The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 3 · Section 32
SECT. XXXII.
JAcob being now perplexed with fear, by reaſon of that which his Sons had done to the Shechemites, and perhaps thinking to remove to ſome other place, the Lord appeared to him (whither by Viſion or Dream is uncertain,) and appointed him to go to Bethel, which was diſtant from Shechem Southward about 30 Engliſh miles, and to build there an Altar unto God, who appeared to him when he fled from the face of his Brother Eſau, (q)Ch. 27.43.thereby calling to his remembrance the gracious Promiſes which God had there made to him, and the Vow which he had there made to God, and poſſibly he had delayed to perform it, Ch. 28.22. And this Stone which I have ſet up for a Pillar ſhall be Gods Houſe, &c. Then Jacob being quickned by the late danger he was in, as likewiſe by the Lords appearing to him, and commanding him to go to Bethel to perform the Vow he had there made; He ſpake to thoſe of his own proper Family, and as 'tis like, to thoſe who appertain'd to him, and were of his Retinue, and pitched their Tents with him, to put away the ſtrange Gods *This He did in performance of that moſt material part of his Vow, Gen. 28.21. Then ſhall the Lord be my God.that were among them, that is, the Idols which other Nations worſhipped, but might not be indured among them that worſhipped the true God. Whether hereby he meant Laban's Gods, or Teraphim ſtolen by Rachel, and poſſibly not before this time known to him, or any other brought by ſome of his Retinue, when they came from Laban and Meſopotamia, (whom he perceived too much addicted to the Superſtitions of that Country) or ſome of the Shechemites Idols, poſſibly of Gold or Silver which they had lately plundered, and ſecretly kept, is uncertain. He commands them alſo to purifie or waſh themſelves, and to change their Garments, putting on others, or waſhing thoſe they had on; which external Rite or Ceremony was afterwards injoyned by the Law in divers Caſes, as we may ſee Levit. 15.13. Numb. 31.23. and imported a change of Mind and Manners, and a cleanſing themſelves from all filthineſs both of Fleſh and Spirit; which he intimates to them they ſtood in need of more eſpecially, not only by reaſon of their defilement by Idolatry, but in regard of their late baſe murder committed on the Shechemites. And having exhorted them to prepare and ſanctifie themſelves for that ſolemn Worſhip of God which he was to ſet up and exerciſe with his Family at Bethel; he now incourages them to go up with him thither, where he intended to perform his Vow formerly made in that place, [Ch. 28.17.] and to build an Altar to God, where before he had only erected a Pillar, about 27 years ago. Jacob's Family yielded a ready compliance to this his Injunction, and brought to him ſuch Idols as they had among them, and the Ear-Ornaments (r)Inſignia haec erant alicujus ſuperſtitionis dicata, ſcil. alicui fictitio numini, vide Exod. 32.2.or Rings, which probably they had plundered from the Shechemites, who had worn them in honour of their Idols, ſee Hoſea 2.13. And Jacob buried them under an Oak by Shechem, from the knowledge of his Family and People, that they might never be found or uſed again. Then he and his Company marched towards Bethel (formerly called Luz, Ch. 12, 8.) and the terrour of the Lord was upon the Cities that were round about them, that they did not purſue after them, nor deſtroy them, as they might have done. And he built there an Altar to ſacrifice thereon, where God appeared to him, when he fled from the face of his Brother Eſau. Jacob being now not far from his Father Iſaac's Houſe (whom in all likelihood he had often viſited before this, having been ſeven years at leaſt in Canaan ſince his return from Laban, and had frequent intercourſe with him.) I ſay, being near his Fathers Houſe, as it ſeems Deborah (s)Haec foemina annum ſaltem pertigit 162.Rebeccas Nurſe (ſee Ch. 24.59.) came from Iſaac's Houſe to viſit him, and there died, and