An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 12 · Verse 12
VER. 12.
And Jacob fled into the Country of Syria, and Iſrael ſerved for a Wife, and for a Wife he kept Sheep.
GOD by the Prophet here brings in Jacob further, he had ſpoken of him before (you know) about his wraſtling with God and prevailing, and ſtill the Prophet cannot get off from this, about Jacob, becauſe he ſaw that the people of Iſrael when they were charged with their Scope. 1.ſins, and threatned with the anger of God, they ſtill had recourſe to Jacob their father, and thought becauſe they were the ſeed of Jacob, therefore God would not deal ſo ſeverely with them; therefore ſtill the Prophet ſeeks to take them off from ſuch a kind of Reaſoning. And Jacob fled into the Country of Syria.
As if he ſhould ſay thus, You pride your ſelves in your Expoſ.Father JACOB; yea, but conſider in what a mean condition Jacob was, and if there hath come any priviledg to you by being the ſeed of Jacob, it is the meer free Grace of God, and not from any excellency there was in your Father Jacob. He would take off the conceit of the excellency there was in their Father Jacob, for whoſe worthineſs they thought that God ſurely would not forſake his poſterity, though they were very wicked: as if he ſhould ſay, Conſider what a poor condition your Fa▪ Jacob was in.
Firſt, He was a poor exile, he was fain to fly for his Iacob's mean condition.life, even from his fathers houſe; And then when he did fly, he fled to his Uncle, and what was he there? a poor Servant, he liv'd in two hard Apprentiſhips (as it were) he found his Uncle Laban to be a very hard Maſter to him for ſeven yeers, and for ſeven yeers after that behav'd himſelf roughly and ridgedly with him, and changing his wages often, and carrying himſelf very proudly and haughtely towards him; ſaith he, Do not forget the meanneſs of Jacob, he fled thus: And there he would have a Wife, and when he had a Wife, He had no dowry, but be was fain to ſerve, for his condition was ſo low and mean. That's the firſt end why the Prophet brings in Jacob here again, to take them off from too high a conceit of Jacob their Father, that they ſhould not reſt themſelves in him, nor pride themſelves in his excellency.
Secondly, It is for this end, That he might ſhew what Scope. 2.their Father Jacob was, how unlike to him they who were of his poſterity were, for he was patient and humble under long and hard afflictions, as if he ſhould ſay, He was content to ſerve, and be in a low and mean condition, but you are proud and haughty, you can bear nothing, but be high and brave, and muſt ſute your ſelves with other Nations; your Father JACOB was content to ſerve a long time for a Wife, ſeven years, and ſeven yeers again, and went on in a humble and patient way, and kept cloſe to God all that while, it's not ſo with you who are his poſterity.
Thirdly, He brings in the example of Jacob, to ſhew Scope, 3.how wonderful the providence of God was towards him, in carrying him to his Uncles houſe, and providing there for him, in protecting of him againſt his Uncle Laban, is raiſing of his eſtate, for he went over with his ſtaff in his hand, but the Lord raiſed him to be two Bands; The providence of God was that towards your father Jacob, as if the Prophet ſhould ſay, You ſpeak of your Father Jacob, Oh that you would but conſider of him, to be as he was, to be patient, and humble under Gods hand, and wait upon Gods providence to work good for you▪ no, but you will be providing and ſhifting for your ſelves, and you dare not truſt to God as your father Jacob did, and thus you ſee the ſcope why the Prophet brings in Jacob.
But this will not ſuffice for the opening of this notable A further Expoſit. of the Text.Scripture, we muſt have ſome reference to the ſtory this Scripture is taken out of. You ſhall find the ſtory of Jacob's flying into Syria, in Gen. 28. 2. and then there's a ſecond ſtory in Gen. 29. about the 15. For this verſe hath two ſtories in it, the ſtory of his flying into Syria, from the houſe of his father Iſaac to Labans houſe; and then the ſtory of his ſerving for his Wives, thoſe two ſeven yeers.
Now for the Firſt, you ſhall find matter of much inſtruction.Iacob's flight into Syria.
The Firſt ſtory of his flying into Syria, it was for two ends; That was the Firſt to fly for his life, becauſe Eſau 1.did threaten the life of Jacob, and by the counſel of his Mother he fled to his Uncle Labans, until the wrath of Eſau ſhould be appeaſed.
