elder p ſhall ſerve the younger. | 772 Eherby inward [nf{pication,in a Dream or Viſion ; or by the Miniſtry of in Angel or Prophet. (7: e:) The Roots, Heads, or Parents of two diftiz& Nations,one oppoſiteto the other; the one blef{:d, the other curſed, namely the [raclites and Edomites. o Not only ſeparated from rhee,bur one ſeparated or greatly differing from the other in their frame of Body, temper of Mind, courſe of Lite, profeſſion and pratice of Religion. Or, the greater, namely Eſau, who was, as older, fo of a ſtronger Conſtitution of Body, and of oregter Power and Dignity in the World than Jacob ; and Eſau's Poterity were great Princes for a long time, when Jacob's Seed were Strangers in Ganaan, Slaves in Egypr, and poor afflifted Wanderers in the Wilderneſs. Burt faith he, Eſau and his ſhall not always be ſtronger and mightier than Jacob and his Poſteriry, the Tables ſhall be rurn:d, and the Children of Jr! thall be uppermoſt and ſubdue the Edomites, which was literally accompliſhed in David's tune, 2 Sam. $8. 14. and afterwards 2 Chron. 25. IT, 12. and after that by the Maccabees, but much more eminently in a ſpiritual Senſe under the Goſpel, when one of Jaceb's Children, {even Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall obtain the Dominion, and ſhall rule the Edomzzes no leſs than other Heathen Nationswyith his Iron Rod, and make them ſerviceable one way or other to his Glory, and to the F elicity of his true: 1/rae!, 24 4 And whenher days to be delivered were fulfil- led, behold, there ere twins in her womb. 25 And the firſt came out red q, *all over like an
hairy garment, and they called his name Eſau 7.
4 With red Hair upon all the parts of his Body. From him the Rea-Sea is ſuppoſed to receive its name, 1t being ſo called, as the Hearhen Writers tell us, from one who reigned in thoſe Parts,and was called Erythras, or Erythrus, which ſignifies Red, the ſame with Edom or Eſau. r (i.e.) Madeor perfe# ; not properly a Child, but rather a Man as ſoon as he was born, having that Hair upon him, which in others was an evidence of Manhood. ;
26 And after that came his brother out, and * his hand took hold on Efſau's heel; ans his name was called
Jacob s : and Iſaac was threeſcore years old when ſhe
bare them #. | | s ( 5. e. ) Supplanter, or one that taketh hold of, or trippeth up his Brother's heels. See Gen. 27.36. t Thus God exerciſed his Faith and Patience twenty years by comparing this with verſe 20. ere he gave him the promiſed Bleſſing. ; 27 And the boys grew : and Eſau was a cunning
hunter «, a man of the field x ; and Jacob was F a plain
man y dwelling 1n tents z, |
u Of wild Beaſts, and afterwards an opprefſor of Men. Com- pare Gen. 10. 9. This courſe of lifewas moſt agrecable to his com- plexion, fierce and violent. x Onethat delighted more in conver- ling abroad thanat home, whoſe employment it was to purſue the Beaſts through Fields, and Woods, and Mountains, who therefore choſe an Habitation fit for his purpoſe in mount Seir. y A ſincere, honeR, and plain-hearted Man ; or a juſt and perfe& Man, as the word is uſed, Gen. 6. 9. z Quietly minding the management of his own Domeſtick Afffairs, his Lands and Cattel, and giving no ciſturbance either to wild Beaſts or Men.
28 And {aac loved Eſau, becauſe + he did cat of his
veniſon a : but Rebekah loved Jacob 5.
s Nor ſimply, nor chiefly, becauſe he pleaſed his palate, but be- cauſe this was an evidence of his Son's great reſpe& and affeQion ro him, that he would take ſuch pains and incur fuch hazards to which that courſe of life expoſed him, that he might pleaſe and ſerve his Father. 6b Upon better grounds, both becauſe of his more pious and meck Temper, and becauſe of the Oracle and Promiſe of God.- :
29 © And Jacob ſod pottage : and Elau came from the field, and he 24s faint.
>o And Efau faid to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee,
+ with thatſame red c portage ; for I am faint: there-
fore was his name called Edom #4.
c Red by the infuſion of Lentiles, or Saffron, or ſome other things of that Colour. The word is doubled in the Hebrew Text, to ſhew how vehemently he defired-it. 4 Which ſignifies Red, as he was at firſt;ſo called from the colour of his Hair ; ſo now that name was confirmed and given to him afreſh upon this occaſion,
.4. He was rightly called Edom, or Red, not only Hiſtorically for his Colour, but Prophetically for this Accident. 21 - And Jacob laid, Seil me this day e thy birth- right f. h :
e (i. e. ) Speedily without delay. So this Hebrew Word is uſed, 1 S2m. 2. 16. and 9-13, 27. 2 Chron: 18: 4. f The birth-right then had divers ſingular Priviledges ; as r. Dignity and Authority over his Brethren, Gen: 4: 7: and 27: 29, 37: and 49: 3. 2. A double Portion, Deut: 21: 17: 1 Chron: 5: 1. 3- A ſpecial Blefling from his Father, Gen: 27:4+ 4- The Prieſthood and chief Government of the Affairs of the Church in his Father's abſence, or ſickneſs, and after his death, Numb: 8: 16, 17, &c. 5. The firft-born was a ſpe- cial Type both of Chriſt, who was to be a firſt-born ; and of the Church, which is called God's frff-born, as Exod: 4: 22: and of the great Priviledges of the Church, particularly of Adoption and E- ternal Life. See Heb: 12: 23. And therefore he is juſtly called profane, Heb: 12: 16: forflighting ſo ſacred and glorious a Priviledge. Nueft: 1. Could the birth-righr be loſt ? Anſw: Yes. See Gen:, 4: 7. -and 'r Chron: 5: 1. Que#: 2. Did Jacob wellin this matter ? Anſw:
lo.; becauſe he tempted his Brother to an att of Profaneneſs and
Folly, and fo was guilty of his Sin. And though God had de-
ſigned and promiſed this Priviledge to him, yet he ſhould have waited till God had executed his Promiſe in his own way, as David did till God gave him poſſefſion of Sa*!'s Kingdom, and not have anticipated God, and ſnatched it by an irregular at&t of his own, as Jerobogm did the Kingdom from Rehoboars.
22 And Eſaufſaid, Behold, I am: F at the point to dic
GENESIS
Chap. XXVT. Y har
g Not with Famine,which could not conſiſt with 7ſaac's plentiful
Eſtate and Houſe, but by the perpetual hazards to which his courſe of Iife expoſed him in the purſuit of wild Beaſts, and contendin with other Men. h By which heplainly ſheweth, that his Care _—_ AffeCtions reached no further than thepreſent life. 33 And Jacob faid, Swear to me this day ;; and - —_ unto him : and * he fold his birth-right unto dACOD.