Jacob with his father's blessing, and admonition not to take a wife of Chanaan, but of the daughters of his uncle Laban, goeth into Mesopotamia. 6. Esau in the mean time marrieth a third wife, his uncle Ismael's daughter. 11. Jacob seeth in sleep a ladder reaching to heaven, Angels ascending and descending, and our Lord leaning thereon renewed the promises made to Abraham and Isaac. 16. And he awaking maketh a vow.Iacob with his fathers blessing, and admonition not to take a wife of Chanaan, but of the daughters of his vncle Laban, goeth into Mesopotamia. 6. Esau in the meane time marrieth a third wife, his vncle Ismaels daughter. 11. Iacob seeth in sleepe a ladder reaching to heauen, Angels ascending and descending, and our Lord leaning theron renewed the promises made to Abraham and Isaac. 16. And he awaking maketh a vow.
Isaac therefore called Jacob, and blessed him, and commanded him saying: Take not a wife of the stock of Chanaan;ISAAC therfore called Iacob, and blessed him, and commanded him saying: Take not a wife of the stocke of Chanaan;Vocavit itaque Isaac Jacob, et benedixit eum, præcepitque ei dicens : Noli accipere conjugem de genere Chanaan :
2but go, and make a journey into Mesopotamia of Syria, to the house of Bathuel thy mother's father, and take thee a wife thence of the daughters of Laban thine uncle.but goe, and make a iourney into Mesopotamia of Syria, to the house of Bathuel thy mothers father, and take thee a wife thence of the daughters of Laban thine vncle.sed vade, et proficiscere in Mesopotamiam Syriæ, ad domum Bathuel patris matris tuæ, et accipe tibi inde uxorem de filiabus Laban avunculi tui.
3And God almighty bless thee, and make thee increase, and multiply thee: that thou mayest be into multitudes of peoples.And God almightie blesse thee, and make thee encrease, and multiplie thee: that thou maiest be into multitudes of peoples.Deus autem omnipotens benedicat tibi, et crescere te faciat, atque multiplicet, ut sis in turbas populorum.
4And give he thee the blessings of Abraham, and to thy seed after thee: that thou mayest possess the land of thy sojourning, pilgrimage · Vulgate: peregrinationis, which he promised to thy grandfather.And giue he thee the blessings of Abraham, and to thy seed after thee: that thou maiest possesse the land of thy peregrination, which he promised to thy grandfather.Et det tibi benedictiones Abrahæ, et semini tuo post te : ut possideas terram peregrinationis tuæ, quam pollicitus est avo tuo.
5And when Isaac had sent away · Vulgate: dimisisset him, taking his journey he came to Mesopotamia of Syria to Laban son of Bathuel the Syrian, brother to Rebecca his mother.And when Isaac had dismist him, taking his iourney he came to Mesopotamia of Syria to Laban sonne of Bathuel the Syrian, brother to Rebecca his mother.Cumque dimisisset eum Isaac, profectus venit in Mesopotamiam Syriæ ad Laban filium Bathuel Syri, fratrem Rebeccæ matris suæ.
6And Esau seeing that his father had blessed Jacob, and had sent him into Mesopotamia of Syria, to marry a wife thence; and that after the blessing he had commanded him, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Chanaan;And Esau seeing that his father had blessed Iacob, and had sent him into Mesopotamia of Syria, to marry a wife thence; and that after the blessing he had commanded him, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Chanaan;Videns autem Esau quod benedixisset pater suus Jacob, et misisset eum in Mesopotamiam Syriæ, ut inde uxorem duceret ; et quod post benedictionem præcepisset ei, dicens : Non accipies uxorem de filiabus Chanaan :
7and that Jacob obeying his parents was gone into Syria:and that Iacob obeying his parents was gone into Syria:quodque obediens Jacob parentibus suis isset in Syriam :
8having proof, experience · Vulgate: probans also that his father did not willingly see the daughters of Chanaan:hauing tryal also that his father did not willingly see the daughters of Chanaan:probans quoque quod non libenter aspiceret filias Chanaan pater suus :
9he went to Ismael, and took to wife besides them, which he had before, Maheleth the daughter of Ismael Abraham's son, sister to Nabaioth.he went to Ismael, and tooke to wife besides them, which he had before, Maheleth the daughter of Ismael Abrahams sonne, sister to Nabaioth.ivit ad Ismaëlem, et duxit uxorem absque iis, quas prius habebat, Maheleth filiam Ismaël filii Abraham, sororem Nabaioth.
