Genesis 31 commentary

The affairs of these families are related very minutely, while (what are called) the great events of states and kingdoms at that period, are not mentioned. The Bible teaches people the common duties of life, how to serve God, how to enjoy the blessings he bestows, and to do good in the various stations and duties of life. Selfish men consider themselves robbed of all that goes past them, and covetousness will even swallow up natural affection. Men's overvaluing worldly wealth is that error which is the root of covetousness, envy, and all evil. The men of the world stand in each other's way, and every one seems to be taking away from the rest; hence discontent, envy, and discord. But there are possessions that will suffice for all; happy they who seek them in the first place. In all our removals we should have respect to the command and promise of God. If He be with us, we need not fear. The perils which surround us are so many, that nothing else can really encourage our hearts. To remember favoured seasons of communion with God, is very refreshing when in difficulties; and we should often recollect our vows, that we fail not to fulfil them.

God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Foolish Laban! to call those things his gods which could be stolen! Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he knew not. Those who commit their cause to God, are not forbidden to plead it themselves with meekness and fear. When we read of Rachel's stealing her father's images, what a scene of iniquity opens! The family of Nahor, who left the idolatrous Chaldees; is this family itself become idolatrous? It is even so. The truth seems to be, that they were like some in after-times, who sware by the Lord and by Malcham, Zep 1:5; and like others in our times, who wish to serve both God and mammon. Great numbers will acknowledge the true God in words, but their hearts and houses are the abodes of spiritual idolatry. When a man gives himself up to covetousness, like Laban, the world is his god; and he has only to reside among gross idolaters in order to become one, or at least a favourer of their abominations.

If Jacob were willingly consumed with heat in the day, and frost by night, to become the son-in-law of Laban, what should we refuse to endure, to become the sons of God? Jacob speaks of God as the God of his father; he thought himself unworthy to be regarded, but was beloved for his father's sake. He calls him the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac; for Abraham was dead, and gone to that world where perfect love casts out fear; but Isaac was yet alive, sanctifying the Lord in his heart, as his fear and his dread.

Laban could neither justify himself nor condemn Jacob, therefore desires to hear no more of that matter. He is not willing to own himself in fault, as he ought to have done. But he proposes a covenant of friendship between them, to which Jacob readily agrees. A heap of stones was raised, to keep up the memory of the event, writing being then not known or little used. A sacrifice of peace offerings was offered. Peace with God puts true comfort into our peace with our friends. They did eat bread together, partaking of the feast upon the sacrifice. In ancient times covenants of friendship were ratified by the parties eating and drinking together. God is judge between contending parties, and he will judge righteously; whoever do wrong, it is at their peril. They gave a new name to the place, The heap of witness. After this angry parley, they part friends. God is often better to us than our fears, and overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him.

1. And he heard the words. Although Jacob ardently desired his own country, and was continually thinking of his return to it; yet his admirable patience appears in this, that he suspends his purpose till a new occasion presents itself. I do not, however, deny, that some imperfection was mixed with this virtue, in that he did not make more haste to return; but that the promise of God was always retained its his mind will shortly appear. In this respect, however, he showed something of human nature, that for the sake of obtaining wealth he postponed his return for six years: for when Laban was perpetually changing his terms, he might justly have bidden him farewell. But that he was detained by force and fear together, we infer from his clandestine flight. Now, at least, he has a sufficient cause for asking his dismissal; because his riches had become grievous and hateful to the sons of Laban: nevertheless he does not dare openly to withdraw himself from their enmity, but is compelled to flee secretly. Yet though his tardiness is in some degree excusable, it was probably connected with indolence; even as the faithful, when they direct their course towards God, often do not pursue it with becoming fervor. Wherefore, whenever the indolence of the flesh retards us, let us learn to fan the ardor of our spirits into a flame. There is no doubt that the Lord corrected the infirmity of his servant, and gently spurred him on as he proceeded in his course. For if Laban had treated him kindly and pleasantly, his mind would have been lulled to sleep; but now he is driven away by adverse looks. So the Lord often better secures the salvation of his people, by subjecting them to the hatred, the envy, and the malevolence of the wicked, than by suffering them to be soothed with bland address. It was far more useful to holy Jacob to have his father-in-law and his sons opposed, than to have them courteously obsequious to his wishes; because their favor might have deprived him of the blessing of God. We also have more than sufficient experience of the power of earthly attractions, and of the ease with which, when they abound, the oblivion of celestial blessings steals over us. Wherefore let us not think it hard to be awakened by the Lord, when we fall into adversity, or receive but little favor from the world; for hatred, threats, disgrace, and slanders, are often more advantageous to us than the applause of all men on every side. Moreover, we must notice the inhumanity of Laban’s sons, who complain throughout as if they had been plundered by Jacob. But sordid and avaricious men labor under the disease of thinking that they are robbed of everything with which they do not gorge themselves. For since their avarice is insatiable, it follows of necessity that the prosperity of others torments them, as if they themselves would be thereby reduced to want. They do not consider whether Jacob acquired this great wealth justly or unjustly; but they are enraged and envious, because they conceive that so much has been abstracted from them. Laban had before confessed, that he had been enriched by the coming of Jacob, and even that he had been blessed by the Lord for Jacob’s sake; but now his sons murmur, and he himself is tortured with grief, to find that Jacob also is made a partaker of the same blessing. Hence we perceive the blindness of avarice which can never be satisfied. Whence also it is called by Paul the root of all evil; because they who desire to swallow up everything must be perfidious, and cruel, and ungrateful, and in every way unjust. Besides, it is to be observed that the sons of Laban, in the impetuosity of their younger years, give vent to their vexation; but the father, like a cunning old fox, is silent, yet betrays his wickedness by his countenance.

22. And it was told Laban. The Lord gave to his servant the interval of a three-days’ journey, so that having passed the Euphrates, he might enter the boundaries of the promised land. And perhaps, in the mean time, he cooled the rage of Laban, the assault of which, in its first heat, might have been intolerable severe. “Doubtless this pursuit, undertaken with such vehemence by Laban, was for the purpose of bringing back Jacob with all his family and all his wealth, and under the pretext that he had taken flight and had been guilty of theft, to retain him henceforth as a captive, and to subject him to perpetual slavery.” — Rivetus in Genesis. By afterward permitting Jacob to be intercepted in the midst of his journey, God intended to tender his own interposition the more illustrious. It seemed desirable that Jacob’s course should not be interrupted, and that he should not be filled with alarm by the hostile approach of his father-in-law; but when Laban, like a savage wild beast, breathing nothing but slaughter, is suddenly restrained by the Lord, this was far more likely to confirm the faith of the holy man, and therefore far more useful to him. For, as in the very act of giving assistance, the power of God shone forth more clearly; so, relying on divine help, he passed more courageously through remaining trials. Whence we learn, that those perturbations which, at the time, are troublesome to us, yet tend to our salvation, if only we obediently submit to the will of God; who purposely thus tries us, that he may indeed show more fully the care which he takes of us. It was a sad and miserable sight, that Jacob, taking so large a family with him, should flee as if his conscience had accused him of evil: but it was far more bitter and more formidable, that Laban, intent on his destruction, should threaten his life. Yet the method of his deliverance, which is described by Moses, was more illustrious than any victory. For God, descending from heaven to bring assistance to his servant, places himself between the parties, and in a moment assuages the indomitable fury with which Laban was inflamed.

3. And the Lord said unto Jacob. The timidity of the holy man is here more plainly seen; for he, perceiving that evil was designed against him by his father-in-law, still dared not to move a foot, unless encouraged by a new oracle. But the Lord, who, by facts, had shown him already that no longer delay was to be made, now also urges him by words. Let us learn from this example, that although the Lord may incite us to duty by adversity, yet we shall thereby profit little, unless the stimulus of the word be added. And we see what will happen to the reprobate; for either they become stupefied in their wickedness, or they break out into fury. Wherefore, that the instruction conveyed by outward things may profit us, we must ask the Lord to shine upon us in his own word. The design, however, of Moses chiefly refers to this point, that we may know that Jacob returned to his own country, under the special guidance of God. Now the land of Canaan is called the land of Abraham and Isaac, not because they had sprung from it; but because it had been divinely promised to them as their inheritance. Wherefore, by this voice the holy man was admonished, that although Isaac had been a stranger, yet, in the sight of God, he was the heir and lord of that land, in which he possessed nothing but a sepulcher.

4. And Jacob sent. He sends for his wives, in order to explain to them his intention, and to exhort them to accompany him in his flight; for it was his duty as a good husband to take them away with him; and therefore it was necessary to inform them of his design. And he was not so blind as to be unmindful of the many dangers of his plan. It was difficult to convey women, who had never left their father’s house, to a remote region, by an unknown journey. Moreover, there was ground to fear lest they, in seeking protection for themselves, might betray their husband to his enemies. The coverage of many would so far have failed them, in such a state of perturbation, that they would have disregarded conjugal fidelity, to provide for their own safety. Jacob, therefore, acted with great constancy in choosing rather to expose himself to danger than to fail in the duty of a good husband and master of a family. If his wives had refused to accompany him, the call of God would have compelled him to depart. But God granted him what was far more desirable, that his whole family, with one consent, were prepared to follow him: moreover, his wives, with whose mutual strifes his house before had rung, now freely consent to go with him into exile. So the Lord, when in good faith we discharge our duty, and shun nothing which he commands, enables us to succeed, even in the most doubtful affairs. Further, from the fact that Jacob calls his wives to him into the field, we infer what an anxious life he led. Certainly it would have been a primary convenience of his life, to dwell at home with his wives. He was already advanced in age, and worn down with many toils; and therefore he had the greater need of their service. Yet satisfied with a cottage in which he might watch over his flock, he lived apart from them. If, then, there had been a particle of equity in Laban and his sons, they would have found no cause for envy.

5. I see your father’s countenance. This address consists of two parts. For first, he speaks of his own integrity, and expostulates concerning the perfidy of his father-in-law. He next testifies that God is the author of his prosperity, in order that Rachel and Leah may the more willingly accompany him. And whereas he had become very rich in a short space of time, he purges himself from all suspicion; and even appeals to them as witnesses of his diligence. And though Moses does not minutely relate everything; yet there is no doubt that the honesty of their husband had been made clear to them by many proofs, and that, on the other hand, the injuries, frauds, and rapacity of their father, were well known. When he complains that his wages had been changed ten times, it is probable that the number ten is simply put for many times. Nevertheless it may be, that within six years Laban might thus frequently have broken his agreements; since there would be twice as many seasons of breeding lambs, namely, at spring and autumn, as we have said. But this narration of the dream, although it follows in a subsequent part of the history, shows that holy Jacob had undertaken nothing but by the Divine command. Moses had before related the transaction simply, saying nothing respecting the counsel from which it had proceeded; but now, in the person of Jacob himself, he removes all doubt respecting it; for he does not intimate that Jacob was lying, in order, by this artifice, to deceive his wives; but he introduces the holy servant of God, avowing truly, and without pretense, the case as it really was. For otherwise he would have abused the name of God, not without abominable impiety, by connecting this vision with that former one, in which we see that the gate of heaven was opened unto him.

13. I am the God of Beth-el. It is not wonderful that the angel should assume the person of God: either because God the Father appeared to the holy patriarchs in his own Word, as in a lively mirror, and that under the form of an angel; or because angels, speaking by the command of God, rightly utter their words, as from his mouth. For the prophets are accustomed to this form of speaking; not that they may exalt themselves into the place of God; but only that the majesty of God, whose ministers they are, may shine forth in his message. Now, it is proper that we should more carefully consider the force of this form of expression. He does not call himself the God of Bethel, because he is confined within the limits of a given place, but for the purpose of renewing to his servant the remembrance of his own promise; for holy Jacob had not yet attained to that degree of perfection which rendered the more simple rudiments unnecessary for him. But little light of true doctrine at that time prevailed; and even that was wrapped in many shadows. Nearly the whole world had apostatized to false gods; and that region, nay, even the house of his father-in-law, was filled with unholy superstitions. Therefore, amid so many hindrances, nothing was more difficult for him than to hold his faith in the one true God firm and invincible. Wherefore, in the first place, pure religion is commended to him, in order that, among the various errors of the world, he may adhere to the obedience and worship of that God whom he had once known. Secondly; the promise which he had before received is anew confirmed to him, in order that he may always keep his mind fixed on the special covenant which God had made with Abraham and his posterity. Thus he is directed to the land of Canaan, which was his own inheritance; lest the temporal blessing of God, which he was soon to enjoy, should detain his heart in Mesopotamia. For since this oracle was only an appendix of the previous one, whatever benefits God afterwards bestowed ought to be referred to that first design. We may also conjecture from this passage, that Jacob had before preached to his household concerning the true God and the true religion, as became a pious father of his family. For he would have acted absurdly in uttering this discourse, unless his wives had been previously instructed respecting that wonderful vision. To the same point belongs what he had said before, that the God of his father had brought him assistance. For it is just as if he would openly distinguish the God whom he worshipped from the god of Laban. And now, because he holds familiar discourse with his wives, as on subjects which they know, the conjecture is probable, that it was not Jacob’s fault if they were not imbued with the knowledge of the one God, and with sincere piety. Further, by this oracle the Lord declared that he is always mindful of the godly, even when they seem to be cast down and deserted. For who would not have said that the outcast Jacob was now deprived of all celestial help? And truly the Lord appears to him late; but beyond all expectation shows, that he had never been forgetful of him. Let the faithful, also, at this day, feel that he is the same towards them; and if, in any way, the wicked tyrannically oppress them by unjust violence, let them bear it patiently, until at length, in due time, he shall avenge them.

14. And Rachel and Leah answered. Here we perceive that to be fulfilled which Paul teaches, that all things work together for good to the children of God. (Romans 8:28.) For since the wives of Jacob had been unjustly treated by their father, they so far act in opposition to the natural tenderness of their sex, that at the desire of their husband, they become willing to follow him into a distant and unknown region. Therefore, if Jacob is compelled to take many and very bitter draughts of grief, he is now cheered by the most satisfying compensation, that his wives are not separated from him by their attachment to their father’s house: but rather, being overcome by the irksome nature of their sufferings, they earnestly undertake to join him in his flight. “There is nothing,” they say, “which should cause us to remain with our father; for daughters adhere to their fathers, because they are esteemed members of his family; but what a cruel rejection is this, not only that he has passed us off without dowry, The word in the original is harsh, “prostituit.” but that he has set us to sale, and has devoured the price for which he sold us?” By the word money (Genesis 31:15), I understand the price of sale. For they complain that, at least, they had not received, instead of dowry, the profit which had been unjustly extorted from their husband, but this gain also had been unjustly suppressed by their covetous father. Therefore the particle גם(gam) is inserted, which is used for the purpose of amplification among the Hebrews. For this increased not a little the meanness of Laban, that, as an insatiable whirlpool, he had absorbed the gain acquired by this most dishonorable traffic. And it is to be noted, that they were then devoted to their husband, and were therefore free to depart from their father; especially since they knew that the hand of God was stretched out to them. There is also no doubt, seeing they were persuaded that Jacob was a faithful prophet of God, but that they freely embraced the heavenly oracle from his mouth; for at the close of their reply, they show that they did not so much yield to his wish as to the command of God.

16. For all the riches which God has taken from our father. Rachel and Leah confirm the speech of Jacob; but yet in a profane and common manner, not with a lively and pure sense of religion. For they only make a passing allusion to the fact, that God, in pity to his servant, had deigned to honor him with peculiar favor; and in the meantime, insist upon a reason of little solidity, that what they were carrying away was justly their due, because a part of the inheritance pertained to them. They do not argue that the riches they possessed were theirs, because they had been justly acquired by the labor of their husband; but because they themselves ought not to have been defrauded of their dowry, and now deprived of their lawful inheritance. For this reason they mention also their children with themselves, as having sprung from the blood of Laban. By this method they not only obscure the blessing of God, but indulge themselves in greater license than is right. They also form a mean estimate of their husband’s labors, in boasting that the fruit of those labors proceeded from themselves. Wherefore we are, by no means, to seek hence a precedent for the way in which each is to defend his own right, or to attempt the recovery of it, when it has been unjustly wrested from him.

17. Then Jacob rose up. The departure of Jacob Moses afterwards more fully relates, he now only briefly says that “he rose up;” by which he means, that as soon as he could obtain the consent of his wives to go with him, he yielded to no other obstacles. Herein appears the manly strength and constancy of his mind. For Moses leaves many things to be reflected upon by his readers; and especially that intermediate period, during which the holy man was doubtless agitated with a multiplicity of cares. He had believed that his exile from home would be only for a short time: but, deprived of the sight of his parents and of his native soil during twenty years, he suffered many things so severe and bitter, that the endurance of them might have rendered him callous, or, at least, might have so oppressed him as to have consumed the remnant of his life. He was now verging towards old age, and the coldness of old age produces tardiness. Yet the flight for which he was preparing was not free from danger. Therefore it was necessary that he should be armed with the spirit of fortitude, in order that the vigor and alacrity of which Moses speaks, might cause him to hasten his steps. And since we read that the departure of the holy man was effected by stealth, and was attended with discredit; let us learn, whenever God abases us, to turn our minds to such examples as this.

19. And Rachel had stolen. Although the Hebrews sometimes call those images תרפים (teraphim,) which are not set forth as objects of worship: yet since this term is commonly used in an ill sense, I do not doubt that they were the household gods of Laban. See the subject of Teraphim discussed at length in Rivetus, who confirms the opinion of Calvin by arguments and illustrations drawn from learned writers. Exercitatio cxxxii. — Ed. Even he himself, shortly afterwards, expressly calls them his gods. It appears hence how great is the propensity of the human mind to idolatry: since in all ages this evil has prevailed; namely, that men seek out for themselves visible representations of God. From the death of Noah not yet two hundred years had elapsed; Shem had departed but a little while before; his teaching, handed down by tradition, ought most of all to have flourished among the posterity of Terah; because the Lord had chosen this family to himself, as the only sanctuary on earth in which he was to be worshipped in purity. The voice of Shem himself was sounding in their ears until the death of Abraham.; yet now, from Terah himself, the common filth of superstition inundated this place, while the patriarch Shem was still living and speaking. And though there is no doubt that he endeavored, with all his power, to bring back his descendants to a right mind, we see what was his success. It is not indeed to be believed, that Bethuel had been entirely ignorant of the call of Abraham; yet neither he, with his family, was, on that account, withdrawn from this vanity. Holy Jacob also had not been silent during twenty years, but had endeavored, by counsel and admonition, to correct these gross vices, but in vain; because superstition, in its violent course, prevailed. Therefore, that idolatry is almost innate in the human mind, the very antiquity of its origin bears witness. And that it is so firmly fixed there as scarcely to be capable of being uprooted, shows its obstinacy. But it is still more absurd, that not even Rachel could be healed of this contagion, in so great a length of time. She had often heard her husband speaking of the true and genuine worship of God: yet she is so addicted to the corruptions which she had imbibed from her childhood, that she is ready to infect the land chosen by God with them. She imagines that, with her husband, she is following God as her leader, and at the same time takes with her the idols by which she would subvert his worship. It is even possible that by the excessive indulgence of his beloved wife, Jacob might give too much encouragement to such superstitions. Wherefore, let pious fathers of families learn to use their utmost diligence that no stain of evil may remain in their wives or children. Some inconsiderately excuse Rachel, on the ground that, by a pious theft, she wished to purge her father’s house from idols. But if this had been her design, why, in crossing the Euphrates, did she not cast away these abominations? Why did she not, after her departure, explain to her husband what she had done? But there is no need of conjecture, since, from the sequel of the history, it is manifest that the house of Jacob was polluted with idols, even to the time of the violation of Dinah. It was not, then, the piety of Rachel, but her insane hankering after superstition which impelled her to the theft: because she thought that God could not be worshipped but through idols; for this is the source of the disease, that since men are carnal, they imagine God to be carnal too.

