Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. Verſ. 1. Then Jacob went on his journey]
HEb. lift up his feet: indefeſſi curſoris inſtar; as it were a generous and manly horſe, refreſht with his bait by the way, he went lightly on his long journey. Neh. 8.10.The joy of the Lord was Jacobs ſtrength: it became as oil; wherewith his ſoul being ſuppled, he was made more lithe, nimble, and fit for action. He that is once ſoaked in this oil, and bathed, with Jacob, in this bath at Bethel, will chearfully do or ſuffer ought for Gods ſake. Tua praeſentia Domine Laurentio ipſam craticulam dulcem fecit, ſaith One. Gaudebat Criſpina cùm tenebatur, eùm audiebatur, cùm damnabatur, Aug. in Pſal. 137. Crux enim inuncta eſt, &c. Crucem multi abhom inautur, crucem videutes, ſed non videntes unctionem. Bern. Act. & Mon. fol. 857. Ibid. 813.cùm ducebatur, ſaith Auſtin. So did many of the Marian Martyrs, as were eaſie to inſtance. Bernard gives the reaſon: The Croſs is oiled, ſaith he; and, by the grace of the Spirit helping our infirmities, it is made, not onelyonly light, but ſweet; and not onelyonly not troublous and terrible, but deſirable and delectable. From the delectable Orchard of the Leonine priſon: ſo that Italian Martyr Algerius dated his Letter. Another Dutch Martyr, feeling the flame to come to his beard, Ah, ſaid he, what a ſmall pain is this, to be compared to the glory to come! Let us pluck up our feet, paſs from ſtrength to ſtrength, and take long and luſty ſtrides toward heaven. It is but a little afore us; and a ready heart rids the way apace.
Verſ. 2. Three ſtocks of ſheep lying by it] Semblab…y Chriſt, the chief Shepherd, Rev. 7.16, 17. Pſal. 23.2.feeds and leads his flock to the lively fountains of waters; commanding his under-ſhepherds, the Miniſters, to roll a way the ſtone, by opening the promiſes, that his ſheep may drink water with joy, Iſai. 12.out of thoſe wells of ſalvation.
Verſ. 3. And he put the ſtone again upon the wells mou… ] To keep the waters clean and filth-free. Turk, hiſt.The Turks had procured ſome traitor in Scodra (where Scanderbeg ruled) to poiſon the Town-well. The Pope hath endeavoured the like, by pouring out his deadly poiſon upon the rivers and fountains of water (the Scriptures) that they might become blood: Rev. 16.4.witneſs that Heatheniſh Decree of the Councel of Trent; equalizing, if not preferring, the Apocrypha, to the Canonical Scripture; the vulgar Tranſlation, to the Original; Traditions, to holy Writ: and affirming, that the holy Ghoſt himſelf is not to be heard, D. Prid. Lect. de Teſtib.though he bring never ſo plain Scripture for himſelf, niſi accedat meretricis pnrpuratae effrons interpretatio, ſaith a learned Doctor; unleſs the Pope may interpret it. Horrible blaſphemy! Had not Gods ſervants need to ſee to the cleanſing of this Well, and the keeping it free from the tramplings and defilements of this foul Beaſt? The Councel of Conſtance comes in with a Non-obſtante, Licèt Chriſtus, poſt coenam, inſtituerit, & ſuis diſcipulis adminiſtraverit, &c. Caranza, Sum. Concil. ſeſſ. 13. Bee-hive of Rome, p. 12.againſt Chriſts Inſtitution; withholding the Cup from the Sacrament. Before that the Goſpel was corrected, amended, and expounded, (…y the Canoniſts) there were many things permitted, (as Prieſts Marriage;) which now, ſince the time is come that all things are made perfect, are clearly aboliſhed and taken away. When the Huſſites denied to admit any Doctrine that could not be proved by the holy Scriptures, the Councel of Baſil anſwered them, by Cardinal Cuſanus, that the Scriptures were not of the eſſence of the Church, but of the well-being of it onelyonly; That the Word of God was ſo much the better taught the people, Tautò dignius verbum Dei tradi, quanto remotiu… ab omni Scriptura: cam explicandam juxta currentem Eccleſiae ritum, &c. Revius de vit. Pontif. p. 235.by how much it had leſs of the Scriptures in it: That the Scripture was to be interpreted according to the currant Rite of the Church; quâ mutante ſententiam, mutetur & Dei judicium. Can any hear this, and his ears not tingle? This was then the Popes Expreſs: for in Popiſh Councels, the Biſhops and others have no more to do, but ſimply, inclina…o capite, to ſay Placet to that, which in the Popes name is propounded to them: As nothing was reſolved by the Trent-Fathers, but all in Rome: whence grew that blaſphemous Proverb, Hiſt. of Counc. of Trent, 497. Rev. 16.3. Brightman.which habhor to relate. This Councel was that ſea, upon which the ſecond Angel poured out his vial, and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living ſoul died in that ſea. Cavete.
