8.

And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof. They shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them; and I will plant them upon their land; and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God. Am. ix. 14, 15.

Everlasting possession.] I will give unto thee (said God to Abram), and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. He that is born in thine house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. Ge. xvii. 8. 13.

5 Two sons.] See verse 1, and com. Divide this land (said the Lord to Joshua) for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh. Jos. xiii. 7. For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim; therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land (on the other side Jordan, which was allotted as the inheritance of two tribes and a half), save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle, and for their substance. Jos. xiv. 4. See Jos. xvi. and xvii. throughout.

Are mine.] And ye shall be holy unto me (said the Lord), for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. Le. xx. 26. These are the names of the men that shall stand with you (said God to Moses); of the children of Joseph; of Ephraim; Elishama, the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur; of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred; of the children of Manasseh that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. Nu. i. 5. 10. 32-35. The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim; of the sons of Manasseh; of Machir the family of the Machirites; of Gilead (the son of Machir) come the family of the Gileadites, &c. &c. These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred. These are the sons of Ephraim after their families; of Shuthelah the family of the Shuthalhites; of Becher the family of the Bachrites; of Tahan the family of the Tahan

ites, &c. &c. These are the families of the sons of Ephraim, according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. Nu. xxvi. 28-37. See Jos. xiv. 4. preced. com. and Jos. xvi. and xvii. Now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. Is. xliii. 1. Now when I passed by thee (said God to Jerusalem under the similitude of an helpless infant) and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love, and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness; yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine. Ez. xvi. 8. And they (that fear the Lord) shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Mal. iii. 17. I will be a father unto you (who touch not the unclean thing), and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 2 Co. vi. 18. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. Eph. i. 5.

Reuben and Simeon.] Now the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright; for Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler, but the birthright was Joseph's). The sons I say of Reuben were Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 1 Ch. v. 1-3. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand; of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand; of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand; of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand; of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand; of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand; of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. Re. vii. 6-8.

6 And shall be called, &c.] The children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim; therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance. Jos. xiv. 4.

7 Padan.] Isaac was forty years old when

he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. Ge. xxv. 20.

Rachel died by me, &c.] See chap. xxxv. 9. 16-19. When thou art departed from me to-day (said Samuel to Saul), then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found; and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? 1 Sa. x. 2. In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted because they are not. Mat. ii. 18.

Ephrath.] And the name of the man (who went to sojourn in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons) was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem. Ru. i. 2. See 1 Sa. i. 1. David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons, and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. 1 Sa. xvii. 12. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Mi. v. 2.

My sons.] And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Ge. xxx. 2. And he (Esau) lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children, and said (unto Jacob), Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. Ge. xxxiii. 5. And the Lord make the woman that is come into thine house (said the people to Boaz, speaking of Ruth) like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel; and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous; let thy house be like the house of Pharez (whom Tamar bare unto Judah) of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife; and when he went in unto her the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi (her mother in law), Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. Ru. iv. 11-14.

woman.

It came to pass, when the time was come about, after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord. 1 Sa. i. 20. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The Lord give thee seed of this woman, for the loan which is lent to the Lord. And they went unto their own house. And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. 1 Sa. ii. 20, 21. All these were the sons of Heman, the king's (David's) seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 1 Ch. xxv. 5. The sons of Obed-edom acere Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him (Obed-edom). 1 Ch. xxvi. 4, 5. Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Ps. cxxvii. 3. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel, from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in mount Zion. Is. viii. 18. Neither let the son of the stranger that hath joined himself to the Lord speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of may covenant; even unto them will I give in mine house, and within my walls, a place and a name better than of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Is. lvi. 3-5.

Bless them.] Make me savoury meat (said Isaac to Esau), such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die. God give thee (said Isaat to Jacob) of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine; let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be Lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee; cursed de every one that curseth thee, and blessed be be that blesseth thee (said Isaac to Jacob under the person of Esau). And when Esau heard the words of his father (that he had blessed Jacob), he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless ra even me also, O my father. And he said, Ty brother came with subtilty and bath taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is he not

rightly named Jacob, for he hath supplanted me these two times? he took away my birthright, and behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; and by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother. And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. Ge. xxvii. 4. 28, 29. 34-40. God Almighty bless thee (said Isaac to Jacob), and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people, 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. Ge. xxviii. 3, 4. These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. Ge. xlix. 28. And this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death, &c. &c. De. xxxiii. 1. By faith, Jacob when he was dying blessed both the sons of Joseph. He. xi. 21.

10 The eyes of Israel were dim.] See chap. xxvi. 1, and com. Now Eli was ninety and eight years old, and his eyes were dim and he could not see. 1 Sa. iv. 15.

Dim.] Make the heart of this people fat (said the voice of the Lord to Isaiah), and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert and be healed. Is. vi. 10. Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear. Is. lix. 1. Kissed them.] And he (Esau) came near (to Isaac) and he kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him. Ge. xxvii. 27. And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them (separating from Jacob). Ge. xxxi. 55. Moreover, he (Joseph) kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them (upon their return with Benjamin). Ge. xlv.

15.

And he (Elisha on whom Elijah, as he passed by him, cast his mantle) left the oxen (with which he was plowing) and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my

father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. 1 Ki. xix. 20.