20. And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban Et furatus est Jahacob cor Laban. The margin of the English translation renders the passage in the same way, “And Jacob stole away the heart of Laban.” To this translation the remards of Calvin apply. He understands the passage, however, in the sense which the English version of the text gives. — Ed. By the Hebrew form of expression, “stole away the heart of Laban,” Moses shows that Jacob departed privately, or by stealth, unknown to his father-in-law. Meanwhile, he wishes to point out to what straits Jacob was reduced, so that he had no hope of deliverance but in flight. For Laban had determined to hold him all his life as a captive, as if he had been a slave bound to the soil, or sentenced to the mines. Therefore let us also learn, by his example, when the Lord calls us, courageously to strive against every kind of obstacle, and not to be surprised if many arduous difficulties oppose themselves against us.

23. And pursued him seven days’ journey. Since the cruelty of Laban was now appeased, or at least bridled, he did not dare severely to threaten; but laying aside his ferocity, he descended to feigned and hypocritical blandishments. He complains that injury had been done him, because he had been kept in ignorance of Jacob’s departure, whom he would rather leave sent forth with customary tokens of joy, in token of his paternal affection. Thus hypocrites, when the power of inflicting injury is taken away from them, heap false complaints upon the good and simple, as if the blame rested with them. Wherefore, if at any time wicked and perfidious men, when they have unjustly harassed us, put forward some pretext of equity on their own part, we must bear with the iniquity; not because a just defense is to be entirely omitted; but because we find it inevitable that perverse men, ever ready to speak evil, will shamelessly cast upon us the blame of crimes of which we are innocent. Meanwhile, we must prudently guard against giving them the occasion against us which they seek.

29. It is in the power of my hand. The Hebrew phrase is different, “my hand is to power;” yet the meaning is clear, that Laban declares he is ready to take vengeance. Some expound the words thus: “my hand is to God;” but from other places it appears that the word אל (el) is taken for power. But Laban, inflated with foolish boasting, contradicts himself; for whereas he had been forbidden by God to attempt anything against Jacob, where was the power of which he boasted? We see, therefore, he precipitates himself by a blind impulse, as if, at his own pleasure, he could do anything against the purpose of God. For when he perceives that God is opposed to him, he yet does not hesitate to glory in his own strength; and why is this, unless he aimed at being superior to God? Finally; pride is always the companion of unbelief; so that unbelievers, although vanquished, yet cease not impetuously to rise up against God. To this they add another sin, that they complain of being unjustly oppressed by God.

But the God of your father. Why does he not also acknowledge God as his own God, unless because Satan had so fascinated his mind already, that he chose rather to wander in darkness than to turn to the light presented before him? Willingly or unwillingly, he is compelled to yield to the God of Abraham; and yet he defrauds him of the glory which is due, by retaining those fictitious deities by which he had been deceived. We see then that the ungodly, even when they have had proof of the power of God, yet do not entirely submit themselves to his authority. Wherefore, when God manifests himself to us, we must also seek from heaven the spirit of meekness, which shall bend and subdue us to obedience unto himself.

30. Wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? “Wonderful is the madness of idolatry. He confesses that those whom he calls his gods, might yet be carried off by theft. It was the part of impiety that he worshipped idols; but it was the part of the folly that he declared those to be gods, who were unable to preserve themselves from being stolen.” — Rivetus in Gen., p. 656. The second head of accusation which is alleged against Jacob is, that he had not departed through love to his country, nor for any just and probable cause; but that, in fact, he was implicated in an act of robbery. Heavy and disgraceful charge, of which Jacob was far from being guilty! But we learn hence, that no one can live so innocently in the world, but he must sometimes bear undeserved reproach and marks of infamy. Whenever this may happen to us, let that precious promise sustain us, that the Lord, in his own time, will bring forth our innocence as the morning light. (Psalm 37:6.) For by this artifice Satan attempts to seduce us from the practice of well-doing, when, without any fault of ours, we are traduced by false calumnies. And since the world is ungrateful, it often makes the very worst return for acts of kindness. Some, indeed, are found, who, with heroic magnanimity, despise unfavourable reports, because they esteem the testimony of a good conscience more highly than depraved popular opinion. But it behoves the faithful to look to God, that their conscience may never fail them. We see that Laban calls his gods תרפים(teraphim,) not because he thought the Deity was enclosed within them; but because he worshipped these images in honor of the gods. Or rather, because, when he was about to pay homage to God, he turned himself to those images. At this day, by the sole difference of a word, the Papists think they skilfully effect their escape, because they do not attribute to idols the name of gods. But the subterfuge is frivolous, since in reality they are altogether alike; for they pour forth before pictures or statues whatever honor they acknowledge to be due to the one God. To the ancient idolaters the pretext was not wanting, that by a metonymy they styled those images gods, which were formed for the sake of representing God.

31. And Jacob answered. He briefly refutes each head of the accusation: with respect to his secret departure, he modestly excuses himself, as having been afraid that he might be deprived of his wives. And in this way he takes part of the blame to himself, deeming it sufficient to exonerate himself from the malice of which he was thought to be guilty. He does not dispute, as a casuist, whether it was lawful to depart by stealth; but leaves it undetermined whether or not his fear was culpable. Let all the children of God learn to imitate this modesty, lest through an immoderate desire to vindicate their own reputation, they should rush into contentions: just as we have seen many raise tragic scenes out of nothing, because they will not endure that any censure, however trifling, should be cast upon them. Jacob, therefore, was content with this excuse, that he had done nothing wickedly. His defense on the other charge follows, in which Jacob shows his confidence, by adjudicating the person to death, with whom the things stolen should be found. “Jacob might cover himself with the shield of his own innocence; but it was not large enough to cover all others, not even his most beloved wife, whom he, in ignorance, adjudicates to death, and incautiously gives sentence against her.” — Rivetus in Gen, p. 657. He speaks, indeed, from his heart; but if the truth had then been discovered, he must, of necessity, have been ashamed of his rashness. Therefore, though he was not conscious of guilt, he yet singled through excessive haste, in not having diligently inquired before he pronounced concerning a doubtful matter. He ought to have called both his wives and his children, and to have inquired of each how the affair stood. He was, indeed, persuaded, that his family was so well conducted, that no suspicion of the theft had ever entered into his mind; but he ought not so to have relied upon his own discipline, as to be free from fear when a crime is alleged against his family. Wherefore, let us learn to suspend our judgment in matters of which we are ignorant, lest we should repent too late of our temerity. We may add, that hence it happened, that the pollution which he might have exterminated immediately, continued still longer in the family of Jacob.

32. That Rachel had stolen them. Moses relates the manner in which Rachel had concealed her theft; namely, by sitting on the idols, and pretending the custom of women as her excuse. It is a question, whether she did this through shame or pertinacity. It was disgraceful to be caught in the act of theft; she also dreaded the severe sentence of her husband. Yet to me it appears probable that fear did not so much influence her as the obstinate love of idolatry. For we know how greatly superstition infatuates the mind. Therefore, as if she had obtained an incomparable treasure, she thinks that she must attempt anything rather than allow herself to be deprived of it. Moreover, she chooses rather to incur the displeasure of her father and her husband, than to relinquish the object of her superstition. To her stratagem she also adds lying words, so that she deserves manifold censure.

36. And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban. Jacob again acts amiss, in contending with Laban about a matter not sufficiently known, and in wrongfully fastening on him the charge of calumny. For although he supposed all his family to be free from blame, yet he was deceived by his own negligence. He acts, indeed, with moderation, because in expostulating with Laban he does not use reproaches; but in this he is not to be excused, that he undertakes the cause of his whole family, when they were not exempt from blame. If any one should make the objection to this statement, that Jacob was constrained by fear, because Laban had brought with him a great band of companions: the circumstances themselves show, that his mind was thus influenced by moderation rather than by fear. For he boldly resists, and shows no sign of fear; only he abstains from the insolence of evil speaking. He then adds that he had just cause of accusation against Laban; not because he wished to rise in a spirit of recrimination against his father-in-law; but because it was right that the kindred and associates of Laban should be made witnesses of all that had passed, in order that, by the protracted patient endurance of Jacob, his integrity might be the more manifest. Jacob also calls to mind, not only that he had been a faithful keeper of the flock, but also that his labor had been rendered prosperous by the blessing of God; he adds, besides, that he had been held accountable for all losses. In this he insinuates against Laban the charge of great injustice: for it was not the duty of Jacob voluntarily to inflame the avarice and rapacity of his father-in-law, by attempting to soothe him; but he yielded, by constraint, to his injuries. When he says that sleep departed from his eyes, he not only intimates that he passed sleepless nights, but that he had so contended against nature itself, as to defraud himself of necessary repose.

42. Except the God of my father. Jacob here ascribes it to the favor of God, that he was not about to return home entirely empty; whereby he not only aggravates the sin of Laban, but meets an objection which might seem at variance with his complaints. He therefore denies that he has been made rich by the kindness of his father-in-law; but testifies that he has been favourably regarded by the Lord: as if he had said, I owe it not to thee, that thou hast not further injured me; but God, who is propitious to me, has withstood thee. Now, since God is not the defender of unfaithfulness, nor is wont to help the wicked, the integrity of Jacob may be ascertained from the fact that God interposed as his vindicator. It is also to be observed, that by expressly distinguishing the God of Abraham from all fictitious gods, he declares that there is no other true God: by which he, at the same time, proves himself to be a truly pious worshipper. The expression “the fear of Isaac,” is to be taken passively for the God whom Isaac revered; just as, on account of the reverence due to him, he is called the “fear and the dread” of his people. Isaiah 8:13. “Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” A similar expression occurs immediately after, in the same chapter. Now the pious, while they fear God, are by no means horror — struck at his presence, like the reprobates; but trembling at his judgment, they walk circumspectly before him.

God has seen my affliction, and the labor of my hands. This was spoken from a pious feeling that God would bring help to him when afflicted, if he should conduct himself with fidelity and honesty. Therefore, in order that the Lord may sustain us with his favor, let us learn to discharge our duty rightly; let us not flee from our proper work; and let us not refuse to purchase peace by submitting to many inconveniences. Further, if they from whom we have deserved well treat us severely and unjustly, let us bear our cross in hope and in silence, until the Lord shall succor us: for he will never forsake us, as the whole Scripture testifies. But Jacob distinctly presses his father-in-law with his own confession. For why had God rebuked him, unless because he was persecuting an innocent man in defiance of justice and equity; for as I have lately intimated, it is abhorrent to the nature of God to favor evil and unjust causes.

43. These daughters are my daughters. Laban begins now to speak in a manner very different from before: he sees that he has no farther ground of contention. Therefore, being convinced, he buries all strife, and glides into placid and amicable discourse. “Why,” he asks, “should I be hostile to thee, when all things between us are common? Shall I rage against my own bowels? For both thy wives and thy children are my own blood; wherefore I ought to be affected towards you, as if you all were part of myself.” Acsi gererem omnium personam. “As if I bore the person or character of all,” perhaps, “as your representative — the one who personates you.” Yet, in the translation, the sense is given which will, perhaps, on the whole, be most intelligible to the reader. — Ed. He now answers like an honorable man. Whence, then, has this humanity so suddenly sprung up in the breast of him who lately had been hurried onward, without any respect to right or wrong, to ruin Jacob; unless it were, that he knew Jacob to have acted towards him with fidelity, and to have been at length compelled by necessity to adopt the design of departing by stealth? And this was an indication that he was not absolutely desperate: for we may find many persons of such abandoned impudence, that though overcome and silenced by arguments, they yet do not cease to rush headlong in insane rebellion. From this passage we infer, that although avarice and other sinful affections take away judgment and soundness of mind; there yet remains a knowledge of truth engraven on the souls of men, which being stirred up emits scintillations, to prevent the universal triumph of depravity. If any one before had said, What does thou, Laban? What brutality is this to rage against thine own bowels? the remonstrance would not have been heard, for he burned with headstrong fury. But now he voluntarily suggests this to himself, and proclaims what he would have been unwilling to hear from another. It appears, then, that the light of justice which now breaks forth, had been smothered in his mind. In short, it is self-love alone which blinds us; because we all judge aright where personal interests are not concerned. If, however, it should so happen that we are for a time in perplexity, we must still seek to obey the dictates of reason and justice. But if any one hardens himself in wickedness, the interior and hidden knowledge, of which I have spoken, will yet remain engraven in his mind, and will suffice for his condemnation.

44. Let us make a covenant, I and thou. Laban here acts as men conscious of guilt are wont to do, when they wish to guard themselves against revenge: and this kind of trepidation and anxiety is the just reward of evil deeds. Besides, wicked men always judge of others from their own disposition: whence it happens that they have fears on all sides. Moses before relates a somewhat similar example, when Abimelech made a covenant with Isaac. Wherefore we must take the greater care, if we desire to possess tranquil minds, that we act sincerely and without injury towards our neighbors. Meanwhile Moses shows how placable Jacob was, and how easily he permitted himself to be conciliated. He had endured very many and grievous wrongs; but now, forgetting all, he freely stretches out the hand of kindness: and so far is he from being pertinacious in defending his own right, that he, in a manner, anticipates Laban himself, being the first to take a stone, and set it up for a pillar. And truly it becomes the children of God, not only with alacrity to embrace peace, but even ardently to search for it, as we are commanded in Psalm 34:14 “Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” As to the heap of stones, it was always the practice to use some ceremony which might confirm the compact on both sides; on this occasion a heap of stones is raised, in order that the memory of the covenant might be transmitted to posterity. That Jacob took part in this was a proof, as we have said, of a mind disposed to peace. He freely complained, indeed, when it was right to do so; but when the season of pacification arrived, he showed that he cherished no rancour. Moses, in relating afterwards that they did eat there, upon the heap, does not observe the order of the history. For, on both sides, the conditions of the covenant were agreed upon and declared, before the feast was celebrated: but this figure of speech (as we have before seen) was sufficiently in use.

47. And Laban called it. Each, in his own language, gives a name, of the same signification, to the heap. Whence it appears, that Laban used the Syrian tongue, though born of the race of Heber. But it is not wonderful that he, dwelling among Syrians, should have accustomed himself to the language as well as to the manners of the Syrians. And a little before, he is twice called a Syrian; as if Moses would describe him as degenerate, and alienated from the Hebrews. But this seems by no means accordant with the previous history, where we read that the daughters of Laban gave Hebrew names to their sons. Yet the solution is not difficult; for since the affinity between these languages was great, the inflection of one word into another was easy: besides, if the wives of Jacob were tractable, it is not surprising that they should have learned his language. And beyond doubt, he would himself make a point of this matter: seeing he knew that his family was separated from the rest of the nations. Moses, in using the name of Galeed, does it proleptically; for since he was writing for his own times, he does not scruple to give it the generally received name. Moreover we hence infer, that ceremonies and rites ought to refer to that which those who use them mutually agree upon. Which rule also ought to be applied to the sacraments; because if the word by which God enters into covenant with us be taken away, useless and dead figures will alone remain.

49. The Lord watch between me and thee. Laban commits to the judgment of God, for vengeance, whatever offense either of them should be guilty of against the other in his absence; as if he would say, “Though the knowledge of the injury should not reach me, because I shall be far distant, yet the Lord, who is everywhere present, will behold it.” Which sentiment he more clearly expresses afterwards, when he says, “No one is with us; God will be witness between me and thee.” By which words he means, that God will be a severe avenger of every wickedness, though there should be no judge upon earth to decide the cause. And certainly if there were any religion flourishing within us, the presence of God would influence us far more than the observation of men. But it arises from the brutal stupidity of our flesh, that we reverence men only; as if we might mock God with impunity, when we are not convicted by the testimony of men. If, then, this common feeling of nature dictated to Laban, that the frauds which were hidden from men would come into judgment before God; we who enjoy the light of the gospel should indeed be ashamed to seek a covert for our fallacies. Hence also, we gather the legitimate use of an oath, which the Apostle declares in his epistle to the Hebrews; namely, that men, in order to put an end to their controversies, resort to the judgment of God.

50. If thou shalt take other wives besides my daughters. Laban declares that it would be a species of perfidy, if Jacob should take to himself any other wives. But he had himself compelled Jacob to the act of polygamy: for whence was it that the holy man had more wives than one, except that Leah had been craftily substituted in the place of Rachel? But he now, from a pure sentiment of nature, condemns the fault, of which, blinded by avarice, he had wickedly been the author. And certainly, when the bond of marriage is broken, than which none among men is more sacred, the whole of human society sinks into decay. Wherefore, those fanatical men, who, at this day, delight to defend polygamy, have no need of any other judge than Laban.

53. The God of Abraham. It is indeed rightly and properly done, that Laban should adjure Jacob by the name of God. For this is the confirmation of covenants; to appeal to God on both sides, that he may not suffer perfidy to pass unpunished. But he sinfully blends idols with the true God, between whom there is nothing in common. Thus, truly, men involved in superstitions, are accustomed to confound promiscuously sacred things with profane, and the figments of men with the true God. He is compelled to give some honor to the God of Abraham, yet he lies plunged in his own idolatrous pollution; and, that his religion may not appear the worse, he gives it the color of antiquity. For in calling him the God of his father, he boasts that this God was handed down to him from his ancestors. Meanwhile Jacob does not swear superstitiously. For Moses expressly declares, that he sware only by “the fear of Isaac;” whence we learn that he did not assent to the preposterous form of oath dictated by his father-in-law; no too many do, who, in order to gain the favor of the wicked, pretend to be of the same religion with them. But when once the only God is made known to us, we wickedly suppress his truth, unless by its light all the clouds of error are dispersed.

54. And called his brethren to eat bread. In courteously receiving his kindred, by whom he had been ill-treated, as his guests, Jacob showed his kindness. Moses also intimates that it was by the special favor of God that, after the most dreadful storm which threatened the holy man with destruction, a placid serenity suddenly shone forth. To the same cause is to be assigned what immediately follows, that Laban departed in a friendly manner: for by this method the Lord openly manifested himself as the guardian of his servant, seeing that he wonderfully delivered him as a lost sheep out of the jaws of the wolf. And truly, not only was the fury of Laban appeased; but he put on paternal affection, as if he had been changed into a new man.

55. And blessed them. The character of the person is here to be noticed, because Laban, who had lapsed from true piety, and was a man of unholy and wicked manners, yet retained the habit of giving his blessing. For we are hereby taught, that certain principles of divine knowledge remain in the hearts of the wicked, so that no excuse may be left to them on the ground of ignorance; for the custom of pronouncing a blessing arises hence, that men are certainly persuaded that God alone is the author of all good things. For although they may proudly arrogate what they please to themselves; yet when they return to their right mind, they are compelled, whether they will or no, to acknowledge that all good proceeds from God alone.

CHAPTER 32.

Genesis 32:1-32

1. And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

1. Postea Iahacob abiit in viam suam, et occurrerunt ei Angeli Dei.

2. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

2. Et dixit Iahacob, quando vidit eos, Castra Dei sunt haec: et vocavit nomen loci illius Mahanaim.

3. And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

3. Misit autem Iahacob nuntios ante se ad Esau fratrem suum ad terram Sehir in regionem Edom.

4. And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

4. Et praecepit eis dicendo, Sic dicentis domino meo Esau, Sic dixit servus tuus Iahacob, Cum Laban havitavi et moratus sum huc usque.

5. And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

5. Et sunt mihi boves et asini, pecudes et servi, et ancillae, et misi ut nuntiarem domino meo, ut invenirem gratiam in oculis tuis.

6. And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

6. Reversi autem sunt nuntii ad Iahacob, dicendo, Venimus ad fratrem tuum, ad Essau, et etiam pergit in occursum tuum, et quadringenti viri cum eo.

7. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

7. Et timuit Iahacob valde, et angustiis affectus est; et divisit populum, qui erat secum, et pecudes, et boves, et camelos in duas turmas.

8. And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

8. Dixit enim, Si veniret Essau ad turmam unam, et percusserit eam, turma, quae remanserit, evadet.

9. And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

9. Et dixit Iahacob, Deus patris mei Abraham, et Deus patris mei Ishac, Domine, qui dixisti ad me, Revertere ad terram tuam et cognationem tuam, et benefaciam tibi.

10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

10. Minor sum cunctis misericordiis, et omni veritate, quam fecisti cum servo tuo: quai in baculo meo transivi Iordanem hunc, et nunc factus sum in duas turmas.

11. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

11. Erue me nunc de manu fratris mei, de manu Esau: timeo enim eum, ne ferte veniat, et percutiat me, matremque cum filiis.

12. And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

12. Et tu dixisti, Benefaciendo benefaciam tibi, et ponam semen tuum sicut arenam maris, quae non numeratur prae multitudine.

13. And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

13. Et pernoctavit ibi nocte ipsa, et accepit ex iis, quae occurrebant ad manum suam, manus mittendum ad Esau fratrem suum.

14. Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

14. Capras ducentas et hircos viginti, oves ducentas et arietes viginti:

15. Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

15. Camelos lactantes, et pullos earum triginta: vaccas quadraginta, et juvencos decem: asinas viginti, et pullos decem.

16. And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

16. Et dedit in manum servorum suorum, singulos greges seorsum: dixitque ad servos suos, Transite ante me, et interstitium ponetis inter gregem et gregem.

17. And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

17. Et praecepit primo, dicendo, Si occurrerrit tibi Esau frater meus, et interrogaverit to, dicendo, Cujus es, et quo pergis, et cujus sunt ista ante to?

18. Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

18. Dices, Servi tui Iahacob munus est, missum ad dominum meum Esau: et ecce etiam ipse est post nos.

19. And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

19. Praecepit etiam secundo, etiam tertio, etiam cunctis pergentibus post greges, dicendo, Secundum verbum hoc loquemini ad Esau, quando invenietis eum.

20. And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

20. Et dicetis etiam, Ecce servus tuus Iahacob est post nos: dixit enim, Placabo faciem ejus munere, quod vadit ante me, et postea videbo faciem ejus, si forte suscipiat faciem meam.

21. So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

21. Transivit itaque munus ante eum: et ipse pernoctavit nocte ipsa cum turma.

22. And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

22. Et surrexit nocte ipsa, et accepit duas uxores suas, et duas ancillas suas, et undecim liberos suos, et transivit vadum Jaboc.

23. And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

23. Et accepit eos, et transire fecit eos torrentem, transire, inquam, fecit omnia quae erant sibi.

24. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

24. Porro remansit Iahacob solus ipse: et luctatus est vir cum eo, donec ascendit aurora.

25. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

25. Et vidit quod non praevaleret ei, et tetigit palam femoris ejus, et movit se pala femoris Iahacob, luctante illo cum eo.

26. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

26. Tunc dixit, Dimitte me, quia ascendit aurora. Cui respondit, Non dimittam to, nisi benedixeris mihi.

27. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

27. Et dixit ad eum, Quod est nomen tuum? Et ait, Iahacob.

28. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

28. Tunc dixit, Non Iahacob dicetur ultra nomen tuum, sed Israel: quia princeps fuisti cum Deo, et hominibus praevalebis.

29. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

29. Et interrogavit Iahacob, et dixit, Indica, quaeso, nomen tuum. Et dixit, Utquid interrogas de nomine meo? et benedixit ei illic.

30. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

30. Vocavit ergo Iahacob nomen loci, Peniel: quia vidi Deum facie ad faciem, et evasit anima mea.

31. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

31. Et ortus est ei sol, quando transivit Penuel, et claudicabat in femore suo.

32. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank.

32. Idciro non comedunt filii Israel nervum contractionis, qui est in pala femoris, usque ad diem hanc: quia tetigit palam femoris Iahacob in nervo contractionis.

CHAPTER 31

Ge 31:1-21. Envy of Laban and Sons.

1. he heard the words of Laban's sons--It must have been from rumor that Jacob got knowledge of the invidious reflections cast upon him by his cousins; for they were separated at the distance of three days' journey.

2. And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban--literally, "was not the same as yesterday, and the day before," a common Oriental form of speech. The insinuations against Jacob's fidelity by Laban's sons, and the sullen reserve, the churlish conduct, of Laban himself, had made Jacob's situation, in his uncle's establishment, most trying and painful. It is always one of the vexations attendant on worldly prosperity, that it excites the envy of others (Ec 4:4); and that, however careful a man is to maintain a good conscience, he cannot always reckon on maintaining a good name, in a censorious world. This, Jacob experienced; and it is probable that, like a good man, he had asked direction and relief in prayer.

3. the Lord said ... Return unto the land of thy fathers--Notwithstanding the ill usage he had received, Jacob might not have deemed himself at liberty to quit his present sphere, under the impulse of passionate fretfulness and discontent. Having been conducted to Haran by God (Ge 28:15) and having got a promise that the same heavenly Guardian would bring him again into the land of Canaan, he might have thought he ought not to leave it, without being clearly persuaded as to the path of duty. So ought we to set the Lord before us, and to acknowledge Him in all our ways, our journeys, our settlements, and plans in life.

4. Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah--His wives and family were in their usual residence. Whether he wished them to be present at the festivities of sheep shearing, as some think; or, because he could not leave his flock, he called them both to come to him, in order that, having resolved on immediate departure, he might communicate his intentions. Rachel and Leah only were called, for the other two wives, being secondary and still in a state of servitude, were not entitled to be taken into account. Jacob acted the part of a dutiful husband in telling them his plans; for husbands that love their wives should consult with them and trust in them (Pr 31:11).

6. ye know that ... I have served your father--Having stated his strong grounds of dissatisfaction with their father's conduct and the ill requital he had got for all his faithful services, he informed them of the blessing of God that had made him rich notwithstanding Laban's design to ruin him; and finally, of the command from God he had received to return to his own country, that they might not accuse him of caprice, or disaffection to their family; but be convinced, that in resolving to depart, he acted from a principle of religious obedience.

14. Rachel and Leah answered--Having heard his views, they expressed their entire approval; and from grievances of their own, they were fully as desirous of a separation as himself. They display not only conjugal affection, but piety in following the course described--"whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do" [Ge 31:16]. "Those that are really their husbands' helpmeets will never be their hindrances in doing that to which God calls them" [Henry].

17. Then Jacob rose up--Little time is spent by pastoral people in removing. The striking down the tents and poles and stowing them among their other baggage; the putting their wives and children in houdas like cradles, on the backs of camels, or in panniers on asses; and the ranging of the various parts of the flock under the respective shepherds; all this is a short process. A plain that is covered in the morning with a long array of tents and with browsing flocks, may, in a few hours, appear so desolate that not a vestige of the encampment remains, except the holes in which the tent poles had been fixed.

18. he carried the cattle of his getting--that is, his own and nothing more. He did not indemnify himself for his many losses by carrying off any thing of Laban's, but was content with what Providence had given him. Some may think that due notice should have been given; but when a man feels himself in danger--the law of self-preservation prescribes the duty of immediate flight, if it can be done consistently with conscience.

20. Jacob stole away--The result showed the prudence and necessity of departing secretly; otherwise, Laban might have detained him by violence or artifice.

Ge 31:22-55. Laban Pursues Jacob--Their Covenant at Gilead.

22-24. it was told Laban on the third day--No sooner did the news reach Laban than he set out in pursuit, and he being not encumbered, advanced rapidly; whereas Jacob, with a young family and numerous flocks, had to march slowly, so that he overtook the fugitives after seven days' journey as they lay encamped on the brow of mount Gilead, an extensive range of hills forming the eastern boundary of Canaan. Being accompanied by a number of his people, he might have used violence had he not been divinely warned in a dream to give no interruption to his nephew's journey. How striking and sudden a change! For several days he had been full of rage, and was now in eager anticipation that his vengeance would be fully wreaked, when lo! his hands are tied by invisible power (Psa 76:10). He did not dare to touch Jacob, but there was a war of words.

26-30. Laban said ... What hast thou done?--Not a word is said of the charge (Ge 31:1). His reproaches were of a different kind. His first charge was for depriving him of the satisfaction of giving Jacob and his family the usual salutations at parting. In the East it is customary, when any are setting out to a great distance, for their relatives and friends to accompany them a considerable way with music and valedictory songs. Considering the past conduct of Laban, his complaint on this ground was hypocritical cant. But his second charge was a grave one--the carrying off his gods--Hebrew, "teraphim," small images of human figures, used not as idols or objects of worship, but as talismans, for superstitious purposes.

31-32. Jacob said, ... With whomsoever thou findest thy gods let him not live--Conscious of his own innocence and little suspecting the misdeed of his favorite wife, Jacob boldly challenged a search and denounced the heaviest penalty on the culprit. A personal scrutiny was made by Laban, who examined every tent [Ge 31:33]; and having entered Rachel's last, he would have infallibly discovered the stolen images had not Rachel made an appeal to him which prevented further search [Ge 31:34, 35].

34. Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them--The common pack saddle is often used as a seat or a cushion, against which a person squatted on the floor may lean.

36-37. Jacob was wroth--Recrimination on his part was natural in the circumstances, and, as usual, when passion is high, the charges took a wide range. He rapidly enumerated his grievances for twenty years and in a tone of unrestrained severity described the niggard character and vexatious exactions of his uncle, together with the hardships of various kinds he had patiently endured.

38. The rams of thy flock have I not eaten--Eastern people seldom kill the females for food except they are barren.

39. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee--The shepherds are strictly responsible for losses in the flock, unless they can prove these were occasioned by wild beasts.

40. in the day the drought ... and the frost by night--The temperature changes often in twenty-four hours from the greatest extremes of heat and cold, most trying to the shepherd who has to keep watch by his flocks. Much allowance must be made for Jacob. Great and long-continued provocations ruffle the mildest and most disciplined tempers. It is difficult to "be angry and sin not" [Ep 4:26]. But these two relatives, after having given utterance to their pent-up feelings, came at length to a mutual understanding, or rather, God influenced Laban to make reconciliation with his injured nephew (Pr 16:7).

44. Come thou, let us make a covenant--The way in which this covenant was ratified was by a heap of stones being laid in a circular pile, to serve as seats, and in the center of this circle a large one was set up perpendicularly for an altar. It is probable that a sacrifice was first offered, and then that the feast of reconciliation was partaken of by both parties seated on the stones around it. To this day heaps of stones, which have been used as memorials, are found abundantly in the region where this transaction took place.

52. This heap be witness--Objects of nature were frequently thus spoken of. But over and above, there was a solemn appeal to God; and it is observable that there was a marked difference in the religious sentiments of the two. Laban spake of the God of Abraham and Nahor, their common ancestors; but Jacob, knowing that idolatry had crept in among that branch of the family, swore by the "fear of his father Isaac." They who have one God should have one heart: they who are agreed in religion should endeavor to agree in everything else.

And he heard the words of Laban's sons - The multiplication of Jacob's cattle, and the decrease and degeneracy of those of Laban, were sufficient to arouse the jealousy of Laban's sons. This, with Laban's unfair treatment, and the direction he received from God, determined him to return to his own country.

Hath he gotten all this glory - All these riches, this wealth, or property. The original word כבד signifies both to be rich and to be heavy; and perhaps for this simple reason, that riches ever bring with them heavy weight and burden of cares and anxieties.

And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return - and I will be with thee - I will take the same care of thee in thy return, as I took of thee on thy way to this place. The Targum reads, My Word shall be for thy help, see Gen 15:1. A promise of this kind was essentially necessary for the encouragement of Jacob, especially at this time; and no doubt it was a powerful means of support to him through the whole journey; and it was particularly so when he heard that his brother was coming to meet him, with four hundred men in his retinue, Gen 32:6. At that time he went and pleaded the very words of this promise with God, Gen 32:9.

Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah - He had probably been at some considerable distance with the flocks; and for the greater secrecy, he rather sends for them to the field, to consult them on this most momentous affair, than visit them in their tents, where probably some of the family of Laban might overhear their conversation, though Laban himself was at the time three days' journey off. It is possible that Jacob shore his sheep at the same time; and that he sent for his wives and household furniture to erect tents on the spot, that they might partake of the festivities usual on such occasions. Thus they might all depart without being suspected.

Changed my wages ten times - There is a strange diversity among the ancient versions, and ancient and modern interpreters, on the meaning of these words. The Hebrew is עשרת מנים asereth monim, which Aquila translates δεκα αριθμους ten numbers; Symmachus, δεκακις αριτμῳ, ten times in number; the Septuagint δεκα αμνων, ten lambs, with which Origen appears to agree. St. Augustine thinks that by ten lambs five years' wages is meant: that Laban had withheld from him all the party-coloured lambs which had been brought forth for five years, and because the ewes brought forth lambs twice in the year, bis gravidae pecudes, therefore the number ten is used, Jacob having been defrauded of his part of the produce of ten births. It is supposed that the Septuagint use lambs for years, as Virgil does aristas.

En unquam patrios longo post tempore fines,

Pauperis et tuguri congestum cespite culmen,

Post aliquot mea regna videns mirabor aristas?

Virg. Ec. i., ver. 68.

Thus inadequately translated by Dryden:

O must the wretched exiles ever mourn;

Nor, after length of rolling years, return?

Are we condemn'd by Fate's unjust decree,

No more our harvests and our homes to see?

Or shall we mount again the rural throng,

And rule the country, kingdoms once our own?

Here aristas, which signifies ears of corn, is put for harvest, harvest for autumn, and autumn for years. After all, it is most natural to suppose that Jacob uses the word ten times for an indefinite number, which we might safely translate frequently; and that it means an indefinite number in other parts of the sacred writings, is evident from Lev 26:26 : Ten women shall bake your bread in one oven. Ecc 7:19 : Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than Ten mighty men the city. Num 14:22 : Because all these men have tempted me now these Ten times. Job 19:3 : These Ten times have ye reproached me. Zac 8:23 : In those days - Ten men shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew. Rev 2:10 : Ye shall have tribulation Ten days.

The angel of God spake unto me in a dream - It is strange that we had not heard of this dream before; and yet it seems to have taken place before the cattle brought forth, immediately after the bargain between him and Laban. If we follow the Samaritan the difficulty is at once removed, for it gives us the whole of this dream after Gen 30:36 of the preceding chapter,

Grisled - ברדים beruddim; ברד barad signifies hail, and the meaning must be, they had white spots on them similar to hail. Our word grisled comes from the old French, gresl, hail, now written grle; hence gresl, grisled, spotted with white upon a dark ground.

Are we not counted of him strangers? - Rachel and Leah, who well knew the disposition of their father, gave him here his true character. He has treated us as strangers - as slaves whom he had a right to dispose of as he pleased; in consequence, he hath sold us - disposed of us on the mere principle of gaining by the sale.

And hath quite devoured also our money - Has applied to his own use the profits of the sale, and has allowed us neither portion nor inheritance.

Laban went to shear his sheep - Laban had gone; and this was a favorable time not only to take his images, but to return to Canaan without being perceived.

Rachel had stolen the images - תרפים teraphim. What the teraphim were is utterly unknown. In Gen 31:30 they are termed אלהי elohai, gods; and to some it appears very likely that they were a sort of images devoted to superstitious purposes, not considered as gods, but as representatives of certain Divine attributes, Dr. Shuckford supposes them to be a sort of tiles, on which the names or figures of their ancestors were engraven. Theodoret, in his 89th question, calls them idols; and says that Rachel, who was a type of the true Church, stole them from her father that he might be delivered from idolatry. R. S. Jarchi gives nearly the same reason.

The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel gives a strange turn to the whole passage. "And Rachel stole the images of her father: for they had murdered a man, who was a first-born son; and having cut off his head, they embalmed it with salt and spices, and they wrote divinations upon a plate of gold, and put it under his tongue; and placed it against the wall, and it conversed with them, and Laban worshipped it. And Jacob stole the science of Laban the Syrian, that it might not discover his departure." If the word be derived from רפא mo rapha, to heal or restore, then the teraphim may be considered as a sort of talismans, kept for the purpose of averting and curing diseases; and probably were kept by Laban for the same purpose that the Romans kept their lares and penates. It is however possible that תרפים teraphim is the same as שרפים seraphim, the ת tau and ש sin being changed, which is very frequent in the Syrian or Chaldee language; and we know that Laban was an Aramean or Syrian. Fire has been considered from the earliest ages as a symbol of the Deity; and as the word seraphim comes from שרף saraph, to burn, it has been conjectured that the teraphim of Laban were luminous forms, prepared of burnished brass, etc., which he might imagine a proper medium of communication between God and his worshippers. Mr. Parkhurst has observed that the teraphim were in use among believers and unbelievers. Among the former, see this chapter; for he denies that Laban was an idolater. See also Jdg 17:5;Jdg 18:14, Jdg 18:18, Jdg 18:20; 1Sam 19:13, 1Sam 19:16. Among the latter, see 2Kgs 23:24; Eze 21:21; Zac 10:2. Compare 1Sam 15:23, and Hos 3:4. These are all the places in which the original word is found.

The Persian translator seems to have considered these teraphim as tables or instruments that served for purposes of judicial astrology, and hence translates the word asterlabha, astrolabes. As the astrolabe was an instrument with which they took the altitude of the pole-star, the sun, etc., it might, in the notion of the Persian translator, imply tables, etc., by which the culminating of particular stars might be determined, and the whole serve for purposes of judicial astrology. Now as many who have professed themselves to be believers in Christianity, have nevertheless addicted themselves to judicial astrology, we might suppose such a thing in this case, and still consider Laban as no idolater. If the Persian translator has not hit on the true meaning, he has formed the most likely conjecture.

Passed over the river - The Euphrates, as the Targum properly notices. But how could he pass such a river with his flocks, etc.? This difficulty does not seem to have struck critics in general. The rabbins felt it, and assert that God wrought a miracle for Jacob on this occasion, and that he passed over dry shod. As we know not in what other way he could pass, it is prudent to refer it to the power of God, which accompanied him through the whole of his journey. There might, however, have been fords well known to both Jacob and Laban, by which they might readily pass.

The mount Gilead - What the ancient name of this mountain was, we know not; but it is likely that it had not the name of Gilead till after the transaction mentioned Gen 31:47. The mountains of Gilead were eastward of the country possessed by the tribes of Reuben and Gad; and extended from Mount Hermon to the mountains of Moab - Calmet. It is joined to Mount Libanus, and includes the mountainous region called in the New Testament Trachonitis - Dodd.

And God came to Laban - God's caution to Laban was of high importance to Jacob - Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad; or rather, as is the literal meaning of the Hebrew, מטוב עד רע mittob ad ra, from good to evil; for had he neither spoken good nor evil to Jacob, they could have had no intercourse at all. The original is, therefore, peculiarly appropriate; for when people meet, the language at first is the language of friendship; the command therefore implies, "Do not begin with Peace be unto thee, and then proceed to injurious language and acts of violence." If this Divine direction were attended to, how many of those affairs of honor, so termed, which commence with, "I hope you are well" - "I am infinitely glad to see you" - "I am happy to see you well," etc., and end with small swords and pistol bullets, would be prevented! Where God and true religion act, all is fair, kind, honest, and upright; but where these are not consulted, all is hollow, deceitful, or malicious. Beware of unmeaning compliments, and particularly of saying what thy heart feels not. God hates a hypocrite and a deceiver.

I might have sent thee away with mirth - בשמחה, besimchah, with rejoicing, making a feast or entertainment on the occasion; and with songs, בשרים beshirim, odes either in the praise of God, or to commemorate the splendid acts of their ancestors; with tabret, בתף bethoph, the tympanum used in the east to the present day, and there called diff, a thin broad wooden hoop, with parchment extended over one end of it, to which are attached small pieces of brass, tin, etc., which make a jingling noise; it is held in the air with one hand, and beat on with the fingers of the other. It appears to have been precisely the same with that which is called the tambourine and which is frequently to be met with in our streets. And with harp, בכנור bekinnor, a sort of stringed instrument, a lute or harp; probably the same as the Greek κινυρα kinura, a harp; the name being evidently borrowed from the Hebrew. These four things seem to include all that was used in those primitive times, as expressive of gladness and satisfaction on the most joyous occasions.

It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt - Literally, My hand is unto God to do you evil, i.e., I have vowed to God that I will punish thee for thy flight, and the stealing of my teraphim; but the God of Your father has prevented me from doing it. It is a singular instance that the plural pronoun, when addressing an individual, should be twice used in this place - the God of your father, אביכם abichem, for אביך abicha, thy father.