Verſ. 4. And Jacob ſaid] Theſe petty paſſages are recorded, when the acts of mighty Monarchs are unmentioned; to ſhew Gods dear reſpect to his poor ſervants. The Lion and Eagle were not offered in ſacrifice, as the Lamb and Dove were. Maſter Fox being asked, whether he knew ſuch an honeſt poor man; anſwered, I remember him well: I tell you, I forget Lords and Ladies, to remember ſuch. So doth God.
Verſ. 6. And behold Rachel his daughter] Note, that our leaſt and ordinary actions, are ordered and directed by God; as Nathaneel's being under the fig-tree, &c. Joh. 1.48.Birds flying ſeem to flie at liberty, yet are guided by an over-ruling hand of Heaven: ſo are our thoughts, affections, actions. Sic curat Deus univerſos, quaſi ſingulos; ſic ſingulos, quaſi ſolos, ſaith Auguſtine. Rachel, by a divine providence, meets Jacob at the Well: ſo doth the Church (that ſhepherdeſs, Cant. 1.7.8.) meet Chriſt in his Ordinances, Pſal. 23.2, 3.
Verſ. 7. Neither is it time, &c.] Time is a precious commodity, and muſt be thriftily husbanded. The common complaint is, We want time: But the truth is, we do not ſo much want, Non parùm habemus temperis, ſed multum perdimus. Sen.as waſte it; as the Heathen obſerved: which they that do, are waſtfulleſt prodigals: for, of all other poſſeſſions, two may be had together; but two moments of time cannot be poſſeſt together. This made the Philoſopher ſo parſimonious of time; Senec. Epiſt.Nullus mihi per otium exit dies; I cannot afford to caſt away a day; partem noctium ſtudiis vendico; part of the night I take for my ſtudies. So did Charles the Great; and after him, Charles the fifth, He had, for that purpoſe, as his Inſtructor, Turrianus of Cremona ever with him.who (when at any time in the field againſt the enemy) ſpent what hours he could ſpare, in the ſtudie of the Mathematicks. As if he had been of Cato's minde, That great men muſt be able to give good account, non minus otii. quàm negotii; no leſs of their leaſure, then of their labour. His conſtant cuſtom was, ſaith Cicero, Cato in Orig. Cic. deſenect.to call to minde, at evening, what thing ſoever he had ſeen, read, or done, that day. King Alfred, that reigned here, Anno Dom. 872, is ſaid to have caſt the natural day into three parts: Eight hours he ſpent in praying, ſtudie, and writing; eight in the ſervice of his body; eight in the affairs of State. Which ſpaces, (having then no other engine for it) he meaſured by a great wax light, Dan. Chron. fol. 13.divided into ſo many parts; receiving notice by the keeper thereof, as the ſeveral hours paſſed in the burning.
Qui neſcit quo vita modo volat, audiat horas:
Quàm ſit vita brevis, nos docet ille ſonus.
