Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
1, Isaak sendeth Esau for venison, purposing to eat, and blesse him before his death. 5, Rebekah instructeth Iakob to obtaine the blessing. 15, Iakob under the person of Esau, obtaineth it. 30, Esau bringeth venison. 33. Isaak trembleth. 34, Esau complaineth, and by importunity obtaineth a blessing. 41, He threatneth to kill Iakob. 42, Rebekah disappointeth it.
ANd it was, when Isaak was old, and his eyes were dimme, that he could not see: then called hee Esau, his elder son, and said unto him, my son; and hee said unto him, Behold here am I. And he said, Behold now I am old: I know not the day of my death. And now, take I pray thee thy wepons, thy quiver and thy bow: and goe out to the field; and hunt for me venison. And make for me savoury-meats, such as I love; and bring it to me, that I may eat: that my soule may blesse thee before I dye. And Rebekah heard, when Isaak spake to Esau his sonne: and Esau went to the field, to hunt for venison, for to bring it. And Rebekah said unto Iakob her son, saying: Behold I heard thy father speaking unto Esau thy brother, saying. Bring me venison, and make for me savoury-meats, that I may eat: and I will blesse thee, before Iehovah, before my death. And now my sonne, obey my voice: according to that I doe command thee. Goe now, unto the flocke, and take to me from thence, two good kids of the goats: and I will make them savoury-meats, for thy father, such as he loveth. And thou shalt bring them to thy father, that he may eat: for that hee may blesse thee; before his death. And Iakob said, to Rebekah his mother: Behold Esau my brother, is a hairy man; and I, a smooth man. If so be, my father shall feele me, then shall I be in his eyes, as a deceiver: and I shall bring upon me, a curse, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him; VponUpon me be thy curse, my sonne; OnelyOnly obey my voice, and goe, take them unto me. And he went and tooke, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury-meats, such as his father loved. And Rebekah tooke the desireable garments, of Esau her elder sonne; which were with her in the house: and put them upon Iakob, her yonger sonne. And the skinns of the kids of the goats, she put upon his hands: and upon the smooth of his neck. And she gave the savoury-meats, and the bread, which shee had made, into the hand of Iakob her sonne. And he came unto his father, and said, my father: and hee said, Behold here I am; who art thou, my sonne? And Iakob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done even as thou spakest unto mee: Arise I pray thee, sit, and eate of my venison; that thy soule may blesse me. And Isaak said, unto his son; How is this that thou hast so soon found it, my son? And hee said, because Iehovah thy God, brought it to passe, before me. And Isaak said unto Iakob; Come neere, I pray thee, and let me feele thee my sonne: whether thou be the same, my sonne Esau, or not. And Iakob went-neere, unto Isaak his father, and he felt him: and he said, the voice is the voice of Iakob; and the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because his hands were, as the hands of Esau his brother, hairy: and he blessed him. And he said, art thou the same, my sonne Esau? And he said, I. And he said, Bring-neere unto me, and I will eat of my sonnes venison, that my soule may blesse thee: and hee brought it neere to him, and he did eat; and he brought unto him wine, and hee dranke. And Isaak his father, said unto him: Come neere now and kisse me, my sonne. And he came neere, and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him: and said, See, the smell of my sonne; is as the smell of a field, the which Iehovah hath blessed. And God give unto thee, of the dew of the heavens, and of the fatnesses of the earth: and multitude of corne, and of new-wine. Let peoples serve thee, and nations bow-downe themselves unto thee; be thou a master to thy brethren, and let thy mothers sonnes bow-downe-themselves unto thee: Cursed be every one of them that curse thee, and blessed be every one of them that blesse thee. And it was, when as Isaak had made an end of blessing Iakob; and it was, that Iakob was but going gone out, from the presence of Isaak his father: that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also made savoury meats, & brought them to his father: and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eate of his sonnes venison; that thy soule may blesse me. And Isaak his father said unto him, who art thou? and he said, I am thy son thy first borne, Esau. And Isaak trembled, with a very vehement great trembling & said, Who where is he that