Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII.
1, Isaak blesseth Iakob, and sendeth him to Padan Aram for a wife, 9, Esau seeing it, marieth Machalath, the daughter of Ismael. 10, Iakob by the way hath a dreame and vision of a ladder, 13, God appearing, promiseth to blesse him, and bring him home againe. 16, Iakob awaking, and moved with reverence of the place, annointeth a stone set up for a pillar, and nameth the place Bethel, 20, and maketh a vow to honour God there, when he shall returne in peace.
ANd Isaak called Iakob, and blessed him: and commanded him, and said unto him; Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise goe to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel, thy mothers father: and take to thee a wife, from thence; of the daughters of Laban, thy mothers brother. And God Almighty, blesse thee; and make thee fruitfull, and multiply thee: and be thou an assembly of peoples. And he give to thee, the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee: that thou maist inherite the land of thy sojournings, which God gave unto Abraham. And Isaak sent-away Iakob, and he went to Padan Aram: unto Laban son of Bethuel, the Syrian; the brother of Rebekah, mother of Iakob and Esau. And Esau saw, that Isaak had blessed Iakob; and sent him to Padan Aram, to take unto him a wife from thence: when he blessed him, and commanded him, saying; thou shalt not take a wife, of the daughters of Canaan. And Iakob had obeyed his father and his mother: and was gone to Padan Aram. And Esau saw, that the daughters of Canaan were evill in the eyes of Isaak his father. Then went Esau, unto Ismael: and tooke Machalath daughter of Ismael, son of Abraham, the sister of Nebajoth, unto his wives, to him to wife.
foreign
And Iakob went-forth, from Beersheba: and went to Charran. And he lighted upon a place, and taried there all night, because the sunne was gone-downe; and he tooke of the stones of the place, and put for his pillowes: and lay-downe, in that place. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set-up on the earth, and the head of it, reaching to the heavens: and behold the Angels of God, ascending and descending on it. And behold Iehovah was standing above it, and said; I Iehovah the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaak: the land, that which thou lyest upon, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be, as the dust of the earth; and thou shalt spread-abroad, to the sea, and to the East, and to the North and to the south: and blessed shall be in thee, all families of the earth, and in thy seed. And behold I will be with thee, and will keepe thee, in all (the way) that thou shalt goe, and will returne thee againe, unto this land: for I will not leave thee, untill that I have done, that which I have spoken unto thee. And Iakob awaked, out of his sleepe; and he said. Surely Iehovah is, in this place: and I, knew it not. And he feared, and said; how fearefull, is this place? this is no other, but the house of God; and this is the gate of heavens. And Iakob rose-up-early in the morning; and took the stone, that he had put for his pillowes; and set it▪ for a pillar: and he powred oile, upon the head thereof. And hee called the name of that place, Bethel: but Luz was the name of the citie, at the first. And Iakob vowed a vow, saying: If God, will be with mee; and will keepe mee, in this way, which I am going; and will give me bread to eat, and rayment to put on. And I returne in peace, unto my fathers house: and Iehovah shall be to me a God. And this stone, which I have set for a pillar; shall be, the house of God: and of all, that thou shalt give to me; I will tithing givethe-tenth unto thee.
Annotations.
BLessed him] God hereby confirmed Iakobs faith, against doubts and feares, both of things past and to come, while his father now wittingly and willingly blesseth him, and comforteth him against future troubles, that might befall him in his pilgrimage. The Hebrew Doctors say. Better is the end of a thing, then the beginning thereof, (Eccles. 7, 8.) the first blessings where with Isaak blessed Iaakob, were of the dew of heaven, and corne of the earth. Gen. 27. 28. the after blessings, were blessings that had an eternall foundation, and had no end of them, either in this world, or in the world to come: as it is written, And God almightie blesse thee, (Gen. 28. 3. 4. and addeth moreover unto him, the blessing of Abraham. Pirkei R. Eliezer. ch. 35.
Vers. 2 Padan Aram] or Mesopotamia, as the Greeke turneth it: so vers. 5. 6. &c. see the notes on Gen. 25. 20. a wife,] The like care Abraham tooke, to provide a wife for Isaak, Gen. 24. But there, servants were sent with camels, and store of good things: here the son himselfe is sent on foot in poore estate, with his staffe, Gen. 32. 10. to serve for a wife, Hos. 12. 12. So great was the triall of Iakobs faith in this his pilgrimage, greater then all his fathers: and upon his inheriting of the blessing, there followed presently great afflictions.