Verſ. 8. We cannot, until all the flocks] As we are not (by the example of theſe ſhepherds) to enterpriſe things above our ſtrength, Pſal. 131.1. ſo neither to be diſcouraged by every diſſiculty; but to lend, and borrow help one of another; each man pleaſing his neighbour for his good, Rom. 14.2.and ſerving him in love, to edification.
Diviſae his operae, ſed mens ſuit unica, pavit
Ore Lutherus oves, flore Melancthon apes.
Verſ. 9. For ſhe kept them] Leah might be left at home, for the tenderneſs of her eyes. A man is to ſee, that all under his roof have a fit employment; as the Maſter gave each ſervant his task, Matth. 25.15.his talent, according to his ſeveral ability, ſecundum peritiam & potentiam. And every one hath ſome excellency or other in him, can we but finde, and improve it. God hath diſpenſed his gifts diverſly, for the common benefit. And as, in the ſame paſture, the ox can finde fodder, the hound a hare, the ſtork a lizard, the fair maid flowers: ſo there is none ſo worthleſs, but ſomething may be made of him; ſome good extracted out of the unlikelieſt. Yea, wiſdom is ſuch an Elixar, as by contaction (if there any diſpoſition of goodneſs in the ſame metal) it will render it of the property.
Verſ. 10. Went neer, and rolled the ſtone, &c.] If he did this alone, as the Text ſeemeth to ſay, it was very ſtrange. He might put forth his ſtrength, to gratifie Rachel, and to inſinuate himſelf into her love.
Verſ. 11. Lifted up his voice, and wept] For joy, that he had ſo happily light upon his kinſwoman. It argued alſo his great affection, and paſſion of minde, for her ſake: Love is exſtatical; —nec juris ſe ſinit eſſe ſui. Animus eſt ubi amat, non ubi animat. He kiſſeth Rachel, as if he would have transfuſed his ſoul into her: Ovid. Amor. lib. 2. Magin, in Geogr.and wept aloud; not as thoſe vain lovers, who ut flerent, oculos erudiêre ſuos: Nor as the Braſileans, whoſe faculty is ſuch, that tears are for a preſent ſalutation; and as ſoon gone, as if they had ſaid, How do you? But as Joſeph wept over Benjamin; the Prodigals father over him, &c.
Verſ. 12. That he was her fathers brother] And therefore made ſo bold with her, upon no further acquaintance. His kiſſes were not unchaſte, but modeſt; ſuch as were common among kinred. And yet here care muſt betaken, that Satan corrupt not our courteſie, or more intimate acquaintance, with never ſo near an alliance. Flyes may ſettle upon the ſweeteſt perfumes, and putrifie them. S. Paul ſaw cauſe to exhort Timothy, 2 Tim. 5.2.(that mortified young man) to exhort the younger women, as ſiſters, With all purity; becauſe, through the ſubtilty of Satan, and the deceit of his own heart, even whiles he was exhorting them to chaſtity, ſome unchaſte motions might ſteal upon him. A great deal of caution doth no hurt.Abundaus cautela non nocet.
Verſ. 13. He ran to meet him, and embraced him] All in hypocriſie, as the Hebrews hold. There be many Labans; hot at firſt, cold at laſt; friendly in the beginning, froward in the end. A free friend at firſt, a kinde friend to the laſt, is Rara avis in terris. Mic. 7.5.Truſt not in a friend, put not confidence in a brother, &c. Look rather unto the Lord, as the Church doth there he is the onelyonly Suresby, as they ſay; and will never fail us: when the World, as Laban, will ſhew it ſelf at parting, if not before. [He told Laban all theſe things] why, and how he came ſo poorly to him; when as Abrahams ſervant, coming upon a like errand, came far better attended and appointed: which was the thing that Laban, likely, looked after, when he ran out to meet Jacob.