hath hunted venison, & broght it unto me, & I have eaten of all, ere thou camest, and have blessed him: yea and he shall bee blessed. When Esau heard the words of his father; then cryed-he-out, with an outcry, great and bitter, very vehemently: and said unto his father, Blesse me, mee also, my father. And he said, Thy brother came, with guile: and he hath taken thy blessing. And he said, Is it because his name was called Iakob; for hee hath supplanted me, these two-times; he tooke my first-birthright, and behold now, he hath taken my blessing: and he said, hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? And Isaak answered, and said unto Esau; Loe I have appointed him to be a master over thee; and all his brethren have I given to him, for servants; and with corne and new wine have I sustained him: and unto thee now, what shall I doe, my son? And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but that one blessing, my father; blesse me, me also, my father: and Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaak his father answerd, and said unto him: Behold, of the fatnesses of the earth, shall thy dwelling be; and of the dew of the heavens from above. And by thy sword shalt thou live; and thy Brother shalt thou serve: and it shall be, when thou shalt get-the-dominion, that thou shalt breake his yoake from off thy necke. And Esau, hated Iakob; for the blessing with which his father had blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The dayes of mourning for my father are nigh; and I will kill Iakob my brother. And the words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Iakob, her yonger sonne; and said unto him; Behold Esau thy Brother, comforteth him-selfe as touching thee, to kill thee. And now my sonne, obey my voice: and arise flee thou unto Laban my Brother, to Charran. And tarry with him, a few dayes: untill the hot-wrath of thy Brother, turne away. Vntill the anger of thy Brother turne-away from thee; and hee forget, that which thou hast done to him; and I will send, and take thee from thence: why should I bee bereaved, even of you both, in one day? And Rebekah said unto Isaak: I am yrked of my life, because of the daughters of Cheth: if Iakob take a wife of the daughters of Cheth like these, of the daughters of the land; wherefore have I life?
Annotations.
THat he could not see] Hebr. from seeing: which phrase the Apostle turneth in Greeke, not to see, Rom. 11. 10. from Psal. 69. 24. VponUpon this occasion. Gods workes were shewed in Isaak, (as Ioh. 9. 3.) for in his blindnesse he gave Iakob the blessing, which he would not so have done, if hee had seene: vers. 23. elder] in Heb ew, greater, to weet, of age, or by birth; as the Greeke translateth Elder: and lesser for yonger: v. 15. see Gen. 10. 21.
Vers. 2. my death] the Greeke saith, my end: yet lived hee after this, above fourty yeeres, Genes. 35. 28. 29.
Vers. 3. Venison] Hebr. hunting: whereof venison hath the name, as being gotten by hunting. So v. 5. 19. &c.
Vers. 4. that I may] or, and I will eate: so in v. 7. and 10. These two phrases are used indifferently: as, that ye be not judged, Matth. 7. r. which another Evangelist saith, and ye shall not be judged, Luke 6. 37. See also Gen. 12. 12. that my soule] or, to the end my soule: that is; I my selfe: as after in v. 7. it is repeated. Isaak being to give the blessing in faith, Heb. 11. 20. would eate savoury meat, and drinke wine, ver. 25. to stir up and cheare his spirit, that he might be the more fit instrument of the spirit of God. For sorrow, anger, and other such passions, doe distemper the mind: which may bee mitigated by outward meanes, as wine maketh men to forget their misery, Prov. 31. 6. 7. and musicke allayeth anger: wherefore Elisha the Prophet, when he was moved against King Iehoram, called for a musitian, who when hee played, the hand of the Lord came upon the Prophet, 2 King. 3. 14. 15. blesse thee] as the Priests with authority blessed and put the name of God upon the people, Gen. 14. 19. Num. 6. 23. 27. So the Patriarches derived the blessing before their death, unto their children, (or some one of them) as an inheritance by testament: wherefore Paul speaketh of inheriting the blessing, Heb. 12. 17. which also was of great authority and strength, as being done by the Spirit of God; and in faith, and before the Lord, as vers. 7. See Gen. 28. 3. 4. and 48. 15. 16. 20. and 49. 25. 26. 28. Heb. 11. 20. 21. and 12. 17. Esau, (who had his name of Doing) is here promised the blessing upon his deeds; as the law also promiseth blessing and life to the doers thereof, Rom. 10. 5. but Iakob got the blessing by faith, as do all the faithfull, Gal. 3. 9.