Vers. 3. Almighty] or, Alsufficient; see Gen. 17. 1. an assembly] or, church, congregation, company, that is, a multitude of peoples, as, Ezek. 23, 24. I he Greeke translateth it synagogues (or assemblies) of nations, and the Chaldee, an assembly of tribes: respecting the twelve tribes that came of Iakob: Exod. 24. 4. This blessing, God promised at Bethel to performe unto Iakob, Gen. 48. 3. 4. and 35. 11.
Vers. 4. bessing of Abraham] which chiefly consisted in redemption frō the curse of the law, by forgivenesse of sinnes, and receiving the promise of the Spirit (of the adoption of children, and Sanctification) through faith in Christ, Gal. 3. 13. 14. 9. 29. Rom. 4. 7. 8. 13. &c. Here Iakob is made heyre of the blessing: so are all true Christians, 1 Pet. 3. 9. of thy sojournings] wherein thou art a sojourner and pilgrim, the land of Canaan. see Gen. 17. 8. gave to Abraham] to weet, by promise: of this gift, see Gen. 12. 7. and 13. 15. and 15. 7. 18. and 17. 8.
Vers. 5. Syrian] so the Greeke usually translateth it, which the new testament followeth, Luk. 4. 27. The Hebrew is, the Aramite: see Gen 10. 22.
Vers. 8. evill] that is, displeasing, grievous: so Gen. 48. 17. on the contrary, good, is for pleasing, Gen. 16. 6. 8.
Vers. 9. Ismael] that is, Ismaels family, or the Is maelites: for Ismael himselfe was now dead, Gen. 25. 17. See the notes on Gen. 19. 37. Machalath] called also Basemath, Gen. 36. 3. he tooke her, (being of his kinred,) to please his father; though neither according to Gods will, nor his fathers. So the wicked would seeme to amend one evill, by running into another. of Nabajoth] that is, of the same mother that Nebajoth (Ismaels eldest sonne) was. unto his] that is, besides and unto the two Canaanitish wives which hee already had Gen. 26. 34. so now he had three wives.
foreign Here beginneth the seventh section of Moses law, whereof see the annotations on Gen. 6. 9. Which section when it is lesse absolute, the Hebr. call Parasha, a distinction; and signifie it by a threefold P: but when it is more full and absolute, foreignthey name it Seder, an Order, and denote it by a threefold S *foreignas in this place.
Vers. 10. Charan] of which place, see Gen. 11. 31. It was distant from Beersheba, almost 500 English miles. And Iakob was now about 77. yeeres of age, when hee undertooke this pilgrimage, as may be gathered by the historie following, and by Gen. 47. 9. Of which journey, the prophet after speaketh, how Iakob fled into the land of Syria, and Israel served for a wise, Hos. 12. 12. So the afflictions of the fathers, are examples unto the children in all ages, even whatsoever is written: Rom. 4. 23. 24. and 15. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 11. Of Iakobs age, the Rabbines also say, Seventy and seven yeeres old was Iakob, when he departed from his fathers house, Pirkei R. Eliezer. ch. 35.
Vers. 11. he lighted upon,] or happened, met with, by Gods providence, not of his owne purpose or choise; who would have gone further, ha dnot night prevented him: and made no reckning of this place, above any other. It was about 48 English miles distant from Beersheba, whence Iakob came: and from Ierusalem 8. miles northward. pillowes] or head bolster: so in 1 Sam. 26. 7. The Greeke translateth, at his head. As this pillow of Iakob, sheweth his hard distresse for the present in body: so Gods appearing and word here revealed, manifesteth the comforts and refreshing of the spirit, which the faithfull have in their afflictions and pilgrimage. Hos. 12. 4. Gen. 35. 7. 2 Cor. 1. 5. See after, on vers. 18.
