A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Genesis · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
Verſ. 1. ANd his eyes were dimme.]
Blindneſſe is incident to old age; yet was this, no doubt, thus diſpoſed in Iſaac by the ſpeciall providence of God, that Jacob might be bleſſed: for he lived after this above fourty years.
Verſ. 4. Make me ſavoury meat, &c. that my ſoul may bleſſe thee before I die.]
That is, that I may bleſſe thee; for ſo Rebekah repeats theſe words of Iſaac, verſ. 7. Make me ſavoury meat, that I may eat and bleſſe thee before my death. Many ſeverall wayes men are ſaid to bleſſe others in the Scripture: as, by praying to God to bleſſe them, Bleſſe thoſe that curſe you, ſaith our Saviour, Luke 6. 28. by pronouncing a bleſſing upon them, and that by warrant of authority derived from God, as when the prieſts bleſſed the people, of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 7. 7. Without all contradiction the leſſe is bleſſed of the better; and by a propheticall prediction of the bleſſings that ſhould come upon men, as when Moſes by the ſpeciall inſtinct of Gods Spirit did foretell how the twelve Tribes ſhould be bleſſed of God, Deut. 33. 5. And this is the bleſsing wherewith Moſes the man of God bleſſed the children of Iſrael. But this bleſſing here ſpoken of, was peculiar to the Pa…iarchs. They, having received a promiſe of the Covenant of grace for them and their ſeed after them, were wont before they died, in the name of God, and by the guidance of the holy Ghoſt, to foreſhew upon which of their ſeed this Covenant of grace ſhould be continued; and ſo did, as it were by will and teſtament, paſſe over the right of the Covenant and promiſe of grace to thoſe of their children, who were to be heirs of the Covenant, and in whoſe families the Church and the Covenant of grace was to be propagated unto the coming of Chriſt; whence is that phraſe of inheriting the bleſsing, Heb. 12. 17. And thus Iſaac intended now to bleſſe Eſau; and that doubtleſſe becauſe he knew not Gods will and purpoſe herein; for it is not probable, that ſo good a man would wittingly ſeek to croſſe the known decree of God concerning his ſonnes. It cannot be but Rebekah acquainted Iſaac with that Oracle, Gen. 25. 23. where the Lord ſaid unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people ſhall be ſeparated from thy bowels; the one people ſhall be ſtronger then the other, and the elder ſhall ſerve the younger; and being her ſelf perſwaded thereby that God intended the bleſſing to the younger, did what ſhe could to convince her husband likewiſe that it was ſo. But, it ſeems, though God were pleaſed thus farre to enlighten her mind, and powerfully to incline her heart to believe this truth, yet ſtill he ſuffered him to erre herein; yea, even now at the laſt, though he enlightned his underſtanding by a propheticall illumination as concerning the bleſſing he pronounced, yet withall at the ſame time he did neither enlighten his underſtanding, nor bend his will to the right perſon, but left him herein to his own ſpirit; and ſo being carried by his carnall judgement concerning the prerogative of Eſaus being his firſt-born, and by his affection to him, intended him the bleſſing, but was diſappointed by Gods providence, that it might be the more evident that it was not by the will of man, but of Gods free grace and ſingular favour, that Jacob had the bleſſing and not Eſau. Why Iſaac deſired ſavoury meat, ſuch as he loved, before he performed this work, it is hard to ſay. The moſt probable reaſon given is this, that being aged and feeble, he deſired this refreſhing to cheer up his ſpirits, that he might be the fitter inſtrument of the holy Spirit of God in pronouncing this propheticall bleſſing; as Eliſha, when he was moved againſt king Jehoram, called for a muſician to allay his paſſion, and quicken his ſpirit, before he propheſied to them in the name of the Lord, 2. Kings 3. 14, 15. However doubtleſſe God by this means intended to give Rebekah the advantage of this time, to plot for the transferring of the bleſſing in Eſaus abſence upon Jacob, to whom of right it did belong.
Verſ. 6. Rebekah ſpake unto Jacob her ſonne, &c.]
Rebekah being ſtrongly perſwaded that the bleſſing belonged to Jacob, to wit, 1. By Gods anſwer to her at the ſtruggling of the children in her womb, Gen. 25. 23. The elder ſhall ſerve the younger; 2. By that remarkable paſſage of Gods providence, when Jacob was born holding his brother by the heel; 3. By Eſaus ſelling the birthright to Jacob; and 4. By Eſaus profaneneſſe, and Jacobs piety; and perceiving that her husband was now ready, as much as in him lay, to croſſe the counſel and purpoſe of God, ſhe reſolves to aſſay to diſappoint her husband, and that by ſubtilty and deceit, and ſo inſtructs Jacob how to deceive his father; wherein, though ſhe did many things that are not warrantable (unleſſe ſhe were moved by the ſpeciall inſtinct of Gods Spirit, which doth not appear) yet thus farre ſhe is praiſe-worthy, that underſtanding rightly the Oracle of God, ſhe ſought to prevent the errour of her husband, and to procure the bleſſing to him for whom God had appointed it.