Let him not live - It appears that anciently theft was punished by death; and we know that the patriarchs had the power of life and death in their hands. But previously to the law, the punishment of death was scarcely ever inflicted but for murder. The rabbins consider that this was an imprecation used by Jacob, as if he had said, Let God take away the life of the person who has stolen them! And that this was answered shortly after in the death of Rachel, Gen 35:16-19.

The custom of women is upon me - This she knew must be a satisfactory reason to her father; for if the teraphim were used to any religious purpose, and they seem to have been used in this way, as Laban calls them his gods, he therefore could not suspect that a woman in such a situation, whose touch was considered as defiling, would have sat upon articles that were either the objects of his adoration, or used for any sacred purpose. The stratagem succeeded to her wish, and Laban departed without suspicion. It seems very natural to suppose that Rachel did believe that by the use of these teraphim Laban could find out their flight, and the direction they took, and therefore she stole them; and having stolen them she was afraid to acknowledge the theft, and probably might think that they might be of some use to herself. Therefore, for these reasons, she brought them away.

And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban - The expostulation of Jacob with Laban, and their consequent agreement, are told in this place with great spirit and dignity. Jacob was conscious that though he had made use of cunning to increase his flocks, yet Laban had been on the whole a great gainer by his services. He had served him at least twenty years, fourteen for Rachel and Leah, and six for the cattle; and some suppose he had served him twenty years besides the above, which is not unlikely: see the remarks at the conclusion of this chapter. (See Clarke at Gen 31:55 (note)) Forty or even twenty years of a man's life, devoted to incessant labor and constantly exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather, (see Gen 31:40), deserve more than an ordinary reward. Laban's constitutional sin was covetousness, and it was an easily besetting sin; for it appears to have governed all his conduct, and to have rendered him regardless of the interests of his children, so long as he could secure his own. That he had frequently falsified his agreement with Jacob, though the particulars are not specified, we have already had reason to conjecture from Gen 31:7, and with this Jacob charges his father-in-law, in the most positive manner, Gen 31:41. Perhaps some previous unfair transactions of this kind were the cause why Jacob was led to adopt the expedient of outwitting Laban in the case of the spotted, spangled, ring-streaked, and grisled cattle. This if it did take place, though it cannot justify the measure, is some palliation of it; and almost the whole of Jacob's conduct, as far as relates to Laban, can be better excused than his injuring Laban's breed, by leaving him none but the weak, unhealthy, and degenerated cattle.

That which was torn - of my hand didst thou require it - This more particularly marks the covetous and rigorous disposition of Laban; for the law of God required that what had been torn by beasts the shepherd should not be obliged to make good, Exo 22:10, Exo 22:13. And it is very likely that this law was in force from the earliest times.

In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night - The being exposed to the heat by day, and frost by night, is made part of the heaviest punishment of Promethus by Aeschylus. Σταθευτος δ' ἡλιου φοιβῃ φλογι, Χροιας αμευψεις· ασμενῳ δε σοι Ἡ ποικιλεμων νυξ αποκρυψει φαος· Παχνην θ' ἑῳαν ἡλιος σκεδᾳ παλιν.

Aeschyl. Prom. Vinc., v. 22.

Opposed to the sun's most fervid beam, The hue of beauty changed; till parch'd by heat The night with spangled stole shall hide its light From thee rejoicing, but again the sun Chases the hoar frost from thy harass'd form - J. B. B. C.

Twenty years - See the remarks at the end, Gen 31:55 (note).

The fear of Isaac - It is strange that Jacob should say, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, when both words are meant of the same Being. The reason perhaps was this; Abraham was long since dead, and God was his unalienable portion for ever. Isaac was yet alive in a state of probation, living in the fear of God, not exempt from the danger of falling; therefore God is said to be his fear, not only the object of his religious worship in a general way, but that holy and just God before whom he was still working out his salvation with fear and trembling, fear lest he should fall, and trembling lest he should offend.

Made a heap - גל gal, translated heap, signifies properly a round heap; and this heap was probably made for the double purpose of an altar and a table, and Jacob's stone or pillar was set on it for the purpose of a memorial.

Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha - יגר שהדותא yegar sahadutha, the heap or round heap of witness; but Jacob called it גלעד galed, which signifies the same thing. The first is pure Chaldee, the second pure Hebrew. אגר agar signifies to collect, hence יגר yegar and אוגר ogar, a collection or heap made up of gathered stones; and hence also אגורא egora, an altar, used frequently by the Chaldee paraphrast. See 1Kgs 12:33; Jdg 6:31; 2Kgs 21:3; Jer 17:1. See Castel's Lexicon. From this example we may infer that the Chaldee language was nearly coequal with the Hebrew. A gloss made by St. Jerome, and which was probably only entered by him in his margin as a note, has crept into the text of the Vulgate. It is found in every copy of this version, and is as follows: Uterque juxta proprietatem linguae suae, Each according to the idiom of his own tongue.

I think these two verses are badly divided, and should be read thus: Gen 31:48 - And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Gen 31:49 - Therefore was the name of it called Galeed and Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Mizpah - מעפה mitspah signifies a watch-tower; and Laban supposes that in consequence of the consecration of the place, and the covenant now solemnly made and ratified, that God would take possession of this heap, and stand on it as on a watch-tower, to prevent either of them from trenching on the conditions of their covenant.

No man is with us - Though all were present at the sacrifice offered, yet it appears that in making the contract Jacob and Laban withdrew, and transacted the business in private, calling on God to witness it.

Jacob had already four wives; but Laban feared that he might take others, whose children would naturally come in for a share of the inheritance to the prejudice of his daughters and grandchildren. Though the Koran allows a man to have four wives if he can maintain them, yet we learn that in many cases where a man takes a wife, the parents or relatives of the woman stipulate that the man is not to take another during the lifetime of that one whom he now espouses; and notwithstanding the permission of the Koran, he is obliged to fulfill this agreement.

And Laban said to Jacob - behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee - But this pillar, not cast but set up, was certainly set up by Jacob; for in Gen 31:45 we read, And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar: it is therefore for the honor of one Hebrew and one Samaritan MS. that they have preserved the true reading in Gen 31:51, ירית yaritha, Thou hast set up - Kennicott. Instead of either of the above readings the Samaritan text has yarata, The pillar which thou Seest betwixt me and thee.

The God of their father - As Laban certainly speaks of the true God here, with what propriety can he say that this God was the God of Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor? It is certain that Terah was an idolater; of this we have the most positive proof, Jos 24:2. Because the clause is not in the Septuagint, and is besides wanting in some MSS., Dr. Kennicott considers it an interpolation. But there is no need of having recourse to this expedient if we adopt the reading אביכם abichem, Your father, for אביהם abihem, Their father, which is supported by several of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and is precisely the same form made use of by Laban, Gen 31:29, when addressing Jacob, and appears to me to be used here in the same way; for he there most manifestly uses the plural pronoun, when speaking only to Jacob himself.

It is therefore to be considered as a form of speech peculiar to Laban; at least we have two instances of his use of it in this chapter.

Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac - See Clarke on Gen 31:42 (note).

Offered sacrifice upon the mount - It is very likely that Laban joined in this solemn religious rite, and that, having offered the blood and fat to God, they feasted upon the sacrifice.

Kissed his sons and his daughters - That is, his grandchildren, Jacob's eleven sons with Dinah their sister, and their mothers Leah and Rachel. All these he calls his children, Gen 31:43. And blessed them - prayed heartily for their prosperity, though we find from Gen 31:29 that he came having bound himself by a vow to God to do them some injury. Thus God turned his intended curse into a blessing.

The most important topics in this chapter have already been considered in the notes, and to those the reader is referred. Jacob's character we have already seen, and hitherto have met in it little to admire; but we shall soon find a blessed change both in his mind and in his conduct. Laban's character appears in almost every instance to disadvantage; he does not seem to be what we commonly term a wicked man, but he was certainly both weak and covetous; and covetousness extinguished in him, as it does in all its votaries, the principles of righteousness and benevolence, and the very charities of human life. Provided he could get an increase of property, he regarded not who was wronged or who suffered. In this case he hid himself even from his own bowels, and cared not that his own children should lack even the necessaries of life, provided he could increase his own store! How watchful should we be against this destructive, unnatural, and degrading vice! It is impossible for a man who loves money to love either God or man; and consequently he must be in the broad way that leads to destruction.

For the difficulties in the chronology of Jacob's sojourning in Padan-aram, I beg leave to refer to the following remarks.

Remarks upon Gen 31:38, etc., relative to the time spent by Jacob in the service of his father-in-law Laban, in Mesopotamia; from Dr. Kennicott. "If every reading which introduces but a single difficulty demands our attention, much greater must that demand be when several difficulties are caused by any one mistake, or any one mistranslation. Of this nature is the passage before us, which therefore shall be here considered more fully, especially as I have not already submitted to the learned any remarks upon this subject. Jacob's age at the time of his going to Laban, has (till very lately) been fixed, perhaps universally, at seventy-seven years. But I think it has been shown by the learned Mr. Skinner, in an excellent dissertation, (4th. 1765), that the number seventy-seven cannot here be right. "Jacob was one hundred and thirty when he went down (with sixty-six persons) into Egypt. Joseph had then been governor ten years; and when made governor was thirty; therefore Jacob could not be more than ninety at the birth of Joseph. Now, upon supposition that Jacob was seventy-seven at going to Laban, and that he had no son till he was eighty-five, and that he, with eleven sons, left Laban at ninety-seven, there will follow these amongst other strange consequences which are enumerated by Mr. Skinner page 11, etc.:

1. Though Isaac and Esau married at forty, Jacob goes at seventy-seven to look for a wife, and agrees to marry her seven years after.

2. Issachar is born after the affair of the mandrakes, which Reuben finds and brings home when he (Reuben) was about four years old; that is, if Issachar was born before Joseph, agreeably to Gen 30:18, Gen 30:25.

3. Judah begets Er at thirteen; for in the first of the following tables Judah is born in Jacob's year eighty-eight, and Er in one hundred and two.

4. Er marries at nine, and is destroyed for profligacy. Er, born one hundred and two, marries in one hundred and eleven. See also Gen 38:7.

5. Onan marries at eight; for Onan, born in one hundred and three, marries in one hundred and eleven.

6. Shelah, being grown at ten, ought to be married; for Shelah, born in one hundred and four, is marriageable, but not married to Tamar in one hundred and fourteen. See Gen 38:14.

7. Pharez kept from marrying while young, yet has a son at thirteen; for Pharez, born in one hundred and fifteen, had two sons at going to Egypt in one hundred and thirty.

8. Esau goes to Ishmael and marries his daughter, after Jacob went to Laban at seventy-seven; though Ishmael died when Jacob was sixty-three.

9. If Jacob had no son till he was eighty-five, and if Joseph was born when his father was ninety, then the eleven sons and Dinah were born in five years.

Lastly, if Jacob had no son till eighty-five, and he went to Egypt at one hundred and thirty, with sixty-six persons, only forty-five years are allowed for his family; whereas the larger sum of sixty-five years seems necessary for the births of so many children and grandchildren. On this subject Le Clerc has pronounced, Hisce in rebus occurrunt nodi, quos nemo hactenus solvit; neque porro, ut opinor, solvet. There are difficulties here which have never been explained, and in my opinion never can be explained. But upon the single principle of Mr. Skinner, that Jacob went to Laban at fifty-seven, (instead of seventy-seven), these difficulties are solved. And it only remains to wish that some authority may be found to support this conjecture, thus strongly founded on the exigentia loci. The common opinion is formed by reckoning back from the age of Joseph, when governor of Egypt, to the time of his birth, and from the twenty years which Jacob was with Laban. This number, Mr. Skinner thinks, was originally forty; and I think that the Hebrew text as it now stands confirms the conjecture, and furnishes the very authority which is so much wanted. "After Jacob had served Laban fourteen years for his two wives, where was Jacob to reside? Esau was still living; and Jacob might well be afraid of returning to him, till more years of absence had disarmed his resentment; and had the death of Esau happened, Jacob would then have been secure. But let us also remember that Isaac was still alive, and that Esau had determined to kill Jacob whenever their father should die. It would therefore be no wonder if Jacob should have desired to continue longer in Haran. And to carry this point more effectually, he might offer to take care of Laban's cattle, and to live in his neighborhood, upon such terms of advantage to Laban as could not easily be withstood. Lastly, when the good effects to Laban from this connection had been experienced, without profit, nay with some losses, to Jacob, for twenty years, Jacob might naturally grow tired of thus assisting Laban without providing for his own growing family. Accordingly we find that Jacob covenants with Laban for six years of more close attendance and service in Laban's own house, for which the wages were expressly settled. Agreeable to the preceding possibilities seems to have been the fact, Jacob living in Haran forty years, and in this manner: - 14 years in Laban's house, a covenant servant for his wives. 20 in Laban's neighborhood, as a friend. 6 in Laban's house, a covenant servant for cattle. 40 "Now the twenty concurrent years of neighbourly assistance, and the disjointed twenty of covenant service, seem both of them distinguished in the history itself. For upon Laban's pursuit of Jacob he mentions twenty years twice; which two sets of twenty, if really different, make forty. Each mention of the twenty years is introduced with the word זה zeh, which word, when repeated, is used by way of distinction; as when we say, this and that, the one or the other. Thus, Exo 14:20 : So that the one came not near the other. Ecc 6:5 : This hath more rest than the other. And with the two words at a great distance, Job 21:23 : One dieth; Job 21:25; and another dieth, etc. So here, in Gen 31:38, Jacob says to Laban, זה עשרים שנה אנכי עמך zeh esrim shanah anochi immach, during the One set of twenty years I was with thee, etc.; meaning the time in which he lived, not in Laban's house, but in his neighborhood; not as a servant, but a friend; after he had served in Laban's house fourteen years for his daughters, and before he served six years for his cattle. But then, as to the other twenty, he tells Laban, at Gen 31:41, varying the phrase very remarkably זה לי עשרים שנה בביתך עבדתיך zeh li esrim shanah bebeithecha abadticha, during the other twenty years (ל li) For Myself (for my own benefit) In Thy House; I served thee fourteen years, and six years, etc. And during this last period, though only six years, he charges Laban with changing his wages ten times. So that Jacob insists upon having well earned his wages through the twenty years when he served for hire; but he makes a far greater merit of having, for another twenty years, assisted him without wages, and even with some losses; and therefore, with particular propriety, he reminds Laban of that set of twenty years in the first place.

The following Tables, taken chiefly from Mr. Skinner, will greatly elucidate the true chronology of Jacob:

Table 1 - On Jacob's being at Haran only twenty years. 0 Jacob (and Esau) born. 40 Esau marries two wives, Hittites Gen 26:34. 63 Ishmael dies, aged 137 Gen 25:17. 77 Jacob goes to Haran. 84 marries Leah and Rachel Gen 29:20, Gen 29:21, Gen 29:27, Gen 29:28. 85 Reuben born of Leah 86 Simeon born of Leah Gen 29:32-35. 87 Levi born of Leah 88 Judah born of Leah 89 Dan born of Bilhah

Naphtali born of Bilhah

Gad born of Zilpah

Asher born of Zilpah

Issachar born of Leah

Zebulun and Dinah born of Leah

Genesis 30:6-24. 91 Joseph born of Rachel 97 Jacob returns from Haran. 98 dwells in Succoth. 99 comes to Shalem, and continues there eight years 101 Judah marries Shuah's daughter. 102 Er born, - 103 Onan, - 104 Shelah. 106 Shechemites destroyed by Simeon and Levi. 107 Benjamin is born, and Rachel dies 108 Joseph sold when seventeen Gen 37:2. 111 Tamar married to Er, and immediately afterwards to Onan. 114 Tamar's incest with Judah. 115 Pharez and Zarah born to Judah. 120 Isaac dies, aged 180 Gen 35:28. 121 Joseph is made governor of Egypt Gen 41:46. 130 Jacob goes into Egypt Gen 47:9. 147 and dies. Gen 47:28; Gen 49:33.

Table 2 - On Jacob's Being at Haran Forty years. 0 Jacob (and Esau) born. 40 Esau marries two wives, Hittites Gen 26:34 57 Jacob goes to Haran. 58 Esau goes to Ishmael, and marries his daughter. Gen 28:9. 63 Ishmael dies, aged 137 Gen 25:17. 64 Jacob marries Leah and Rachel Gen 29:20, Gen 29:21, Gen 29:27, Gen 29:28. 65 Reuben born of Leah 66 Simeon born of Leah Gen 29:32-35. 67 Levi born of Leah 68 Judah born of Leah, Rachel, not bearing, gives Bilhah 69 Dan born of Bilhah 71 Naphtali born of BilhahLeah, not bearing, gives Zilpah Genesis 30:6-24. 72 Gad born of Zilpah 74 Asher born of Zilpah 78 Reuben at 13 finds the mandrakes 79 Issachar born of Leah 81 Zebulun born of Leah 82 Dinah born of Leah 86 Judah at 18 marries Shuah's daughter. 87 Er born, - 88 Onan, - 89 Shelah. 91 Joseph born of Rachel. 97 Jacob comes from Haran to Succoth and Shalem.

Dinah defiled, and the Shechemites destroyed. 98 Benjamin is born, and Rachel dies. 103 Beriah, fourth son of Asher, born. 105 Tamar married to Er - 106 to Onan. 108 Joseph, at seventeen, is carried into Egypt. Gen 37:2. 109 Shelah, at twenty, not given to Tamar. 110 Pharez and Zarah born of Tamar, by Judah. 120 Isaac dies, aged 180 Gen 35:28. 121 Joseph, at thirty, governor of Egypt Gen 41:46. 123 Beriah, at twenty, marries. 125 Heber - 127 Malchiel - born to Beriah. 128 Pharez, at eighteen, marries. 129 Hezron - 130 Hamul - born to Pharez. 130 Benjamin, at thirty - two, has ten sons.

Jacob goes to Egypt Gen 47:9. 147 and dies Gen 47:28; Gen 49:33. * Not placed in order of time, Genesis 38.(57-71 = 14 years' service; 72-91 = 20 years' assistance) "Our translation now is, Gen 31:38 : This Twenty Years Have I Been With Thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. Gen 31:39. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. Gen 31:40. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. Gen 31:41. Thus Have I Been Twenty Years In Thy House: I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle; and thou hast changed my wages ten times. "The alteration here recommended is this, Gen 31:38 : During The One Twenty Years I Was With Thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams, etc., etc. Gen 31:41. During The Other Twenty Years For Myself, In Thy House, I served, etc. The same distinction is expressed in Gen 30:29 : Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me; i.e., how I behaved during the time I was with thee as thy servant, and how thy cattle fared during the time they were with me as thy friend. "It must not be omitted that Archbishop Usher and Bishop Lloyd ascribe sons to Jacob very soon after his coming to Laban; nay, assert that he was married almost as soon as he came to Haran, instead of waiting seven years, as he most evidently did. And Mr. Jackson allows that some of the sons of Benjamin, who are expressly numbered as going into Egypt with Jacob, might be born in Egypt! From such distresses, and such contradictions, does the distinction of two sets of twenty years happily deliver us,"

Hoc temporis intervallo nemo concipere poterit tot res contingere potuisse.

Spinosa.

In such a short space of time, it is impossible that so many transactions could have taken place.

I shall leave this subject with chronologers and critics, and shall not attempt to decide on either opinion. That of Dr. Kennicott I think the most likely, and to it I have adapted the chronology in those cases to which it relates; but there are difficulties in both cases. See Clarke on Gen 38:1 (note).

It should seem they said it in Jacob's hearing. The last chapter began with Rachel's envying Leah; this begins with Laban's sons envying Jacob. He has gotten all his glory - And what was this glory? It was a parcel of brown sheep and speckled goats, and some camels and asses. Jacob has taken away all that was our fathers - Not all, sure; what was become of those cattle which were committed to the custody of Laban's sons, and sent three days journey off?

