And Rachel said, "With great wrestlings have I wrestled (Heb. with wrestlings of El [=GOD] i.e. mighty wrestlings. Fig. Many Infections & Ryming words) with my sister, and I have prevailed:" and she called his name Naphtali.(=my wrestling)
9: When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. (see 30:4,5)
1747 B.C.
10: And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.
11: And Leah said, "A troop comes" (Heb. over-run, or, have victory): and she called his name Gad. (=a fortune, a troop, Jupiter [of the Babylonians]. See Isa.65:11 and Josh.11:17; 12:7, where Baal-Gad = the god Jupiter)
12: And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.
1746 B.C.
13: And Leah said, "Happy am I, for the daughters are sure to call me blessed:" and she called his name Asher. (=happy. Cp. Deut.33:24)
14: And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field (the root easily formed by pinching it, into the shape of a man. Hence its name; also supposed to be used as a "love-philtre". Arab.="apples of Satan"), and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Give me, I pray you, of your son's mandrakes."
15: And she said to her, Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband? and would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" And Rachel said, "Therefore he shall lie with you to night for your son's mandrakes."
16: And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, "You must come in unto me; for surely I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." And he lay with her that night.
17: And God (Elohim) heard Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
18: And Leah said, "God (Elohim) has given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband:" and she called his name Issachar. (=there is hire, or he is wages)
1745 B.C.
19: And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.
20: And Leah said, "God (Elohim) has endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons:" and she called his name Zebulun. (=dwelling or habitation. An Assyrian word, to honor, brought out of [Ur].)
21: And afterwards she bare a daughter (Jacob may have had other daughters not named), and called her name Dinah. (=vindication, or judgement)
22: And God (Elohim) remembered Rachel, and God heard her, and opened her womb.
23: And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, "God (Elohim) has taken away my reproach:"
24: And she called his name Joseph (= may he add); and said, "the Lord (Yehovah) shall add to me another son."
25: And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to mine own place, and to my country.
26: Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served you, and let me go: for you know my service which I have done thee."
27: And Laban said to him, "I pray you, if I have found favour in your eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience (= divination = wisper by magic spell. See Gen.3:1) that the Lord (Yahaveh) has blessed me for your sake."
28: And he said, "Appoint me your wages, and I will give it."
29: And he said to him, "You know how I have served you, and how your cattle was with me.
30: For it was little which you had before I came, and it is now increased to a multitude; and the Lord (Yahaveh) has blessed you since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?" (=all that dwell in it)
1742 B.C.
31: And he said, "What shall I give you?" And Jacob said, "You shall not give me any thing: if you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flock:
32: I will pass through all your flock to day, removing from there all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
33: So shall my righteousness answer for me in some future day to come, when it shall come for my hire before your face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me."
34: And Laban said, "Behold, I shall it will be according to your word."
35: And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
36: And he set three days' journey between himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
37: And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
38: And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. (This is the first example of animal husbandry)
39: And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
40: And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's 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 gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
42: But when the cattle were feeble, he did not put them in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
43: And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses. (5 "ands" in this verse. #5=grace)