10Therefore Jacob being departed from Bersabee, went on to Haran.Therfore Iacob being departed from Bersabee, went on to Haran.Igitur egressus Jacob de Bersabee, pergebat Haran.
11And when he was come to a certain place, and would rest in it after sun set, he took of the stones that lay there, and putting under his head, slept in the same place.And when he was come to a certaine place, and would rest in it after sunne set, he tooke of the stones that lay there, and putting vnder his head, slept in the same place.Cumque venisset ad quemdam locum, et vellet in eo requiescere post solis occubitum, tulit de lapidibus qui jacebant, et supponens capiti suo, dormivit in eodem loco.
12And he saw in his sleep a ladder standing upon the earth, and the top thereof touching heaven: the Angels also of God ascending and descending by it,And he saw in his sleepe a ladder standing vpon the earth, and the top therof touching heauen: the Angels also of God ascending and descending by it,Viditque in somnis scalam stantem super terram, et cacumen illius tangens cælum : angelos quoque Dei ascendentes et descendentes per eam,
13and our Lord leaning upon the ladder saying to him: I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the Land wherein thou sleepest, I will give to thee and to thy seed.and our Lord leyning vpon the ladder saying to him: I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the Land wherin thou sleepest, I wil geue to thee and to thy seed.et Dominum innixum scalæ dicentem sibi : Ego sum Dominus Deus Abraham patris tui, et Deus Isaac : terram, in qua dormis, tibi dabo et semini tuo.
14And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth: thou shalt be spread abroad, enlarged · Vulgate: dilataberis to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the South: and IN THEE AND THY SEED all the tribes of the earth SHALL BE BLESSED.And thy seed shal be as the dust of the earth: thou shalt be dilated to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the South: and IN THEE AND THY SEED al the tribes of the earth SHAL BE BLESSED.Eritque semen tuum quasi pulvis terræ : dilataberis ad occidentem, et orientem, et septentrionem, et meridiem : et benedicentur in te et in semine tuo cunctæ tribus terræ.
15And I will be thy keeper whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land: neither will I leave thee, till I shall have accomplished all things which I have said.And I wil be thy keeper whither soeuer thou goest, and wil bring thee backe into this land: neither wil I leaue thee, til I shal haue accomplished al things which I haue said.Et ero custos tuus quocumque perrexeris, et reducam te in terram hanc : nec dimittam nisi complevero universa quæ dixi.
16And when Jacob was awaked out of sleep, he said: Indeed our Lord is in this place, and I knew · Vulgate: nesciebam not.And when Iacob was awaked out of sleepe, he said: In deede our Lord is in this place, and I wist not.Cumque evigilasset Jacob de somno, ait : Vere Dominus est in loco isto, et ego nesciebam.
17And trembling he said: How terrible is this place! this is no other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven.And trembling he said: How terrible is this place! this is no other but the house of God, and the gate of heauen.Pavensque, Quam terribilis est, inquit, locus iste ! non est hic aliud nisi domus Dei, et porta cæli.
18And Jacob arising in the morning, took the stone, which he had laid under his head, and erected it for a a memorial-stone, a pillar · Vulgate: in titulum, pouring oil upon the top.And Iacob arising in the morning, tooke the stone, which he had laid vnder his head, and erected it for a title, powring oyle vpon the top.Surgens ergo Jacob mane, tulit lapidem quem supposuerat capiti suo, et erexit in titulum, fundens oleum desuper.
19And he called the name of the city Bethel, which before was called Luza.And he called the name of the citie Bethel, which before was called Luza.Appellavitque nomen urbis Bethel, quæ prius Luza vocabatur.
