Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/206

174 ND Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. 2. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. 3. And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

Here,

I. Jacob discovers Esau's approach, v. 1. Some think that his lifting up his eyes denotes his cheerfulness and confidence, in opposition to a dejected countenance; having by prayer committed his case to God, he went on his way, and his countenance was no more sad, 1 Sam. 1. 18. Note, Those that have cast their care upon God, may look before them with satisfaction and composure of mind, cheerfully expecting the issue, whatever it may be; come what will, nothing can come amiss to him whose heart is fixed, trusting in God. Jacob sets himself upon his watch-tower, to see what answer God will give to his prayers, Hab. 2. 1.

II. He puts his family into the best order he could, to receive him, whether he should come as a friend, or as an enemy; consulting their decency if he come as a friend, and their safety if he come as an enemy, v. 1, 2. Observe what a different figure these two brothers made. Esau is attended with a guard of 400 men, and looks big; Jacob is followed by a cumbersome train of women and children that are his care, and he looks tender and solicitous for their safety; and yet Jacob had the birth-right, and was to have the dominion, and was every way the better man. Note, It is no disparagement to very great and good men, to give a personal attendance to their families, and to their family-affairs. Jacob, at the head of his household, set a better example than Esau at the head of his regiment.

III. At their meeting, the expressions of kindness were interchanged in the best manner that could be between them.

1. Jacob bowed to Esau, v. 3. Though he feared Esau as an enemy, yet he did obeisance to him as an elder brother; knowing and remembering perhaps that when Abel was preferred in God's acceptance before his elder brother Cain, yet God undertook for him to Cain that he should not be wanting in the duty and respect owing by a younger brother, Unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him, ch. 4. 7. Note, (1.) The way to recover peace where it has been broken, is, to do our duty, and pay our respects, upon all occasions, as if it had never been broken. It is the remembering and repeating of matters, that separates friends, and perpetuates the separation. (2.) A humble submissive carriage goes a great way toward the turning away of wrath. Many preserve themselves by humbling themselves; the bullet flies over him that stoops.

2. Esau embraced Jacob, (v. 4.) He ran to meet him, not in passion, but in love; and as one heartily reconciled to him, he received him with all the endearments imaginable, embraced him, fell on his neck, and kissed him. Some think that when Esau came out to meet Jacob, it was with no bad design, but that he brought his 400 men, only for state, that he might pay so much the greater respect to his returning brother. It is certain that Jacob understood the report of his messengers otherwise, ch. 32. 5, 6. Jacob was a man of prudence and fortitude, and we cannot suppose him to admit of a groundless fear, to such a degree as he did this, nor that the Spirit of God would stir him up to pray such a prayer as he did, for deliverance from a mere imaginary danger; and if there was not some wonderful change wrought upon the spirit of Esau at this time, I see not how wrestling Jacob could be said to obtain such power with men, as to denominate him a prince. Note, (1.) God has the hearts of all men in his hands, and can turn them when and how he pleases, by a secret, silent, but resistless power. He can, of a sudden, convert enemies into friends, as he did two Sauls, one by restraining grace, (1 Sam. 26. 21, 25.) the other by renewing grace, Acts 9. 21, 22. (2.) It is not in vain to trust in God, and to call upon him in the day of trouble; they that do so, often find the issue much better than they expected.

3. They both wept. Jacob wept for joy, to be thus kindly received by his brother whom he had feared; and Esau perhaps wept for grief and shame, to think of the bad design he had conceived against his brother, which he found himself strangely and unaccountably prevented from the execution of.

5. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. 6. Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. 7. And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. 8. And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. 9. And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself. 10. And Jacob said. Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. 11. Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it. 12. And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. 13. And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me; and if men should over-drive them one day, all the flock will die. 14. Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children, be able to endure; until I come unto my lord unto Seir. 15. And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he