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Commentary on Genesis 28 verses 1–5
Jacob had no sooner obtained the blessing than immediately he was forced to flee from his country; and, as it if were not enough that he was a stranger and sojourner there, he must go to be more so, and no better than an exile, in another country. Now Jacob fled into Syria, Hos 12:12. He was blessed with plenty of corn and wine, and yet he went away poor, was blessed with government, and yet went out to service, a hard service. This was, 1. Perhaps to correct him for his dealing fraudulently with his father. The blessing shall be confirmed to him, and yet he shall smart for the indirect course he took to obtain it. While there is such an alloy as there is of sin in our duties, we must expect an alloy of trouble in our comforts. However, 2. It was to teach us that those who inherit the blessing must expect persecution; those who have peace in Christ shall have tribulation in the world, Joh 16:33. Being told of his before, we must not think it strange, and, being assured of a recompence hereafter, we must not think it hard. We may observe, likewise, that God's providences often seem to contradict his promises, and to go cross to them; and yet, when the mystery of God shall be finished, we shall see that all was for the best, and that cross providences did but render the promises and the accomplishment of them the more illustrious. Now Jacob is here dismissed by his father,
I. With a solemn charge: He blessed him, and charged him, Gen 28:1, Gen 28:2. Note, Those that have the blessing must keep the charge annexed to it, and not think to separate what God has joined. The charge is like that in Co2 6:14, Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers; and all that inherit the promises of the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, must keep this charge, which follows those promises, Save yourselves from this untoward generation, Act 2:38-40. Those that are entitled to peculiar favours must be a peculiar people. If Jacob be an heir of promise, he must not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; those that profess religion should not marry those that are irreligious.
II. With a solemn blessing, Gen 28:3, Gen 28:4. He had before blessed him unwittingly; now he does it designedly, for the greater encouragement of Jacob in that melancholy condition to which he was now removing. This blessing is more express and full than the former; it is an entail of the blessing of Abraham, that blessing which was poured on the head of Abraham like the anointing oil, thence to run down to his chosen seed, as the skirts of his garments. It is a gospel blessing, the blessing of church-privileges, that is the blessing of Abraham, which upon the Gentiles through faith, Gal 3:14. It is a blessing from God Almighty, by which name God appeared to the patriarchs, Exo 6:3. Those are blessed indeed whom God Almighty blesses; for he commands and effects the blessing. Two great promises Abraham was blessed with, and Isaac here entails them both upon Jacob.
1.The promise of heirs: God make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, Gen 28:3. (1.) Through his loins should descend from Abraham that people who should be numerous as the stars of heaven, and the sand of the sea, and who should increase more than the rest of the nations, so as to be an assembly of people, as the margin reads it. And never was such a multitude of people so often gathered into one assembly as the tribes of Israel were in the wilderness, and afterwards. (2.) Through his loins should descend from Abraham that person in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed, and to whom the gathering of the people should be. Jacob had in him a multitude of people indeed, for all things in heaven and earth are united in Christ (Eph 1:10), all centre in him, that corn of wheat, which falling to the ground, produced much fruit, Joh 12:24.
2.The promise of an inheritance for those heirs: That thou mayest inherit the land of thy sojournings, Gen 28:4. Canaan was hereby entailed upon the seed of Jacob, exclusive of the seed of Esau. Isaac was now sending Jacob away into a distant country, to settle there for some time; and, lest this should look like disinheriting him, he here confirms the settlement of it upon him, that he might be assured that the discontinuance of his possession should be no defeasance of his right. Observe, He is here told that he should inherit the land wherein he sojourned. Those that are sojourners now shall be heirs for ever: and, even now, those do most inherit the earth (though they do not inherit most of it) that are most like strangers in it. Those have the best enjoyment of present things that sit most loose to them. This promise looks as high as heaven, of which Canaan was a type. This was the better country, which Jacob, with the other patriarchs, had in his eye, when he confessed himself a stranger and pilgrim upon the earth, Heb 11:13.
