The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 456

Esna tho same friendly welcome that one brother, while the adoption of the second comin6 into God's presence would receive from will serve in some measure to elucidate Jn- him (Roscnmiiller, Keil, Murphy, 'Speaker's cob's language in ver. 14. But whichever Comment.ar:r'),orthat lte bad come into Esau's way the words of Esau are understood, they presence with the sa!11e feelings of pcni~euce amounted to an offer to be nn escort to ns if he bad been commg before God (Kalisch), Jncob through the desert regions with which nr that, as he had already seen the face of his excursions had made him familinr, since God and his life was prese.rved, so nO\v he he added, and I will go before thee-i. e. had seen the face of Esau, and the anticipated to lead the way. destruction liad not been inflicted on him Ver. 13.-And he (.Tacob, politely declin• (Quarry), either of which accords with the ing Esa.u's society and protection, though words that follow-and thou wast pleased apparently accepting his invitation to go with me-literally, tlwu hast graciously re- to Mount Seir) said unto him, My lord ceived me, the unexpressed thought being, as knoweth that the children are tender (Jo- already I have been favourably accepted by seph at this time being little over six year~ Elohim. Hence ,lacob with greater urgency of age), and the 11.ocks and herds with renews his entreaty that Esau would not decline his proffered gift, saying, Take, I yo1111g (literally, giving milk; n\',ll, from pray thee, my blessing (i. e. my present, ,-W, to give euck) are with me,'-literally, the word signifying, as in 1 S~m. :s:xv. ~7 ; upon me, i. e. are 11n object of my special xxx. 26 - 2 Kings v. 15, a gift by which care, because of their condition (Rosen- one seek~ to express good - will) that is mtiller, Keil)-aud if men should over-drive brought to thee;-or, which has been caused them - literally, and they (sc. the shep- to come to thee, adding, as a special reason herds) will ove,·-drive them, i. e. in order to to induce him to accept-because God bath keep p11ce with Esau's armed followers they dealt graciously with me,-Elohim, it has must do so, and in that case, if they were to hcen tbo1Jgbt, is used here n;1d. in,;ver. 5 ~y do so for onl,-one day, all the 11.ock (liter- ,Jacob instead of Jehovah, either to avoid ally, and al the flock) wiU die. Thomson remindin-. Esau of the blessing of Jehovah says that Oriental s~epherds ge_n~ly lead along which had occasioned his absence" (Delitzsch, the mothers when m the condition spoken or Keil) ori"becanse Jehovah was exalted far by Jacob, knowing well that even one day's abov; the lenl of Esau's superficial religion" over-driving would be fatal to them, a.nd, Hengstenberg); but it is just pos~ble that from the fact that Jacob's ewes were giving hy its employment Jacob only msbed to milk, infers that it was winter time, since acknowledge the Divine hand in the re1;11ar~- then alone the flocks are in that condition- able prosperity which bad attended him m an inference which he further confirms by Haran-and becaUBe I have enough-liter- observing that at Succoth Jacob constructed ally there u to me all, i. e. everything I ca.n booths for their protection (' Land and Book,' wish (Mnrpby), a.ll things as ~be ~1eir of the p. 205). promise (Keil). The expression 18 str?nger Ver. 14.-Let my lord, I pray thee,-it tba.n that used by Esau (ver. 9), and 1s re- is perhaps too much t? explain Jacob'_s garded by some (AUU!Wortb) as indJcating a obsequious and deferential address to !us more contented spirit than that evmced by brother (my lord) as the sign of a guilty con• Esau. And he urged him. . ID; Eas~em science (Kalisch, .A.lford),when possibly po• countries the acceptance of a gift 1s eq?-Iva- liteness and humility will suffice-pass over- lent to the striking of a covenant of fnend- not cross the Jordan (Alford), since Esau ship. If your present be r~ceiv:ed by_ yo~r was not journeying to Canaan ; but simply superior you may rely on hlB fn~ndsbip ; if pass on as in ver. 3-before his servant: and it be declined you have everything to fear. I will iead on softly (literally, I will go on It was on this ground that Jaco? was so at my slow pace), according as the cattle urgent in pressing Esau to accept his present that goeth before me and the children be (cf. A. Cl.a.rke in loco). And he took it, a.nd able to endure,-literally, according to the so gave Jacob an assurance of his complete foot, i. e. the pace, of the property (here, reconciliation. cattle), and according to the foot of the Ver. 12.-And he (i. e. Esau) ea.id (in fur- children; i. e. oa fast as flocks and ch1l~ren ther token of bis amity), Let n11- take our can be made with safety to travel-until I journey, and let us go, - but whet~er he come unto my lord unto Beir. It is apparent intended to acccmpany Ja.cob on hlB way that Jacob at first intended to Rccept Esau's (Keil Kalisch et alii) or invited Jacob to invitation to visit him at Scir, either immedi- go '\\ith him' to Mount Seir (Ainsworth, ' ately (Clericue, Kalisch), or, as is more pro: Clericue) is uncertain. On the first hypothe- bable aftenrnrde (Keil, Jlforphy, 'Speaker's sis it is difficult to explain how Esau ca.~e Corn~cntary '), thou~h, ife.fterwanls, the hi~- to be tra n:lling in th~ same direction as Ins torian has preserved n:, record of any such ce. xxxm. 1--20.] THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 401