Yea, but there was a Second Reaſon. God made advantage 2.of that flight of his. As many times God is pleaſed to turn the flights of his people to abundance of good unto them, they may fly becauſe of the danger of their Enemies, and they may think that if they can but have their lives for a prey, if they can avoid the danger of the Enemy it will do well; yea, but God may have a further end and intend abundance of good to them, that they ſhall find more mercy in that place where they fly Note.but to get a ſhelter for their lives, than ever they had in all their lives before; many that have fled from perſecution of ungodly men, they have found greater mercy in the place they have fled unto, though they have fled from their Fathers houſe, and from their own Country, yet they have found greater mercies there than ever they did in all their lives, they can tell great ſtories of the mercies of God unto them in the places of their flight. So it was here with Jacob; that was one end of God that he ſhould fly, that he might provide a Wife for himſelf out of his Mothers kindred, for ſo he was charged, you ſhall find in the ſtory of Gen. 28. that he was charged there by his Father to get a Wife of the Daughters of Laban. And now obſerve it in Gen. 28. 3. ver. when as Jacob did thus fly into Syria, becauſe Iſaac did ſee that he was like to endure How Iſaac ſent Iacob away. 1a great deal of trouble and affliction in this his flight, Iſaac doth renue the bleſſing upon him. And thus God doth uſe to do when he ſees his people to be in ſuch a way wherein they are like to ſuffer ſore and hard afflictions, the Lord prepares them by renewing his bleſſing upon them, by a freſh manifeſtation of himſelf unto them, and the renewing of Gods bleſſing is enough to Note.carry a man or woman through abundance of afflictions, for that did help much to carry Jacob through all his afflictions.
Further, Obſerve in the Second place, when Iſaac 2.ſent Jacob away, he ſent him away in a very mean condition, without any ſuch proviſion as Abrahams ſervant was ſent with when he went to ſeek a Wife for Iſaac, we reade in Gen. 24. 10. where Abraham ſent his ſervant to find out a Wife for his ſon Iſaac, Abraham ſent him with a great deal of proviſion, with ten Camels, and with Earings, and Bracelets, and the like; but Jacob is ſent away to ſeek for a Wife, and ſent with a ſtaff in his hand.
If it be ſaid, That this is the reaſon why he was Why ſent away ſo meanly.ſent ſo meanly, that it was for privacie, becauſe he would not be diſcovered in regard of the rage of Eſau.
Though that might be a reaſon of his firſt going away 1.in ſo mean a condition, yet that could not be the reaſon why Iſaac ſhould not ſend after him afterwards, for we never reade that Iſaac ſent any ſervant after him, but ſent him away with his ſtaff in his hand, having only the bleſſing of God upon him; Therefore it is more probable this, That God did mean to train up Jacob in a low 2. The chief reaſon.condition, in an eſtate of affliction, to train him up to patience, and humility, and in dependance upon God.
Well then, he goes to Laban, he flies to Syria: that is, to his Uncle Laban, when he comes there he ſerves him, yea, he was a Servant to him for twenty yeers together in a low condition, ſo you find it in Gen. 31. 38. he ſaith there, He had ſerved him twenty yeers, and in all this time he found Laban, though his kinſman, very rough to him; as many times yong people coming to their kindered find them very rough and hard towards them. Laban was very churliſh towards him: and very Kindred.falſe to him, yet Jacob goes on and endures all the heat of the day, and the cold of the night, and Iſaac his Father was alive all this while, and yet we never reade that Iſaac ſent to him all this time, a thing much to be wondered at, there was never any intercourſe that I read of between his Father Iſaac and him all this while, but lives from his Father, though his Father, a rich man and a great man, and yet he goes on in a humble, patient, and quiet way, depending upon God to make an iſſue out of all his ſufferings, and God did at length make a very glorious iſſue out of all, though Laban uſed him hardly. Now being Iſaac's ſon and he had the bleſſing, one would have thought that Laban ſhould have been willing to have beſtowed a daughter upon him, nay but he ſerves for a Wife, and when he had ſerved him, yet he was deceived with a Leah, which was a very great injury to Jacob, Laban urged her upon him; and it's a very great part of roughneſs, and ridgedneſs, and cruelty in Guardians, or Parents, or any that have the Government Parents or Guardians may not force Wives or Husbands upon Children.of others, to force Wives upon them for their own private advantage, to force Wives upon their Children or Kindred, thoſe matches ſeldom come to good; though God turned this to good, yet I ſay they do ſeldom come to good, theſe forced matches, it's that which is the undoing of many men and women, yong women to be ſo uſed: but Jacob ſaw no remedy, Fulfill her week, Gen. 29. 27. Expoundedthat is, the week of the Feſtivity of her Marriage, that is, confirm this match firſt; he would have had that Wife that he had ſerved for, nay ſaith Laban, confirm this Note. Marriage founded on conſent.match, for Laban knew that except he had willingly afterwards gone in to her, he had not been bound to her as a Husband, but Laban would have him make ſure and own her for his Wife, and then we will agree together, you ſhall ſeve ſerven yeers more for Rachel, and you ſhal have her; but now theſe ſeven yeers that he ſerved for Rachel we muſt not underſtand ſo as if Laban did keep Rachel from Jacob til he had ſerved that other ſeven yeers, as if Jacob had not married with Rachel before fourteen yeers was at an end, no, he did but fulfill the week of Leah, and then Laban gave Rachel unto him, upon condition, yet that he ſhould afterwards ſerve ſeven yeers likewiſe for Rachel, for ſo it's plain that which was requir'd of him; and as an evident demonſtration that Rachel was given to Jacob before the ſeven yeers were out, it appears plainly, if you reade the ſtory you ſhall find that Leah had no children until Rachel was married to Jacob, and yet all the twelve Tribes were born to him within the compaſs of twenty yeers that he was with Laban; Now if the firſt born had been after the fourteen yeers ſervice, it could not poſſibly be, that all of them ſhould be born after, for we find in the ſtory that Leah had four children one after another, and then left off bearing, and then ſhe gave Zilpah to Jacob, who bare two ſons, there was ſix of them; and after that Leah had another Son, and a Daughter, and all this before Rachel had any children; ſo that it muſt needs be underſtood that Rachel was given to Jacob as the firſt ſeven yeers, yet he ſerved two ſeven yeers for theſe two Wives.
