A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Genesis · Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXV.
Verſ. 1. ANd God ſaid, Ariſe, go up to Bethel.]
Bethel was diſtant from Shechem Southward about thirty Engliſh miles. Now Jacob being at this time perplexed with fear becauſe of that which his ſonnes had done to the Shechemites, and perhaps adviſing with himſelf about removing to ſome other place, the Lord appeared to him, and appointed him to go up to Bethel, and to build there an Altar unto God that appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother Eſau, thereby calling to his remembrance the gracious promiſes which God had there made to him, and the vow which he there had made to God, chap. 28. 22. And this ſtone which I have ſet for a pillar ſhall be Gods houſe; and of all that thou ſhalt give me, I will ſurely give the tenth unto thee.
Verſ. 2. Then Jacob ſaid unto his houſhold.]
That is, not onelyonly to them of his own proper houſe or family, but alſo to all that were of his retinue, that pitched their tents with him, and as appertaining to him, ſtill removed whither he removed; of which there might be a great number, ſervants born in the houſe and bought with money, Gen. 14. 14. And when Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained ſervants, born in his own houſe, three hundred and eighteen perſons.
Put away the ſtrange gods that are amongst you.]
Being quickened by the danger he had apprehended, as likewiſe by the Lords late appearing to him, and enjoyning him to go to that place which he had formerly found ſo dreadfull, even as the houſe of God, and as the gate of heaven, Gen. 28. 17. and where he was to perform the vow which he had made, he deemed it requiſite that they ſhould in a ſpeciall manner prepare and ſanctifie themſelves; and of this he informs them of his family, & wills them in the firſt place to put away the ſtrange or the ſtrangers gods that were amongſt them, that is, idoles which other nations worſhipped, but might not be endured amongſt thoſe that worſhipped the true God. And hereby I conceive that he intended not Labans gods, which Rachel had ſtolen (for it is not likely that this good Patriarch did all this while ſuffer his wives and children either to worſhip, or with his knowledge to keep, ſtrange Gods amongſt them) but rather the idoles of the Shechemites, which by his children or ſervants might be taken for the worth of them, when they ſpoiled the city, and ſuch idolatrous and ſuperſtitious monuments as were brought forth of Meſopotamia by thoſe of his retinue, whom he ſuſpected to be ſtill too much addicted to the ſuperſtitions of that countrey: and yet perhaps both thoſe which Rachel had ſtolen, and any other ſecretly kept amongſt them, were now brought in upon theſe words of Jacob.
And be clean, and change your garments.]
It is clear by this place, that as the Lord did enjoyn the Patriarchs many rites of ſacrificing which were afterward more fully enjoyned the Iſraelites by the written Law, ſo alſo he taught them many of thoſe externall rites of purifying themſelves by waſhing in water, and changing of their garments, of which we reade expreſſely in the Law, Levit. 15. 13. And when he that hath an iſſue is cleanſed of his iſſue, then he ſhall number to himſelf ſeven dayes for his cleanſing, and waſh his clothes, &c. and Numb. 31. 23. Every thing that may abide the fire, you ſhall make it to go through the fire, and it ſhall be clean: Nevertheleſſe it ſhall be purified▪ with the water of ſeparation; and all that abideth not the fire ye ſhall make to go through the water; which were even in theſe times as ſo many ſhadows of the ſpirituall cleanſing of men from all filthineſſe of the fleſh and ſpirit, that renewing by faith and repentance, which God requires eſpecially of all thoſe that draw near to him in the duties of his worſhip.
Verſ. 4. And all their ear-rings that were in their ears.]
To wit, which were Idolatrous jewells and ſuperſtitious monuments. Hoſ. 2. 13. I will viſit upon her the dayes of Baalim, &c. wherein …e decked her ſelf with her ear-rings and her jewells. Deut. 7. 25. The graven Images of their Gods ſhall ye burn with fire; thou ſhalt not deſire the ſilver or gold that is on them.
And Jacob hid them under the oaks, &c.]
He hid them from the knowledge of his family, buried them in the ground as unclean things, under an oak, where they might not be eaſily found again.
Verſ. 7. And he built there an Altar, &c.]
And ſo performed the vow which he had there formerly made unto the Lord, chap. 28. 20, 21, 22. And he called the name of that place Bethel, &c. And Jacob vowed a vow, ſaying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, ſo that I come again to my fathers houſe in peace; then ſhall the Lord be my God, & this ſtone which I have ſet for a pillar ſhall be Gods houſe; and of all that thou ſhalt give me I will ſurely give the tenth unto thee.
Verſ. 8. B…t Deborah Rebekahs nurſe died.]
This place makes me without any ſcruple to conclude, that though the coming of Jacob to his father Iſaac be not yet mentioned, he had been there long before this (for who can think that Jacob would be ten or twelve years in Canaan after he was come from Laban, with whom he had ſerved twenty years, and never go in all that time to ſee his aged father) undoubtedly there was continuall intercourſe betwixt them; and ſo Deborah being come at this time to Jacob (it may be upon Rebekahs death, or ſome other occaſion) there died, and with great mourning was buried.
Verſ. 10. But Iſrael ſhall be thy name.]
God had given him this name before, Gen. 32. 28. And he ſaid, Thy name ſhall be no more called Jacob but Iſrael: but now the Lord confirmed this name to him the ſecond time; as Jacob alſo, ver. 15. confirms the name of the place, Bethel. And Jacob called the name of the place where God ſpoke with him, Bethel.
Verſ. 14. And Jacob ſet up a pillar in the place where he talked with him.]
Whether the pillar ſet up here before, Gen. 28. 18. And Jacob roſe up early in the morning, and took the ſtone that he had put for his pillow, and ſet it up for a pillar, was defaced or overthrown it is uncertain; but this was queſtionleſſe another pillar, as appears, becauſe it is ſaid to have been ſet up juſt in the place where God had this ſecond time appeared to him.
And he poured a drink-offering thereon.]
See Gen. 28. 18.
Ver. 18. But his father called him Benjamin.]
That is, the ſonne of my right hand, to wit, becauſe he ſhould be his beloved, tendered, and eſpecially regarded, he ſhould be ever at his right hand, according to that expreſſion, Pſal. 80. 17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand; and thus doth Jacob as it were correct the immoderate ſorrow of his wife ſhown in the name ſhe had given him Benoni, the ſonne of my ſorrow, & alſo prevents the frequent renewing of his ſorrow by that name which might often have brought to remembrance the loſſe of his dear wife.
Verſ. 19. And Rachel died.]
To wit, immediately after ſhe was delivered of her child; and thus ſhe that ere while in a paſſion quarrelled with her husband, Give me children or I die, now died by her bearing of children.
And was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem.]
It hath both names, Micah 5. 2. But thou Beth-lehem Ephratah, &c.
Verſ. 29. And Iſaac gave up the ghoſt and died.]
This is here ſet down by way of anticipation: for that which is related in the two follovving chapters fell out before Iſaac died.