Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/179

Rh the common method of settlements, than he ought to have been, if he knew (as it is probable he did) the intimations God had given of his mind in this matter. Note, We are very apt to take our measures rather from our own reason than from divine revelation, and thereby often miss our way; we think the wise and learned, the mighty and noble, should inherit the promise; but God sees not as man sees. See 1 Sam. 16. 6, 7.

2. The directions he gave to Esau, pursuant to this design: he calls him to him, v. 1. For Esau, though married, was not yet removed; and though he had greatly grieved his parents by his marriage, yet they had not expelled him, but, it seems, were pretty well reconciled to him, and made the best of it. Note, parents that are justly offended at their children, yet must not be implacable towards them. (1.) He tells him upon what considerations he resolved to do this now, v. 2, "I am old, and therefore must die shortly, yet I know not the day of my death, nor when I must die; I will therefore do that at this time, which must be done some time." Note, [1.] Old people should be reminded by the growing infirmities of age, to do quickly, and with all the little might they have, what their hand finds to do. See Josh. 13. 1. [2.] The consideration of the uncertainty of the time of our departure out of the world, (which God has wisely kept us in the dark about,) should quicken us to do the work of the day in its day. The heart and the house should both be set, and kept, in order, because at such an hour as we think not, the Son of man comes; because we know not the day of our death, we are concerned to mind the business of life. (2.) He bids him to get the things ready for the solemnity of executing his last will and testament, by which he designed to make him his heir, v. 3, 4. Esau must go a hunting, and bring some venison, which his father will eat of, and then bless him. In this, he designed, not so much the refreshment of his own spirits, that he might give the blessing in a lively manner, as it is commonly taken, but rather the receiving of a fresh instance of his son's filial duty and affection to him, before he bestowed this favour upon him; Perhaps Esau, since he was married, had brought his venison to his wives, and seldom to his father, as formerly, (ch. 25. 28.) and therefore Isaac, before he would bless him, would have him show this piece of respect to him. Note, It is fit, if the less be blessed of the greater, that the greater should be served and honoured by the less. Observe, he says, That my soul may bless thee before I die. Note, [1.] Prayer is the work of the soul, and not of the lips only; as the soul must be employed in blessing God, (Ps. 103. 1.) so it must be in blessing ourselves and others: the blessing will not come to the heart, if it do not come from the heart. [2.] The work of life must be done before we die, for it cannot be done afterward; (Eccl. 9. 10.) and it is very desirable, when we come to die, to have nothing else to do but to die. Isaac lived about 40 years after this; let none therefore think that they shall die the sooner, for making their wills, and getting ready for death.

6. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 7. Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord, before my death. 8. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. 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: 10. And thou shall bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. 11. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is an hairy man, and I am a smooth man: 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. 13. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. 14. And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. 15. And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her youngest son: 16. And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck. 17. And she gave the savoury meat, and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

Rebekah is here contriving to procure for Jacob the blessing which was designed for Esau. And here,

I. The end was good, for she was directed in this intention by the oracle of God, by which she had been governed in dispensing her affections. God had said it should be so, that the elder shall serve the younger; and therefore Rebekah resolves it shall be so, and cannot bear to see her husband designing to thwart the oracle of God. But,

II. The means were bad, and no way justifiable. If it were not a wrong to Esau, to deprive him of the blessing, (he himself having forfeited it by selling the birth-right,) yet it was a wrong to Isaac, taking advantage of his infirmity, to impose upon him; it was a wrong to Jacob too, whom she taught to deceive, by putting a lie into his mouth, or, at least, by putting one into his right hand. It would likewise expose him to endless scruples about the blessing, if he should obtain it thus fraudulently, whether it would stand him or his in any stead, especially if his father should revoke it, upon the discovery of the cheat, and plead, as he might, that it was nulled by an Error Personae — A mistake of the Person. He himself also was aware of the danger, lest, (v. 12.) if he should miss of the blessing, as he might, probably, have done, he should bring upon himself his father's curse, which he dreaded above any thing; besides, he laid himself open to that divine curse which is pronounced upon him that causeth the blind to wander out of the way, Deut. 27. 18. If Rebekah, when she heard Isaac promise the blessing to Esau, had gone, at his return from hunting, to Isaac, and, with humility and seriousness, put him in remembrance of that which God had said concerning their sons; if she further had showed him how Esau had forfeited the blessing, by selling his birth-right, and by marrying strange wives; it is probable that Isaac would have been prevailed with knowingly and wittingly to have conferred the blessing upon Jacob, and needed not thus to have been cheated into it. This had been honourable and laudable, and would have looked well in the history: but God left her to herself, to take this indirect course, that he might have the glory of bringing good out of evil, and of serving his own purposes by the sins and follies of men, and