Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/180

148 that we might have the satisfaction of knowing that though there is so much wickedness and deceit in the world, God governs it according to his will, to his own praise. See Job 12. 16, With him are strength and wisdom, the deceived and the deceiver are his. Isaac had lost the sense of seeing, which, in this case, could not have been imposed upon, Providence having so admirably well ordered the difference of features, that no two faces are exactly alike: conversation and commerce could scarcely be maintained, if there were not such a variety. Therefore she endeavours to deceive.

1. His sense of tasting, by dressing some choice pieces of kid, seasoning it, serving it up, so as to make him believe it was venison; which was no hard matter to do. See the folly of those that are nice and curious in their appetite, and take a pride in humouring it. It is easy to impose upon them with that which they pretend to despise and dislike, so little perhaps does it differ from that to which they give a decided preference. Solomon tells us that dainties are deceitful meat; for it is possible for us to be deceived by them, more ways than one, Prov. 23. 3.

2. His sense of feeling and smelling: she put Esau's clothes upon Jacob, his best clothes, which it might be supposed, Esau would put on, in token of joy and respect to his father, when he was to receive the blessing. Isaac knew these, by the stuff, shape, and smell, to be Esau's. If we would obtain a blessing of our heavenly Father, we must come for it in the garments of our elder Brother, clothed with his righteousness, who is the First-born among many brethren. Lest the smoothness and softness of Jacob's hands and neck should betray him, she covered them, and, probably part of his face, with the skins of the kids that were newly killed, v. 16. Esau was rough indeed, when nothing less than these would serve to make Jacob like him. Those that affect to seem rough and rugged in their carnage, put the beast upon the man, and really shame themselves, by thus disguising themselves.

And lastly, it was a very rash word which Rebekah spake, when Jacob objected the danger of a curse, Upon me be thy curse, my son, v. 13. Christ indeed, who is mighty to save, because mighty to bear, has said, Upon me be the curse, only obey my voice; he has born the burthen of the curse, the curse of the law, for all those that will take upon them the yoke of the command, the command of the gospel. But it is too daring for any creature to say, Upon me be the curse, unless it be that curse causeless, which we are sure shall not come, Prov. 26. 2.

18. And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? 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. 20. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the thy God brought it to me. 21. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near me, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau, or not. 22. And Jacob went near unto Isaac, his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him. 24. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. 25. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat; and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26. And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near me now, and kiss me, my son. 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. 28. Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine; 29. Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; be lord over thy brethren; and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

Observe here,

I. The art and assurance with which Jacob managed this intrigue: who would have thought that this plain man could have played his part so well in a design of this nature? His mother having put him in the way of it, and encouraged him in it, he dexterously applies himself to these methods which he had never accustomed himself to, but had always conceived an abhorenceabhorrence [sic] of. Note, Lying is soon learned. The Psalmist speaks of those, who, as soon as they are born, speak lies, Ps. 58. 3. Jer. 9. 5. I wonder how honest Jacob could so readily turn his tongue to say, (v. 19.) I am Esau, thy first-born; nor do I see how the endeavour of some to bring him off, with that equivocation, I am made thy first-born, namely by purchase, does him any service; for when his father asked him, (v. 24.) Art thou my very son Esau? he said, I am. How could he say, I have done as thou badest me, when he had received no command from his father, but was doing as his mother bade him? How could he say, Eat of my venison, when he knew it came not from the field, but from the fold? But specially I wonder how he could have the assurance to father it upon God, and to use his name in the cheat, (v. 20.) The Lord thy God brought it to me. Is this Jacob? Is this Israel indeed without guile? It is certainly written, not for our imitation, but for our admonition. Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall. Good men have sometimes failed in the exercise of those graces for which they have been most eminent.

II. The success of this management: Jacob with some difficulty, gained his point, and got the blessing.

1. Isaac was, at first, dissatisfied, and would have discovered the fraud, if he could have trusted his own ears; for the voice was Jacob's voice, v. 22. Providence has ordered a strange variety of voices as well as faces, which is also of use to prevent our being imposed upon; and the voice is a thing not easily disguised or counterfeited. This may be alluded to, to illustrate the character of a hypocrite; his voice is Jacob's voice, but his hands are Esau's; he speaks the language of a saint, but does the works of a sinner; but the judgment will be (as here) by the hands.

2. At length he yielded to the power of the cheat,