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scandal to religion, and a trouble and grief to their aged parents. Thus children of God's covenant, and of God's people, sometimes prove children that cause shame, and are a trouble and reproach to them that bore them and brought them up. But there will be a terrible reckoning another day for those children who bring a disgrace on religion, and are the cause of grief and sorrow to their pious relations and friends. One of the Apocryphal writers says, Judith ix. 2. that God gave Simeon a sword to take vengeance of the strangers; but Jacob thought otherwise, and expressed his abhorrence of this fact with his dying breath, ch. xlix. 5, 6, 7. Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret ; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united; cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

CHAP. XXXV.

Jacob having been greatly distressed on account of the murder of the Shechemites, by which his stay in that country was rendered painful and dangerous, God sends him to Bethel, about thirty miles south of Shechem, where he builds an altar: after which we have an account of the death of Rachel and Isaac.

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ND God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother; there offer sacrifice, pay thy vow with thanksgiving for thy former deliverance, and strengthen thy faith against thy present fears; for, as thou wast delivered from that danger, 2 so shalt thou be from this. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that [were] with him, Put away the strange gods that [are] among you, (either the Teraphim stolen from Laban, or some images taken out of Shechem) and be clean, and change your garments, out of reverence for that God be3 fore whom you are to appear: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in 4 the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which [were] in their hand, and [all their] earrings, idolatrous jewels, and superstitious marks, which [were] in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which 5 [was] by Shechem. And they journeyed God was upon the cities that [were] round

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and the terror of about them, and

The oak was often dedicated to false gods. This might be the place where such superstitions had been practised; and here he made a grave for those images which had been employed in this idolatry.

they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. Had it not been for this miraculous terror on their minds, they might easily have gathered together, pursued, and destroyed them all.

6 So Jacob came safe to Luz, which [is] in the land of Canaan, that [is,] Bethel, he and all the people that [were] with 7 him. And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel, that is, the God of Bethel : because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. Before, he called it Bethel; now, upon God's renewing his grace unto him, he added the name of God to it.

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But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died; she was a pious, prudent woman, and, after the death of Rebekah, came to live in Jacob's family; where she was much wanted, much respected, and at her death greatly lamented; and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth, that is, the oak of weeping. The Jews say, Rebekah had sent her to fetch Jacob from Laban's house, as she had promised to do, when it was proper for him to return.

And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padarraram, and blessed him. This is the seventh time that 10 God revealed himself unto Jacob in a special manner. And God said unto him, Thy name [is] Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name : and he called his name Israel. God confirmed the change of his name, to assure him, that as he prevailed over Esau, so now 11 he should prevail over those of whom he was afraid. And God said unto him, I [am] God Almighty, therefore able to fulfil all my promises: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, (hereby confirming and enlarging the promise made ch. xvii. 5. xxviii. 3.) and kings shall come out of thy loins, tribes for number and power, equal 12 to so many nations; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I 13 give the land. And God, the divine majesty or Shekinah, went up from him in the place where he talked with him.

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And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, [even] a pillar of stone; either the old pillar, or one like it and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil 15 thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. Thus he did according to his vow thirty years before.

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And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath, or Bethlehem and Rachel 17 travailed, and she had hard labour. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, to encourage her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. 18 And it came to pass, after the child was born, and as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Beno

hi, that is, the son of my sorrow; but his father called him Benjamin, that is, the son of the right hand, for he shall always be 19 near and dear to me, as my right hand. And Rachel died, and

was buried in the way near to Ephrath, which [is] Bethle20 hem, where Christ was born, and the infants were slain. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that [is] the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day; at the time Moses wrote this account, and long after, to the days of Samuel, (1 Sam. x. 2.) 21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar, or, the tower of the flock, where there was excellent pasture.

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And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine : this was an horrid incest; he thought to have kept it secret, as a thing he had cause to be ashamed of: and Israel heard [it] with just indignation, and no doubt reproved him for it, and abandoned Bilhah: Jacob remembered it when he came to bless Reuben, and he lost his birthright for it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve, which were the heads of the twelve tribes of 23 Israel: The sons of Leah were six: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and 24 Zebulun: The sons of Rachel were two; Joseph, and Benja25 min. And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid, were two; 26 Dan and Naphtali: And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, were two; Gad, and Asher: these [are] the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram, all except Benjamin.