Jacob, having taken leave of his father, was hastened away with all speed, lest his brother should find an opportunity to do him a mischief, and away he went to Padan-aram, Gen 28:5. How unlike was his taking a wife thence to his father's! Isaac had servants and camels sent to fetch his; Jacob must go himself, go alone, and go afoot, to fetch his: he must go too in a fright from his father's house, not knowing when he might return. Note, If God, in his providence, disable us, we must be content, though we cannot keep up the state and grandeur of our ancestors. We should be more in care to maintain their piety than to maintain their dignity, and to be as good as they were than to be as great. Rebekah is here called Jacob's and Esau's mother. Jacob is named first, not only because he had always been his mother's darling, but because he was now make his father's heir, and Esau was, in this sense, set aside. Note, The time will come when piety will have precedency, whatever it has now.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 28:1 marks a pivotal moment in Jacob's life, as Isaac, acting as the patriarch, formally reaffirms his blessing and issues a solemn command before Jacob departs for Haran. This verse highlights Isaac's charge to Jacob not to marry any of the Canaanite women, a directive crucial for preserving the spiritual and physical purity of the covenant lineage, setting the stage for Jacob's journey and the continued unfolding of God's promises.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. The most prominent is Command/Prohibition, specifically the negative imperative "Thou shalt not take," which directly conveys Isaac's authoritative and non-negotiable instruction to Jacob. This direct command underscores the gravity of the marital choice and its implications for the covenant. There is also an element of Repetition or Echo, as this prohibition echoes Abraham's earlier concern regarding Isaac's marriage in Genesis 24, establishing a consistent patriarchal concern for the purity of the lineage. Furthermore, the verse demonstrates Patriarchal Authority, as Isaac, despite his age and recent vulnerability, exercises his divinely ordained role to guide and direct his son in a matter of utmost spiritual importance.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 28:1 profoundly emphasizes the critical importance of preserving the distinct identity and spiritual purity of God's covenant people. The prohibition against marrying Canaanite women underscores a recurring biblical theme: the necessity for God's chosen to remain separate from the world's idolatry and moral corruption to maintain their unique relationship with Him and fulfill their redemptive purpose. This divine imperative for separation is not merely social but theological, ensuring the integrity of the lineage through which the promised Messiah would ultimately come. It also highlights God's unwavering sovereignty, demonstrating His ability to work through imperfect individuals and complex family dynamics to advance His redemptive plan, ensuring the continuity of the covenant despite human failings.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 28:1 offers timeless principles for believers today, particularly regarding the profound impact of marital choices on one's spiritual journey and legacy. The prohibition against Canaanite wives powerfully underscores the enduring biblical principle of choosing a spouse who shares one's fundamental beliefs and values, especially spiritual ones. This ancient directive prefigures later scriptural warnings against being “unequally yoked” with unbelievers, highlighting the profound influence a spouse has on one's spiritual walk, the spiritual formation of children, and the overall faithfulness of the family to God. Furthermore, the passage reminds us of the crucial role of godly parents in guiding their children in significant life decisions, drawing on wisdom and spiritual discernment rooted in biblical principles. It also offers comfort and assurance that even when human actions are imperfect or driven by fear, God's sovereign plan continues to advance, demonstrating His providence at work in our lives and His ability to use even our flawed choices to accomplish His purposes.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was marrying a Canaanite woman forbidden?
Answer: Marrying a Canaanite woman was forbidden primarily to preserve the spiritual and moral purity of the covenant lineage. The Canaanites were known for their polytheistic idolatry, morally corrupt practices (including child sacrifice and ritual prostitution), and customs that were antithetical to the worship of the one true God. Intermarriage would inevitably lead to spiritual assimilation, diluting the covenant people's distinct identity and drawing them away from God, as later exemplified throughout Israel's history in the book of Judges. This prohibition was a divine imperative to maintain a holy people through whom God's redemptive plan, culminating in the Messiah, would unfold.
Did Isaac know about Jacob's deception when he blessed him again?
Answer: Genesis 28:1 takes place after Jacob's deception in Genesis 27. While Isaac had been deceived regarding the initial blessing intended for Esau, by this point, he was fully aware of Jacob's identity and the true recipient of the blessing. His actions in Genesis 28:1 are a deliberate and conscious reaffirmation of the blessing and a formal sending-off. This indicates his acceptance of God's sovereign choice of Jacob as the inheritor of the covenant promises, recognizing that God's will would prevail despite human machinations.
What does "charged him" imply in this context?
Answer: The phrase "charged him" translates the Hebrew verb tsâvâh (H6680), which denotes a strong command, an authoritative injunction, or a solemn directive. It implies much more than mere advice or a suggestion; it is a weighty instruction that Jacob was expected to obey without question. This emphasizes the gravity with which Isaac viewed the matter of Jacob's marriage and the paramount importance of maintaining the covenant line's purity, signaling a non-negotiable requirement for the heir of God's promises.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Genesis 28:1, with its profound emphasis on preserving the purity of the covenant lineage, points directly to its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The meticulous care taken to ensure Jacob's wife would not be from the Canaanites underscores the divine intention to maintain a distinct, holy line through whom the promised Seed—the Messiah—would eventually come. Every step in the patriarchal narrative, including this specific marital injunction, is providentially guided to ensure the uncorrupted descent of the Savior, as traced in the genealogies of Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38. Christ, as the ultimate heir of the Abrahamic covenant, fulfills all the promises made to Jacob and his ancestors, establishing a new covenant people, the Church, who are called to be set apart from the world, just as Jacob was commanded to be set apart from the Canaanites. Through His atoning work, Christ purifies His bride, the Church, making her holy and blameless before God (Ephesians 5:25-27). In Him, believers find their true identity and spiritual purity, becoming part of a spiritual lineage that transcends earthly ethnicity, united by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 3:28-29).