Vers. 12. dreamed] a divine dreame, such as in times past God used to speak unto men by, Iob 33. 14. 15. Dan. 7. 1. and so hee usually spake unto the Prophets, as it is sayd, If there bee a Prophet among you, I Iehovah, will make my selfe knowne unto him in a vision, will speake unto him in a dreame: Num. 12. 6. See the notes on Gen. 15. 12. ladder,] representing Christ, the sonne of man, on whom the Angels of God, ascend and descend, Ioh. 1. 51. applyed now in speciall to Iakob, and his journey, as followeth in verse 13. 15. The Hebrew Doctors say; The things made knowne to a Prophet by propheticall vision, were made knowne unto him by way of parable: and immediately, the interpretation of the parable, was written in his heart, and he knew what it was. As the Ladder which Iakob our father saw, and the Angels ascending and descending on it. And that was a parable of the (foure) monarchies. Maimony in Misn. in Iesud. hatorah, ch. 7. S. 3. Other Rabbines also apply this vision to the monarchies in Daniel; but our Saviour is the best interpreter, Iohn 1. 51. on the earth] signifying Christs humane nature, and conversing with men, Iohn 16. 28. and 17. 4. the heavens] signifying Christs heavenly nature, and mediation for men with God, Heb. 8. 1. and 9. 24. By whom all things are reconciled unto God, and both the things in earth, and things in heaven, are set at peace through the blood of his crosse, Col. 1. 20. He is the way, no man commeth to the Father, but by him: Ioh. 14. 6. ascending, &c.] that is, looking with desire into the mysteries of Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 12. ministring unto him, and through him unto his people, Mark. 1. 13. Heb. 1. 14. and now in speciall, guarding Iakob from all perills in his journey: Gen. 32. 1. 2.
Vers. 13. Iehovah] whose providence and grace is towards his in Christ. The Chaldee translateth it, the glory of the Lord. God of Abraham, &c.] See Gen. 17. 7. He is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a citie, Heb. 11. 16. Hereby also the resurrection of the dead, was taught unto Iakob; God calling himselfe no lesse the God of Abraham (now dead to the world) then of Isaak now living: for Abraham also was alive unto him, Luk 20. 37. 38. to thy seed] that is, as the Chaldee expounds it, to thy sonnes: when as yet he had no child, (as is noted of Abraham, Acts 7. 5.) nor wife. Here God confirmeth to Iakob, the blessing of Abraham, which his father Isaak had bequeathed unto him, before in v. 3. 4. And as the former, so this promise also was spirituall, to be accomplished by Christ in whom (under the name of David) God promiseth, that his people should dwell in the land, that he gave unto Iakob his servant, Ezek. 37. 24. 25. So the ladder which Iakob saw, should be for him (besides this earthly voyage) to climbe by, unto his heavenly countrey, and inheritance eternall; Heb. 11. 14. 16. and 9. 15. So after, in Gen. 35. 11. 12.
Vers. 14. the dust] that is, innumerable: see Gen. 13. 16. and 32. 12. So Balaam said, who can count the dust of Iakob Numb. 23. 20. In Gen. 32. 12. for dust, is said sand of the sea. The Chaldee here translateth, thy sonnes shall be multiplyed as dust. spread-abroad] Heb. breakeforth: that is, greatly increase and suddenly spread abroad. So the word is also used in Exod. 1. 12. Gen. 30. 30. 43. 1 Chron. 4. 38. The Greeke translateth it, inlarge; the Chaldee, prevaile. It is a Prophesie of the spreading of the Church, through all parts of the world. the sea] that is, as the Chaldee expounds it, the west: see Gen. 12. 8. all families] So the promise unto Iakob, pertaineth also to us, who may say with the Prophet, God found him in Bethel, and there hee spake with us: Hos. 12. 4. And it implyeth the blessing of eternal life. and in thy seed] that is, Christ: see Gen. 22. 18. and 12. 3. And, may here bee taken for That is to say; for it explaineth the former promise. See the notes on Gen. 13. 15.
Vers. 15. I will be with thee] The like promise God made at his returne, Gen. 31. 3. which Iakob understood thus, I will doe thee good, Gen. 32. 9. The Chaldee translateth it, my word shall be thy helpe. See Exod. 33, 15. 16. Mat. 28. 20. Gen. 46. 4. all the way] so the Greeke expresseth the word way, here wanting; expressed also elsewhere in the Hebrew, Gen. 35. 3. And here the vision of the Ladder, (Christ,) is applyed to his present case & journey: for God giving his Sonne, doeth with him give all things also, Ro. 8. 32. & godlinesse hath the promise of the life present, and that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4. 8. not leave thee,] This taught Iakob to repose confidence in God, being content with things present: the like is spoken to us all, Heb. 13. 5.
Vers. 16. Iehovah is] The Chaldee paraphraseth, the glory of the Lord dwelleth in this place.
