Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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now he took time to erect one more stately, more distinguishable and durable, probably placing that stone in it. In token of his intending it for a sacred memorial of his communion with God, he poured oil and the other ingredients of a drink-offering upon it. His vow was, This stone shall be God's house, that is, shall be set up for his honour, as houses to the praise of their builders; and here he performs it, transferring it to God by anointing it.
2. He confirmed the name he had formerly given to the place (Ge 35:15), Beth-el, the house of God. Yet this very place afterwards lost the honour of its name, and became Beth-aven, a house of iniquity; for here it was that Jeroboam set up one of his calves. It is impossible for the best man to entail upon a place so much as the profession and form of religion.
15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him,
Beth-el.
The Death of Rachel
16 And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to
come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor.
We have here the story of the death of Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob.
1. She fell in travail by the way, not able to reach to Bethlehem, the next town, though they were near it; so suddenly does pain sometimes come upon a woman in travail, which she cannot escape, or put off. We may suppose Jacob had soon a tent up, convenient enough for her reception.
2. Her pains were violent. She had hard labour, harder than usual: this was the effect of sin, Ge 3:16. Note, Human life begins with sorrow, and the roses of its joy are surrounded with thorns.