EXPOSITION. while his attention WIIS directed to his CHAPTER XXVIII. mother's kindred. Ver. 1.-And Isaao (recognising the wisdom Ver. 2.-Arise, go to Padan-aram (vide o.nd propriety of Rebek11b's suggestion that eh. xxiv. 10 ; xxv. 20 ; xxvii. 43), to the a bride should now be sought for him whom honse of Bethuel thy mother's father;- God hnd so unmistak11bly declared to bo the (vide eh. xxiv. 24). If yet nlive, P.cthuel heir of the theocratic promise) called Jacob must hnve been very oh!, since he was Isaac'~ (to bis bed-side), and blessed him,-in en- cousin, nnd probably born mnny years UP· lnrged form, renewing the benediction pre- fore the son of .A.brahnm-and take thoo a. viously given (eh. xxvii. 27)-and said unto wife from thence-though Isaac's wifo was him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the found for him, ho does not think or imitating dnughters of Canaan (cf. eh. mv. 3). Inter- Abraham ond despatching nnother Eliezer marriage with the women of the land wns in search of n spouse for Robckah's son. n:pressly forbidden to the theocrntic heir, Probably be saw tl1at Jncob coulcl nttond to 3!8 THE BOOK OF GENESt!t [en. xx,•111. 1-9.
that business sufficiently mthout 11.SSista.nce (Rebekah only counselled, Isaac comm11nded) 1 from others--i>f the daughters of Laban thy and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son mother's brother (vide eh. xxiv. 29). "Isaac of Bethuel the Syrian (1;ido Hosea xii 12), appears to entertnin no doubt of J acob's the brother of Rebekah, .Tacob's and Esau' ■ success, u-bicb might be the more probable mother. The historian hero perhaps inten• since the same reason which kept Jacob from tionally gives the first pl11co to J11cob. marrying in Can,111.n might prevent Laban's Vers. 6-9.-When (literally, and) Esau daughters from ooiag marrioii in Haran, the saw that Isaao had blessed .Taoob, and sent worshippers of the Lord being few" (Inglis). him away to Padan-aram, to take him a Y~. 8.-And God Almighty-El Shaddai wife from thence; and that as he blessed (mde eh. xvii. 1)-bles■ thee,-the Abra- him he gave him a charge,-litorally, in hamic benediction in its fullest form was hu bl6S8fr1g him (forming a parenthesis), given by El Shaddai ('IJUie eh. xvii. 1-8)-and and lie commanded him-saying, Thou make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that she.It not take a wife of the daughters of thou mayest be-literally, and thou shalt Canaan; and that (literally, and) .Jacob become (or grow to )--a multitude-an assem- obeyed his father and his mother, and was bly, or congregation, or crowd called together, gone (or went) to Padan-aram; and Esau from a root signifyiug to cell together (Gcse- seeing that (more correctly, saw that) the nius), or to sweep up together (Fiirst) ; cor- daughters of Canaan pleased not (literally, res~onding to lrc>-.1J11ia in Greek-of people. were evil in tl,,e eyes of) Isaao hie father; , er. 4.-And give thee the blessing of then (literally, and) went Esau unto Ishmael Abraham,-i. e. promised to Abraham (vide (i. e. tho family or tribe of Ishmael, aiming eh. xii. 2 ; ::a.ii 17, 1S). The additions of in this likely to please his father), and took TOV 1rarpo, µov (LXX. ), 7':l)( = TOU 1raTpiii; aov (Samaritan), are unwarranted-to thee, unto the wives which he had (so that they were neither dead nor divorced) Mahalath and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest (called Bashemath in eh. xxxvi. 3) the inherit the land wherein thon art a stranger, daughter of Ishmael (and therefore Esau's -literally, the land of thy sojournings (eh. half-cousin by tho father's side, Ishmael, xvii. B)-which God gave unto Abraham- who was now dead thirteen years, having by promise (cf. eh. :xii 7 ; xiii 15; xv. 7, been Isaac's half-brother) Abraham's son, 18; xvii 8). the sister of Nebajoth,-Ishmael's firstborn Ver. 5. - .And Isaac sent away Jacob (vid6 eh. xxv. 13}-to be hie wife.
HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-9.-Jacob and Esaie, or diverging paths. I. JAcoB'e JOURNEY TO PADAN-ARAM. 1. The pa.tit of dldy. Entered on in obedience to his mother's wish and his father's commandment, it was an evidence of filial piety. It is the token of a good son that he "hears the instruction of his father, and forsakes not the law of his mother" t Prov. i. 8 ). Sons come to mature age should respect and, where not inconsisteI.lt with allegiance to God, yield submission to parental authority (Prov. vi. 20; Mai. i. 6 ; Ephes. vi. 1-3). 2. The path of blessi,ng. The benediction already bestowed upon Jacob was repeated with greater amplitude and tenderness before he left the patriarchal tent. Happy the youth who enters upon life's journey carrying on his head and in Lis heart a father's blessing I much more who goes forth beneath the canopy of Heaven's Lcnediction I and this ie ever the experience of him wl10 travels by the way of filial obedience. Pious children seldom foil to come to hc-nour, and never want the favour of the Lord (Pe. xxxvii. 26; Prov. iv. 20-22; viii. 32). 3. The path of promue. In addition to Lis fother's blessing and the Alruighty's benediction, Jacob carried with him as he left Beersheba the promise of a seed a!1d an inheritance to be in due time acquired; and in like manner now ha.a the eamt exceeding great and preciot..R promises to cheer him in his heavenward pilgrimage, promises the full realisation of which is attainable only in the future (John x.iv. 2; 1 Pet. i. 4). 4. The path of lwpe. Sad and sorrowful ns Jacob's heart mu?t have been as he kissed hi~ mother ar.d bade farewell to Isaac, it wae at least eustamed by pleasant expectatio'1. Gilding the horizon of his future was the prospect of a wife to love as Isaac had loved Rebekah, and to be the mother of the seed of promise. So the pathway of the children of promise, though often painful, arduous, and pro• tracted, is always lighted by the star of hope, and always points to a bright and beautiful beyond. • II. EsAu'e MARRIAGE WITH MABALATH. 1. Tiu way of ai1i. His former wive■ OH, X.XVIII. 10-22.) THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 349