“And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.”
This second blessing was to confirm Jacob’s faith, lest he should think that his father had given it without God’s motion.
“Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.”
Gen. 24:10 Cross references: : Hos. 12:12
“And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. wherein: Heb. of thy sojournings”
The godly fathers were put in mind continually, that they were but strangers in this world: to the intent they should lift up their eyes to the heavens where they should have a sure dwelling.
“Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife. Mahalath: or, Bashemath”
Or, beside his wives. Thinking hereby to have reconciled himself to his father, but all in vain: for he taketh not away the cause of the evil.
“And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.”
Christ is the ladder whereby God and man are joined together, and by whom the Angels minister unto us: all graces by him are given unto us, and we by him ascend into heaven.
“And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;”
Gen. 35:1 ; Gen. 48:3 He felt the force of this promise only by faith: for all his lifetime he was but a stranger in this land.
“And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. spread: Heb. break forth”
Deut. 12:20 ; Deut. 19:14 Gen. 12:8 ; Gen. 18:18 ; Gen. 22:18 ; Gen. 26:4
“And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
He was touched with a godly fear and reverence.
“And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.”
Gen. 31:13 To be a remembrance only of the vision showed unto him.
“And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,”
He bindeth not God under this condition, but acknowledgeth his infirmity, and promiseth to be thankful.