Genesis 28:4

_AND GIVE THEE THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM, TO THEE, AND TO THY SEED WITH THEE; THAT THOU MAYEST INHERIT THE LAND WHEREIN THOU ART A STRANGER, WHICH GOD GAVE UNTO ABRAHAM._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

1-5 Jacob had blessings promised both as to this world and that which is to come; yet goes out to a hard service. This corrected him for the fraud on his father. The blessing shall be conferred on him, yet he shall smart for the indirect course taken to obtain it. Jacob is dismissed by his father with a solemn charge. He must not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan: those who profess religion, should not marry with those that care not for religion. Also with a solemn blessing. Isaac had before blessed him unwittingly; now he does it designedly. This blessing is more full than the former; it is a gospel blessing. This promise looks as high as heaven, of which Canaan was a type. That was the better country which Jacob and the other patriarchs had in view....

Verse Genesis 28:4. _GIVE THEE THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM_] May he confirm the inheritance with all its attendant blessings to thee, to the exclusion of Esau; as he did to _me_, to the exclusion of Ishmael. But, according to St. Paul, much more than this is certainly intended here, for it appears, from Galatians 3:6, that _the blessing of Abraham_, which is _to come upon the Gentiles_ _through Jesus Christ_, comprises the whole doctrine of justification by faith, and its attendant privileges, viz., redemption from the curse of the law, remission of sins, and the promise of the Holy Spirit, including the constitution and establishment of the Christian Church....

- 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 28:1 AND ISAAC CALLED JACOB (to his bed-side), AND BLESSED HIM,—in enlarged form, renewing the benediction previously given (Genesis 27:27)—AND SAID UNTO HIM, THOU SHALT NOT TAKE A WIFE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF CANAAN (cf. Genesis 14:3). Intermarriage with the women of the land was expressly forbidden to the theocratic heir, while his attention was directed to his mother's kindred. GENESIS 28:2 ARISE, GO TO PADAN-ARAM (_vide _

AND GIVE THEE THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM, TO THEE, AND TO THY SEED WITH THEE,.... Which was promised to Abraham, and was entailed upon Isaac and his seed, and now upon Jacob and his seed, which follows: THAT THOU MAYEST INHERIT THE LAND WHEREIN THOU ART A STRANGER, WHICH GOD GAVE TO ABRAHAM; the land of Canaan, which was given to Abraham by promise, but not in possession; he was a sojourner and stranger in it, and so Isaac had been all his days, and now Jacob, who through the blessing was become heir of it; but as yet neither he nor his posterity must enjoy it, but be strangers and sojourners in it, for the exercise of faith, and for the leading of their minds off of all earthly enjoyments, to the better and heavenly country God has provided for his people; see Hebrews 11:9....

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

GENESIS 27:46 TO GENESIS 28:9. JACOB IS SENT FROM HOME TO MARRY INTO HIS MOTHER'S FAMILY. The reader may readily suppose that Rebekah uses the unfortunate marriage of Esau as a pretext to hide her real reason for sending Jacob away, which was to baulk Esau of his revenge. But this section comes from P and links on to Genesis 26:34 f. Intermarriage with Canaanites was contrary to the ideals of Judaism; Edom may do such things, but not Israel. When Esau learnt that his father was not pleased with his wives, and in sending Jacob to Laban had given him the blessing of Abraham, he married the daughter of Ishmael, his cousin, though not so pure in breed as his own family, since her grandmother was Egyptian. It is noteworthy that

WHEREIN THOU ART. STRANGER. Hebrew of thy sojournings. GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim._ App-4....

_the blessing of Abraham_ Probably a reference to Genesis 17:8. The same blessing as Abraham received is now pronounced by Isaac upon Jacob, recognizing him as the religious representative of the family, and ignoring Esau. This verse would be almost unintelligible, if we were not on literary grounds sure that this section is from the P tradition, and is independent of the J narrative (chap. 27), which describes Isaac's age and Jacob's deceit towards his father in obtaining the blessing of the firstborn. This is not the blessing of a dying man, but of a father parting with a son. It repeats, in a summary form, the national aspect of Abraham's blessing. It lacks the poetical vigour and spiritual interest of the blessing in J (Genesis 27:27-29). _the land of thy sojournings_ A P phrase: see no