with great mourning was buried under an Oak. God now appeared to Jacob again after he was come from Padan-Aram, (and this is the Seventh time that he had revealed himſelf to him in an eſpecial manner) and confirms the Name Iſrael to him a ſecond time [ſee Gen. 32.28.] And God ſaid unto him, I am God Almighty [ſee Ch. 17.1.] Be fruitful (t)God doth here ratifie his Father Iſaac's bleſſing, which he gave him when he fled into Meſopotamia, Ch. 28.3, 4.and multiply. A Nation, yea many Nations ſhall ſpring from thee; yea even Kings ſhall come out of thy Loins. The Land which I promiſed to Abraham and Iſaac, to thee will I give it, and to thy Poſterity, and not to Eſau. Then the Lord aſcended up to Heaven, vaniſhing out of his ſight. And Jacob ſet up a Pillar in this Place where the Lord had talked with him, as a perpetual Memorial of Gods goodneſs to him; The former which he ſet up there near thirty years before, being (in all likelihood) demoliſhed; and he poured a Drink-Offering and Oil thereon [ſee Gen. 28.18.] So that theſe were in uſe for Conſecration before the Ceremonial Law of Moſes. And he a ſecond time called the Name of the Place Bethel, or the Houſe of God. Jacob ſtayed not long here, but travailed from hence to Ephrath, or Bethlehem-Ephrata, [Mich. 5.2.] where our Saviour afterwards was born. His beloved Rachel, when they had almoſt reached the Place, fell in travail, and having exceeding hard labour (though the Midwife comforted her that ſhe ſhould have another Son, which ſhe accordingly brought forth,(u)Joſeph was now about 13 years of age when Benjamin was born. but immediately after finding her ſelf dying, and her Soul departing from her Body, ſhe called the Name of her Son Benoni, that is, the Son of my ſorrow. And thus ſhe died by bearing a Child, who before quarrelled with her Husband, and ſaid, Give me Children or elſe I die. But Jacob would not ſuffer ſuch a Name to be given to his Son, that might continually renew his ſorrow for the loſs of his dear Wife, and therefore called him Benjamin, that is, the Son of my right hand, intimating that he ſhould be his beloved Son, tenderly regarded by him, and always, as it were at his right hand. Jacob had now 12 Sons, all which are ſaid to born to him in Padan-Aram; that is, all beſides Benjamin by a Synechdoche. Afterwards when the 12 Tribes were accounted and ſetled, Ephrahim and Manaſſeh (the Sons of Joſeph) were put in, and Joſeph and Levi (in a ſort) left out, that is, Levi was left out as to having any Land by lot in Canaan. They are called the 12 Patriarchs, Acts 7.8. and the 12 Tribes, Acts 26.7. Their Names were ingraven on 12 pretious Stones on the High Prieſts Breaſt-Plate, Exod. 28.21, 29. And on the 12 Gates of the New Jeruſalem, Ezek. 48.31. Apoc. 21.12. Jacob buried Rachel in the way to Bethlehem-Ephrata, and ſet a Pillar (x)Pyramidem perelegantem fuiſſe ait Bochardus.or Monument upon her Grave, which continued unto Moſes's time, yea it ſtood in the time of Samuel and Saul, 1 Sam. 10.2. About this place many Infants were murdered by Herod, Math. 2.16. Jer. 31.15.
Then Iſrael (y)Here Jacob is called Iſrael the firſt time, according to Gods Command, v. 10.journeyed forward, and ſet up his Tents beyond the Tower of Edar, (z)Turrim gregis hic Paſtores excudebant. Luc. 2.8.a mile from Bethlehem *Where afterwards the Angels appeared to the Shepherds.towards the South, and there Reuben defil'd his Fathers Bed, lying with†So Abſolon ſinned with his Fathers Concubins, 2 Sam. 16.22. And as David abſtain'd from them afterwards, 2 Sam. 20.3. ſo 'tis likely Jacob did from Bilhah. Bilhah his Concubine. And Iſrael heard thereof, and was grieved at the very heart for it, becauſe thereby God was highly offended, his own Family diſhonoured, and Cauſe was given to the Heathen of great Scandal and Reproach. So that Jacob had reaſon on his Death-bed to complain of this foul Tranſgreſſion, and to deprive Reuben of his Birthright for it, 1 Chron. 5.1, 2. Gen. 49.4.
Gen. 35. from 1. to 23.