The Lord said unto Jacob, Return and I will be with thee - though Jacob had met with very hard usage, yet he would not quit his place 'till God bid him. He came thither by orders from heaven, and there he would slay 'till he was ordered back. The direction he had from heaven is more fully related in the account he gives of it to his wives, where he tells them of the dream he had about the cattle, and the wonderful increase of those of his colour; and how the angel of God in that dream instructed him that it was not by chance, nor by his own policy, that he obtained that great advantage but by the providence of God, who had taken notice of the hardships Laban had put upon him, and in performance of his promise.

And Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to the field - That he might discourse with them more privately.

God hath taken away the cattle of your father and given them to me - Thus the righteous God paid Jacob for his hard service out of Laban's estate; as afterwards he paid the seed of Jacob for their service of the Egyptians with their spoils.

Whereas Jacob looked upon the wealth which God had passed over from Laban to him as his wages, they look upon it as their portions; so that both ways God forced Laban to pay his debts, both to his servant and to his daughters.

Laban went to shear his sheep - That part of his flock which was in the hands of his sons, three days journey off. Now, It is certain it was lawful for Jacob to leave his service suddenly: it was not only justified by the particular instructions God gave him, but warranted by the fundamental law of self - preservation which directs us, when we are in danger, to shift for our own safety, as far as we can do it without wronging our consciences. It was his prudence to steal away unawares to Laban, lest if Laban had known, he should have hindered him, or plundered him. It was honestly done to take no more than his own with him, the cattle of his getting. He took what providence gave him, and would not take the repair of his damages into his own hands. Yet Rachel was not so honest as her husband; she stole her father's images, and carried them away. The Hebrew calls them Teraphim. Some think they were only little representations of the ancestors of the family in statue or picture, which Rachel had a particular fondness for, and was desirous to have with her now she was going into another country. It should rather seem they were images for a religious use, penates, household gods, either worshipped, or consulted as oracles; and we are willing to hope, that she took them away, not out of covetousness much less for her own use, or out of any superstitious fear lest Laban, by consulting his teraphim, might know which way they were gone; (Jacob no doubt dwelt with his wives as a man of knowledge, and they were better taught than so) but with a design to convince her father of the folly of his regard to those as gods which could not secure themselves.

He took his brethren - That is, his relations, and pursues Jacob to bring him back into bondage, or, to strip him of what he had.

Speak not, either good or bad - That is, say nothing against his going on with his journey, for the thing proceedeth from the Lord. The same Hebraism we have, Gen 24:50. The safety of good men is very much owing to the hold God has of the consciences of bad men, and the access he has to them.

I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with tabret and with harp - Not as Rebekah was sent away out of the same family above one hundred and twenty years before, with prayers and blessings, but with sport and merriment; which was a sign that religion was much decayed in the family.

It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt - He supposeth that he had both right on his side, and strength on his side, either to revenge the wrong, or recover the right. Yet he owns himself under the restraint of God's power; he durst not injure one of whom he saw to be the particular care of heaven.

Wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? - Foolish man! to call those his gods that could be stolen! Could he expect protection from them that could neither resist nor discover their invaders? Happy are they who have the Lord for their God. Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God.

Jacob clears himself by giving the true reason why he went away unknown to Laban; he feared lest Laban would by force take away his daughters and so oblige him to continue in his service. As to the charge of stealing Laban's gods, he pleads not guilty. He not only did not take them himself, but he did not know that they were taken.

Jacob speaks of God as the God of his father, intimating that he thought himself unworthy to be thus regarded, but was beloved for his father's sake. He calls him the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac: for Abraham was dead, and gone to that world where there is no fear; but Isaac was yet alive, sanctifying the Lord in his heart as his fear and his dread.

All his mine - That is, came by me.

Let us make a covenant - It was made and ratified with great solemnity, according to the usages of those times. A pillar was erected, and a heap of stones raised, to perpetuate the memory of the thing, writing being then not known. A sacrifice was offered, a sacrifice of peace - offerings. They did eat bread together, jointly partaking of the feast upon the sacrifice. This was in token of a hearty reconciliation. Covenants of friendship were anciently ratified by the parties eating and drinking together. They solemnity appealed to God concerning their sincerity herein; As a witness, Ge 31:49. The Lord watch between me and thee - That is, the Lord take cognizance of every thing that shall be done on either side in violation of this league. As a judge, The God of Abraham, from whom Jacob was descended, and The God of Nahor, from whom Laban was descended, the God of their father, the common ancestor from whom they were both descended, judge betwixt us. God's relation to them is thus expressed, to intimate that they worshipped one and the same God, upon which consideration there ought to be no enmity betwixt them. Those that have one God should have one heart: God is judge between contending parties, and he will judge righteously, whoever doth wrong it is at their peril. They gave a new name to the place, Ge 31:47,48. Laban called it in Syriac, and Jacob in Hebrew, The heap of witness. And Ge 31:49, it was called Mizpah, a watch - tower. Posterity being included in the league, care was taken that thus the memory of it should be preserved. The name Jacob gave this heap stuck by it, Galeed, not the name Laban gave it.

And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac - The God whom his father Isaac feared, who had never served other gods, as Abraham and Nahor had done.

1 AND he heard the words of Labans sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our fathers: and of that which was of our fathers, hath he gotten all this glory .

These riches, which are called glory, Gen. 45. 13. Psal. 49. 16. Isa. 66. 12. compared with Isa. 60. 6. because their possessours use to glory in them, and by them gain glory and esteem from others.

2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and behold, it was not towards him as before .

And this change of his countenance argued a change in his mind and presaged some evil intentions in him towards Iacob.

Marginal references: Heb. as yesterday and the day before.

4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flocks.

Rachel is first named here, as also Ruth 4. 11. because she was his chief, and, by right, his first and onely designed wife. And therefore it is observable, that in the enumeration of Iacobs Wives and Children, Gen. 46. Leah is onely mentioned by her name, ver. 15. but Rachel is called Iacobs wife, ver. 19. by way of eminency and in a peculiar manner.

Where they might more freely discourse of their business and without fear or interruption.

5 And said unto them, I see your fathers countenance, that it is not toward me as before: but the God of my father hath been with me .

Either 1. Hath blessed me, hath stood constantly by me, when your father hath failed and deceived me. O[illegible: 1+ letters], 2. Hath appeared unto me, as ver. 13.

6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

Both of my mind and body, as I would have done for my self, as became a faithful servant to do.

7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times : but God suffered him not to hurt me.

(i. e.) Oft-times, as that certain number is commonly used, as Levit. 26. 26. Numb. 14. 22. 1 Sam. 1. 8. Iob 19. 3. &c.

Marginal references: Neh. 4. 12.

8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages, then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ring-straked shall be thy hire , then bare all the cattle ring-straked.

All is here, as oft elsewhere, put for the greater or the better part, as appears from chap. 31. 1, 8. Or, for all that Iacob desired to be such.

Hence it appears that Laban through envy and covetousness did break his agreement made with Iacob and altered it as he thought meet, and that Iacob patiently yielded to all such changes.

10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle, were ring-straked, speckled, and grizled .

Which were marked with spots like hail in colour and proportion, as the word signifieth.

Marginal references: Or, he-goats.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me ▪ now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

Of which see Gen. 28. 19, 20. And this God here mentions to shew his acceptance of that action of Iacobs, his mindfulness even of the past and forgotten services of his people, and his purpose now to fulfil the promise there made to him.

Marginal references: chap. 28. 18.; chap. 32. 9.

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our fathers house ?

We can expect no further benefit from him, but deceit and oppression, and injury, and therefore are willing to leave him. This was the fruit of his unnatural and unworthy carriage to them that it did eat out their natural affection to him.

15 Are we not counted of him strangers ? for he hath sold us , and hath quite devoured also our money .

As if we had no more right to his estate than strangers.

In stead of a good part of his Estate which by the Law of God and Nature belongs to us, 2 Cor. 12. 14. wherewith he should have endowed us upon our Marriage, he hath made sale of us for this 14 years hard service, seeking onely his own, not our advantage.

Hath not onely with-held from us, but spent upon himself, that money which he got by thy care and industry, whereof a considerable part was due in equity to us and to our Children.

Marginal references: chap. 29. 15, 27.

16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our Father, that is ours and our childrens: Now then whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

Not onely by Gods special gift, but by the natural right which Children have to a share in his Estate, and upon the account of thy faithful and laborious service.

19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stollen the images that were her fathers .

Quest. 1. What were those Teraphims or images? Ans. They were images made in the shape of men, 1 Sam. 19. 13, 16. which the Gentiles worshipped as subordinate Gods, ver. 30, 32. of this chapter, to which they committed the protection of their Families, 1 Sam. 19. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. which they used to consult about-secret or future things, and from which they received answers about them, Ezek. 21. 21. Zech. 10. 2. Of these see more Iudg. 17. 5. and 18. 14, 17. &c. Ho[illegible: 1+ letters]. 3. 4. And these Idols Laban worshipped together with the true God. Quest. 2. Why did Rachel steal them? Ans. Partly lest her father by consulting them should discover their flight and the course which they took; and partly because she seemed yet to retain a superstitious conceit of them, as may be gathered from Gen. 35. 2. Others, because they were pretty and precious things, made of Silver and Gold, which she took as a part of what was due to her both as his daughter and for her Husbands service. Others, that she might remove so great an occasion of her Fathers Idolatry, and shew him the vanity of such Gods as might be stoln away.

Marginal references: Heb. Teraphim.

20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

Heb. Stole away the heart of Laban, to wit, his daughters, his cattle, and his gods, upon which his heart was vehemently set, as M[illegible: 1+ letters]s was, Iudg. 18. 24. But if this had been meant, it had been imputed to Rachel and not to Iacob, who knew nothing of the Gods. Or rather, stole away from the heart, &c. the Hebrew eth being put for meeth as Gen. 4. 1. and 49. 25. 1 King. 8. 43. compared with 2 Chron. 6. 33. Mic. 3. 8. i. e. without the knowledge and consent of Laban, which sence is confirmed by the words next following, and by ver. 26, 27. and by the like use of the phrase, 2 Sam. 19. 3. Thus he fled because he knew Labans selfish and unrighteous and cruel disposition, that he would always hinder him from departing either by fraudulent pretences, or by open force, nor suffer so great a diminution in that estate, which he thought one time or other he might in good measure recover to himself.

Marginal references: Heb. the heart of Laban.

21 So he fled with all that he had, and he rose up and passed over the river , and set his face toward the mount Gilead .

Euphrates, which lay between Mesopotamia and Chaldea, Gen. 15. 18. which for its largeness and famousness is oft called the River emphatically, as Exod. 23. 31. Ios. 24. 2, 3. &c.

(i. e.) Resolutely directed his course. See Ier. 50. 5. Luk. 9. 51, 53.

A very high and long mountain beyond Iordan adjoyning to the Mountain of Lebanon, at the foot of which there was a large and fruitful country which from the Mountain received the name of Gilead, Deut. 34. 1. Ier. 8. 22. and 22. 6. This Mountain is here called Gilead by anticipation, as appears from ver. 48.

22 And it was told Laban on the third day , that Jacob was fled.

That he heard of it no sooner must be ascribed to the great distance which Laban had put between his and Jacobs flocks, Gen. 30. 36. and to the care and art which Iacob used to prevent a sooner discovery.

24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad .

Neither perswading him by flattering promises and cunning▪ Artifices, nor compelling him by threatnings, to return. For so these general words must be limited, as is evident from Gods design in them, and from the following Relation. So this is a Synecdochical expression.

Marginal references: Job 33. 15.; Heb. from good to bad.

26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stollen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword ?

By force and violence. A false accusation; for they freely consented, ver. 14, 15, 16.

28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters ? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing .

As was usual at the parting of Friends. See the note on Gen. 29. 11.

But indeed Iacob took the wisest course for the security of his Person and Estate, especially having the direction and protection of God in it.

29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed, that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

Isaac or Abraham, by which he disowns him for his God, and [illegible: 1+ letters]itly reproacheth him with the novelty of his Religion which was first brought in by his father. Compare ver. 53.

30 And now though thou wouldst needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy fathers house, yet wherefore hast thou stoln my Gods .

Laban could not be so senceless as to take those for true Gods which could be stollen away, but he calleth them Gods, because they were the means or representations whereby he worshipped his Gods.

32 With whomsoever thou findest thy Gods, let him not live : before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee: for Jacob knew not that Rachel had stollen them.

I give my consent that he shall die by the hands of Justice. A rash and inconsiderate sentence.

Marginal references: chap. 44. 9.

33 And Laban went into Jacobs tent, and into Leahs tent , and into the two maid-servants tents: but he found them not. Then went he out of Leahs tent, and entred into Rachels tent.

The Men and Womens Tents were distinct and separate. See Gen. 18. 2. and 24. 67.

35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my Lord, that I cannot rise up before thee ; for the custom of women is upon me: and he searched, but found not the Images.

Quest. How could that occasion hinder her from rising up to her Father? Answ. 1. It might be attended in her, as it was and is in some other women, especially in those hot countries, with a greater flux of blood, or with more than ordinary infirmity and sickness; and this Laban might know to be usual with her by former observation or information. 2. She offers this as a reason not why she could not rise up to shew a civility to him, but why she could not rise up from his face, or from before him, as the words in the Hebrew sound, i. e. so as to give way to him that he might come and search there for the Images: because menstruous women were antiently esteemed polluted and to pollute the things which they touched or sat upon, as you may see by Levit. 15. 19, 20, 21, 22. Which law though it were not yet given and written, yet that as well as divers other Ceremonial Rites might be enjoyned by God and observed by sober Heathens at that time, especially by such as were akin to Abraham, as Laban and his Family were, who by that means might easily come to the knowledge of such matters. Add to this, one of the seven precepts given to the Sons of Noah was that of uncovering nakedness; which both Jewish and Christian writers take to be a very comprehensive expression and to include all such things as have a natural turpitude in them, among which this is confessed to be one. And the words thus understood contain a solid and satisfactory reason why Laban should not now come near her, nor search the things upon which she sat upon, which had been an uncivil and immodest thing.

36 And Jacob was very wroth, and chode with Laban, and Jacob answered, and said to Laban, What is my Trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me ?

With so much fury and violence.

38 This twenty years have I been with thee: thy ewes, and thy she-goats have not cast their young , and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

Which thou owest in a great measure to my care and diligence in ordering them, and principally to Gods blessing given to thee for my sake, by thy own confession, Gen. 30. 27.

39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee, I bare the loss of it: of my hand didst thou require it , whether stollen by day, or stollen by night.

Which was unjust and unreasonable, except where it fell out through the Shepherds default, See Exod. 22▪ 13. Quest. How could Jacob pay these losses, seeing he came empty from his Fathers house, and got nothing by his service for the first 14 years, but his wives? Ans. Either 1. he had some supplies sent from his Father, though it be not mentioned in this History: or 2. he might have some inconsiderable allowances or priviledges from Laban, out of which he could easily de[illegible: 1+ letters]ray these charges which because of his great care and watchfulness did but seldom happen: or 3. these losses were put to his account, to be satisfied by him as soon as he should be able to do it.

Marginal references: Exod. 22. 12.

40 Thus I was in the day, the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from mine eyes .

Through my extraordinary thoughtfulness and care about thy cattle, especially in cases of danger.

42 Except the God of my Father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty: God hath seen my affliction , and the labour of mine hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

(i. e.) The God whom my father Isaac worships with reverence and godly fear, as appears by comparing ver. 53. The act is here put for the Object, as it frequently is, and particularly God is called our fear, Isa. 8. 13. And fear is one of Gods names amongst the Rabbins. He calls him not Isaacs God, but his fear, because Isaac was yet alive and in the state of probation and served God with fear and trembling. See Gen. 27. 33. The Jews observe, that God is not called the God of any particular person, as of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, till after their death.

With compassion and intention of good to me for it. Gods seeing is oft used for his relieving and helping, as Gen. 16. 13. and 29. [illegible: 1+ letters]2. Exod 3. 7, 9. Or, hath shewed or proved it, to wit, that he hath seen, &c. Compare Gen. 20. 16. Either way it is an Ellipsis of the pronoun, which is usual, as appears by comparing 1 King. 10. 7. with 2 Chron. 9. 6. and Psal. 41. 9. with Io[illegible: 1+ letters]. 13. 18.

43 And Laban answered, and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattel are my cattel, and all that thou [illegible: 1+ letters]eest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born ?

He pretends that to be an act of his natural affection and kindness which was indeed the effect of his fear.

44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou: and let it be for a witness between me and thee .

Both to our own consciences of our mutual Obligations, and to God against either of us who shall break it, that he may severely punish us for it.

45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar .

In Testimony of his compliance with Labans proposal and his entring into this Covenant. See Exod. 24. 4.

46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones: and they took stones, and made an heap, and they did eat there upon the heap .

To wit, afterwards, ver. 54. though it be here mentioned by anticipation.

Or rather by or beside the heap, as the Hebrew particle al is oft understood, as Psal. 23. 2. and 81. 7.

47 And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed .

Both names signifie the same thing, an heap of witness, onely Laban gives the name in the Syrian Language; but Iacob, 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 renouncing of the Syrian Manners and Religion together with their Language, and an implicit profession of his conjunction with the Hebrews as in their Tongue so in their Religion.

Marginal references: That is, the heap of witness.

50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters , no man is with us ; See, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

The curse is here understood, as it commonly is, to maintain a greater reverence for Oaths, and to beget a greater dread of the curse belonging to the violators of it.

(i. e.) Here is now no man with us, who, when we are parted, can witness and judge between us and punish the Transgressour. Or thus, Though now we have many with us, as witnesses of this agreement, yet shortly when we shall be parted, no man will be with us, to observe and report our actions to the other, or to do the injur'd person right.

53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father , judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

He joyns Idols with the true God, and secretly chargeth the Religion of Iacob and Abraham with novelty, and prefers his own as the most antient Religion. See Ios. 24. 2. whence we may learn, that Antiquity of it self is no certain argument of the true Church or Religion.

54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread, and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

Either to give God thanks for the great mercies and deliverances vouchsased to him, or to beg Gods blessing upon the present treaty and upon their whole family. But it is not so probable that Iacob would chuse that time for the offering of Sacrifices when Laban was present, whom he could neither honestly admit to them, nor conveniently exclude from them. And therefore seeing the same Hebrew word signifies killing as well as sacrificing, as appears from Numb. 22. 40. 1 Sam. 28. 24. 1 King. 1. 9. 2 Chron. 18. 2. &c. I rather understand it of his killing of beasts in order to a Feast, which he made for his brethren, whom he called, as it here follows, to eat bread, &c. under which phrase all meats are usually comprehended in Scripture, as hath been already noted, and will appear hereafter. And this practise was usual in those times to confirm Covenants by a Feast. See Gen. 26. 30.

Marginal references: Or, killed beasts.

Gen 31:1-5

The Flight. - Through some angry remarks of Laban’s sons with reference to his growing wealth, and the evident change in the feelings of Laban himself towards him (Gen 31:1, Gen 31:2), Jacob was inwardly prepared for the termination of his present connection with Laban; and at the same time he received instructions from Jehovah, to return to his home, together with a promise of divine protection. In consequence of this, he sent for Rachel and Leah to come to him in the field, and explained to them (Gen 31:4-13), how their father’s disposition had changed towards him, and how he had deceived him in spite of the service he had forced out of him, and had altered his wages ten times; but that the God of his father had stood by him, and had transferred to him their father’s cattle, and now at length had directed him to return to his home.

Gen 31:6-8 אתּנה: the original form of the abbreviated אתּן, which is merely copied from the Pentateuch in Exo 13:11, Exo 13:20; Exo 34:17.

