Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
Download the book in PDF, ePub, Kindle for a complete version.
2. We do not know where death may meet us; perhaps at Beth-el, the house of God. Therefore let us be always ready.
3. Family-afflictions may come even when family-reformation and religion are on foot. Therefore rejoice with trembling.
9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-
aram, and blessed him.
There God appeared to him (Ge 35:9), to own his altar, to answer to the name by which he had called him, The God of Beth-el (Ge 35:7), and to comfort him under his affliction, Ge 35:8.
Note, God will appear to those in a way of grace that attend on him in a way of duty. Here, 1. He confirmed the change of his name, Ge 35:10. It was done before by the angel that wrestled with him (Ge 32:28), and here it was ratified by the divine Majesty, or Shechinah, that appeared to him. There it was to encourage him against the fear of Esau, here against the fear of the Canaanites. Who can be too hard for Israel, a prince with God? It is below those who are thus dignified to droop and despond.
2. He renewed and ratified the covenant with him, by the name El-shaddai. I am God Almighty, God all-sufficient (Ge 35:11), able to make good the promise in due time, and to support thee and provide for thee in the meantime. Two things are promised him which we have met with often before:--
(1.) That he should be the father of a great nation, great in number--a company of nations shall be of thee (every tribe of Israel was a nation, and all the twelve a company of nations), great in honour and power--kings shall come out of thy loins.
(2.) That he should be the master of a good land (Ge 35:12), described by the grantees, Abraham and Isaac, to whom it was