Commentary on Genesis, Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
Ver. 1. JAcob lifted up his Eyes, &c.] Being come to his Family, (whom he ſent before him over the Brook, XXXII. 23.) and looking about him, he beheld Eſau and his Train, at ſome diſtance: And put himſelf, his Wives, and Children, in good order to meet him.
Ver. 2. Joſeph hindermoſt.] As more dear to him, than any of the reſt: For he did not yet know that the Meſſiah was to proceed from Judah, one of the Sons of Leah.
Ver. 3. And he paſſed over before them.] Put himſelf in the front of them.
Bowed himſelf to the Ground ſeven times.] At ſome convenient diſtance he began to bow; and ſo, at every other ſtep, or more, he bowed again (ſeven times) till he came near to his Brother.] This was to teſtifie the great Honour he had for him: And to take out of Eſau's Mind all ſuſpicion, that he lookt upon himſelf, as the elder Brother.
Ver. 4. Eſau ran to meet him.] This declares the forwardneſs of his Affection: Which would not let him proceed ſo ceremoniouſly as Jacob did.
Kiſſed him.] This word is mark'd in the Hebrew Text (as fourteen other words in the Bible are) with four unuſual Points over it: To denote, as the Hebrew Doctors think, ſome remarkable thing; which ſome of them take to be, the ſincerity of Eſau's Reconciliation to his Brother. And truly, if he heartily pardoned the Injury, which he conceived Jacob had done him, it is much to be noted; and ought to be lookt upon as a ſign he was become a good Man. And ſo Mart. Bucer I remember underſtood it, in his Commentaries upon the Epiſtle to the Romans: Where he makes this an Argument that Eſau was not a Reprobate, as ſome are apt to imagine. If it be ſaid that God deterred him from doing his Brother any hurt, it is more than can be proved. For it is recorded indeed that God threatned Laban in ſuch a manner, that he durſt not meddle with him: But no ſuch thing is ſaid of Eſau; though it would have been of more concern to have recorded the ſame here, if Moſes had known of any ſuch Divine Apparition to him.
Ver. 7. Joſeph and Rachel.] The Hebrew Doctors here obſerve, that Joſeph goes before his Mother; but the Mothers of all the reſt went before their Children: Of which, I think, it is not needful to ſeek a reaſon. For it is likely Moſes did not take care to place his words exactly. Or, if he did, no more ought to be made of it than this; that Joſeph being a goodly Child, his Mother put him before her; as we commonly do, when we would ſhow a Child to advantage. Or, he being very young and a forward Child, ſtept before his Mother; as Children are wont to do, when ſome fine ſhow appears which they eagerly deſire to behold.
Ver. 8. What meaneſt thou by all this drove? &c.] The Servants, no doubt, had told him, (as their Maſter had ordered, XXXII. 17, &c.) but he asks Jacob, that he might have an opportunity to declare how little he needed or deſired ſuch a Preſent.
Theſe are to find grace in the ſight of my Lord.] To teſtifie my Reſpect to thee, that I may obtain thy Favour and Good-will towards me. For Inferiors were wont to approach to their Superiors with Preſents, to make themſelves the more kindly accepted. And it is obſervable, that as he and all his made ſuch Obeyſance to Eſau, as ſignified he was his Servant, (as he calls himſelf, verſe 5.) ſo he ſtill Honours Eſau by the Name of his Lord.
Ver. 9. I have enough, my Brother, &c.] In this he ſhows himſelf not to be of a covetous Humour: But as free from that Vice, as from Revenge.
Ver. 10. If I have found grace in thy ſight.] If thou loveſt me.
As though I had ſeen the face of God.] For Eſau's kind Reception of him, he could not but look upon as a Token of the Divine Favour towards him. Some think by God may be meant an Angel, or great Man: Into whoſe preſence, Inferiors, as I ſaid, were wont to approach with Preſents.
And thou waſt pleaſed with me.] Received me kindly.
Ver. 11. Take my Bleſſing.] i. e. My Preſent, as we expound it in the Margin of 1 Sam. XXV. 27.
I have enough.] It is a larger word in the Hebrew, than that uſed by Eſau, verſe 9. ſignifying that he had enough to ſpare of all ſorts of things: And therefore Eſau need not fear his impoveriſhment, by accepting this Preſent.
Ver. 12. And he ſaid, Let us take our journey, &c.] Eſau invites him to go along with him, to the Land of Seir, and there refreſh himſelf.
I will go before thee.] Show thee the way and conduct thee.