Now the Lord was pleaſed to turn this to a great deal of good, though it was hard ſervice and bondage, yet theſe two Wives that Jacob ſerved ſo long for, they were made the two greateſt inſtruments of good that ever had been in the Church before, or ever ſince, but only the Virgin that brought forth Chriſt; for by theſe two was the houſe of Iſrael built up, Twelve Tribes came of them, and thoſe that they gave unto Jacob; but the holy Ghoſt reckons the building up by theſe two, and the bleſſing that was wont to be upon a married condition, it was taken from theſe two, in a kind of proverbial way; in Ruth, 4. 11. the Elders ſaid to Boaz, The Lord make the woman that is come into thine houſe, like Rachel, and like Leah, which two did build the houſe of Iſrael: ſo that this was the common bleſſing in a married condition, the Lord make this woman like Rachel, and like Leah that built the houſe of Iſrael.
Why like theſe two, rather than Sarah?Queſt. Anſw.
It is from hence, Becauſe they built up the houſe of Iſrael, and all that came from them were of the Church, Oh it is a great bleſſing in a married condition to build What is the bleſſing in a married condition,up the houſe of God, that's the bleſſing in a married condition; though thou ſhouldeſt ſerve hardly for a Wife, yet if God makes thy marriage ſo bleſſed to thee, as thou comeſt to build up the Church of God by thy marriage, that's a bleſſed marriage; and thoſe that are married, in their prayers, ſhould pray to God for ſuch a bleſſing, and their friends ſhould pray to God for ſuch a bleſſing, Oh Which they ſhould pray for.that the Lord would make this woman, and my Wife, ſo to be a builder up of the houſe of Iſrael.
But for further Notes upon this. Jacob fled, and ſerved Obſ. 1.for a Wife. From the ſcope of the Prophets bringing this in here, we may … ▪ That ſuch as pride themſelves in their Anceſtors, ſhould … back to the mean condition of their Anceſtors; ſome are very high in their conceits, becauſe they have ſuch and ſuch to be their Anceſtors, it may be two or three degrees off they were great, but look but half a dozen degrees off and they were but mean Trades-men, Let the Nobility & Gentry note.or Yeomen in the Country; here the Prophet would take off their pride from priding in their Anceſtors; it is [Plato ſaid all Kings came from Plow-men, and all Plow-men from Kings]a great vanity for any to pride themſelves in their Anceſtors, becauſe ſome of them are great and rich by ſome providence or other they think themſelves out beyond the common ſort of mankind, they look upon others under them in a mean contemptible way; Look unto the Rock from whence ye are hewen.
But Secondly, Patience and humility, and dependence upon Obſ. 2.God in times of long continued afflictions, doth much commend the Grace of God in any: I ſay, when any ſhall be patient and humble, and depending upon God, in times of long affliction, this much cōmends the Grace of God in them.