Gen 31:9-13 אביכם: for אביכן as in Gen 32:16, etc. - “Ten times:” i.e., as often as possible, the ten as a round number expressing the idea of completeness. From the statement that Laban had changed his wages ten times, it is evident that when Laban observed, that among his sheep and goats, of one colour only, a large number of mottled young were born, he made repeated attempts to limit the original stipulation by changing the rule as to the colour of the young, and so diminishing Jacob’s wages. But when Jacob passes over his own stratagem in silence, and represents all that he aimed at and secured by crafty means as the fruit of God’s blessing, this differs no doubt from the account in Gen 30. It is not a contradiction, however, pointing to a difference in the sources of the two chapters, but merely a difference founded upon actual fact, viz., the fact that Jacob did not tell the whole truth to his wives. Moreover self-help and divine help do not exclude one another. Hence his account of the dream, in which he saw that the rams that leaped upon the cattle were all of various colours, and heard the voice of the angel of God calling his attention to what had been seen, in the words, “I have seen all that Laban hath done to thee,” may contain actual truth; and the dream may be regarded as a divine revelation, which was either sent to explain to him now, at the end of the sixth year, “that it was not his stratagem, but the providence of God which had prevented him from falling a victim to Laban’s avarice, and had brought him such wealth” (Delitzsch); or, if the dream occurred at an earlier period, was meant to teach him, that “the help of God, without any such self-help, could procure him justice and safety in spite of Laban’s selfish covetousness” (Kurtz). It is very difficult to decide between these two interpretations. As Jehovah's instructions to him to return were not given till the end of his period of service, and Jacob connects them so closely with the vision of the rams that they seem contemporaneous, Delitzsch's view appears to deserve the preference. But the עשׂה in Gen 31:12, “all that Laban is doing to thee,” does not exactly suit this meaning; and we should rather expect to find עשׂה used at the end of the time of service. The participle rather favours Kurtz's view, that Jacob had the vision of the rams and the explanation from the angel at the beginning of the last six years of service, but that in his communication to his wives, in which there was no necessity to preserve a strict continuity or distinction of time, he connected it with the divine instructions to return to his home, which he received at the end of his time of service. But if we decide in favour of this view, we have no further guarantee for the objective reality of the vision of the rams, since nothing is said about it in the historical account, and it is nowhere stated that the wealth obtained by Jacob’s craftiness was the result of the divine blessing. The attempt so unmistakeably apparent in Jacob’s whole conversation with his wives, to place his dealing with Laban in the most favourable light for himself, excites the suspicion, that the vision of which he spoke was nothing more than a natural dream, the materials being supplied by the three thoughts that were most frequently in his mind, by night as well as by day, viz., (1) his own schemes and their success; (2) the promise received at Bethel; (3) the wish to justify his actions to his own conscience; and that these were wrought up by an excited imagination into a visionary dream, of the divine origin of which Jacob himself may not have had the slightest doubt. - In Gen 31:13 האל has the article in the construct state, contrary to the ordinary rule; cf. Ges. §110, 2 b; Ewald, §290.

Gen 31:14-16

The two wives naturally agreed with their husband, and declared that they had no longer any part or inheritance in their father’s house. For he had not treated them as daughters, but sold them like strangers, i.e., servants. “And he has even constantly eaten our money,” i.e., consumed the property brought to him by our service. The inf. abs. אכול after the finite verb expresses the continuation of the act, and is intensified by גם “yes, even.” כּי in Gen 31:16 signifies “so that,” as in Deu 14:24; Job 10:6.

Gen 31:17-19

Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; Jacob then set out with his children and wives, and all the property that he had acquired in Padan-Aram, to return to his father in Canaan; whilst Laban had gone to the sheep-shearing, which kept him some time from his home on account of the size of his flock. Rachel took advantage of her father’s absence to rob him of his teraphim (penates), probably small images of household gods in human form, which were worshipped as givers of earthly prosperity, and also consulted as oracles (see my Archäologie, §90).

Gen 31:20-21

“Thus Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled;” - לב גּנב to steal the heart (as the seat of the understanding), like κλέπτειν νοο͂ν, and גּנב with the simple accus. pers., Gen 31:27, like κλεπτειν τίνα, signifies to take the knowledge of anything away from a person, to deceive him; - “and passed over the river (Euphrates), and took the direction to the mountains of Gilead.”

Gen 31:22-25

Laban’s Pursuit, Reconciliation, and Covenant with Jacob. - As Laban was not told till the third day after the flight, though he pursued the fugitives with his brethren, i.e., his nearest relations, he did not overtake Jacob for seven days, by which time he had reached the mountains of Gilead (Gen 31:22-24). The night before he overtook them, he was warned by God in a dream, “not to speak to Jacob from good to bad,” i.e., not to say anything decisive and emphatic for the purpose of altering what had already occurred (vid., Gen 31:29, and the note on Gen 24:50). Hence he confined himself, when they met, “to bitter reproaches combining paternal feeling on the one hand with hypocrisy on the other;” in which he told them that he had the power to do them harm, if God had not forbidden him, and charged them with stealing his gods (the teraphim).

Gen 31:26

“Like sword-booty;” i.e., like prisoners of war (2Ki 6:22) carried away unwillingly and by force.

Gen 31:27-28

“So I might have conducted thee with mirth and songs, with tabret and harp,” i.e., have sent thee away with a parting feast.

Gen 31:29 ידי לאל ישׁ: “there is to God my hand” (Mic 2:1; cf. Deu 28:32; Neh 5:5), i.e., my hand serves me as God (Hab 1:11; Job 12:6), a proverbial expression for “the power lies in my hand.”

Gen 31:30

“And now thou art gone (for, if thou art gone), because thou longedst after thy father’s house, why hast thou stolen my gods?” The meaning is this: even if thy secret departure can be explained, thy stealing of my gods cannot.

Gen 31:31-32

The first, Jacob met by pleading his fear lest Laban should take away his daughters (keep them back by force). “For I said:” equivalent to “for I thought.” But Jacob knew nothing of the theft; hence he declared, that with whomsoever he might find the gods he should be put to death, and told Laban to make the strictest search among all the things that he had with him. “Before our brethren,” i.e., the relations who had come with Laban, as being impartial witnesses (cf. Gen 31:37); not, as Knobel thinks, before Jacob’s horde of male and female slaves, of women and of children.

Gen 31:33-35

Laban looked through all the tents, but did not find his teraphim; for Rachel had put them in the saddle of her camel and was sitting upon them, and excused herself to her lord (Adonai, Gen 31:35), on the ground that the custom of women was upon her. “The camel’s furniture,” i.e., the saddle (not “the camel’s litter:” Luther), here the woman’s riding saddle, which had a comfortable seat formed of carpets on the top of the packsaddle. The fact that Laban passed over Rachel’s seat because of her pretended condition, does not presuppose the Levitical law in Lev 15:19., according to which, any one who touched the couch or seat of such a woman was rendered unclean. For, in the first place, the view which lies at the foundation of this law was much older than the laws of Moses, and is met with among many other nations (cf. Bähr, Symbolik ii. 466, etc.); consequently Laban might refrain from making further examination, less from fear of defilement, than because he regarded it as impossible that any one with the custom of women upon her should sit upon his gods.

Gen 31:36-39

As Laban found nothing, Jacob grew angry, and pointed out the injustice of his hot pursuit and his search among all his things, but more especially the harsh treatment he had received from him in return for the unselfish and self-denying services that he had rendered him for twenty years. Acute sensibility and elevated self-consciousness give to Jacob’s words a rhythmical movement and a poetical form. Hence such expressions as אחרי דּלק “hotly pursued,” which is only met with in 1Sa 17:53; אחטּנּה for אחטּאנּה “I had to atone for it,” i.e., to bear the loss; “the Fear of Isaac,” used as a name for God, פּחד, σέβας = σέβασμα, the object of Isaac’s fear or sacred awe.

Gen 31:40-41

“I have been; by day (i.e., I have been in this condition, that by day) heat has consumed (prostrated) me, and cold by night” - for it is well known, that in the East the cold by night corresponds to the heat by day; the hotter the day the colder the night, as a rule.

Gen 31:42

“Except the God of my father...had been for me, surely thou wouldst now have sent me away empty. God has seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and last night He judged it.” By the warning given to Laban, God pronounced sentence upon the matter between Jacob and Laban, condemning the course which Laban had pursued, and still intended to pursue, towards Jacob; but not on that account sanctioning all that Jacob had done to increase his own possessions, still less confirming Jacob’s assertion that the vision mentioned by Jacob (Gen 31:11, Gen 31:12) was a revelation from God. But as Jacob had only met cunning with cunning, deceit with deceit, Laban had no right to punish him for what he had done. Some excuse may indeed be found for Jacob’s conduct in the heartless treatment he received from Laban, but the fact that God defended him from Laban’s revenge did not prove it to be right. He had not acted upon the rule laid down in Pro 20:22 (cf. Rom 12:17; 1Th 5:15).

Gen 31:43-54

These words of Jacob “cut Laban to the heart with their truth, so that he turned round, offered his hand, and proposed a covenant.” Jacob proceeded at once to give a practical proof of his assent to this proposal of his father-in-law, by erecting a stone as a memorial, and calling upon his relations also (“his brethren,” as in Gen 31:23, by whom Laban and the relations who came with him are intended, as Gen 31:54 shows) to gather stones into a heap, which formed a table, as is briefly observed in Gen 31:46, for the covenant meal (Gen 31:54). This stone-heap was called Jegar-Sahadutha by Laban, and Galeed by Jacob (the former is the Chaldee, the latter the Hebrew; they have both the same meaning, viz., “heaps of witness”),These words are the oldest proof, that in the native country of the patriarchs, Mesopotamia, Aramaean or Chaldaean was spoken, and Hebrew in Jacob’s native country, Canaan; from which we may conclude that Abraham’s family first acquired the Hebrew in Canaan from the Canaanites (Phoenicians). because, as Laban, who spoke first, as being the elder, explained, the heap was to be a “witness between him and Jacob.” The historian then adds this explanation: “therefore they called his name Gal'ed,” and immediately afterwards introduces a second name, which the heap received from words that were spoken by Laban at the conclusion of the covenant (Gen 31:49): “And Mizpah,” i.e., watch, watch-place (sc., he called it), “for he (Laban) said, Jehovah watch between me and thee; for we are hidden from one another (from the face of one another), if thou shalt oppress my daughters, and if thou shalt take wives to my daughters! No man is with us, behold God is witness between me and thee!” (Gen 31:49, Gen 31:50). After these words of Laban, which are introduced parenthetically,There can be no doubt that Gen 31:49 and Gen 31:50 bear the marks of a subsequent insertion. But there is nothing in the nature of this interpolation to indicate a compilation of the history from different sources. That Laban, when making this covenant, should have spoken of the future treatment of his daughters, is a thing so natural, that there would have been something strange in the omission. And it is not less suitable to the circumstances, that he calls upon the God of Jacob, i.e., Jehovah, to watch in this affair. And apart from the use of the name Jehovah, which is perfectly suitable here, there is nothing whatever to point to a different source; to say nothing of the fact that the critics themselves cannot agree as to the nature of the source supposed. and in which he enjoined upon Jacob fidelity to his daughters, the formation of the covenant of reconciliation and peace between them is first described, according to which, neither of them (sive ego sive tu, as in Exo 19:13) was to pass the stone-heap and memorial-stone with a hostile intention towards the other. Of this the memorial was to serve as a witness, and the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father (Terah), would be umpire between them. To this covenant, in which Laban, according to his polytheistic views, placed the God of Abraham upon the same level with the God of Nahor and Terah, Jacob swore by “the Fear of Isaac” (Gen 31:42), the God who was worshipped by his father with sacred awe. He then offered sacrifices upon the mountain, and invited his relations to eat, i.e., to partake of a sacrificial meal, and seal the covenant by a feast of love.

The geographical names Gilead and Ramath-mizpeh (Jos 13:26), also Mizpeh-Gilead (Jdg 11:29), sound so obviously like Gal'ed and Mizpah, that they are no doubt connected, and owe their origin to the monument erected by Jacob and Laban; so that it was by prolepsis that the scene of this occurrence was called “the mountains of Gilead” in Gen 31:21, Gen 31:23, Gen 31:25. By the mount or mountains of Gilead we are not to understand the mountain range to the south of the Jabbok (Zerka), the present Jebel Jelaad, or Jebel es Salt. The name Gilead has a much more comprehensive signification in the Old Testament; and the mountains to the south of the Jabbok are called in Deu 3:12 the half of Mount Gilead; the mountains to the north of the Jabbok, the Jebel-Ajlun, forming the other half. In this chapter the name is used in the broader sense, and refers primarily to the northern half of the mountains (above the Jabbok); for Jacob did not cross the Jabbok till afterwards (Gen 32:23-24). There is nothing in the names Ramath-mizpeh, which Ramoth in Gilead bears in Jos 13:26, and Mizpeh-Gilead, which it bears in Jdg 11:29, to compel us to place Laban’s meeting with Jacob in the southern portion of the mountains of Gilead. For even if this city is to be found in the modern Salt, and was called Ramath-mizpeh from the even recorded here, all that can be inferred from that is, that the tradition of Laban’s covenant with Jacob was associated in later ages with Ramoth in Gilead, without the correctness of the association being thereby established.

Jacob's Departure. (b. c. 1739.)

1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory. 2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3 And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. 4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, 5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. 6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. 7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked. 9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. 10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. 11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. 13 I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. 14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? 15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. 16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

Jacob is here taking up a resolution immediately to quit his uncle's service, to take what he had and go back to Canaan. This resolution he took up upon a just provocation, by divine direction, and with the advice and consent of his wives.

I. Upon a just provocation; for Laban and his sons had become very cross and ill-natured towards him, so that he could not stay among them with safety or satisfaction.

1. Laban's sons showed their ill-will in what they said, v. 1. It should seem they said it in Jacob's hearing, with a design to vex him. The last chapter began with Rachel's envying Leah; this begins with Laban's sons envying Jacob. Observe, (1.) How greatly they magnify Jacob's prosperity: He has gotten all this glory. And what was this glory that they made so much ado about? It was a parcel of brown sheep and speckled goats (and perhaps the fine colours made them seem more glorious), and some camels and asses, and such like trading; and this was all this glory. Note, Riches are glorious things in the eyes of carnal people, while to all those that are conversant with heavenly things they have no glory in comparison with the glory which excelleth. Men's over-valuing worldly wealth is that fundamental error which is the root of covetousness, envy, and all evil. (2.) How basely they reflect upon Jacob's fidelity, as if what he had he had not gotten honestly: Jacob has taken away all that was our father's. Not all, surely. What had become of those cattle which were committed to the custody of Laban's sons, and sent three days' journey off? ch. xxx. 35, 36. They mean all that was committed to him; but, speaking invidiously, they express themselves thus generally. Note, [1.] Those that are ever so careful to keep a good conscience cannot always be sure of a good name. [2.] This is one of the vanities and vexations which attend outward prosperity, that it makes a man to be envied of his neighbors (Eccl. iv. 4), and who can stand before envy? Prov. xxvii. 4. Whom Heaven blesses hell curses, and all its children on earth.

2. Laban himself said little, but his countenance was not towards Jacob as it used to be; and Jacob could not but take notice of it, v. 2, 5. He was but a churl at the best, but now he was more churlish than formerly. Note, Envy is a sin that often appears in the countenance; hence we read of an evil eye, Prov. xxiii. 6. Sour looks may do a great deal towards the ruin of peace and love in a family, and the making of those uneasy of whose comfort we ought to be tender. Laban's angry countenance lost him the greatest blessing his family ever had, and justly.

II. By divine direction and under the convoy of a promise: The Lord said unto Jacob, Return, and I will be with thee, v. 3. Though Jacob had met with very hard usage here, yet he would not quit his place till God bade him. He came thither by orders from Heaven, and there he would stay till he was ordered back. Note, It is our duty to set ourselves, and it will be our comfort to see ourselves, under God's guidance, both in our going out and in our coming in. The direction he had from Heaven is more fully related in the account he gives of it to his wives (v. 10-13), where he tells them of a dream he had about the cattle, and the wonderful increase of those of his colour; and how the angel of God, in that dream (for I suppose the dream spoken of v. 10 and that v. 11 to be the same), took notice of the workings of his fancy in his sleep, and instructed him, so that it was not by chance, or by his own policy, that he obtained that great advantage; but, 1. By the providence of God, who had taken notice of the hardships Laban had put upon him, and took this way to recompense him: "For I have seen all the Laban doeth unto thee, and herein I have an eye to that." Note, There is more of equity in the distributions of the divine providence than we are aware of, and by them the injured are recompensed really, though perhaps insensibly. Nor was it only by the justice of providence that Jacob was thus enriched, but, 2. In performance of the promise intimated in what is said v. 13, I am the God of Beth-el, This was the place where the covenant was renewed with him. Note, Worldly prosperity and success are doubly sweet and comfortable when we see them flowing, not from common providence, but from covenant-love, to perform the mercy promised—when we have them from God as the God of Beth-el, from those promises of the life which now is that belonging to godliness. Jacob, even when he had this hopeful prospect of growing rich with Laban, must think of returning. When the world begins to smile upon us we must remember it is not our home. Now arise (v. 13) and return, (1.) To thy devotions in Canaan, the solemnities of which had perhaps been much intermitted while he was with Laban. The times of this servitude God had winked at; but now, "Return to the place where thou anointedst the pillar and vowedst the vow. Now that thou beginnest to grow rich it is time to think of an altar and sacrifices again." (2.) To thy comforts in Canaan: Return to the land of thy kindred. He was here among his near kindred; but those only he must look upon as his kindred in the best sense, the kindred he must live and die with, to whom pertained the covenant. Note, The heirs of Canaan must never reckon themselves at home till they come thither, however they may seem to take root here.

III. With the knowledge and consent of his wives. Observe,

1. He sent for Rachel and Leah to him to the field (v. 4), that he might confer with them more privately, or because one would not come to the other's apartment and he would willingly talk with them together, or because he had work to do in the field which he would not leave. Note, Husbands that love their wives will communicate their purposes and intentions to them. Where there is a mutual affection there will be a mutual confidence. And the prudence of the wife should engage the heart of her husband to trust in her, Prov. xxxi. 11. Jacob told his wives, (1.) How faithfully he had served their father, v. 6. Note, If others do not do their duty to us, yet we shall have the comfort of having done ours to them. (2.) How unfaithfully their father had dealt with him v. 7. He would never keep to any bargain that he made with him, but, after the first year, still as he saw Providence favour Jacob with the colour agreed on, every half year of the remaining five he changed it for some other colour, which made it ten times; as if he thought not only to deceive Jacob, but the divine Providence, which manifestly smiled upon him. Note, Those that deal honestly are not always honestly dealt with. (3.) How God had owned him notwithstanding. He had protected him from Laban's ill-will: God suffered him not to hurt me. Note, Those that keep close to God shall be kept safely by him. He had also provided plentifully for him, notwithstanding Laban's design to ruin him: God has taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me, v. 9. Thus the righteous God paid Jacob for his hard service out of Laban's estate; as afterwards he paid the seed of Jacob for their serving the Egyptians, with their spoils. Note, God is not unrighteous to forget his people's work and labour of love, though men be so, Heb. vi. 10. Providence has ways of making those honest in the event that are not so in their design. Note, further, The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just, Prov. xiii. 22. (4.) He told them of the command God had given him, in a dream, to return to his own country (v. 13), that they might not suspect his resolution to arise from inconstancy, or any disaffection to their country or family, but might see it to proceed from a principle of obedience to his God, and dependence on him.

2. His wives cheerfully consented to his resolution. They also brought forward their grievances, complaining that their father had been not only unkind, but unjust, to them (v. 14-16), that he looked upon them as strangers, and was without natural affection towards them; and, whereas Jacob had looked upon the wealth which God had transferred from Laban to him as his wages, they looked upon it as their portions; so that, both ways, God forced Laban to pay his debts, both to his servant and to his daughters. So then it seemed, (1.) They were weary of their own people and their father's house, and could easily forget them. Note, This good use we should make of the unkind usage we meet with from the world, we should sit the more loose to it, and be willing to leave it and desirous to be at home. (2.) They were willing to go along with their husband, and put themselves with him under the divine direction: Whatsoever God hath said unto thee do. Note, Those wives that are their husband's meet helps will never be their hindrances in doing that to which God calls them.