Verſ. 14. Surely thou art my bone, &c.] Good words coſt nothing; and the verieſt carls are commonly freer of them, then of real courteſies. Pertinax the Emperour was ſirnamed foreign, quòd blandus eſſet, magis quàm benignus. But that of Nero was abominable; who, the very day before he killed his mother, foreign. Dio in Ner.moſt lovingly embraced her, kiſſed her eyes and hands; and accompanying her, when ſhe departed, uſed theſe ſweet words; All happineſs attend you, my good mother: for in you I live, and by you I raign. As a potſheard covered with ſilver-droſs, ſo are burning lips, and a wicked heart, Prov. 26.23.
Verſ. 15. Shouldſt thou therefore ſerve me] He pretends loveand equity, to his covetous aims and reaches. Candid he would needs ſeem, (according to his name) and conſiderate. Laban, eſt candidus.But as Blackmoors have their teeth onelyonly white; ſo is Labans kindneſs from the teeth outward. He was as a whited wall, or painted ſepulchre, or an Egyptian temple; fair and ſpecious without; but within, ſome cat, rat, or calf there idolized, and adored. Hypocrites, whatever they pretend, have a hawks eye to praiſe or profit: they muſt be gainers by their piety or humanity; which muſt be another Dianae, to bring gain to the crafts-maſter. The Eagle, when ſhe ſoareth higheſt, hath an eye ever to the prey.
Verſ. 17. Leah was tender-eyed] Purblinde, or ſquint, as One interprets it. Turk. hiſt. fol. 483.Now a froward look, and ſquint eyes, (ſaith the Hiſtorian) are the certain notes of a nature to be ſuſpected. The Jeruſalemy Targum tells us, that her eyes were tender with weeping and praying. Mary Magdalene is famous for her tears; and Chriſt was never ſo neer her, as when ſhe could not ſee him for weeping. Heidfeld.After which, ſhe ſpent (as ſome report) thirty yeers in Gallia Narbonenſi, in weeping for her ſins. [But Rachel was beautiful, &c.] Plate calls beauty, the principality of nature: Ariſtorle, a greater commendation then all Epiſtles. See the Notes on Chap. 24 16.
Verſ. 18. I will ſerve thee ſeven yeers] He had nothing to endow her with; he would therefore earn her, with his hard labour: which, as it ſhews Labans churliſhneſs to ſuffer it, and his baſeneſs, to make a prize and a prey of his two daughters; ſo it ſets forth Jacob's meekneſs, poverty, patience, and hard condition here, mentioned many yeers after by the Prophet Hoſea, Chap. 12.12. He was a man of many ſorrows; and from him therefore the Church hath her denomination: neither were the faithful ever ſince called Abrahamites, but Iſraelites.
Verſ. 19. It is better that I give her to thee] Indeed, he ſold her to him, for ſeven yeers ſervice. This was Laban, or Nabal, chuſe you which. Their names were not more like, then their conditions. Labans daughters, and Nabals wife, were alſo alike handled by their unkinde parents. He hath ſold us, ſaid they, and hath alſo quite devoured our money, Gen. 31.15. And, He hath married me, might Abigail have ſaid, to the money, and not to the man; and though he named me his joy, yet he hath cauſed me much ſorrow. How many a childe is ſo caſt away, by the covetous parents! It was better with Labans two daughters; but no thanks to their father.Nox longa quibus mentitur amica, dieſque longa videtur opu… debentibus, & piger annu… pupillis.
Verſ. 20. And they ſeemed unto him but a few days] And yet lovers hours are full of eternity. But love facilitated the ſervice, and made the time ſeem ſhort. Should any thing ſeem hard or heavie to us, ſo we may have heaven at length? The affliction is but light and momentany; the glory maſſie, and for all eternity. Hold out, Faith and Patience. Love is a paſſion, and ſeen moſt in ſuffering; much water cannot quench it. Nay, like fire, Cant. 8.7.it devours all delays and difficulties; ſpending and exhaling it ſelf, as it were, in continual wiſhes to be at home, to be with Chriſt, foreign. Phil. 1.23.which is far far the better. Oh let the eternal weight of the Crown, weigh down, with us, the light and momentany weight of the Croſs.