Verſ. 13. And his mother ſaid unto him, On me be thy curſe, &c.]
Relying upon that which God had revealed to her, ſhe was fearleſſe of that which Jacob feared, not doubting but God would proſper their deſigne, whilſt they ſought to effect that which was according to Gods counſel, and to further that which he had decreed: yet becauſe the way cannot be judged warrantable whereby ſhe ſought it, to wit, by deceiving her blind husband, and cauſing her ſonne by diſſembling and lying to beguile his father, doubtleſſe ſhe was over-confident, and had no juſt ground for what ſhe ſaid; onelyonly God was pleaſed of his own free grace to let it be according to her hope.
Verſ. 20. Becauſe the Lord thy God brought it to me.]
Jacob perceiving that his father began to be jealous of ſome deceit, becauſe the veniſon came ſo ſoon, wondering how Eſau ſhould take it by hunting, and dreſſe it in ſo ſhort a ſpace, he anſwers that it was by the ſpeciall providence of God that he took it ſo ſuddenly: and to intimate that God therein had teſtified his uſuall provident care over his father and thoſe things that concerned him, he ſaith not, The Lord God brought it to me, but, The Lord thy God, &c. and thus ſtill he is further and further inſnared in doing that which was not lawfull, that his father might not diſcover the fraud, but might give him the bleſſing.
Verſ. 27. He ſmelled the ſmell of his rayment, and bleſſed him.]
Rebekah had put upon Jacob Eſaus choyceſt garments, goodly rayment, verſ. 15. which it ſeems according to the cuſtomes of thoſe times and countreys were perfumed (for that land abounded with ſweet ſpices) which Iſaac ſmelling, he took that occaſion to begin the bleſſing thus, See, ſaith he, the ſmell of my ſonne is as the ſmell of a field which the Lord hath bleſſed.
Verſ. 28. Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, &c.]
This is both a prayer and a prophecy; neither muſt we underſtand it onelyonly of the perſon of Jacob, but of his poſterity (for the Lordſhip over his brethren promiſed, verſ. 29. Be Lord over thy brethren, &c. was not literally fulfilled till many years after, when the Idumeans were ſervants to the Iſraelites) nor onelyonly of temporall bleſſings which are onelyonly expreſſed: we muſt know that in thoſe times God did chiefly make known his will concerning Chriſt, and thoſe ſpirituall and heavenly gifts that are given us in Chriſt, darkly and obſcurely, under the promiſes of earthly things, as types of heavenly bleſſings; and therefore though theſe outward things be onelyonly mentioned, yet this prophecy muſt be extended to all that was included in the promiſe of Abraham.
Verſ. 33. And Iſaac trembled very exceedingly, and ſaid, &c.]
The following words uttered by him in this perplexity and fear, do beſt ſhew what was the ground of his fear: that enquiry which in his aſtoniſhment he makes after the party bleſſed, Who where is he that hath taken veniſon, and brought it me, &c. argues methinks plainly a ſudden fear that ſeiſed on him, leſt he had ſettled the inheritance of the bleſſing where he ſhould not; and yet withall his confirming of the bleſſing unto Jacob in the cloſe of his ſpeech, implies as plainly, that remembring what God had ſaid, Gen. 25. 23. The elder ſhall ſerve the younger, &c. and comparing it with this which now happened, it ſtruck him with a great fear that he had gone about as farre as in him lay to croſſe the purpoſe and decree of God. Thus therefore I conceive of this place, That Iſaac, as a man ſuddenly aſtoniſht and amazed, is at firſt diſtracted with ſeverall fears, and knows not what to fear moſt; yet at laſt perceiving how evidently the hand of God was in this buſineſſe, he ſhakes off all carnall affections, and confirms the bleſſing to Jacob; I have eaten of all before thou cameſt, and have bleſſed him; yea and he ſhall be bleſſed.
Verſ. 34. Bleſſe me, &c.]
Eſau in his paſſion and bitterneſſe of ſpirit craves his ſhare in the birthright-bleſſing, though he could not have it alone. But this was ſpoken in a paſſion; otherwiſe he could not be ignorant that this could but be conferred upon one: for though Jacob bleſſed all his ſonnes, yet this with the birthright went to Judah, Gen. 49.
Verſ. 35. Thy brother came with ſubtilty, and hath taken away thy bleſsing.]
That is, the bleſſing of the birthright, which according to the ordinary courſe of nature, unleſſe God did otherwiſe diſpoſe of it, belonged to the elder, and which Iſaac had before promiſed Eſau, and did really intend to conferre upon him, though now it were ſettled upon Jacob, to whom by Gods decree and purpoſe it did of right appertain.
Verſ. 36. Haſt thou not reſerved a bleſsing for me?]
Finding himſelf wholly excluded from the birthright-bleſſing, he enquires whether no bleſſing were reſerved for him.
Verſ. 37. And what ſhall I do now unto thee my ſonne?]
As if he ſhould ſay, comparatively all other bleſſings are nothing.
Verſ. 39. Behold thy dwelling ſhall be the fatneſſe of the earth.]
