Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 27

1 AND it came to pass, that when Isaac was old , and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see , he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son. And he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

About one hundred and thirty seven years old.

Which was ordered by Gods wise providence, not onely for the exercise of Isaacs patience, but also as a means to transfer Esaus right to Iacob.

3 Now therefore, take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver , and thy bowe, and go out to the field, and take me some venison.

Or, As the [illegible: 1 word] and Hebrew Doctors render it, thy Sword, a weapon no less necessary for an hunter of Beasts than a Bow.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].

4 And make me favoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat , that my soul may bless thee before I die.

Quest. Why doth he require this before he bless him? Answ. 1. That being refreshed and delighted therewith his Spirit might be more chearful, and so the fitter for the giving of this prophetical benediction; for which reason also the Prophet. Eliha called for a minstrel ere he could utter his Prophesie, 2 Kings 3. 15. 2. By the special direction of Divine providence, that Esaus absence might give Iacob the advantage of getting the blessing.

He speaks not here of a common and customary blessing, which Parents may bestow upon any of their Children as and when they please, but of the last, solemn, extraordinary and prophetical benediction, whereby these holy Patriarchs did by Gods appointment and with his concurrence constitute one of their sons heir not onely of their inheritance, but of Abrahams covenant and all the promises both temporal and spiritual belonging to it. As for the oracle delivered to Rebecca which transferred this blessing upon Iacob, chap. 25, 23. either Isaac knew not of it, not being sufficiently informed thereof by Rebecca; or he did not throughly understand it; or he might apprehend that it was to be accomplished not in the persons of Esau and Iacob but in their posterity; or at this time it was quite out of his mind, or he was induced to neglect it through his passionate affection to his son Esau.

7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD , before my death.

Solemnly as in Gods presence, in his name and by his Authority and with his leave and favour, which I shall heartily pray for thee. So he signifies that this was more than an ordinary blessing which he now intended to give him.

9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence, two good Kids of the goats , and I will make them savoury meat for thy Father, such as he loveth:

It is observable, that as Iacob deceived his Father by a Kid, so his Sons deceived him by the same Creature, Gen. 37. 31, 32, 33.

Out of their most tender and delicate parts: Wherewith it was not difficult to deceive Isaac, partly because of the likeness of the flesh especially being altered by convenient sawce; and partly because the same old age which had dimmed Isaacs sight had also dulled his other senses.

12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver , and I shall bring a curse upon me , and not a blessing.

I shall appear to him to be indeed a deceiver, one that abuseth his age and blindness. The particle, as sometimes signifies not the likeness, but the truth of the thing, Io[illegible: 1+ letters]n 1. 14. 2 Corthians 3. 18.

Which is due to every one that deceiveth the blind, Deut. 27. 18. especially his Father, and especially in a religious concern, Ier. 48. 10. Mal. 1. 14. such as this was.

13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse , my son, onely obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

She saith so, out of an assured confidence in the Divine oracle and promise.

15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son.

Either his sacerdotal garments which the eldest son wore in the administration of that office which belonged to him; or rather some other suit better then ordinary.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].

16 And she put the skins of the Kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck .

Upon the two naked parts of his Body which were most likely to be discovered. As for his face, it is more than probable from his age, which was the same with Esaus, Chap. 26. 34. that nature had given him a covering like Esaus.

19 And Jacob said unto his father: I am Esau thy first-born , I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit, and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

This cannot be excused, for it was a manifest untruth, and no less is all this following relation, though it pleased God graciously to pardon it, and notwithstanding these failings to confer the blessing promised upon Iacob.

23 And he discerned him not , because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esaus hands. So he blessed him.

Because all his senses were not onely dulled with age and infirmity, but also held by divine providence, as theirs Luke 24. 16. for the bringing about his own purpose: So that it is no wonder he was so grosly deceived in the whole business.

26 And his father Isaac said unto him, come near now, and kiss me , my son.

Which he did either that he might more fully satisfie himself concerning the person; or rather as a mark of that special favour and affection wherewith he bestowed the blessing. Compare Gen. 48. 10.

27 And he came near and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, see, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field, which the LORD hath blessed .

Which is full of odoriferous Herbs and Flowers and Fruits, and Spices, with some of which Esaus Garments might be perfumed in the chest where they were laid, as the manner now is. These garments smell not of the sheep-cotes and stables, as Iacobs do, but of the Fields in which Esau is conversant.

28 Therefore, God give thee of the dew of heaven , and the fatness of the earth , and plenty of corn and wine.

Or, will give. For it is both a prayer and a prophesie.

He mentions the dew rather then the Rain, because it was of more constant use and necessity in those parts than the Rain, which fell considerably but twice in a year, the first being called the former, and the other the latter rain. And under this and the following blessings, which are but temporal, are comprehended all manner of blessings, both spiritual, temporal, and eternal, according to the usage of that time and state of the Church.

A fat and fruitful Land, which Canaan was, abounding with all sorts of pretious fruits. Compare Deut. 8. 8. and 32. 13, 14.

Marginal references: Heb. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 20.

29 Let people serve thee, and nations bowe down to thee: be Lord over thy brethren, and let thy mothers son bowe down to thee ? cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

How and when this was fulfilled see Gen. 25. 23.

Marginal references: chap. 9. 25.; chap. 49. 8.; chap. 12. 3.

31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father , and said unto his father, let my father arise and eat of his sons venison, that thy soul may bless me.

That Esau did not come to his Father till the meat was dressed may be ascribed partly to his own choice that he might▪ come with more acceptance; and partly to Rebekah, who could easily hinder his coming sooner by specious pretences and artifices.

33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly , and said, Who! where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed .

