Genesis 28:21

21._Then shall the Lord be my God_. In these words Jacob binds himself never to apostatize from the pure worship of the One God; for there is no doubt that he here comprises the sum of piety. But he may seem to promise what far exceeds his strength; for newness of life, spiritual righteousness, integrity of heart, and a holy regulation of the whole life, were not in his own power. I answer, when holy men vow those things which God requires of them, and which are due from them as acts of piety; they, at the same time, embrace what God promises concerning the remission of sins by the help of his Holy Spirit. Hence it follows that they ascribe nothing to their own strength; and also, that whatever falls short of entire perfection does not vitiate their worship, because God, mercifully and with paternal indulgence, pardons them....

20-22 Jacob made a solemn vow on this occasion. In this observe, 1. Jacob's faith. He trusts that God will be with him, and will keep him; he depends upon it. 2. Jacob's moderation in his desires. He asks not for soft clothing and dainty meat. If God give us much, we are bound to be thankful, and to use it for him; if he gives us but little, we are bound to be content, and cheerfully to enjoy him in it. 3. Jacob's piety, and his regard to God, appear in what he desired, that God would be with him, and keep him. We need desire no more to make us easy and happy. Also his resolution is, to cleave to the Lord, as his God in covenant. When we receive more than common mercy from God, we should abound in gratitude to him. The tenth is a fit proportion to be devoted to God, and employed for him; though it may be more or less, as God prospers us, 1 Corinthians 16:2. Let us then remember our Beth...

- Jacob’s Journey to Haran 3. קהל _qâhāl_, “congregation.” 9. מחלת _māchălat_, Machalath, “sickness, or a harp.” 19. לוּז _lûz_, Luz, “almond.” The blessing of his sons was the last passage in the active life of Isaac, after which he retires from the scene. Jacob now becomes the leading figure in the sacred history. His spiritual character has yet come out to view. But even now we can discern the general distinction in the lives of the three patriarchs. Abraham’s is a life of authority and decision; Isaac’s, of submission and acquiescence; and Jacob’s, of trial and struggle. Genesis 28:1 Isaac has now become alive to the real destiny of Jacob. He therefore calls for

EXPOSITION GENESIS 28:10 AND JACOB WENT OUT FROM BEERSHEBA,—in obedience to his father's commandment to seek a wife (Genesis 28:2), but also in compliance with his mother's counsel to evade the wrath of Esau (Genesis 27:43; cf. Hosea 12:12. On Beersheba _vide _Genesis 21:31; Genesis 26:33—AND WENT TOWARDS HARAN—probably along the route traversed by Abraham's servant (cf....

SO THAT I COME AGAIN TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE IN PEACE,.... In safety from Esau, and all other enemies, as God promised him he should: THEN THE LORD SHALL BE MY GOD; not as if he should not be his God if he did not do all this for him; which would savour not only of a mercenary spirit, but of great impiety; neither of which were to be found in Jacob: but the meaning is, that he should not only continue to own him as his God, and to worship him, but having fresh obligations upon him, should be stirred up more eagerly and devoutly to serve him in a very singular way and manner, and particularly by doing what is expressed in Genesis 28:22. Some think he has respect to the Messiah, owning him to be the true God with the Father and the blessed Spirit, who had appeared to Abraham, and was the fear of Isaac, and whom Jacob now owned as his God: this receives some confi

CHAPTER 28 JACOB'S DEPARTURE TO PADAN-ARAM AND HIS VISION _ 1. Isaac sends Jacob away and gives his blessing (Genesis 28:1)_ 2. Esau's action (Genesis 28:6) 3. Jacob's vision and vow (Genesis 28:10) We enter with this upon the interesting wanderings of the third patriarch, Jacob. God was pleased to reveal Himself to the three illustrious men, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as He did not before. In Exodus 3:4 Jehovah reveals Himself to Moses and Jehovah calls Himself “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. This is My name forever.” In Abraham, as we have seen, we have the type of the Father; in

YAHWEH REVEALS HIMSELF TO JACOB AT BETHEL. This section is taken from J and E. To E Genesis 28:11 f., Genesis 28:17 f., Genesis 28:20_ a_, Genesis 28:22 may be assigned, to J Genesis 28:10; Genesis 28:13, and perhaps Genesis 28:19_ a_. This may be an insertion, so perhaps Genesis 2

THEN SHALL THE LORD BE MY GOD. The Speaker's Commentary renders the whole passage: "If God will be with me and keep me in the way that. go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, and. come again in peace to my father's house, and if the LORD will be my God, then shall this stone, which. have set up for. pillar, be the house of God, and of all that thou givest me the tenth will. give surely unto thee." Adam Clarke holds that Jacob made this covenant for himself and his posterity, and that he binds his posterity to build and maintain the house of God and give. tenth of all they received for its support. God had not demanded any such pledge, but it comes from the promptings of. grateful heart. Abraham, before this, had paid tithes to Melchizedek. After him, Jacob is the first of whom we have record who solemnly devoted one-tenth of his income to the service of the Lord. We ha...

This section taken from J and E follows upon Genesis 27:45. Observe the mention of Haran in Genesis 28:10 (cf. Genesis 27:43), and the mention of Beer-sheba as the dwelling-place of Isaac in Genesis 28:10 (cf. Genesis 26:23). Genesis 28:10_; Genesis 28:13; Genesis 28:19_are probably from J;...

DISCOURSE: 46 JACOB’S VOW Genesis 28:20. _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 father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee._ IT is thought by many, that it is wrong to make any kind of vows. But the propriety of making them depends on the manner in which they are made. If, for instance, we make them in our own strength; or hope that by them we can induce God to do for us what he is otherwise unwilling to perform; or imagine that the services which we stipulate to render unto God will be any compensation to him for the mercies he vouchsafes to us; we are guilty of very great pres