11 I had not thought, &c.] He (Jacob) knew it (the coat of Joseph) and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Ge. xxxvii. 33. 35. And Jacob their father said unto them (his sons), Me have ye bereaved of my children; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me. Ge. xlii. 36. And (Jacob's sons) told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. Ge. xlv. 26.

God hath shewed me, &c.] Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Ep. iii. 20, 21.

Le.

12 He bowed himself.] And when he (Abraham) saw them (the three men who stood by him), he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground. Ge. xviii. 2, and com. Joseph's brethren came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the earth. Ge. xlii. 6. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Ex. xx. 12. And Moses made haste (when the name of the Lord was proclaimed), and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. Ex. xxxiv. 8. Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father. xix. 3. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man. Le. xix. 32. Bath-sheba went unto king Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. 1 Ki. ii. 19. Then (when Elisha called her) she (the Shunammite) went in and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out. 2 Ki. iv. 37. Her children (those of a virtuous woman) arise up, and call her blessed. Pr. xxxi. 28. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ep. vi. 1.

he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. Ge. xxv. 20.

Rachel died by me, &c.] See chap. xxxv. 9. 16-19. When thou art departed from me to-day (said Samuel to Saul), then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found; and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? 1 Sa. x. 2. In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted because they are not. Mat. ii. 18.

Ephrath.] And the name of the man (who went to sojourn in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons) was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem. Ru. i. 2. See 1 Sa. i. 1. David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons, and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. 1 Sa. xvii. 12. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Mi. v. 2.

My sons.] And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Ge. xxx. 2. And he (Esau) lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children, and said (unto Jacob), Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. Ge. xxxiii. 5. And the Lord make the woman that is come into thine house (said the people to Boaz, speaking of Ruth) like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel; and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous; let thy house be like the house of Pharez (whom Tamar bare unto Judah) of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife; and when he went in unto her the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi (her mother in law), Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. Ru. iv. 11-14.

woman.

It came to pass, when the time was come about, after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord. 1 Sa. i. 20. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The Lord give thee seed of this woman, for the loan which is lent to the Lord. And they went unto their own house. And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. 1 Sa. ii. 20, 21. All these were the sons of Heman, the king's (David's) seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 1 Ch. xxv. 5. The sons of Obed-edom were Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth : for God blessed him (Obed-edom). 1 Ch. xxvi. 4, 5. Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Ps. cxxvii. 3. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel, from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in mount Zion. Is. viii. 18. Neither let the son of the stranger that hath joined himself to the Lord speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unte the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; even unto them will I give in mine house, and within my walls, a place and a name better than of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cat off. Is. lvi. 3-5.

Bless them.] Make me savoury meat (said Isaac to Esau), such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die. God give thee (said Isant to Jacob) of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine; let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be Lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee; cursed & every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee (said Isaac to Jacob under the person of Esau). And when Esau heard the words of his father (that he had blessed Jacob), he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me. even me also, O my father. And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is he ant

rightly named Jacob, for he hath supplanted me these two times? he took away my birthright, and behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; and by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother. And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. Ge. xxvii. 4. 28, 29. 34-40. God Almighty bless thee (said Isaac to Jacob), and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people, 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. Ge. xxviii. 3, 4. These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. Ge. xlix. 28. And this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death, &c. &c. De. xxxiii. 1. By faith, Jacob when he was dying blessed both the sons of Joseph. He. xi. 21.

10 The eyes of Israel were dim.] See chap. xxvi. 1, and com. Now Eli was ninety and eight years old, and his eyes were dim and he could not see. 1 Sa. iv. 15.

Dim.] Make the heart of this people fat (said the voice of the Lord to Isaiah), and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert and be healed. Is. vi. 10. Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear. Is. lix. 1. Kissed them.] And he (Esau) came near (to Isaac) and he kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him. Ge. xxvii. 27. And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them (separating from Jacob). Ge. xxxi. 55. Moreover, he (Joseph) kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them (upon their return with Benjamin). Ge. xlv. 15. And he (Elisha on whom Elijah, as he passed by him, cast his mantle) left the oxen (with which he was plowing) and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my

father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. 1 Ki. xix. 20.

11 I had not thought, &c.] He (Jacob) knew it (the coat of Joseph) and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Ge. xxxvii. 33. 35. And Jacob their father said unto them (his sons), Me have ye bereaved of my children; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me. Ge. xlii. 36. And (Jacob's sons) told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. Ge. xlv. 26.

And

God hath shewed me, &c.] Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Ep. iii. 20, 21.

12 He bowed himself.] And when he (Abraham) saw them (the three men who stood by him), he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground. Ge. xviii. 2, and com. Joseph's brethren came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the earth. Ge. xlii. 6. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Ex. xx. 12. And Moses made haste (when the name of the Lord was proclaimed), and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. Ex. xxxiv. 8. Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father. Le. xix. 3. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man. Le. xix. 32. Bath-sheba went unto king Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. 1 Ki. ii. 19. Then (when Elisha called her) she (the Shunammite) went in and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out. 2 Ki. iv. 37. Her children (those of a virtuous woman) arise up, and call her blessed. Pr. xxxi. 28. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ep. vi. 1.