17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; 18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. 19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. 20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. 22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. 23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. 24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

Here is, I. Jacob's flight from Laban. We may suppose he had been long considering of it, and casting about in his mind respecting it; but when now, at last, God had given him positive orders to go, he made no delay, nor was he disobedient to the heavenly vision. The first opportunity that offered itself he laid hold of, when Laban was shearing his sheep (v. 19), that part of his flock which was in the hands of his sons three days' journey off. Now, 1. It is certain that it was lawful for Jacob to leave his service suddenly, without giving a quarter's warning. It was not only justified by the particular instructions God gave him, but warranted by the fundamental law of self-preservation, which directs us, when we are in danger, to shift for our own safety, as far as we can do it without wronging our consciences. 2. It was his prudence to steal away unawares to Laban, lest, if Laban had known, he should have hindered him or plundered him. 3. It was honestly done to take no more than his own with him, the cattle of his getting, v. 18. He took what Providence gave him, and was content with that, and would not take the repair of his damages into his own hands. Yet Rachel was not so honest as her husband; she stole her father's images (v. 19) and carried them away with her. The Hebrew calls them teraphim. Some think they were only little representations of the ancestors of the family, in statues or pictures, which Rachel had a particular fondness for, and was desirous to have with her, now that she was going into another country. It should rather seem that they were images for a religious use, penates, household-gods, either worshipped or consulted as oracles; and we are willing to hope (with bishop Patrick) that she took them away not out of covetousness of the rich metal they were made of, much less for her own use, or out of any superstitious fear lest Laban, by consulting his teraphim, might know which way they had gone (Jacob, no doubt, dwelt with his wives as a man of knowledge, and they were better taught than so), but out of a design hereby to convince her father of the folly of his regard to those as gods which could not secure themselves, Isa. xlvi. 1, 2.

II. Laban's pursuit of Jacob. Tidings were brought him, on the third day, that Jacob had fled; he immediately raises the whole clan, takes his brethren, that is, the relations of his family, that were all in his interests, and pursues Jacob (as Pharaoh and his Egyptians afterwards pursued the seed of Jacob), to bring him back into bondage again, or with design to strip him of what he had. Seven days' journey he marched in pursuit of him, v. 23. He would not have taken half the pains to have visited his best friends. But the truth is bad men will do more to serve their sinful passions than good men will to serve their just affections, and are more vehement in their anger than in their love. Well, at length Laban, overtook him, and the very night before he came up with him God interposed in the quarrel, rebuked Laban and sheltered Jacob, charging Laban not to speak unto him either good or bad (v. 24), that is, to say nothing against his going on with his journey, for that it proceeded from the Lord. The same Hebraism we have, ch. xxiv. 50. Laban, during his seven day's march, had been full of rage against Jacob, and was now full of hopes that his lust should be satisfied upon him (Exod. xv. 9); but God comes to him, and with one word ties his hands, though he does not turn his heart. Note, 1. In a dream, and in slumberings upon the bed, God has ways of opening the ears of men, and sealing their instruction, Job xxxiii. 15, 16. Thus he admonishes men by their consciences, in secret whispers, which the man of wisdom will hear and heed. 2. The safety of good men is very much owing to the hold God has of the consciences of bad men and the access he has to them. 3. God sometimes appears wonderfully for the deliverance of his people when they are upon the very brink of ruin. The Jews were saved from Haman's plot when the king's decree drew hear to be put in execution, Esth. ix. 1.

Laban's Pursuit after Jacob. (b. c. 1739.)

25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? 27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? 28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? 31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. 32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them. 33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. 35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.

We have here the reasoning, not to say the rallying, that took place between Laban and Jacob at their meeting, in that mountain which was afterwards called Gilead, v. 25. Here is,

I. The high charge which Laban exhibited against him. He accuses him,

1. As a renegade that had unjustly deserted his service. To represent Jacob as a criminal, he will have it thought that he intended kindness to his daughters (v. 27, 28), that he would have dismissed them with all the marks of love and honour that could be, that he would have made a solemn business of it, would have kissed his little grandchildren (and that was all he would have given them), and, according to the foolish custom of the country, would have sent them away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp: not as Rebekah was sent away out of the same family, above 120 years before, with prayers and blessings (ch. xxiv. 60), but with sport and merriment, which was a sign that religion had very much decayed in the family, and that they had lost their seriousness. However, he pretends they would have been treated with respect at parting. Note, It is common for bad men, when they are disappointed in their malicious projects, to pretend that they designed nothing but what was kind and fair. When they cannot do the mischief they intended, they are loth it should be thought that they ever did intend it. When they have not done what they should have done they come off with this excuse, that they would have done it. Men may thus be deceived, but God cannot. He likewise suggests that Jacob had some bad design in stealing away thus (v. 26), that he took his wives away as captives. Note, Those that mean ill themselves are most apt to put the worst construction upon what others do innocently. The insinuating and the aggravating of faults are the artifices of a designing malice, and those must be represented (though never so unjustly) as intending ill against whom ill is intended. Upon the whole matter, (1.) He boasts of his own power (v. 29): It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt. He supposes that he had both right on his side (a good action, as we say, against Jacob) and strength on his side, either to avenge the wrong or recover the right. Note, Bad people commonly value themselves much upon their power to do hurt, whereas a power to do good is much more valuable. Those that will do nothing to make themselves amiable love to be thought formidable. And yet, (2.) He owns himself under the check and restraint of God's power; and, though it redounds much to the credit and comfort of Jacob, he cannot avoid telling him the caution God had given him the night before in a dream, Speak not to Jacob good nor bad. Note, As God has all wicked instruments in a chain, so when he pleases he can make them sensible of it, and force them to own it to his praise, as protector of the good, as Balaam did. Or we may look upon this as an instance of some conscientious regard felt by Laban for God's express prohibitions. As bad as he was he durst not injure one whom he saw to be the particular care of Heaven. Note, A great deal of mischief would be prevented if men would but attend to the caveats which their own consciences give them in slumberings upon the bed, and regard the voice of God in them.

2. As a thief, v. 30. Rather than own that he had given him any colour of provocation to depart, he is willing to impute it to a foolish fondness for his father's house, which made him that he would needs begone; but then (says he) wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? Foolish man! to call those his gods that could be stolen! Could he expect protection from those that could neither resist nor discover their invaders? Happy are those who have the Lord for their God, for they have a God that they cannot be robbed of. Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he knew not, the common distress of oppressed innocency.

II. Jacob's apology for himself. Those that commit their cause to God, yet are not forbidden to plead it themselves with meekness and fear. 1. As to the charge of stealing away his own wives he clears himself by giving the true reason why he went away unknown to Laban, v. 31. He feared lest Laban would by force take away his daughters, and so oblige him, by the bond of his affection to his wives, to continue in his service. Note, Those that are unjust in the least, it may be suspected, will be unjust also in much, Luke xvi. 10. If Laban deceive Jacob in his wages, it is likely he will make no conscience of robbing him of his wives, and putting those asunder whom God has joined together. What may not be feared from men that have no principle of honesty? 2. As to the charge of stealing Laban's gods he pleads not guilty, v. 32. He not only did not take them himself (he was not so fond of them), but he did not know that they were taken. Yet perhaps he spoke too hastily and inconsiderately when he said, "Whoever had taken them, let him not live;" upon this he might reflect with some bitterness when, not long after, Rachel who had taken them died suddenly in travail. How just soever we think ourselves to be, it is best to forbear imprecations, lest they fall heavier than we imagine.

III. The diligent search Laban made for his gods (v. 33-35), partly out of hatred to Jacob, whom he would gladly have an occasion to quarrel with, partly out of love to his idols, which he was loth to part with. We do not find that he searched Jacob's flocks for stolen cattle; but he searched his furniture for stolen gods. He was of Micah's mind, You have taken away my gods, and what have I more? Judg. xviii. 24. Were the worshippers of false gods so set upon their idols? did they thus walk in the name of their gods? and shall not we be as solicitous in our enquires after the true God? When he has justly departed from us, how carefully should we ask, Where is God my Maker? O that I knew where I might find him! Job xxiii. 3. Laban, after all his searches, missed of finding his gods, and was baffled in his enquiry with a sham; but our God will not only by found of those that seek him, but they shall find him their bountiful rewarder.

36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? 37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. 38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. 39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. 41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. 42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

See in these verses,

I. The power of provocation. Jacob's natural temper was mild and calm, and grace had improved it; he was a smooth man, and a plain man; and yet Laban's unreasonable carriage towards him put him into a heat that transported him into a heat that transported him into some vehemence, v. 36, 37. His chiding with Laban, though it may admit of some excuse, was not justifiable, nor is it written for our imitation. Grievous words stir up anger, and commonly do but make bad worse. It is a very great affront to one that bears an honest mind to be charged with dishonesty, and yet even this we must learn to bear with patience, committing our cause to God.

II. The comfort of a good conscience. This was Jacob's rejoicing, that when Laban accused him his own conscience acquitted him, and witnessed for him that he had been in all things willing and careful to live honestly, Heb. xiii. 18. Note, Those that in any employment have dealt faithfully, if they cannot obtain the credit of it with men, yet shall have the comfort of it in their own bosoms.

III. The character of a good servant, and particularly of a faithful shepherd. Jacob had approved himself such a one, v. 38-40. 1. He was very careful, so that, through his oversight or neglect, the ewes did not cast their young. His piety also procured a blessing upon his master's effects that were under his hands. Note, Servants should take no less care of what they are entrusted with for their masters than if they were entitled to it as their own. 2. He was very honest, and took none of that for his own eating which was not allowed him. He contented himself with mean fare, and coveted not to feast upon the rams of the flock. Note, Servants must not be dainty in their food, nor covet what is forbidden them, but in that, and other instances, show all good fidelity. 3. He was very laborious, v. 40. He stuck to his business, all weathers; and bore both heat and cold with invincible patience. Note, Men of business, that intend to make something of it, must resolve to endure hardness. Jacob is here an example to ministers; they also are shepherds, of whom it is required that they be true to their trust and willing to take pains.

IV. The character of a hard master. Laban had been such a one to Jacob. Those are bad masters, 1. Who exact from their servants that which is unjust, by obliging them to make good that which is not damaged by any default of theirs. This Laban did, v. 39. Nay, if there has been a neglect, yet it is unjust to punish above the proportion of the fault. That may be an inconsiderable damage to the master which would go near to ruin a poor servant. 2. Those also are bad masters who deny to their servants that which is just and equal. This Laban did, v. 41. It was unreasonable for him to make Jacob serve for his daughters, when he had in reversion so great an estate secured to him by the promise of God himself; as it was also to give him his daughters without portions, when it was in the power of his hands to do well for them. Thus he robbed the poor because he was poor, as he did also by changing his wages.

V. The care of providence for the protection of injured innocence, v. 42. God took cognizance of the wrong done to Jacob, and repaid him whom Laban would otherwise have sent empty away, and rebuked Laban, who otherwise would have swallowed him up. Note, God is the patron of the oppressed; and those who are wronged and yet not ruined, cast down and yet not destroyed, must acknowledge him in their preservation and give him the glory of it. Observe, 1. Jacob speaks of God as the God of his father, intimating that he thought himself unworthy to be thus regarded, but was beloved for the father's sake. 2. He calls him the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac; for Abraham was dead, and had gone to that world where perfect love casts out fear; but Isaac was yet alive, sanctifying the Lord in his heart, as his fear and his dread.

Jacob's Covenant with Laban. (b. c. 1739.)

43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? 44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. 45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap. 47 And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 49 And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. 50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. 51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; 52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass 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, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. 55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

We have here the compromising of the matter between Laban and Jacob. Laban had nothing to say in reply to Jacob's remonstrance: he could neither justify himself nor condemn Jacob, but was convicted by his own conscience of the wrong he had done him; and therefore desires to hear no more of the matter He is not willing to own himself in a fault, nor to ask Jacob's forgiveness, and make him satisfaction, as he ought to have done. But,

I. He turns it off with a profession of kindness for Jacob's wives and children (v. 43): These daughters are my daughters. When he cannot excuse what he has done, he does, in effect, own what he should have done; he should have treated them as his own, but he had counted them as strangers, v. 15. Note, It is common for those who are without natural affection to pretend much to it when it will serve a turn. Or perhaps Laban said this in a vain-glorious say, as one that loved to talk big, and use great swelling words of vanity: "All that thou seest is mine." It was not so, it was all Jacob's, and he had paid dearly for it; yet Jacob let him have his saying, perceiving him coming into a better humour. Note, Property lies near the hearts of worldly people. They love to boast of it, "This is mine, and the other is mine," as Nabal, 1 Sam. xxv. 11, my bread and my water.

II. He proposes a covenant of friendship between them, to which Jacob readily agrees, without insisting upon Laban's submission, much less his restitution. Note, When quarrels happen, we should be willing to be friends again upon any terms: peace and love are such valuable jewels that we can scarcely buy them too dearly. Better sit down losers than go on in strife. Now observe here,

1. The substance of this covenant. Jacob left it wholly to Laban to settle it. The tenour of it was, (1.) That Jacob should be a good husband to his wives, that he should not afflict them, nor marry other wives besides them, v. 50. Jacob had never given him any cause to suspect that he would be any other than a kind husband; yet, as if he had, he was willing to come under this engagement. Though Laban had afflicted them himself, yet he will bind Jacob that he shall not afflict them. Note, Those that are injurious themselves are commonly most jealous of others, and those that do not do their own duty are most peremptory in demanding duty from others. (2.) That he should never be a bad neighbour to Laban, v. 52. It was agreed that no act of hostility should ever pass between them, that Jacob should forgive and forget all the wrongs he had received and not remember them against Laban or his family in after-times. Note, We may resent an injury which yet we may not revenge.

2. The ceremony of this covenant. It was made and ratified with great solemnity, according to the usages of those times. (1.) A pillar was erected (v. 45), and a heap of stones raised (v. 46), to perpetuate the memory or the thing, the way of recording agreements by writing being then either not known or not used. (2.) A sacrifice was offered (v. 54), a sacrifice of peace-offerings. Note, Our peace with God is that which puts true comfort into our peace with our friends. If parties contend, the reconciliation of both to him will facilitate their reconciliation one to another. (3.) They did eat bread together (v. 46), jointly partaking of the feast upon the sacrifice, v. 54. This was in token of a hearty reconciliation. Covenants of friendship were anciently ratified by the parties eating and drinking together. It was in the nature of a love-feast. (4.) They solemnly appealed to God concerning their sincerity herein, [1.] As a witness (v. 49): The Lord watch between me and thee, that is, "The Lord take cognizance of every thing that shall be done on either side in violation of this league. When we are out of one another's sight, let his be a restraint upon us, that wherever we are we are under God's eye." This appeal is convertible into a prayer. Friends at a distance from each other may take the comfort of this, that when they cannot know or succour one another God watches between them, and has his eye on them both. [2.] As a Judge, v. 53. The God of Abraham (from whom Jacob descended), and the God of Nahor (from whom Laban descended), the God of their father (the common ancestor, form whom they both descended), judge betwixt us. God's relation to them is thus expressed to intimate that they worshipped one and the same God, upon which consideration there ought to be no enmity between them. Note, Those that have one God should have one heart: those that agree in religion should strive to agree in every thing else. God is Judge between contending parties, and he will judge righteously; whoever does wrong, it is at his peril. (5.) They gave a new name to the place, v. 47, 48. Laban called it in Syriac, and Jacob in Hebrew, the heap of witness; and (v. 49) it was called Mizpah, a watch-tower. Posterity being included in the league, care was taken that thus the memory of it should be preserved. These names are applicable to the seals of the gospel covenant, which are witnesses to us if we be faithful, but witnesses to us if we be faithful, but witnesses against us if we be false. The name Jacob gave this heap (Galeed) stuck by it, not the name Laban gave it. In all this rencounter, Laban was noisy and full of words, affecting to say much; Jacob was silent, and said little. When Laban appealed to God under many titles, Jacob only swore by the fear of his father Isaac, that is, the God whom his father Isaac feared, who had never served other gods, as Abraham and Nahor had done. Two words of Jacob's were more memorable than all Laban's speeches and vain repetitions: for the words of wise men are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools, Eccl. ix. 17.

Lastly, After all this angry parley, they part friends, v. 55. Laban very affectionately kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them, and then went back in peace. Note, God is often better to us than our fears, and strangely overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him.

CHAP. XXXI.

ANd he heard, the words of Labans sons, saying; Iakob hath taken, all that was our fathers: and of that which was our fathers, hath hee made all this glorie. And Iakob saw, the face of Laban; and behold it was not with him, as in former dayes. And Iehovah said unto Iakob; Returne, unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kinred: and I will be with thee. And Iakob sent, and called Rachel and Leah: to the field unto his flocke. And he said unto them, I see your fathers face, that it is not toward mee, as in former daies: and the God of my father hath been with me. And ye know, that withal my able-power, I have served your father. And your father hath deceived me, & changed my wages, ten times: but God hath not given him, to doe me evill. If he said thus, The speckled shal be thy wages; then bare al the cattell, speckled: and if he said thus, the ring-straked shall be thy wages; then bare all the cattell, ring-straked. And God, hath taken away the cattell of your father, and given them to me. And it was, in the time that the cattel conceived; that I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dreame: and behold the heegoats which leaped-up on the cattle, were ring-straked, speckled and grisled. And the Angel of God said unto me in a dreame; Iakob: and I said, Loe here I am. And hee sayd, Lift-up now thine eyes, and see, all the heegoats, that leape up on the cattell; are ring-straked, speckled and grisled: for I have seenall that Laban doeth unto thee. I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, where thou vowedst unto me, a vow: now, arise goe out from this land, & returne unto the land of thy kinred. And Rachel & Leah answered, and said unto him: Is there yet for us, any portion or inheritance, in our fathers house? Are we not counted of him, strangers? for he hath sold us: and eating he hath eaten up also, our money. For all the riches, which God hath taken-away from our father; that belongeth to us, and to our sonnes: and now, all that God hath said unto thee, doe thou. And Iakob arose, and tooke up his sons, and his wives, upon camels. And he led away all his cattell, and all his substance which he had gathered; the cattel of his getting which hee had gathered in Padan Aram: for to come unto Isaak his father, in the land of Canaan. And Laban was gone to sheare his sheepe: and Rachel had stollen the Teraphims, that were her fathers. And Iakob stale from the heart of Laban the Syrian: in that he told him not, that he fled. And he fled himselfe, and all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river: and set his face toward mount Gilead. And it it was told Laban, in the third day; that Iakob was fled. And hee tooke his brethren with him, and followed after him, seven dayes way: and overtooke him, in mount Gilead. And God came to Laban the Syrian, in a dreame by night: and he said unto him; Take thou heed, lest thou speake with Iakob from good to bad. And Laban overtooke Iakok: and Iakob had pitched his tent in the mount; and Laban pitched with his brethren in mount Gilead. And Laban said, to Iakob; what hast thou done, that thou hast stollen-away from my heart: and hast led-away my daughters, as captives with the sword? Wherefore didst thou flee secretly, and steale-away from me: and didst not tell me? that I might have sent thee away, with mirth and with songs, with timbrell and with harpe. And hast not suffred me to kisse my sonnes, and my daughters: now, thou hast done-foolishly in so doing. It is in the power of my hand to doe you evill: but the God of your father said unto mee yesternight, saying; Take thou heed, that thou speake not with Iakob from good to bad. And now, going thou wouldest be gone, because longing thou longedst after thy fathers house: wherefore hast thou stollen my gods? And Iakob answered, and said to Laban: because I feared; for I said, lest thou take-byforce thy daughters from me. With whom thou shalt find thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren, discerne thou what is thine with mee, and take it to thee: and Iakob knew not, that Rachel had stollen them. And Laban entred into the tent of Iakob, and into the tent of Leah, and into the tent of the two handmaids, and hee found them not: and he went out from the tent of Leah, and entred into the tent of Rachel. And Rachel had taken the Teraphims, and put them in the camels furniture; and sate upon them: and Laban felt all the tent, and found them not. And she said to her father, Let it not be displeasing in the eyes of my Lord, that I cannot rise-up before thee, for the custome of women is upon me: and he searched, and found not the Teraphims. And Iakob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Iakob answered and said to Laban; what is my trespasse, what is my sinne, that thou hast hotlypursued after me? Whereas thou hast felt all my stuffe, what hast thou found of all the stuffe of my house? set it here, before my brethren and thy brethren: and let them debate betweene us two. This twenty yeeres have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy shee-goats have not cast-their-young: and the rammes of thy flocke, I have not eaten. The torne, I brought not unto thee; I made-itgood; of my hand, didst thou require it: the stollen by day, or stollen by night. I was in the day, the heat did consume me, and the frost in the night: and my sleepe fled from mine eyes. This was my twenty yeere, in thy house: I have served thee fourteen yeres, for thy two daughters; and sixe yeeres, for thy cattell: and thou hast changed my wages, ten times. Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, & the Feare of Isaak, had beene with me; surely now, thou hadst sent me away empty: my affliction and the labour of my hands, God hath seene, and rebuked thee yesternight. And Laban answered, and said unto Iakob; These daughters are my daughters, and these sonnes my sons, and these cattell my cattell; and all that thou seest, it belongs to me: and to my daughters, what shall I doe to these this day; or to their sonnes, which they have borne? Now therfore, come let us strike a covenant, I & thou: and let it be for a witnesse, betweene me and thee. And Iakob tooke a stone: and set it up, for a pillar. And Iakob said to his brethren, Gather stones; and they tooke stones, and made an heape; and they did eate there, upon the heape. And Laban called it, Iegarsahadutha: and Iakob called it Gal-eed. And Laban said, This heap is a witnesse, between me and thee, this day: therefore hee called the name of it Gal-eed. And Mizpah, for he said; Iehovah watch, betweene mee and thee: when we shall be hid, each man from his neighbour. If thou shalt afflict my daughters, and if thou shalt take wives besides my daughters, no man is with us: see, God is witnesse, betweene me and thee. And Laban said to Iakob; Behold this heape, and behold this pillar, which I have cast between me and thee. This heap be witnesse, and the pillar be witnesse: that I will not passe over this heape unto thee; and that thou shalt not passe over this heape, and this pillar unto me, for evill. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nachor, they judge between us; the God of their father: and Iakob sware, by the Feare of his father Isaak. And Iakob slew a slaughter (of beasts,) in the mount; and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eate bread and taried all night in the mount. And Laban rose early in the morning, and kissed his sonnes and his daughters, and bles sed them: and Laban went, and returned, unto his place.