Upon Eſaus bitter lamentation and weeping, mentioned in the former verſe, Iſaac now foretells the earthly bleſsings that ſhould befall Eſaus poſterity: but as for the prime and chief bleſsing, that was ſettled upon Jacob, neither had Iſaac the leaſt thought of altering what he had done herein, as the Apoſtle ſaith concerning Eſau, Heb. 12. 17. When he would have inherited the bleſsing he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he ſought it with tears; that is, all his crying and weeping could not move Iſaac to repent of what he had done, or reverſe the bleſsing, which, though unwittingly, he had conferred upon Jacob. Yea ſome note a difference betwixt Eſaus bleſsing here concerning outward things, and that of Jacobs, verſ. 28. to wit, becauſe though the ſame outward bleſsings be here promiſed to Eſau that were before promiſed to Jacob, the dew of heaven and the fatneſſe of the earth; yet they are promiſed to Jacob in another manner then they are to Eſau: for to Eſau it is onelyonly ſaid that he ſhould have theſe things, thy dwelling ſhall be the fatneſſe of the earth, and of the dew of heaven, to wit, by the ordinary diſpenſation of Gods providence; but now to Jacob it is ſaid, that God ſhould give him theſe things, namely as gifts and pledges of his ſingular love and favour towards him, verſ. 28. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatneſſe of the earth, &c.
Verſ. 40. It ſhall come to paſſe when thou ſhalt have the dominion, &c.]
That is, after the Edomites, thy poſterity, ſhall have been a long time in ſubjection to the Iſraelites, they ſhall at length become more mighty then they had been, and then ſhall caſt of the yoke of the Iſraelites; which was accompliſhed in the dayes of Jehoram king of Judah, 2. King. 8. 20, In his dayes Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah.
Verſ 41. Eſau ſaid in his heart, The dayes of mourning for my father, &c.]
Yea afterwards he ſpake what at firſt he onelyonly purpoſed in his mind, and by that means, as is noted in the next verſe, theſe words of Eſau her elder ſonne were told to Rebekah: at firſt he onelyonly determined this in his mind, but afterward not able to contain himſelf, nor to conceal his purpoſes, he uttered what he intended in the hearing of ſome body, and ſo it was known, and at laſt told Rebekah.
Verſ. 42. Thy brother Eſau, as touching thee, doth comfort himſelf, purpoſing to kill thee.]
Eſau is here ſaid to comfort himſelf with his thoughts of killing Jacob, either 1. becauſe not onelyonly revenge it ſelf is ſweet to men that are greatly enraged; whence the Lord ſpeaking of himſelf, after the manner of men, ſaith of the Jews, Ezek. 5. 13. I will cauſe my fury to reſt upon them, and I will be comforted, but even the very reſolution and purpoſe of revenge in time to come doth ſomewhat eaſe the minds of men enraged, when they have determined within themſelves how and in what manner they will revenge themſelves upon thoſe that have wronged them; or elſe, 2. becauſe he chuckerd himſelf with ſome kind of hope, by this means to recover his birthright again: for indeed wicked men do uſually harden themſelves againſt the known word and will of God, as we ſee in Saul, who ſought by all means to cut off David, though he were fully convinced in his mind that God had choſen him, 1. Sam. 18. 28. Saul ſaw and knew that the Lord was with David; yet he became Davids enemy continually.
Verſ. 45. Then I will ſend and fetch thee from thence.]
Some Expoſitours conceive that though Rebekah hoped that Eſaus anger would be ſoon forgotten, yet it proved otherwiſe, and that when Jacob had ſtayed in Padan-Aram about twenty years, at his return Eſaus malice was as hot and violent againſt him as ever, had not God miraculouſly changed his heart; which if it be granted, no wonder it is though Rebekah ſent not for Jacob all that time, as here ſhe promiſed him, ſince ſhe found it not ſafe, and therefore was content to be without him rather then to hazard his life; and ſo indeed never ſaw her Jacob again, but dyed about three years before his return home.
Verſ. 45. Why ſhould I be deprived alſo of you both in one day?]
That is, Jacob, by being murdered; and Eſau, by the vengeance of God, which ſhe knew would follow him becauſe of that fact, or by the ſword of Juſtice (for by the common law of Nations ſuch an execrable murther would even then have been puniſhed with death) or at leaſt by Eſaus voluntary withdrawing himſelf from the preſence of his Mother, as not daring to look her any more in the face.
Verſ. 46. And Rebekah ſaid to Iſaac, I am weary of my life becauſe of the daughters of Heth, &c.]
That is, Eſaus wives, which Gen. 26. 35. were a continuall grief of mind both unto Iſaac and to Rebekah: Becauſe ſhe would not grieve her husband in his old age, nor enrage him againſt Eſau, ſhe deemed it not beſt to impart to him what ſhe had heard concerning his cruell and bloody reſolution for the ſlaying of his brother, but took another occaſion to procure from Iſaac that Jacob might be ſent away to Padan-Aram, to wit, leſt he ſhould marry amongſt the Canaanites, as Eſau had done, to their great and continuall vexation and ſorrow.