rb psravotTv, or even ^srdvoia, means repentance, by which a man changes any opinion, whatever it be, — in short, a change of mind: whereas in the New Testament it always implies that by which the sinner entirely repents. Nor is it said, that no repentance was in the power of Esau ; who, although he no doubt gave up the rights of the first-born, yet never the blessing, will not be said to have sought a change of purpose (if even peravoia ever so much denoted this). What remains is, that distress (anxiety or labour) of mind in Esau demanding the blessing afterwards (anew, back again), is called pirdvoia ; the term referring to the Apodosis [i.e. to the spiritual Esau, rather than to Esau himself literally] (comp. notes on Matt, xviii. 13 ; Gal. iv. 29) concerning profane despisers, who spontaneously cast away grace, ver. 15, 16. They will indeed seek repentance afterwards (hereafter), but in vain, ch. vi. 6 ; Matt. xxv. 10, 11. The same expression occurs, AYisd. xii. 10^ xptvuv $e xara/3pa^/0, s&doug ro<7rov fMtravoiag, but exe cuting judgment upon them by little and little, thou gavest a place for repentance. M&rdvoia is put as it were impersonally, as daX^a, will, 1 Cor. xvi. 12. Es wollte bey Esau nicht mehr seyn. Esau would have it no more. The nature of the thing did not admit of it. — [MTU fazpvuv, with tears) He might have had it formerly without tears ; afterwards, though weeping, he was rejected. [Tears sometimes spring from the eyes of men of the hardest nature, 1 Sam. xxiv. 17. Things which are not done at the time, are done with difficulty afterwards. — Y. g.] Let us improve the time ! Luke xiii. 28. — avr^v, if) the blessing. It has been thus expressly written, Gen. xxvii. 38. And the Synonyms here are, when he would have inherited, though he earnestly sought.
18. Ou yap) The reason why they ought to obey this whole exhortation, which has been derived from the priesthood of Christ, because the salvation is more immediately at hand and the vengeance is more nearly at hand. Comp. ch. ii. 1, etc. — <rpoffeX/rjXv&ar&) Deut. iv. 11, LXX., xai KpoffyiXQzrs KUI etirqre virb TO opog, xai rb opog sxaizro <7rup} sug rou ovpavot' ffxvrog, yvopog, $iisXXa. — *l>ii\apufjt,ev<fj) which was touched, by God, so that the whole was put in commotion (was shaken by an earthquake), ver. 26; Ps. civ. 32, cxliv. 5, and was to be touched meanwhile by no man or brute, ver, 20. So -v^Xapav, to touch, is used in Judg. xvi.