Genesis 28:5

_AND ISAAC SENT AWAY JACOB: AND HE WENT TO PADAN-ARAM UNTO LABAN, SON OF BETHUEL THE SYRIAN, THE BROTHER OF REBEKAH, JACOB'S AND ESAU'S MOTHER._ Isaac sent away Jacob; and he went to Padan-aram. Stanley ('Lectures on Jewish Church') pronounces this journey into Mesopotamia to be 'a retrograde movement in the history of the Church'-a return to the country whence Abraham was called. It was only a temporary sojourn, however, not a permanent settlement; and it was directed by the superintending providence of God, who provided, as in the analogous case of Isaac, that the blood of the chosen family should be kept pure and uncontaminated by admixture with any of the Canaanite tribes....

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 28:5. _BETHUEL THE SYRIAN_] Literally the _Aramean_, so called, not because he was of the race of _Aram_ the son of Shem, but because he dwelt in that country which had been formerly possessed by the descendants of Aram....

- 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 ISAAC SENT AWAY JACOB,.... From Beersheba; not in anger, or in a dishonourable way, but took his leave of him no doubt in an affectionate manner; as it is clear he went with his blessing, and had his good wishes for a prosperous journey: AND HE WENT TO PADANARAM; which from Beersheba, according to some h, was four hundred and eighty miles: UNTO LABAN, SON OF BETHUEL THE SYRIAN; some versions make Laban to be the Syrian, others Bethuel; it is a matter of no great moment which is here so called, since they were both called Syrians, see Genesis 25:20: THE BROTHER OF REBEKAH; this refers to Laban, for Bethuel was her father: JACOB'S AND ESAU'S MOTHER; Jacob is set first, not only as being most beloved by his mother, but as now having the birthright and the blessing. h Bunting's Travels, p. 72....

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

_and he went to Paddan-aram unto Laban_ In this short sentence the narrative of P disposes of the journey of Jacob, which is described in much greater detail in the parallel narratives from J and E, preserved in Genesis 28:10 and chap. 29. _the Syrian_ Heb. _Aramean_. Cf. Genesis 25:20; Deuteronomy 26:5....

ISAAC SENT AWAY JACOB, &C.— It has been generally supposed, though without any warrant from the text, that Isaac sent away this son, the heir of the promise, to walk quite alone all this long journey into Syria. I cannot conceive, that even in those times, simple as they were, such a step would have been taken: and I apprehend, that the reason which is given for this proceeding in Isaac and Rebekah rather proves the contrary: they sent him away privately, it is supposed, through fear of Esau. Now it is evident that Esau knew perfectly well the whole scheme, (see Genesis 28:6.) and consequently could not have had a fairer opportunity to kill his brother, than in this solitary and unattended journey, as it has been thought. It is therefore much more reasonable to believe, that he was accompanied with presents, and with proper servants, sufficient to defend him from any attacks: nor can one...