Verſ. 21. Give me my wife; for my days, &c.] Jacob had ſerved out his time, and now demands his due. David alſo is ſaid to have ſerved the will of God, for his own age; and John Baptist, Acts 13.35.to have fulfilled his courſe, (in the ſame Chapter.) Verſ. 25.Moſes alſo was faithful in all Gods houſe, as a ſervant. Yet theſe could not call for heaven, as their wages, becauſe they were (as the beſt are, at their beſt) but unprofitable ſervants, and did not, in any meaſure, Luke 17.10.what their duty was to do. We have not a bit of bread of our own earning; and are therefore taught to pray, Give us this day our daily bread: we get our living by begging. Our beſt plea is, Domine, non ſum dignus, nihilominùs tamen ſum indigens: Lord, I am not worthy, but I am needy, as Pomeran ſaid. Then will God, of his free grace, ſupply all our neceſſities, and afterwards receive us to glory. He will bring us into the Bride-chamber of heaven, and there will he give us his loves. He will let out himſelf into us, to our infinite delight. Of all natural delights, that of Marriage is the moſt, becauſe there is the greateſt communication of one creature to another; and according to the degrees of communication, are the degrees of delight. Think the ſame in the myſtical Marriage.
Verſ. 22. And made a feast] Never more ſeaſonable, ſurely, then at the recovery of the loſt rib. The Wedding-day is called, The day of the rejoycing of a mans heart, Cant. 3.11. Our Saviour graced ſuch a feaſt, with his preſence, and firſt miracle: Ho ſupplied them with wine, to glad their hearts: not with a little, for healths ſake onelyonly; but with a great quantity, for ſober delight, and honeſt affluence. It is noted, as an abſurd thing, in Samſon's wife, that ſhe wept all the days of the feaſt. A feaſt then there was at Samſon's wedding, and of ſeven days continuance. Judg. 14.10, 11And ſo there was at Jacob's, as may be gathered out of verſ. 27. Fulfil her week, ſaith Laban; to wit, of banquet or Bride-ale, as we call it: OnelyOnly that of Chryſoſtom comes here in fitly; De nuptiis Jacobi legimus; de choreis & tripudiis, non legimus: Of Jacobs Wedding-feaſt we read; but of dancing and dalliance, of tracing, and tripping on the toe, we read not. In maxima libertate, minima licentia, ſaith Salvian. Merry we may be, at ſuch a time; but, in the Lord: Deut. 12.7.eat and drink we may; but, before the Lord. The old world may be a warning to us: they fed without fear; and therefore periſhed, Jude 12.without favour. Let ſuch look to it, as live in pleaſure, James 5.and are wanton; that cat to exceſs, and drink to drunkenneſs; accounting nothing mirth, but madneſs; no bread ſweet, but ſtollen; no ſuch pleaſure, as to have the devil their play-fellow: ſo nouriſhing their hearts as in a day of ſlaughter, Multi apud homines manducant, quod apud i…feros digerunt. Aug.or belly chear, James 5.5. and ſwallowing down thoſe murthering morſels now, that they muſt digeſt in hell.
Verſ. 23. He took Leah his daughter] The elder, for the younger; by a like fraud as Rebeccah his mother had, not long before, in a cunning diſguiſe, ſubſtituted him … younger ſon, for the elder. God pays us often in our own coyn, and meaſures to us again the ſelf-ſame meaſure that we have meted to others. Plerunque Deus ſervat legem talionis.Herod mocked the Wiſe-men, and is mocked of them: And how oft do we ſee thoſe that would beguile others, puniſhed with illuſion? God uſually retaliates, and proportions jealouſie to jealouſie, provocation to provocation, Deut. 32.21. number to number, Iſai. 65.11, 12. choice to choice, Iſai. 66.3, 4. device to device, Mic. 2.1, 3. frowardneſs to frowardneſs, Pſal. 18.26. contrariety to contrariety, Levit. 26.21. Even the righteous ſhall be recompenſed in the earth, Prov. 11.13.as was Jacob.
