The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 3 · Section 30
SECT. XXX.
JAcob now approaching near to his Brother Eſau, he marſhalled his Company in this manner: In the Fore-front he placed the Hand-Maids and their Children, next Leah and her's, then Rachel and Joſeph, (placing that which was deareſt to him furtheſt off from danger): and before all he marches himſelf in Perſon, truſting in God. Coming now in ſight of his Brother (who came magnificently attended with a Train of 400 men) he bowed himſelf ſeven times (z)Ut tam inuſitatâ humilitate animum ferocem frangeret.to the ground, at ſeveral diſtances, and coming up near to him, Eſau (whoſe heart now God had wonderfully altered) ran to meet him, and imbracing him, fell on his Neck and kiſſed him. They both wept for joy(a)Ch. 29.11. & 56.29. Luk. 15.20. Prov. 16.7. V. 5. Sine dubio uxores etiam indicavit, licet brevitatis Cauſa, ut multa taceat ſcriptura. to ſee one another after ſo long an abſence. After their mutual embracings were over Jacob's Wives and Children came near, bowing themſelves to the ground. Eſau ask'd him, Whoſe thoſe were that came with him? He anſwered, They are my Wives, and the Children that God hath graciouſly given thy Servant. He asked him then, What he meant by theſe great Flocks he had met? Jacob tells him, He ſent them to teſtifie his Reſpects to him, and that he might find grace in his ſight. Eſau replied, alas, My Brother, I have much wealth; I have enough; (b)Obſervant quidam in Eſaui ſermone laconiſmum imperioſum nec ullam Dei factam mentionem, contra quidem in Jacobi. Eſau owns not God as the giver of it, as Jacob did.why ſhouldſt thou deprive thy ſelf of what thou haſt gotten? But Jacob anſwered, nay I pray thee accept my Preſent, for I have ſeen thy face as though I had ſeen the face of an Angel; (c)Vox Elohim interdum pro Angelis uſurpatur. Vid. Pſ. 8.5. Ita ſenſus eſt, vultus tuus tam ſerenus & gracioſus mihi apparuit quam vultus Angeli.that is, It is unſpeakably comfortable to me that thou art pleas'd with me, and ſo kind and friendly unto me; therefore I pray thee accept of what I have preſented thee with, it being of that wherewith God hath graciouſly bleſſed me.(d)Eſau owns not God as the giver of all, as Jacob did. For he hath dealt very graciouſly and bountifully with me, and of his goodneſs I have all (e)Omnia mihi ſuppetunt nulla re indigeo. Vat.things needful, and am abundantly ſupplied. Eſau after much intreaty accepts of his Preſent, and offers with his Company to Conduct him on in his Journey. But Jacob civilly refuſed that kindneſs, repreſenting to him that his Children were tender, and many of the Cattel with young, and therefore they muſt not be over-driven for fear of danger to them. Therefore, ſays he, let my Lord be pleaſed with his Train to go before, and I will ſoftly follow after, as my Company and my Flocks are able to bear; and as ſoon as conveniently I can I will come and wait upon my Lord at Seir. (f)And it is probable that Jacob with a few of his Servants, did ſhortly after give him a viſit at Seir, and ſtaid there a while; for 'tis not like that he would ſo ſoon by ſo manifeſt a contempt or neglect, provoke afreſh his new reconciled Brother.Eſau then offered to leave ſome of his men with him, to guard him. But Jacob humbly told him there was no need of it, and therefore he would not give him or his people that trouble. Eſau thereupon took his leave of him, and marched to Seir, the place where he dwelt, and Jacob kept on his way till he came to Succoth, (as it was afterwards called) where he built(g)But before He did this, 'tis probable He went to viſit his aged Father Iſaac, and then returned to Succoth. him an Houſe, (that is, ſome ſlight building for preſent uſe) and made Booths for his Cattel; and then paſſing over Jordan, he pitched his Tent before Shalem, a City of the Sychemites, afterwards called Sychar, [John 4.5.] And here he bought a piece of Land for his preſent uſe (as Abraham did the Field of Machpelah, Gen. 23.17, 18.) of the Children or Subjects of Hamor, Shechem's Father, (the Prince of the Country) for an 100 Lambs, or an 100 pieces of Silver, (bearing the Figure or Impreſſion of a Lamb. *Pecunia a pecude.See Joſ. 24.32. Acts 7.16.) and here(h)This was the portion of Land which Jacob, on his Death-bed in Egypt, gave to his Son Joſeph, Gen. 48.22. and here it was that Chriſt had a Conference with the woman of Samaria, Joh. 4.5. And here was Jacob's Well near Mount Gerizim. he built an Altar and called it The Altar of God, the God of Iſrael, which he erected in a pious and grateful Memorial of Gods favour in giving him (according to his new Name) power not only to prevail with Himſelf for a Bleſſing, but with his Brother Eſau alſo, to divert his wrath. And this Altar was built in the ſelf ſame place where Abraham before had built his firſt Altar, Gen. 12.6, 7.
Gen. 33. whole Chapter.