Vers. 7. before Iehovah] that is, in his presence, by his power and authority, and for ever, (the like phrase is of cursing, 1 Sam. 26. 19.) And being done before his death, it was with the more power, case, reverence, and as by his last will and testament. So Deut. 33. 1.
Vers. 12. if so be] or, Peradventure my father will feele me, and I shall be, &c. The Greeke translateth it, Mé pote, which word Paul useth, 2 Tim. 2. 25. in like sense; If so be, (or If peradventure) God will give them repentance. as a deceiver] or, as one that causeth to erre: the Greeke translateth it, a despiser, the Chaldee, a mocker. Or we may English it, a very deceiver: for in the Hebrew, as, is often a sure affirmation, Neh. 7. 2. and so the Greeke answering thereto, Iohn 1. 14. a curse] not feared without cause, for cursed is he that maketh the blind to erre in way, Deut. 27. 18. and deceitfulnesse in all Gods works, maketh men lyable to the curse, Ier. 48. 10. Mal. 1. 14.
Vers. 13. upon me thy curse] a speech of her faith, to incourage him, (though it may be mixt with infirmity of cariage:) for it seemeth she relyed on the oracle of God, in Gen. 25. 23. the greater shall serve the lesse: which oracle, Isaak might understand not of the persons of Esau and Iakob, but of the nations and peoples, their posterity; and therefore thought it his dutie to give the blessing of the first birthright unto Esau, to whom by nature it belonged, and which might not bee changed for affection, as the Law after provideth, in Deut. 21. 15. 16. 17. But Rebekah understood it of these very persons also; and therefore attempted this strange and perillous way, to procure the blessing unto Iakob. A like different meaning of that oracle, is gathered by men at this day. The Chaldee paraphraseth thus, It was said unto me by prophesie, that curses shall not come upon thee, but blessings.
Vers. 15. desireable garments] Hebr. garments of desire, that is, good, sweet, precious: the Greeke translateth it, a goodly robe, (or faire stole, which was a long garment that great men used to weare, Luke 20. 46. and 15. 22. The Priests after in the law had holy garments, to minister in, Exo. 28. 2. 3. 4. which the Greeke there also calleth a holy robe or stole. Whether the first borne before the law had such to minister in, is not certaine; but probable, by this example. For had they beene common garments, why did not Esau himselfe, or his wives keepe them? but being in likelihood holy robes, received from their ancestors; the mother of the family kept them in sweet chests, from mothes and the like; whereupon it is said in verse 27. Isaak smelled the smell of his garments. These might well figure out those robes of innocency and righteousnesse, wherewith the saints are clothed, Rev. 7. 9. 14. and 19. 8. and 3. 18. The like mystery also is in the kids skins following: see Gen. 3. 21.
Vers. 19. firstborne] This though it were not so properly (and cannot in that respect bee excused,) yet was it true in mystery; and spiritually; as Iohn Baptist was Elias, Matt. 11. 14. and we gentiles, are the Circumcision, Phil. 3. 3. Rom. 2. 28. and the children of promise are counted for the seed, Rom. 9. 8. Gal. 4. 28.
Vers. 20. brought it to passe] or, made it to meet (or occurre) in Greeke, delivered it: in Chaldee prepared it. See 24. 12.
Vers. 22. and the hands] or, but the hands: the Ierusalemy Thargum saith, the feeling of the hands. of a field] the Greeke addeth, of a full (or plenteous) field: which with herbs, flowers and fruits, giveth a fragrant smell. Compare Song. 2. 13. and 4. 12. 13. 14. and 7. 11. 12. 13. The Ierusalemy Thargum applyeth this to the smell of the perfume of good spicies, that should after bee offered in the mount of the house of the sanctuary.