He was filled with astonishment and horror in consideration of Iacobs fraud, and the sad disappointment and great Misery of his beloved Esau, and his own rashness and folly in suffering his fond affection towards him to carry him headlong into an opposition to the Divine Oracle, Gen. 25. 23. which now came to his remembrance, as appears by his ratification of Iacobs blessing.

A short speech proceeding from a discomposed mind.

This blessing, though otherwise intended by me, and pronounced upon a mistake of the person, shall and must rest upon the head of Iacob, and I neither can nor dare undertake to revoke and contradict Gods appointment, which now I more fully discern, and in which both thou and I and all men must fully acquiesce. And now Isaac fixeth the blessing upon Iacob by faith, as it is expressed, Heb. 11. 20. which before through misguided Fancy and Affection he intended for Esau.

Marginal references: Heb. trembled with a great trembling greatly.; Heb. hunted.

34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry , and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my Father .

Not for any sence of his former sin in despising his Birthright, but for grief at his great loss therein, because God would not suffer him to be perjur'd in keeping that Birthright-blessing which he had sold and sworn away.

(i. e.) Thou art my Father no less than his, and therefore as a child, I claim a share in thy blessing.

Marginal references: Heb. 12. 17.

35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing .

Which was thine by the right of nature and custom of Nations and by my hearty desire and intention, as well as by thy own expectation and opinion.

36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob ? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my Birth-right , and behold, now he hath taken away my blessing: and he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

He puts a perverse construction upon Iacobs name, as if it belonged not to him so properly because of the manner of his Birth, as because of his falseness and deceitfulness, and his tripping up his Brothers heels.

A false Accusation; Iacob did not take it deceitfully, but Esau sold it profanely.

Marginal references: chap. 25. 26.; That is, a supplanter.; chap. 25. 33.

37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants, and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee , my son.

The blessing of Abraham is not at my disposal, but Gods, who hath manifested his Mind and Will by my Errour; it cannot be divided into several hands, nor imparted to one, who, though my Son, yet hath made himself unworthy of it.

Marginal references: Or, supported[illegible: 1+ letters]

38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father ? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lift up his Voice, and wept.

By which words Esau manifests his profane and worldly mind, that he esteemed this Blessing but as one among many others equal to it, and did not apprehend the true and peculiar excellency and absolute necessity of it, and that it was impossible for him or his posterity to be happy without an interest in this covenant and continuance in that Church to which it was appropriated.

Marginal references: Heb. 12. 17.

39 And Isaac his father answered, and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above .

In a country competently fruitful and refreshed with convenient dews and showers. Obj. Thus Esau seems to have the same blessing which was before given to Iacob. Ans. 1. Thought it may seem to be the same as to the fertility of the Soil, in which divers other parts of the World did and do equal the land of Canaan, yet there is an observable difference in the manner of Isaacs expression. When he speaks of Esau, he onely saith, Thy dwelling shall be the fatness, &c. But when he speaks to Iacob, he saith, God give thee, or shall give thee of the fatness, &c. which words being, as it may seem, purposely omitted concerning Esau, and so emphatically expressed concerning Iacob seem to intimate, especially if compared with many other Scriptures where that phrase is applyed to good men, that Esaus fat soil was rather taken by himself then given by God, or if given by God, to him, it was only by his general providence by which he giveth food to all creatures; whereas Iacobs fat and fruitful Soil was derived to him and his by Gods special gift as a token of his singular kindness and pledge of greater blessings. 2. This is but one branch of the blessing, the other part which concerns Dignity and Sup[illegible: 1+ letters]rity is expresly given to Iacob, ver. 29. and denied to Esau, ver. 40.

Marginal references: Ver. 28. Heb. 11. 20.; Or, of the fatness.

40 And by thy sword shalt thou live , and shalt serve thy brother: and it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have the dominion , that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

By violence and rapine, in an unquiet and military posture, troubling others, and forced to defend thy self. But this, as also the following clause, though spoken to Esau, was not fulfilled in him, but in his posterity the Edomites, whose History makes good this prophecy. Thus things spoken and promised to Abraham were fulfilled in his Posterity, as Gen. 12. 3. and 22. 18.

When thou shalt grow potent, some render the words thus, When thou shalt have mourned or groaned, as the same word is used, Psal. 55. 2. When thou hast oppressed as long as I think fit.

Marginal references: 2 Sam. 8. 14. 2 King. 8. 20.; Or, have mourned, or, been dejected, Ps. 55. 2.

41 And Esau hated Jacob , because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart , The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

And this hatred was hereditary, extending to their Posterity also. See Ezek. 35. 5. Amos 1. 11. Obad. v. 10.

Within himself. Although he could not contain it there, but declared his intentions to some of his confidents, by which mea[illegible: 1+ letters]s it came to Rebekahs ear.

Marginal references: Obad. 10.

44 And tarry with him a few days until thy brothers fury turn away;

So she expected and intended, but was greatly disappointed, for he tarried there twenty years.

Marginal references: chap. 29. 20.

45 Until thy brothers anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send and fetch thee from thence. Why should I be deprived also of you both in one day ?

Of thee by Esaus bloody hands; and of Esau, who was likely to suffer death for his murder, either by the Authority of the Magistrate, as God commanded, Gen. 9. 6. or, by the hand of God, who oft-times supplies the Magistrates defects in that particular, and in some extraordinary manner executes this vengeance. See Gen. 4. 11, 16. Acts 28. 4.

Marginal references: Or, even.

46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life, because of the daughters of Heth ; if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me ?

Esaus wives who were Hittites, Gen. 26. 34.

Therefore let us, after the Example of Abraham, send him to fetch a wife from his own Kindred. This indeed was one reason, but the other she conceals from Isaac, thus prudently alledging several reasons, one to Iacob, and another, as it is probable, to Esau, and each most sutable to the person to whom she speaks.

Marginal references: chap. 26. 35.