r Towit, afterwards, wer.54. though it be here menticned by an- ticipation. ' Or rather by or beſide the heap, as the Hebrew Particle al 1s oft underſtood, as Pſal. 23: 2. and 81. 7.
47 And Laban calledit + Jegar-ſahadutha : but Ja- cob called it Galeed r.
t Both names ſignifie the ſame thing, an heap of witneſs ; only Laban gives the name in the Syrian Language ; but Jacob, though he had been long converſant in Syria, and underſtood that Language, yet he choſe to give it in Hebrew, which was both a ſecret renoun- cing of the Syrian Manners and Religion, together with their Lan- guage, and an implicit profefſicn of his conjunQion with the He- brews, as in their Tongue, ſo in their Religion.
48 And Laban faid, This heap is a witneſs between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed ; |
49 And Þ Mizpah:s for he faid, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are abſent one from another.
take other wives beſide my daughters s, no mn is with us x; See, Godis witneſs betwixt me and thee.
u Thecurſe is here underſtood, as it commonly is,to maintain a greater reverence for Oaths, and to beget a greater dresd of the curſe belonging to the violaters of it. ( i.e. ) Heres now noman with us, who when we are parted can witneſs and judge between us, and puniſh the Tranſgreſſor. Or thus, Though now we have ma« ny with us, as Witneſſes of this Agreement, yet ſhortly when we ſhall be parted, »o man wilt be with us, toobſerve and report our ations to the other, or to do the injured perſon right.
51 And Laban faid to Jacob, Behotd-cthis heap,and be- hold this pillar, which TI have caft betwixt me and thee.
52 This heap bewitneſs, and this pillar be witneſs, that I will notpaſs over this heap to thee, -and that thou ſhalt not paſs over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm, |
53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father y, judge betwixt us. 4nd Ja- cob ſware by the fear of his father Ifazc,
y He joyns Idols with the true God, and ſecretly chargeth the Religion of Jacob and Abraham with novelty, and prefers his own ag the moſt ancient Religion. See Joſh: 24. 2. Whenee we may learn, that Antiquity of itſelf isno certain argument of the true Church or Religion. |
54 Then Jacob f offered facrifice z upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread, and they did cat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
z Either to give God thanks for the great merciesand deliveran=-
Treaty,and upon their whole Family. But it is not fo probable that
Jacob yvould chuſe chat tine for the offering of Sacrifices when __
? :
Pi
5o If thou ſhalt afli& my daughters, or if thou ſhalt cower,
Chap.33.
+ Or, kl bed beaſts.
+ Heb; gd.
Fhap. XXXIL. \ =" IOM 72 WW: -.1t, whom he could neither honeſtly admit to them, Re + det from them. And therefore ſeing the
CmeHebrew word ſignifies king as well as Jacrificing,as PPT - wm | Neumbi 22: 40: 1 Sam: 28:24* I Kin2s 1: 3. 2 Chron.18. OE 1s underſtand it ofhis killing of beaſts in order to a Feaſt w wn _ : for his brethren, whom he called, as 1t here follows,to _ me CC. under which phraſe all meats are uſually. comprehende : in _—_ | ture, as hath been already nored, and will appear hercatter.
this praftice was uſual in thoſe times, to confirm Covenants by a Fealt. See Gen: - 39. FR DET And early in them , ! ſed his ſons, and his ghrn_nn _ them :; I retur; 6. Laban departed, and returned unto his plac , C H A P. XXXII. DOTS Jacob, 1. He calls them God's hoſt, ana the prace
Eſau, 3-======5. They with four hundred
and
anecls of God mect m—_— 2. Sends meſſengers to his brother E return, and bring word that Eſau comes to meet him w : men, 6. Jacob is afraid ; divides his people and cattle into two banas, / Gives erders concerning them,8. Prays to God in a wery fervent and m_ e MANNEY, Qo==n—= 12. Sends preſents to his brother, with direfiions, gets w wives and children over the foord by night, 13--=-23. Facob wreſtles wit God, and prevails ; is called Iſrael : God bleſſeth him ; he enquires Ke God's name ; calls the place Peniel. Jacob halts, 24-31. The Fews 00=
ſervation in memorial of it, 32. ; AN D Jacob went on his way, and theangels of God
met him 4, 2 In viſible, humane, and glorious ſhape,as they frequently ap- -ared to the Patriarchs. ; os E i= And when Jacob ſaw them, he ſaid, This is God's FE Thatis, hoſth: and he called che name of chat place | Mahas»
wo hoſts or NA1M C. : : f aps, b. So the Angelsare juſtly called for their great number, Dan. 7. : 10. Luke 2. 13. excellent order, mighty power, and for their uſe 2 and ſervice to God, and to his P _ are ſent. See 2 Kings 6. 17. Pſalm 34. 7.6 ( 7. e. ) Lwo hoſts; ſocal- "| led. either becuuſe the Angels divided themſelves into two com- panies,& placed themſelves ſome before,others behind him,or ſome on each iide of him,for his greater comfort and ſecurity;or becauſe the Angels made one hoſt, and his Family another. 2 AndJacob ſent meiſengers before him to Efau his
brother, unto the land of Seir 4, the F countrey of
Edom Co =
d Of which ſee Gen: 14: 6. and 36: 9, 20, 21. whither Eſau had removed his habitation from Canaan, partly out of diſcontent at his Parents ; partly as moſt convenient for his courſe of life ; and principally by direC&tion of Divine Providence, that Canaan might be left free and clear for Jacob and his poſterity. e So that Seir and Edom either are one and the ſame place ; or rather Seir was a part of Edom. Some ſay both names are put here ſor diſtin&ion. For they tmake two Lands of Edom,the one Southward from Canaan, the other Eaſtward, and this latter they underſtand here, alledging thatthe other or Southern was ſo remote from Mount Gilead, whence Jacob was now deſcending, that Jacob need not fear Eſau at that diſtance, nor ſend to him. But as thar diſtinftion ſeems to be without ſolid ground,ſo this reaſon ſeems to have bur little weight in it,both be- cauſe though this Hiſtory immediatly follows his deſcent from Mount Gilead, yet it might be done ſome competent time after it, and becauſe Jacob in his journey to thoſe parts where his father 1/aac lived, and whither he was going,was {till drawing nearer and near- er to Eſau. :
4 And he commanded them, ſaying, Thus ſhall ye ſpeak unto my lord f Eſau, Thy ſervant Jacob faith thus ; I have ſojourned with Laban, and ſtayed there