Vers. 28. And God give] or will give, it is both a prayer and a prophesie: the word And noteth the passion of the mind: for so it is often used to signifie vehement affections, of desire, joy, indignation, or the like. See Gen. 47. 15. Psal. 2. 6. Act. 23. 3. Mark. 10. 26. 2 Cor. 2. 2. Sometime it is omitted quite; as 2 Sam. 24. 3. and the Lord thy God add. for which, in 1 Chron. 21. 3. is written, the Lord add: leaving out and, dew] which as it is the meanes to make the field fruitfull, so …an it not be given but by God, Ier. 14. 22. and the with holding of it, is a curse, 2 Sam. 1. 21. It spiritually signifieth the doctrine and graces of the gospell, and spirit of Christ upon men. Deut. 32. 2. Esay 45. 8. and 26. 10. Hos. 14. 6. 7. Psal. 133. 3. A like blessing is in Deut. 33. 13. 28. fatnesses] that is, sundry sorts and plenty of fat things: whereby is meant the best of every thing, (see Gen. 4. 4. and 49. 20. Esay 30. 23.) and spirituall graces, Esay 25. 6. The land of Cahaan, (the figure of all blessednesse,) is called therefore the fat land, Neh. 9. 25. 35. corne and new nine.] which as they are the stay and comfort of mans life, Psal. 104. 15. so they also signifie heavenly blessings that God sendeth upon his people, Psal. 65. 10. 14. Zach. 9. 17. A like blessing Moses uttered, Deut. 33. 28.
Vers. 29. nations,] the Greeke translateth it, Princes: the Chaldee Kingdomes. The Ierusalemy Thargum applyeth these peoples, nations, brethren, and mothers sonnes: to the sons of Esau, of Ismael, Keturah and of Laban. As servitude implyeth a spirituall curse, Gen. 9. 25. so this soveraignty, is a spirituall blessing, Rev. 2. 26. 27. a master] or, a soveraigne, a Lord, or governour: named of prevailing. Herein was implyed a part of the first birth-right, 1 Chron. 5. 2. Psal. 89. 28. every one, &c.] Hebrew thy cursers, cursed be be, that is, every one of them: for a word singular, joyned with a plurall, noteth exactly all and every one. Compare this with Gen. 12. 3. Numb. 24. 9.
Vers. 30. and it was] or, it was I say: the doubling of this, maketh the matter the more remarkeable, touching Gods providence herein. going gone:] that is, newly gone, or scarce gone out.
Vers. 33. trembled] or, was terrified; as the Greeke and Chaldee translate, was astonished: it signifieth an exceeding feare with trembling, as Exod. 19. 16. 18. Gen 42 28. who where] a trembling passionate speech: or, who then is he? he shall bee] So the gifts of God (which are without repentance Rom. 11. 29) are stablished to Iakob here, and after more advisedly, in Gen. 28. 1.—4.
Vers. 35. with guile] the Chaldee saith, with wisdome: but the word it usually taken in the evill part, and so Isaak seemeth to intend it. The Scripture also seemeth hereby to blame the indirect meanes which Iakob used: for none should doe evill, that good may come, no not though through mans lye, the truth of God doth more abound, unto his glory; Rom. 3. 7. 8.
Vers. 36. Is it because] or understand, hath hee done this because? meaning surely hee hath. Therefore the Greeke translateth it, Rightly was his name called Iskob, and the Chaldee, Fitly: was called] Hebrew he called, meaning every one: See Gen. 16. 14. for he hath] or, that hee hath supplanted: where the Hebrew Iaakbeni, supplanted me, is Esaus interpretation of Iakobs name, as signifying a supplanter or overthrower with the foot, and so a deceiver: So Ier. 9. 4. he tooke] thus Esau layeth the fault on his brother, for taking that which himselfe prophanely sold, Ge. 25. 33. He. 12. 16. my blessing] but that followed the first birth-right, which being sold, the blessing was lost also: as the Apostle inferreth upon it, that afterward when Esau would have inherited the blessing, he was reiected, Heb. 12. 16. 17.
Vers. 37. appointed] or put; that is, made, as the Greeke translateth it. sustained] the Greeke translateth strengthned: See Psal. 104. 15.
Vers. 38. and wept] yet found hee no place of repentance, though he sought it with teares, Heb. 12. 17. For because when God calleth, men doe refuse: when they call upon him, hee will not answer; Prov. 1. 24. 28.
Vers. 39. fatnesses] that is, fat and fertile places: which were upon mount Seir. Gen. 36. 6. 8. and this was unto Esau, a gift of God, Ios. 24. 4. Therefore this also is a blessing, which Isaak by faith uttered concerning things that were to come, unto Esau, as before unto Iakob: Heb. 11. 20. How be it, the chiefe, spirituall, and hereditary blessing was before given to Iakob onelyonly, and Esau willing to inherit it, was rejected, Heb. 12. 17. and the oracles here following confirme the same.