Oh! let me commend this Note of Obſervation to any of you that have hard Services: If I were to ſpeak to a Applic. 1. To Servants that are in hard ſervice.Congregation of Apprentiſes, that had hard Services, and rough Maſters, and cruel Miſtriſſes, and though it may be a ruin to them, do not fret and vex, do not be deſperat, do not fling off and ſay, Why ſhould I bear ſuch ſervices? Do not grow into any deſperat moods, to go and ſeek your fortunes (as they uſe to ſay) many yong men have undone themſelves through the roughneſs of their Maſters and Miſtriſſes to them in their Apprentiſhips, and though the evil will be upon themſelves, yet God will require this at their Maſters & Miſtriſſes hand; And this is a ſign that there is no fear of God, that becauſe they are in hard ſervices, that therfore they ſhould go to take deſperat courſes; you ſee it may be your Brother or Siſter hath an excellent ſervice, they have liberty, and better wages, and better proviſion than you have, yet ſeeing God in his providence hath diſpoſed of you to ſuch a hard ſervice, look up to God, and wait upon God to work good through this ſervice, God may intend good unto you in this ſervice more than you are aware of, and as for any of you that are come out of hard ſervices, look 2. To thoſe that are out.back to the ſervices that you have had, and conſider, How did you behave your ſelves in thoſe hard ſervices; Are you the ſeed of Jacob? if you be, though your ſervice have been hard, yet you ſhould go on patiently, and humbly, and depending upon God as Iacob. did: and God will remember this for good to you afterwards. Yea but now, did not you behaue your ſelves proudly and ſtubbornly, and ſo make your ſervice ſo much the more hard, by provoking your Governors? Oh! look back to theſe things, and conſider how far you are from being of the diſpoſition of Iacob, that you pro…ſs to be your father. Many Apprentiſes in their hard ſervices have don that that they have cauſe to repent of afterwards. He ſerved for a Wife.
Firſt, the Note is, That Love will carry through long ſervice. Obſ. 1.Love is aſhamed to complain of difficulties. Oh! ſo it wouid be if we loved God; do not complain of the ſervice of God to be difficult.
The Second is this, That a good Wife is a great bleſſing of Obſ. 2.God, though ſhe hath no portion; though a man ſerve for her, yet it is a great bleſſing of God, there is a more ſpecial mercy of God there than there is in giving men an Eſtate: he ſerved long, and long, even for a Wife
Luther upon the place, ſpeaks much about the bleſſing Non tam longo tempore ſervivit Jaacob ut haberet Socium vitae, cum qua perpetuò rixaretur, tanquam ſcholam omniū virtutem Matrimonium cupidè ingreſſus eſt. Luth. in ….in Marriage, and of a good Wife. Saith he, Certainly Iacob did not ſerve ſo long that he might have a Companion of his life, with whom there ſhould be nothing but railing, ſcolding and wrangling; no, but he look'd upon an eſtate of Marriage at the School of all Vertue, for ſo ſhould a married eſtate indeed be.
And then further, another Note that is very obſervable, He ſerved theſe two ſeven years. This may be one ground why Iacob ſerved ſo long for a Wife, and a ſpecial ground why, Becauſe that he had a charge from his father. Iſaac, to take a Wife in La…'s family, and therefore Why Iacob ſerved the other 7. years for R… ▪he would rather ſerve ſeven years, and ſeven years after that to have a Wife from him, than to go to ſeek a Wife any other where, in obedience to the charge of his Father.
Luther in his Comment upon this very Scripture, he doth much urge that very Note, That Children ſhould be Obſ. 3.obedient to their Parents in their matches, and take heed of matching againſt their Parents conſent. If you profeſs your ſelves to be of the ſeed of Jacob (for ſo the godly are ſet out in Scripture) be like unto your Father Jacob in this, In being obedient to your parents in your matches; there is no greater diſobedience in the world, than the diſobedience of a Child in the caſe of marriage, in the A childs great diſobedience.flinging off of the yoke of ſubjection to your Parents in this kind. Luther urges this exceeding much from hence. Civil Laws require the conſent of Parents in all Lawful 1.marriages; and ſo the Authority of ſacred Scripture declares to us that thoſe marriages have been ever happy 2.that have been with the conſent of their Parents: And again (ſaith he) experience doth teſtifie that thoſe marriages 3.have been for the moſt part unhappy that have been without conſent of Parents; certainly the bleſſing of God is not upon them; you may to ſatisfie your luſts, think to pleaſe your ſelves for a week or two, but it's juſt with God that you ſhould live miſerably all your daies, that make no more conſcience of diſobedience to your Parents in your matches. And any of you that are here preſent, if you be guilty this way, know that the Lord rebukes you this day, and you are taught to go alone, and humble your ſelves, and to bewail that ſin of yours, which is certainly a very great ſin, and you had need both Huſband and Wife together, both faſt and pray to get away the guilt of that ſin, that ſo you may have a bleſſing upon your married eſtate, and upon your poſterity, without which you cannot expect it; therefore did Jacob ſerve thus that he might be obedient to his Father Iſaac, which did charge him to go and take a Wife in that place. And thus much for that Twelfth Verſe. It follows;