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And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which [is] Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. No doubt he often visited him before, but now came to dwell near him, to assist and comfort him in his old age.

And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore 29 years, five years longer than Abraham. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, [being] old and full of days: he was one of the most perfect characters in holy writ; he was blameless, except in denying his wife; he was a peaceable devotional man; of a sweet temper, and his heart was much in heaven. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him in the cave of Machpelah; and probubly on this occasion their friendship was more perfectly established.

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REFLECTIONS.

OD remembers those solemn vows by which we are

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them; he put Jacob in mind of his. Let us ever be mindful of our covenant; let no time wear out a sense of our obligation to perform our vows; let us not defer or delay to pay them, when it is in our power; but ever remember our solemn engagements, and act suitably to them. It is better not vow, than to vow, and not pay.

2. It is necessary to prepare for the solemnities of divine worship, by putting away sin from our hearts and houses. The strange Gods must be put away; every thing that stands in competition with God's honour, glory, and worship. Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings; put them all away; harbour no sin, no lust, What have we to do any more with idols ? If we would appear comfortably before God, let us cleanse ourselves from all our pollutions. Masters of families should be solicitous about this, and not suffer sin upon those who are under their care: they should put away iniquity from their tabernacles, else their service will not be acceptable. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, saith the Lord.

3. See how easily God awes the minds of men: he brought terror on the minds of the inhabitants of Canaan. This is a great security and mercy to his people, that he has access to the hearts of all men. How cheerfully may we trust God in the way of duty; he can make even our enemies to be at peace with us, and so influence their minds, that they shall do us no harm.

4. There is a respect due to worth, even in the lowest stations of life. Deborah died very much lamented; she was a prudent, religious woman, and well beloved in the family. Virtue is not less virtue for being in a low station, though vice in a high one is more aggravated. A regard is due to old and faithful servants; they are such blessings to a family, that they ought to be respected, and, if possible, comfortably provided for. God deals so with his faithful servants; and so should we by ours.

5. How often are we mistaken in our desires! Give me children, or I die, said Rachel: God granted her request, and she died. We often wish for those things which would prove our greatest detriment. When Jacob's other wives left off bearing, her being with child filled her with complacency and satisfaction; and perhaps she now looked on them with some degree of pride and contempt. God often punishes irregular passions, by granting men their wishes, and giving them up to their own hearts' lusts. Let our desires be under the conduct of reason and religion. Let us cultivate submission to the will of God; which will moderate and regulate them. Very excellent is the advice of David, delight thyself also in the Lord, and he will give thee the desires of thine heart; trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass,

CHAP. XXXVI.

Contains an account of Esau and his posterity; to show the accomplishment of the promises, ch. xxii. 17. xxv. 23. xxvii. 39, 40. and to remind the Israelites, that the Edomites were their breth

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TO W these [are] the generations of Esau, who [is] Edom. Esau took his wives, other wives than those bes forementioned, ch. xxvi. 34. of the daughters of Canaan ; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the 8 daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite: And 4 Bashemath Ishmael's daughter sister of Nebajoth.

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And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; 5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah; these [are] the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

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And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which came to him on the death of his father Isaac, and that which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country, the land of Seir, from the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cat8 tle. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau [is] Edom.

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And these [are] the generations of Esau the father of the 10 Edomites in mount Seir: These [are] the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the 11 son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. And the sons of Eliphaz 12 were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. And

Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these [were] the sons of Adah Esau's 13 wife. And these [are] the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah : these were the sons of Bashe14 math Esau's wife. And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife : and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.

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These [were] dukes of the sons of Esau, princes or heads of their several families or principalities: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn [son] of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke 16 Zepho, duke Kenaz, Duke Korah, duke Gatam, [and] duke

Amalek these [are] the dukes [that came] of Eliphaz in the 17 land of Edom; these [were] the sons of Adah. And these [are] the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these [are] the dukes [that came] of Reuel in the land of Edom; these [are] the 18 sons of Bashemath Esau's wife. And these [are] the sons VOL. I.

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