Verſ 25. In the morning, behold it was Leah] A foul diſappointment: but ſo the world ever ſerves us. The Hebrews have taken up this paſſage for a proverb, when a mans hopes are deceived in a wife; or any thing elſe, wherein he lookt for content and comfort.
Verſ. 26. It must not be ſo done in our country] A ſorry excuſe: but better, he thought, then none at all. A ſubtil fox he was, and far too hard for honeſt Jacob, who was ſimple to evil, but of a large reach for heaven. The children of this world are wiſe in their generation…; and ſo is the Fox in his: but God will take them in their own craft, 1 Cor. 3.20. foreign. Manu capere et firmiter tenere Cic. ad Attic. 1 Cor. 2.12.as wilde beaſts in a ſnare, made and taken to be deſtrayed. Let us take heed how we deal with them, and make our bargains as wiſe as we can. Crebr… nobis, ſicut Ciceroni, vafer illè Siculus inſuſurret Epicharmi cantilenam illam ſuam, foreign. We have not received the ſpirit of this world; we cannot skill of the devils depths: but we have received a better thing; the Spirit which ſearcheth all, yea the deep things of God.1 Cor. 2 10.
Verſ. 27. We will give thee this alſo] See here the guiſe of wicked and deceitful men: when one ſetch hath fadg'd to their mindes, they deviſe another; and make no end of over-reaching; there never wanting (as the Proverb hath it) a new knack in a knaves cap. They will ſearch the devils ſcull, but they will finde out one ſlippery trick or another, to cheat, and go beyond thoſe they deal with. But let them look to it; God is the avenger of all ſuch, 1 Theſſ. 4. whoſe not not heads onelyonly, but bellies prepare deceit, Job 15.35.
Verſ. 28. And Jacob did ſo] A mirrour of patience; which, in Jacob here, had line and rope, her perfect work; ſhewing him, James 1.3.to be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Godly people can bear wrongs beſt of any: com… them to go a mile, they'll be content, if it may do good, to go twain; yea, as far as the ſhooes of the preparation of the Goſpel of peace will carry them.
Verſ. 30. And he went in alſo unto Rachel] Which inceſtuous fact cannot ordinarily be juſtified, nor may at all be imitated. Wicked Julia ſoll…iting Caracalla to inceſtuous marriage with her; when he anſwered, Vollem ſi liceret, replied impudently, (and is therefore, by very Heathens, condemned extremely) Si libet, licet: an neſcis te Imperatorem eſſe leges dare non accipere? &c. Herod, for marrying his brothers wife, was reproved, and puniſhed.
Verſ. 31. When the Lord ſaw that Leah was hated] That is, leſs loved and reſpected. So God hated Eſau; and accounts the neglects of wife or husband, no better then hatred, Eph. 5.25. [But Rachel was barren] God commonly croſſeth mens prepoſterous affections, that he may draw all love to himſelf. Jonah loſeth his gourd, (and we our deareſt delights) by over-loving them.
Verſ. 32. They t…ke my husband will love me] This was her greateſt care, (and is every good wives) to pleaſe her husband, and to win his love.
Verſ. 33. And ſhe conceived again] God uſually heapeth his favours upon thoſe, whom others ſlight, and look aloof on.
Verſ. 34. And ſhe conceived again] So, what ſhe wanted in beauty, ſhe had in foecundity or fruitfulneſs: and this redounded to Gods greater glory, by Leah's thankfulneſs; who might ſay,
Si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit,Sappho ap… Ovid.
Laude Dei, formae, damna rependo, meae.
Verſ. 35. Now will I praiſe the Lord] So ſhe had done before, at the birth of her other children: But now ſhe would do it anew, upon the receit of a new mercy: according to that, Sing unto the Lord a new ſong. Iſai. 42.10.A good woman ſhe ſeems to have been; and the better, becauſe not ſo well beloved of her husband; which ſhe could not but ſee to be juſt upon her, for her conſenting to the ſin (with her father) of deceiving Jacob.