THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS. Abraham begat Isaac — The _Tôldôth_ in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his descent to Shem, and showing thereby that the right of primogeniture belonged to him; but the inspired... [ Continue Reading ]
XXXI. JACOB’S FLIGHT. — THE PURSUIT OF HIM BY LABAN, AND THEIR RECONCILIATION. (1) LABAN’S SONS. — No mention hitherto had been made of Laban having any other children than Leah and Rachel. If his sons were by the same wife, they would be men about fifty-five or sixty years of age. In saying that J... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SAID UNTO JACOB. — This is probably the revelation, more exactly described in Genesis 31:10, as given to Jacob in a dream. It is there ascribed to Elohim, but here to Jehovah. The narrator’s purpose in this, probably, is to show that while Jacob regarded the providence that watched over him... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB SENT AND CALLED RACHEL AND LEAH... — Rachel is placed first, as the chief wife. The field was probably the pasture where Laban’s flocks fed, as they were specially under Jacob’s charge; and there, in the open ground, the three would run no risk of having their conversation overheard. Jacob’s s... [ Continue Reading ]
TEN TIMES. — That is, a good many times.... [ Continue Reading ]
RAMS. — Heb., _he-goats._ The Authorised Version has made the alteration, because the word rendered “cattle” is really _sheep_ (and so in Genesis 31:8; Genesis 31:12, &c.); but, like our word _flock,_ it also included goats.... [ Continue Reading ]
GRISLED. — That is, covered with spots like hailstones, the word “grisled” being derived from the French _grêle,_ hail. Others derive the word from _gris, grisaille,_ grey.... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THE GOD OF BETH-EL. — The angel of Elohim (Genesis 31:11) was the speaker, but the words were those of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 1:1). With this verse compare Genesis 28:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HATH SOLD US. — There is a marked asperity towards their father in the answer of Jacob’s wives, and not only the petted Rachel but the neglected Leah joins in it. Now, though his sale of them to Jacob had been more open than Oriental good manners usually allowed, and though he seems to have acted... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB ROSE UP. — This was the final result of Jacob’s deliberation with his wives, but it did not take place till the time of sheep-shearing. Jacob must have prepared his plans very carefully to be able to leave none of his wealth behind; but he would be greatly helped in this by the fact that his o... [ Continue Reading ]
LABAN WENT TO SHEAR HIS SHEEP. — The sheep-shearing was a joyous time, when the hard toil of the shearers was relieved by feasting (1 Samuel 25:8). Laban’s flocks, apparently, were also at some distance from Haran, and his sons and men-servants would all be with him, busily occupied in the work. App... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB STOLE AWAY UNAWARES. — _Heb., stole the heart._ But the heart was regarded by the Hebrews as the seat of the intellect, and so _to steal a man’s understanding,_ like the similar phrase in Greek, means to elude his observation.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIVER. — The Euphrates. MOUNT GILEAD. — Gilead, _the region of rock,_ was the mountainous frontier between the Aramean and Canaanite races. The form of the word is so remote from ordinary Hebrew that we have in it, probably, a very old appellation of this region; and Jacob apparently plays upon... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS BRETHREN. — As Jacob, who had no relatives with him except his sons, applies this term in Genesis 31:46 to his followers, it is, probably, an honourable way of describing retainers, who were freemen and of a higher class than men-servants. SEVEN DAYS’ JOURNEY. — The route chosen by Jacob was app... [ Continue Reading ]
EITHER GOOD OR BAD. — Heb., _from good to bad:_ a proverbial expression, rightly translated in the Authorised Version, but conveying the idea of a more absolute prohibition than the phrase used in Genesis 24:50.... [ Continue Reading ]
(26-30) LABAN SAID... — Laban reproaches Jacob, first, for carrying away his daughters secretly, which was an affront to them (Genesis 31:26) and an injury to his own feelings (Genesis 31:28); secondly, he tells him that he should have punished him but for the Divine warning; lastly, he accuses him... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SONS. — That is, my grandsons.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS IN THE POWER OF MY HAND. — This is the rendering here of all the versions, and is confirmed by Deuteronomy 28:32; Nehemiah 5:5; Micah 2:1; but Keil and Knobel wish to translate, “My hand is for God.” This comes to the same thing in an impious way, as the sense would be,” My hand is an El, a go... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB ANSWERED. — Jacob gives the true reason for his flight; after which, indignant at the charge of theft, he returns, in his anger, as rash an answer about the teraphim as Joseph’s brethren subsequently did about the stolen cup (Genesis 44:9). LET HIM NOT LIVE. — The Rabbins regard this as a pro... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CAMEL’S FURNITURE. — That is, the camel’s saddle. It is now made of wicker-work, and is protected by curtains and a canopy. Probably Rachel’s was far simpler; and as the teraphim seem to have had heads shaped like those of a man, and dwarf bodies, they would easily be crammed under it.... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB WAS WROTH. — Naturally he regarded the accusation about the teraphim as a mere device for searching his goods, and when nothing was found gave free vent to his indignation.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FROST BY NIGHT. — From September to May the nights in the East are usually cold, and the change from great heat by day to a freezing temperature as soon as the sun sets is very trying to health.... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS HAVE I BEEN... — Heb., _This for me twenty years in thy house,_ but taken in connection with the preceding _this,_ in Genesis 31:38, the meaning is “During the one twenty years that I was with thee, thy ewes, &c.,” upon which follows “During the other twenty years that were _for me_ in thy hous... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FEAR OF ISAAC — That is, the object of Isaac’s worship. The reason given by the Jewish Commentators for this remarkable way of describing the Deity whom Isaac served is that, as his father was still alive, Jacob would have been wanting in reverence, if he had spoken of God as “Isaac’s God,” even... [ Continue Reading ]
LABAN ANSWERED... — Laban does not attempt any reply to Jacob’s angry invectives, but answers affectionately. Why should he wish to injure Jacob, and send him away empty? All that he had was still Laban’s in the best of senses; for were not Rachel and Leah his daughters? And were not their children... [ Continue Reading ]
JEGAR-SAHADUTHA. — These are two Syriac words of the same meaning as Gal-’eed, _Heap of Witness._ A Syriac (or Aramaic) dialect was most probably the ordinary language of the people in Mesopotamia, but it seems plain that Laban and his family also spoke Hebrew, not merely from his calling the placo... [ Continue Reading ]
MIZPAH. — That is, _Watchtower._ There is, probably, a play in this name upon the pillar which Laban proceeds to set up, and which in Hebrew is _Mazebah._ In the reason given for the name Labau calls Jacob’s God _Jehovah,_ an appellation which he must have learned from Jacob. and which proves not me... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGE. — The verb is plural, “be _he judges,”_ and as Laban thus joins the name Elohim with a verb plural, it seems as if he regarded Abraham’s Elohim as different from the Elohim of Nahor. We ought, therefore, to translate _the gods of their father._ Apparently, he thought that Abraham took one of... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB OFFERED SACRIFICE. — The meaning is, that Jacob slaughtered cattle, and made a feast: but as animals originally were killed only for sacrifice, and flesh was eaten on no other occasion, the Hebrew language has no means of distinguishing the two acts.... [ Continue Reading ]