Vers. 40. And by] or, But by thy sword: that is, with warres and troubles, shalt thou defend thy state and country; and not injoy peace as Iakob, Deut. 33. 27. 28. The sword is opposed unto peace, Mat. 10. 34. and living by the sword, meaneth the continuance of that trouble some state; as life, is opposed to momentany troubles, Psal. 30. 6. Contrariwise in Christs Kingdome, the swords are beaten into plow-shares, Esay 2. 4. thou serve] namely, in thy posteritie: for Esau in his person served not Iakob, but his children in Davids daies, 2 Sa. 8. 14. So before, that was spoken as to Abraham, which was properly accomplished to and in his seed, Gen. 12. 3. and 22. 18. and 15. 7. 18. shalt get the dominion,] or shalt get strength: and that shall bee, when Iakob shall for his sinnes, lose the dominion; as came to passe in the dayes of Iehoram son of Iehosaphat who did evill in the eyes of the Lord, 2 King. 8. 16. 18. 20. So both the Chaldee paraphrases say, when his sonnes shall transgresse the words of the law, thou shalt remove his yoke (the yoke of their servitude) from off thy necke. Otherwise (as the Hebrew word sometime signifieth to mourne, or be cast downe with sorrow, Psal. 55. 3.) it may bee interpreted, when thou shalt mourne, to weet, for that hard servitude. his yoke] the yoke of servitude, as the Ierusalemy Thargum explayneth it. So yoke also signifieth in Levit. 26. 13. Esay 9. 4. and 10. 17. Ier. 27. 8. 11. And Esau broke the yoke, when Edom rebelled from under the hand of Iudah, and made a King over themselves, 2 King. 8. 20. 22.
Vers. 41. hated] with an inward spitefull hatred, as the word signifieth, which sheweth his former teares to proceed not from true repentance. And in hating his brother for the blessing: hee shewed himselfe to bee of that wicked one, as was Kain, 1 Ioh. 3. 12. 15. This hatred continued also in his posterity, against Iakob, Obad. v. 10. 11. &c. for my father] the Hebrew phrase, as also the Greeke is, of my father; but the meaning is for my fathers death, as the like speeches otherwhere manifest, Ezek. 24. 17. Ier. 6. 26. and at burials they used to mourne seven daies, Gen. 50. 10. The Greeke translateth; Let the daies of my fathers mourning be nigh, that I may kill Iakob my brother: so making it a wish for his fathers speedy death; and the Hebrew also will bear that translation; yea his words are such, as may imply, not a stay till his fathers death, but that hee would with the first opportunity kill Iakob, and so his father would soone die with sorrow. Thus meaning, he would be a double parricide. And Rebekah with the first, sent Iakob away, to prevent danger.
Vers. 42. comforteth himselfe] in respect of his losse of the blessing, with this purpose and hope to kill thee. So the comfort of the wicked, is grounded on evill. The Greeke translateth, he threatneth thee, and the Chaldee, he layeth wayt for thee.
Vers. 43. flee thou] or, flee for thy selfe: and for thy safety. Here the blessing, brought speedy persecution and exile upon Iakob, which his mother counselled him in faith to undergoe, rather then for his life, to make accord with Esau, and to forgoe his first birthright now obtained.
Vers. 44 a few daies] these fell out to bee twenty yeeres: as the sequele of the history sheweth, Gen. 31. 38. and Rebekah saw him no more, as the Hebrew Doctors gather, by the time of her death, which they thinke was before Iakob came againe. See the notes on Gen. 35. 8.
Vers. 45. why should I be] the Greeke turneth it, lest I be bereaved: and she speaketh of the losse of them both, for that Esau for his murder, was also to be killed, by the law in Gen. 9. 6. or if man had not punished him, God might have cursed and cast him out, as he did Kain, Gen. 4. 11. 16. of Cheth] the Greeke saith, daughters of the sonnes of Cheth, the Chethites, whom Esau had maried, Gen. 26. 34. 35. This griefe, she tooke for an occasion also, to get Isaaks consent, unto Iakobs departure. of the land] that is, of the inhabitants of the land, whether Chethites, or any other of the Canaanites: see Gen. 11. 1. wherefore have I] that is, what good will my life doe me? meaning, none at all.