Vers. 17. this is, &c.] The Chaldee addeth, this is no common (or private) place, but a place wherein God taketh pleasure, and over against this place, is the gate of heaven. This place represented the Church of Christ, called the house of God, 1 Tim. 3. 15. which oftentimes is, where men are not aware of it, Rev. 12. 6. Iohn 1. 46. where the Ladder Christ standeth, Matt. 18. 20. Rev. 14. 1. and where his servants see and serve him, Rev. 22. 3. 4. VntoUnto which (as to the gate of heaven) the Lord bringeth such as shall bee saved, to walke in the light of it; Acts 2. 47. Rev. 21. 24.
Vers. 18. the stone] either stone, is here put for stones, (as in Gen. 3. 2. tree, for trees,) or, that before in ver. 11. of the stones; is meant some one of them: sec Gen. 46. 23. a pillar] or statue, that is, a monument or title erected and standing up: This was here for a religious signe, as altars also were, Esay 19. 19. and Iakob did the like afterward, Gen. 35. 14. But when the Law was given by Moses, no pillars might any more be set up, Lev. 26. 1. Hos. 10. 1. but all such as the heathens had erected, were to be broken downe; Deut. 7. 5. and 12. 3. There were also pillars for civill monuments, Gen. 35. 20. 2 Sam. 18. 18. oile] to anoint and consecrate it for holy use: as after in the law, there was an anointing oile, for to sanctifie the tabernacle, altar, laver, and all other things used in Gods service, Exod. 40. 9. 10. 11. &c. So after Iakob powred both a drinke offring, and oile upon his pillar, Gen. 35. 14. Which oyle, represented the anoynting of the Holy Ghost upon Christ and his people, Psal. 45. 8. 1 Iohn 2. 20. 27. both which are also compared unto living stones, 1 Pet. 2. 4. 5. And the Hebrew Doctors commenting upon this place, in Bresith rabbah, doe make this stone to signifie the Messias.
Vers. 19. Bethel] that is by interpretation, The house of God, as verse 17. and so the Greeke here also translateth it. And upon this ancient religious use of this place, which God himselfe approved of, Gen. 35. 1. it seemeth Ieroboam set up there the monument of his strange worship, which turned to him to sinne, 1 King. 12. 28. 29. 30. wherefore the Prophets changed the name from Beth-el, Gods house, to beth-aven, the house of iniquity, (or of anidol) Hos. 4. 15. Of Luz see Gen. 30. 37.
Vers. 20. Uowed] that is, promised to God: for a vow, is an holy or religious promise, made therfore with prayers, as this place sheweth, and Psal. 61. 6. Iudg. 11. 30. 31. and payed with thanksgiving, Psal. 65 2. and 66. 13. 14. See more in the law of vowes, Lev. 27. and the annotations there. If God,] that is prayerwise, O that God would be with me; and in way of promise, When God shall have been with me, &c. For, a vow, implyeth both prayer and promise, as before is noted. And the Hebrew Im, that is, If, is used in prayers, as is noted on Gen. 24. 42. if thou bee, &c. It signifieth also, when, as in 1 Sam. 15. 17. Therefore one Prophet saith, If a man shall sinne, 2 Chron. 6. 22. another (relating the same) saith, When a man. So the Evangelists, one writeth, If thine eye be single, Matt. 6. 21. another, when thine eye is single, Luke 11. 34. with me] this respecteth the first part of that promise of God in v. 15. keepe me] as the second part of Gods promise was, v. 15. give me bread, &c.] this respecteth the fourth thing promised in ver. 15. I will not leave thee, which taught him contentation, Heb. 13. 5. and Iakob void of covetousnesse, desireth but food and raiment; wherewith wee all should likewise be content, 1 Tim. 6. 8.
Vers. 21. returne] this respecteth the third part of Gods promise, in ver. 15. So Iakobs vow, was grounded in all points, upon the word and promise given him: to teach us how to vow, and pray unto the Lord. and Iehovah] or then Iehovah: for this may be the first part of Iakobs vow or promise againe to God, whom he would in faith and reverence constantly professe to be his God, that is, author of his welfare and salvation. And this respecteth Gods spirituall worship. Though it may also be meant on Gods part, as are the former branches, and respect the promises made in v. 13. and 14.
Vers. 22. the house of God] that is, a place of Gods worship; as the Chaldee expoundeth, whereupon I will serve before the Lord. This Iakob after performed, when he built there an altar, Gen 35. 7. And this respected Gods outward service. tithing give] that is, surely give the tenth. A signe also of homage and subjection unto God: which therefore was given to the priests of the Lord; see Gen. 14. 20. and the law for tithes, in Lev. 27. Numb. 18. Deut. 14. 22. 23. &c.