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The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:5
And he (i.e. Esau) lifted up his eyes,—corresponding to the act of Jacob (Genesis 33:1), and expressive of surprise—and saw the women and the children; and said, Who art those with thee? (literally, to thee, i.e. whom t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:8
And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove—literally, What to thee all this camp (Mahaneh)—which I met?—i.e. yesterday, referring to the droves which had been sent on by Jacob as a present to my lord Esau (Genesis…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:9
And Esau said, I have enough (literally, Here is to me abundance), my brother (it is impossible not to admire the generous and affectionate disposition of Esau); keep that thou hast unto thyself (literally, let be to th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:12
And he (i.e. Esau) said (in further token of his amity), Let us take our journey, and let us go,—but whether he intended to accompany Jacob on his way (Keil, Kalisch, et alii) or invited Jacob to go with him to Mount Se…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:12
Worldly companionship. "And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee." The offer probably made with kindly intention. No sign of bitterness in Esau's feelings; but ignorance of the nece…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:13
And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender (Joseph at this time being little over six years of age), and the flocks and herds with young (literally, giving milk; עַלוֹת, from עוּל, to give suck)…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:14
Let my lord, I pray thee,—it is perhaps too much to explain Jacob's obsequious and deferential address to his brother (my lord) as the sign of a guilty conscience (Kalisch, Alford), when possibly politeness and humility…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:15
And Esau said, Let me now leave (literally, set, or place) with thee (as an escort or guard) some of the folk—i.e. armed followers (vide Genesis 33:1)—that are with me. But of even this proposal Jacob appears to have be…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 33:16-20
Here, 1. Jacob comes to Succoth. Having in a friendly manner parted with Esau, who had gone to his own country (Genesis 33:16), he comes to a place where, it should seem, he rested for some time, set up booths for his c…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 33:17-20
Jacob did not content himself with words of thanks for God's favour to him, but gave real thanks. Also he kept up religion, and the worship of God in his family. Where we have a tent, God must have an altar. Jacob dedic…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:18
And Jacob (leaving Succoth) came to Shalem—the word שָׁלֵם, rendered by some expositors as here (LXX; Vulgate, Syriac, Luther, Calvin, Poole, Wordsworth), is better taken as an adverb signifying in peace or in safety (O…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:19
And he bought a parcel of a field,—literally, the portion (from a root signifying to divide) of the field—where he had spread his tent,—and in which he afterwards sank a well (cf. John 4:6)—at the hand of the children o…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 33:20
And he erected there an altar,—as Abram his ancestor had done (Genesis 12:7)—and called it—not invoked upon it, invocavit super illud (Vulgate), ἐτεκαλήσατο (LXX.), but named it (Dathe, Rosenmüller, Keil, &c.)—El-eloh…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 34:1-19
Young persons, especially females, are never so safe and well off as under the care of pious parents. Their own ignorance, and the flattery and artifices of designing, wicked people, who are ever laying snares for them,…
Dinah Dishonoured. (b. c. 1732.)
DINAH DISHONOURED. (B. C. 1732.) Dinah was, for aught that appears, Jacob's only daughter, and we may suppose her therefore the mother's fondling and the darling of the family, and yet she proves neither a joy nor a cre…
Treachery of Dinah's Brethren. (b. c. 1732.)
TREACHERY OF DINAH'S BRETHREN. (B. C. 1732.) Jacob's sons, when they heard of the injury done to Dinah, showed a very great resentment of it, influenced perhaps rather by jealousy for the honour of their family than by…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 34:18-24
Here, 1. Hamor and Shechem gave consent themselves to be circumcised, Genesis 34:18-19. To this perhaps they were moved, not only by the strong desire they had to bring about this match, but by what they might have hear…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 34:20-31
The Shechemites submitted to the sacred rite, only to serve a turn, to please their prince, and to enrich themselves, and it was just with God to bring punishment upon them. As nothing secures us better than true religi…
Murder of the Shechemites. (b. c. 1732.)
MURDER OF THE SHECHEMITES. (B. C. 1732.) Here, we have Simeon and Levi, two of Jacob's sons, young men not much above twenty years old, cutting the throats of the Shechemites, and thereby breaking the heart of their goo…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 35:1-5
Beth-el was forgotten. But as many as God loves, he will remind of neglected duties, one way or other, by conscience or by providences. When we have vowed a vow to God, it is best not to defer the payment of it; yet bet…
Jacob Summoned to Bethel; Jacob's Journeys towards Bethel. (b. c. 1732.)
JACOB SUMMONED TO BETHEL; JACOB'S JOURNEYS TOWARDS BETHEL. (B. C. 1732.) Here, I. God reminds Jacob of his vow at Beth-el, and sends him thither to perform it, Genesis 35:1. Jacob had said in the day of his distress, If…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 35:1-15
EXPOSITION
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 35:1
And God—Elohim. The employment of this name for the Deity throughout the present chapter has been deemed conclusive evidence that, with Rome Jehovistic alterations, it belongs to the fundamental document (Tuch, Bleek, D…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 35:1-15
Bethel revisited. I. JACOB'S JOURNEY TO BETHEL. 1. The occasion of the journey. The crime of his sons had made it necessary that Jacob should leave Shechem and its neighborhood; but it is doubtful if in the circumstance…