Annotations. HE] that is, as the Greek expresseth, Iakob heard. made all this glory] that is, (as the Chaldee expoundeth it) get all these riches; for, thereupon glory ariseth; as riches and glory are joyn[illegible: 1 letter]d together, in Prov. 3. 16. and 8. 18. Eccles. 6. 2. Glory (or honour) hath the name of weightinesse, (as Paul mentioneth the weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17.) and Abraham was said to be weighty, when he was rich, Gen. 13. 2. And in Esay 61. 6. glory, is in Greek translated riches. Vers. 2. face] or countenance, wherein favour or displeasure is easily discerned: the Chaldee saith, the looke of his face. as in former dayes] or, as in time past: the Hebrew phrase is, as yesterday, and the day before: which two dayes past, are used for all times before; even as today, is for the time present, Psal. 95. 7. and to morrow for all time to come, Gen. 30 33. So after here in vers. 5. Exod. 4. 10. and 5 7. 14. and often in the Scripture. Vers. 3. of thy fathers] the land of Canaan, given by promise to Abraham and to Isaak, Gen. 13. 15. and 26. 3. be with thee] that is, doe thee good, Gen. 32. 9. the Chaldee translateth, my word shall be for thy helpe. See Gen. 28. 15. Vers. 4. unto his flocke] the Greeke expounds it, where the flockes were. Vers. 5. with me] to bid me depart, vers. 13. or, as the Chaldee explaineth it, his word hath beene my helpe. Vers. 7 ten times] in his sixe yeares service; ten here may be put for many times; so in Iob 19. 3. given] that is, suffred. See Gen. 20. 6. Vers. 9. God hath] so it was not by Iakobs fraud, as his brethren unjustly calumniated him, vers. 1. neither used he that art of putting rods into the troughes (Gen. 30. 37.) but by Gods direction. Vers. 10. a dreame] sent of God, as Gen. 28. 12. hee-goats] and rammes, as the Greeke expresly addeth. By this he was taught, that the generation of cattell in that manner, was by the instinct of God, for to inrich Iakob. grisled] or haile-spotted, that is, having many white spots like haylestones; for so the Hebrew and Chaldee words import. The Greeke expounds it, sprinkled as with ashes. It may be also to signifie, that this was Gods worke, as the haile falleth from heaven. Such was the colour of certaine horses, that Zachary saw in a vision, Zach. 6. 3. Vers. 11. Angel] called in verse 13. the God of Bethel: that is, Christ. So after, Gen. 48. 16. The Hebrew Doctors also name this Angell, Michael: [illegible: 1 letter]irkei R. Eliez. c. 36. Vers. 12. he-goats] the Greeke againe addeth, and rammes. cattell] or flocke, which the Greek translateth sheepe and goats, the Hebrew comprehendeth both, as Levit. 1. 10. Vers. 13. the God] Heb. El Beth-el, that is, the God of the house of God: which the Chaldee expoundeth thus, the God which appeared unto thee in Beth-el: the G[illegible: 1 letter]eeke, thy God, which appeared unto thee in Gods place. God here manifest th[illegible: 1 letter] that hee accepted the service which Iakob used in consecrating Bethel, Gen. 28. 18. 19 22. and was mindfull of his promises there made, vers. 15. kinred] or nativity, generation, as the Greeke translateth; adding moreover, and I will be with thee, as was in verse 3. Vers. 14 for us] or, to us: these words may imply, both that they had no hope of benefit from their father; and that they had no mind any longer to continue with him, out to depart. Compare 1 King. 12. 16. and the law, in Gen. 2. 24. Laban is set forth in this history, as a picture of a man covetous, envious, injurious, unthankfull, and unnaturall; besides his idolatry and hypocrisie. By such a miser, was Iakobs faith and patience exercised twenty yeeres. Vers. 15. of him] or to him: meaning that he had dealt with them as strangers, rather then as children. sold us] for fourteene yeeres service by thee our husband. eating he hath eaten] that is, quite eaten up, and consumed: or greedily eaten. Or questionwise, should hee eate? that is, consume us quite? For by often changing Iakobs wages, hee sought to have inriched himselfe, with the extreme poverty of his daughters, money] Hebr. silver: used here generally for their price, which hee had turned to his owne profit: or figuratively, the meats and commodities bought with such money as was due to them for their husband service: besides their owne portions. Vers. 16. riches] the Greeke addeth, and glory, as verse 1. Vers. 18. substance] or, gathered-goods: see Gen. 12. 5. Thus also Iakobs children went with all their goods out of Aegypt, Exod. 10. 26. Padan Aram] that is, as the Greeke hath it, Mesopotamia. Vers. 19. Teraphims] the Greeke here translateth them Idols; the Chaldee, Images: Laban calleth them his gods vers. 30. and that they were images or representations used in divine worship, other Scriptures also doe confirme, Iudg. 17. 5. and 18. 14. 17. 20 Hos. 3. 4. and it seemeth that idolaters consulted with their gods by them, and had oracles, Ezek. 21 21. Zach. 10. 2. therefore the Chaldee and Greeke in Hos. 3. 4. translate it, declarers, or manifesters, to weet, of hidden things. They were greatly displeasing to the true God, 1 Sam. 15. 23. and therefore were by the godly, rooted out, 2 King. 23. 24. Sometime the Greeke version keepeth the originall name Theraphein, Iudg. 17. and of it, the Heathen Greekes framed the word Therapeuein, for to signifie the service or worship of their gods; and using to consult with such, for recovery of their health, (as Ahazjah did with Beelzebub, 2 King. 1. 2.) they applied the Greek word Therapeuin, for to heale o[illegible: 1 letter] cure diseases. An ancient Rabine saith, What were those Teraphims? They killed a man that was a first borne (sonne,) and tooke off his head, and salted it with salt and with oile, and wrote upon a plate of gold, the name of an uncleane spirit, and put it under the tongue thereof; and set it up on a wall, and lighted candles before it, and bowed themselves downe unto it, and it spake unto them; as it is written, (in Zach. 10. 2.) the Teraphims haue spoken vanitie. Pirkei R. Eliezer ch. 36. It is more likely, they were Images in the shape of men, as may be gathered by 1 Sam. 19. 13. 16. Vers. 20. stale from the heart] that is, stale (or conveyed away himselfe) without the knowledge or consent of Laban. For the heart is the seat of knowledge and understanding, Eccles. 7. 25. Prov. 7. 7. So the Greeke here for stale, translateth hid: and the Chaldee saith, Iakob concealed it from Laban. The word from, is here to be understood, as afterward in vers. 26. & 27. where this speech is opened: and sometime the Scripture it selfe supplieth this and the like wants; as in 2 Chron. 6. 33. heare thou from the heavens: whereas the same speech being written in 1 King. 8. 43. the word from is wanting. Otherwise, to steale the heart, meaneth pri[illegible: 2 letters]ly to draw the heart and affection unto one, as in 2 Sam. 15. 6. Or, if here we so read it, stale the heart of Laban, the meaning is, he caried away, and deceived him of that which his heart did expect and affect, namely more wealth by Iakobs service, &c. And so it is a Syriak phrase, not much differing from that in 2 Cor. 12. 16. I caught you with guile, where the Syriak translateth, I stale you with guile. And stealing is used for carying away, Iob 21. 18. Vers. 21. the river] Euphrates (as the Chaldee explaines it,) which was betweene Chaldea and Canaan: Ios. 24. 2. 3. set his face] that is, his affections and actions, without declining to any other way. Therefore the Greeke translateth it hormesen, which signifieth an earnest (violent) running thitherward. The like phrase is in Ier. 50. 5. Luke 9 51. 53. Gilead] in Greeke, Galaad. It was a goodly mountaine adjoyning next to Lebanon, beneath which mount, was a fertile country called also the land of Gilead, Ier. 22. 6. Deut. 34. 1. They were stored with balme, myrrh, and other spicerie, Gen. 37. 25. Ier. 8. 22. were very good for feeding of cattell, and were afterwards taken from the Amorites, and given partly to the sonnes of Reuben, and Gad, and partly to the sonnes of Manasses for inheritance; Song 4. 1. Numb. 32. 1. 39. Ier. 50. 19. Deut. 3. 12. 13. 15. 16. There was also a man of this name, one of Iakobs posteritie: Num. 26. 29. Vers. 22. the third day] his flocke being 3. daies journey from Iakobs, Gen. 30. 36. Vers. 23. brethren] that is, kinsfolke: see Gen. 13. 8. way] that is, journey: so Gen. 30. 36. Laban pursueth Iakob gone out from his servitude: so Pharaoh pursueth his children, for the like cause, Exod. 14. 5. 6.—9. Vers. 24. God came] The Chaldee saith, word came from the face of God. Compare Gen. 20. 3. Take thou heed] or, Keepe thy selfe, as the Greeke translateth. It was a rebuke unto Laban: verse 42. from good to bad] the Greeke saith onely, that thou speake not bad words. The Hebrew phrase seemeth to meane, either good or bad: as in the like, Gen. 14. 23. and also in this very phrase, 2 Sam. 13. 22. And to speake neither good nor bad, is meant respectiuely to that end for which Laban pursued him; as to cary Iakob backe againe into his servitude. So after in verse 29. This was the Lords hooke in Labans nostrils, to cary him backe the same way he came, as in verse 55. & Esa. 37. 29. Vers. 26. from my heart] secretly, and unawares to me: the Chaldee saith, concealed it from me: as verse 20. captiues] or prisoners. But they went voluntary, verse 16. and belonged to Iakob, rather then to Laban; Gen. 2. 24. Vers. 27. secretly flee] Hebr. keepe thee secret in fleeing. from me] this openeth the former speech of stealing away from his heart. The Chaldee here againe translateth, didst conceale it from me. timbrel] or tabret, in Hebr. named Toph, of the sound which it maketh, when it is beaten on with the hand? It was an instrument of joy, Esa. 24. 8. used by Iakobs daughters when they went out of the Egyptians service, Exod. 15. 20. which Laban here speaketh of, though it may be hee meant no such thing. Vers. 28. to kisse] and so to bid farewell. For kissing was used both at the meeting, and at the parting of friends, Ex. 4. 27. Gen. 29. 21. & 31. 55. Ruth 1. 14. Vers. 29. It is] or It was: but the Greeke translateth it of the time present; And now my hand is able. A vaine boast, like Pilates, Ioh. 19. 10. 11. Verse 30. going &c.] that is, thou wouldst needes be gone. longing] that is, thou greatly longedst, or desiredst. my gods] that is, Teraphims, vers. 19. images by which he worshipped God. For so figuratively the Scripture useth to call those things Gods, which represent God and his presence unto men: as Exod. 32. 4. 1 King. 12. 28. And the word Gods is spoken of one image, Exod. 32. 8. and is the same that God, Neh. 9. 18. So Teraphim, though a word of the plurall number, yet is used also for one Image, 1 Sam. 19. 13. 16. The Chaldee here translateth it, my Feare, that is, my God whom I feare, as in verse 53. This complaint of Laban that his Gods were stollen, sheweth the vanity of such Idolatry, Ier. 10. 5. 11. 15. Iudg. 6. 31. and 18. 24. So God also did execution upon the gods of Egypt, when Iakobs sons departed thence, Numb. 33. 4. Exod. 12. 12. and threatneth the like after, Ier. 43. 12. 13. Esa. 19. 1. Vers. 32. not liue] a severe judgement, uttered unawares, for he knew not that Rachel had stollen them: yet the Hebrew Doctors note, that Iakob said, whosoeuer hath stollen the Teraphims, he shall die before his time; and that which commeth out of the mouth of a just man, is us if it came out of the mouth of an Angell, and Rachel travelled in childbirth, and dyed, Gen. 35. 16. 18. Pirkei R. Eliez. ch. 36. Vers. 34. furniture] or, saddle: the Greeke word also meaneth such stuffe as the Camell was loden with. felt] that is, searched; So vers. 37. Vers. 35. displeasing] or wrathfull, grieuous: see Gen. 4. 5. The Greeke translateth, take it not ill, (or grieuously.) my Lord] so in words shee honoured her father, as Sarah with like title, did her husband: see Gen. 18. 12. rise up] to doe thee honour; in gesture, as Lev. 19. 32. custome] Hebr. way of women; meaning her naturall disease, such as women used to be put apart for; Lev. 15. 19. Vers. 36. trespasse] or, disloyal-iniquity; the Greek translateth it injurie, (or unrighteous-deed: and it is in degree greater then sinns; as Iob 34. 37. he addeth trespasse to his sinne. Vers. 37. debate] or dispute, argue and discusse the thing; and consequently judge, and lay the blame where it is due. Vers. 38. not eaten] as is the manner of evill shepheards, Ezek. 34. 2. 3. &c. Vers. 39. The torne] to weet, with wilde beasts, as the Greeke explaineth it. I made it good] or, I payed for it; as the Greeke translateth. The Hebrew word signifieth to expiate, or satisfie as-for-sin, as if he should say, I put away the sinne by satisfaction: so spoken, because Laban imputed it to Iakob for a fault, though indeed it was not. thou require] which he could not doe without injurie: for Gods law sheweth, that that which is torne of beasts, should not be made good by him that kept it, Exod. 22. 10. 13. Vers. 40. consume] or, eat: The Greeke translateth, burnt with heat. fled] The Greeke saith, departed. Care of his flocke, kept his eyes that they could not sleepe. The dutie of good shepheards, is hereby signified, Luke 2. 8. Hebr. 13. 17. the contrary is in the evill, Esa. 56. 10. This relation setteth forth Iakobs miserie while he dwelt in Syria, and kept sheepe; not onely once noted by the Prophet, Hos. 12. 12. but continually remembred unto God by Iakobs children, who bringing their first fruits, did every one confesse, A Syrian ready to perish, was my father: Deut. 26. 5. Vers. 42. the Feare] or Dread; that is, the GOD whom Isaak feared; as also after in verse 53. So the Chaldee expresseth it, he whom Isaak feared So Iakob himselfe explaineth it, Gen. 32. 9. and in Psal. 76. 12. God is absolutely called the Feare, as unto whom all feare and dread is due, Esa. 8. 12. 13. with me] or for me, and on my side: see the like speech in Psal. 124. 1. 2. &c. hands] Hebr. palmes: a part being put for the whole. Though hereby secret and unknowne labour, may bee implyed. thee] This word the Greeke also addeth, the sense requiring it. The holy Ghost often supplieth the want of such words, as, I beleeved not the words, 1 King. 10. 7. that is, their words, 2 Chron. 9. 6. And, to provoke, 2 King. 21. 6. that is, to provoke him. 2 Chron. 33. 6. So, the heele, Psal. 41. 10. is translated, his heele, Ioh. 13. 18. And by the Evangelists, into the garner, Mat. 3. 12. that is, into his garner, Luke 8. 17. and sundry the like. See before, Gen. 2. 19. Vers. 43. and to my daughters] that is, and as for my daughters, what shall I doe to them? The pawses in the Hebrew, yeeld this sense: but the Greeke referreth it to the former, it is mine and my daughters. Vers. 44. therefore] Hebr. and now; which the Greek also translateth, Now therefore. The Hebrew sometime useth one of these for another: as, and hee called, 2 Sam. 5. 9. which another Prophet saith, therefore they called, 1 Chron. 11. 7. Vers. 45. a pillar] a moniment of the covenant, which Iakob consented to make. Vers. 46. did eate] after the covenant had beene made, verse 54. Vers. 47. Iegar sahadutha] these are Syriak words, signifying, The heape of witnesse, as the Greek turneth them. So Laban named it in his owne language. Gal-eed] This is Hebrew, and signifieth also, The heape a witnesse; as the Greek translateth it. So Iakob named it in his holy language: and thus the children of them both, by the name, might remember the league here made. And hereupon it seemeth, the mount and country adjoyning, was called, Galaad, or Gilead. Vers. 48. heap] in Hebrew Gal. a witnesse] in Hebr. Ed: which together make Galeed. Vers. 49. Mispah] that is by interpretation, a Watch-tower, or place of Espying. The place had these names figuratively, as being a signe of Gods witnesse to, and watch ouer the covenant now made. watch] or espie: it sheweth a reason of the former name. hid] that is, absent, out of the sight one of another. The Greeke translateth, because we depart one from another. Vers. 50. If thou shalt] we may understand, Swearing, or, Wishing a curse to thy selfe, if, &c. Or, That thou shalt not. See the notes on Gen. 24. 38. and 14. 23. is] or, be witnesse: and consequently a punisher of the evill. For the men that were present, were not meet-witnesses, because they were kinsfolkes: v. 23. Vers. 52. that I, will not] this manner of speaking is earnest, and deliberate; as is meet in making covenants. It may also be properly interpreted, If I, to weet, shall passe over this place, I will not passe over to thee for evill: and, if thou, to weet, shalt passe over, &c. But If in Hebr. is sometime used for That; and so the Greeke, Act. 26. 23. unto thee] meaning, for evill; as in the latter branch is expressed. Vers. 53. God] or Gods. their father] that was Tharah, and he served strange gods, Ios. 24. 2. So Laban sweareth by idols. the feare] that is, the God feared: as v. 42. So Iakob sware by the true God onely; as is commanded, Deut. 6. 13. Vers. 54. slew a slaughter] for a feast; and so they used at making of covenants, Gen. 26. 30. Vsually the word is applyed to slaying of sacrifices: but the generall meaning, seemeth most proper here. So in 1 King. 1. 9. Numb. 22. 40. bread] this word is often used generally for all food: (see Gen. 21. 14.) and sometime for flesh: Lev. 3. 11. and 21. 6. Numb. 28. 2. Vers. 55. blessed them] Thus God over-ruled Labans cruell minde, as hee turned Balaams curse into a blessing, Deut. 23. 5.