Ver. 13. And he ſaid unto him, &c.] i. e. Jacob ſaid this in excuſe, that he could not go ſo faſt as Eſau; and therefore deſired to follow after by eaſie Journies.
Children are tender.] Joſeph was not above ſix or ſeven Years old.
Flocks and Herds with young.] The Hebrew word Aloth (in 1 Sam. VI. 7.) ſignifies Kine that had ſucking Calves. Unto which Sence Bochart inclines in this place; and ſo do Jonathan, Onkelos, and other ancient Interpreters. See his Hierozoic. P. I. Lib. II. cap. 30.
Are with me.] Muſt be lookt after very carefully.
All the Flock will die.] i. e. All that are big with young; or, have newly brought forth young.
Ver. 14. I will lead on ſoftly.] Follow thee with a gentle pace; ſuch as the Flocks and Children can bear.
According as the Cattle that go before me.] It was obſerved before, XXX. 30. that Maimonides interprets this Phraſe [Leregel] for the ſake: And ſo he underſtands it here, with reſpect to the Cattle and Children. More Nevoch. P. I. cap. 28. Or, becauſe of the Cattle, &c. that they may not be over-driven.
Ʋntil I come to my Lord, unto Seir.] Moſes omits this Journey to Seir, as he doth his Viſit to his Father: Which one cannot think he deferred for ſo many Years, as were between his return to Canaan, and the mention of his coming to Mamre, XXXV. 27. Or, Jacob was hindred, perhaps, by ſomething which he could not foreſee, from performing this Promiſe to his Brother: Of which, no doubt, he gave him an account, that he might not be thought to break his word.
Ver. 15. Let me now leave with thee, &c.] He would have left ſome of his Followers with Jacob, to ſhow him the way, and to be a Guard to him; or honourably attend him.
Let me find grace in the ſight of my Lord.] In this alſo be ſo kind, as to gratifie my deſire, XXXIV. 11.
Ver. 16. Eſau returned that day.] The ſame Day they met together; becauſe he would not be a burden to Jacob.
Ver. 17. Journeyed to Succoth.] After he had been with his Brother in Seir, if he did follow him thither; as it is likely he did, though not here mentioned: No more than the Entertainment he gave him, and ſuch like things; which one cannot think were wanting at this meeting.
Built him an Houſe.] Intending to make ſome ſtay in this place.
Ver. 18. And Jacob came to Shalem, a City of Schechem.] Or, he came ſafe and ſound (ſo the Hebrews generally underſtand the word Shalem) to that City called Schechem. And it may referr either to the ſoundneſs of his Leg; which was perfectly well, ſo that he halted no longer: Or, to the ſafety of his Perſon; in that he was not at all hurt by Eſau: Or, rather, to the ſafety of every thing he had; no evil accident having befallen him, of any ſort, ſince he left Laban. Which is the rather now mentioned, becauſe in the next Chapter Moſes gives a relation of a very ſad misfortune, which befel his Family.
When he came from Padan-Aram.] Some think this needed not to have been added: Whereas it expreſſes more fully what was ſaid before, that he came ſafe all the way from thence hither.
And pitched his Tent before the City.] Becauſe it was the Sabbath-Day, ſaith Menaſſeh ben Iſrael, out of the Hebrew Doctors (Probl. VIII. de Creatione) which made him ſtop and reſt here, and not enter the City, till it was ended. But this is a mere fancy, for the Reſt from all Labours on this Day, was not commanded to be obſerved, till they came out of Egypt: And the true reaſon of pitching his Tent here, was for the convenience of Paſturage.
Ver. 19. And he bought a parcel of a Field.] He made a ſmall Purchace, that he might be the leſs impoſed upon by the Inhabitants of that Country: Who had diſturbed Abraham and Iſaac, about the Wells they digged in the Ground they hired of them.
For an hundred pieces of Money.] The Margin hath an hundred Lambs. But this is the right Tranſlation, it appears from Act. VII. 16. And Bochart hath taken a great deal of Pains to ſhow that Reſita doth not ſignifie a Lamb; but ſome ſort of Money: Though of what value is uncertain. P. I. Hierozoic. Lib. I. cap. 2. and Lib. II. cap. 43. For a great while before this time, money was in uſe; with which they trafficked, and not by exchanging one Commodity for another. See XXIII. 16.
Ver. 20. Called it El-Elohe-Iſrael.] This Altar is dedicated to God, the God of Iſrael; who had delivered him from Laban and Eſau, and lately honoured him with a new Name; importing his great Power with him.