Gen 28:1 | Clarke | STEP | Isaac directs Jacob to take a wife from the family of Laban, , ; blesses and sends him away, , . Jacob begins his journey, . Esau, perceiving that the daughters of Canaan were not pleasing to his parents, and that Jacob obeyed them in going to get a wife of his own kindred, , went and took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael his father's brother, . Jacob, in his journey towards Haran, came to a certain place, (Luz, ), where he lodged all night, , . He sees in a dream a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, on which he beholds the angels of God ascending and descending, . God appears above this ladder, and renews those promises which he had made to Abraham and to Isaac, , ; promises Jacob personal protection and a safe return to his own country, . Jacob awakes, and makes reflections upon his dream, , . Sets up one of the stones he had for his pillow, and pours oil on it, and calls the place Beth-el, , . Makes a vow that if God will preserve him in his journey, and bring him back in safety, the stone should be God's house, and that he would give him the tenths of all that he should have, . Verse 1 And Isaac called Jacob - See note on . And blessed him - Now voluntarily and cheerfully confirmed to him the blessing, which he had before obtained through subtlety. It was necessary that he should have this confirmation previously to his departure; else, considering the way in which he had obtained both the birthright and the blessing, he might be doubtful, according to his own words, whether he might not have got a curse instead of a blessing. As the blessing now pronounced on Jacob was obtained without any deception on his part, it is likely that it produced a salutary effect upon his mind, might have led him to confession of his sin, and prepared his heart for those discoveries of God's goodness with which he was favored at Luz.

‏ Genesis 28:1

Introduction

Isaac directs Jacob to take a wife from the family of Laban, Gen 28:1, Gen 28:2; blesses and sends him away, Gen 28:3, Gen 28:4. Jacob begins his journey, Gen 28:5. Esau, perceiving that the daughters of Canaan were not pleasing to his parents, and that Jacob obeyed them in going to get a wife of his own kindred, Gen 28:6-8, went and took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael his father's brother, Gen 28:9. Jacob, in his journey towards Haran, came to a certain place, (Luz, Gen 28:19), where he lodged all night, Gen 28:10, Gen 28:11. He sees in a dream a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, on which he beholds the angels of God ascending and descending, Gen 28:12. God appears above this ladder, and renews those promises which he had made to Abraham and to Isaac, Gen 28:13, Gen 28:14; promises Jacob personal protection and a safe return to his own country, Gen 28:15. Jacob awakes, and makes reflections upon his dream, Gen 28:16, Gen 28:17. Sets up one of the stones he had for his pillow, and pours oil on it, and calls the place Beth-el, Gen 28:18, Gen 28:19. Makes a vow that if God will preserve him in his journey, and bring him back in safety, the stone should be God's house, and that he would give him the tenths of all that he should have, Gen 28:20-22.

Verse 1

And Isaac called Jacob - See note on Gen 27:46.

And blessed him - Now voluntarily and cheerfully confirmed to him the blessing, which he had before obtained through subtlety. It was necessary that he should have this confirmation previously to his departure; else, considering the way in which he had obtained both the birthright and the blessing, he might be doubtful, according to his own words, whether he might not have got a curse instead of a blessing. As the blessing now pronounced on Jacob was obtained without any deception on his part, it is likely that it produced a salutary effect upon his mind, might have led him to confession of his sin, and prepared his heart for those discoveries of God's goodness with which he was favored at Luz.