20And he vowed a vow, saying: If God shall be with me, and shall keep me in the way, by the which I walk, and shall give me bread to eat, and clothing · Vulgate: vestimentum to put on,And he vowed a vowe, saying: If God shalbe with me, and shal keepe me in the way, by the which I walke, and shal geue me bread to eate, and rayment to put on,Vovit etiam votum, dicens : Si fuerit Deus mecum, et custodierit me in via, per quam ego ambulo, et dederit mihi panem ad vescendum, et vestimentum ad induendum,
21and I shall be returned prosperously to my father's house, the Lord shall be my God,and I shal be returned prosperously to my fathers house, the Lord shalbe my God,reversusque fuero prospere ad domum patris mei : erit mihi Dominus in Deum,
22and this stone, which I have erected for a title, shall be called the House of God: and of all things that thou shalt give me, I will offer tithes to thee.and this stone, which I haue erected for a title, shal be called the House of God: and of al things that thou shalt geue me, I wil offer tithes to thee.et lapis iste, quem erexi in titulum, vocabitur Domus Dei : cunctorumque quæ dederis mihi, decimas offeram tibi.
Annotations
28:11Took of the stones. Jacob travelling into a strange country went in such poor estate, the better to hide his departure from Esau, who otherwise might have killed him by the way. It was also thus disposed by God, that Jacob's faith and confidence might to his greater merit, be exercised; and that God's providence might more manifestly appear, as it did in his return after twenty years, when with most grateful mind he recounted God's benefits saying (Gen. 32.) With my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now with two troops I do return.
28:12A ladder. He that was in temporal distress, was marvelously comforted spiritually, by seeing a ladder that reached from the earth to heaven, Angels passing up and down the same, and the Son of God leaning upon it, as he that reigneth both in heaven and earth; who in particular promised him and his seed that whole land, that he and his seed should be blessed, yea that in his seed all nations should be blessed, and that he would keep and protect him whithersoever he went. How all this was performed is briefly rehearsed in the book of wisdom. chap. 10.
28:18Erected it, pouring oil. To erect a stone, and pour oil upon it, was nowise superstitious in Jacob. Neither did he learn it of Idolaters: for he abhorred and detested all idolatrical observances. But as St. Justin Martyr, St. Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Eusebius, and others testify, idolatrical superstition did rather imitate true religious ceremonies. For the devil always affecting that honour which he seeth done to God, persuaded those whom he seduced, and blinded with errors, to serve him in such manner of external rites, as God was served: that thereby he might either have like worship with God, as it happened among pagan Idolaters; or else deprive God of this kind of honour, as now we see Protestants reject and pull down consecrated Altars, pretending them to be superstitious. Wherein they show most gross ignorance, if indeed they so judge of ignorance, and not of mere malice. For who is so simple, but he may see, that the chief difference between Religion and Superstition in external things, consisteth in the persons to whom they are done, and in the intention of the doers? And by the same difference of persons, civil honours are also distinguished from both religious and superstitious. As he that kneeleth to God, religiously honoureth God; kneeling to the sun, moon, or other false-Gods, superstitiously honoureth the devil; and kneeling to the King, civilly honoureth the King. Jacob without doubt did all to God's only honour. And that which he did in this place, is now used in the Catholic Church. For so Rabanus a diligent observer and writer of Ecclesiastical Rites, Ceremonies, and Customs, touching the use of holy oil witnesseth (li. 1. c. 45. Institut. cleric.) that the Altar being first sprinkled with water, is anointed with Chrism, to the example of the Patriarch Jacob, who after that dreadful vision erected a stone for a title (or monument) pouring oil thereon, and calling that place the house of God. St. Cyprian also writing of Chrism, mentioneth the two sorts of holy oil used in the Church; one of simple oil consecrated by a Bishop, which is used for Catechumens before Baptism, persons possessed, and the sick; the other is made of oil and balm, also consecrated by a Bishop, and this is used in Baptism, Confirmation, and in consecrating Altars, Kings, and Priests.
28:20Vowed. It cannot be understood that Jacob here vowed or promised only to serve God, as the Sovereign Lord of all creatures, for to that he was bound, whether he should prosper temporally or no; but that he vowed particular godly works, to which he was not otherwise obliged. As here he expresseth two things. Presupposing before all, that the Lord Omnipotent shall be his God, first And this stone, which I have erected for a title, shall be called the house of God, whereby he promised the building of a Church, performed at his return (chap. 35.) Secondly he added, And of all things which thou shalt give me, I will offer tithes to thee. And this likewise was of free devotion. For tithes also in the law of nature were due to Priests, and by inferior Priests to the chief Priest, as Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedech. And so all his tithes were due to his father, and after his father himself was chief: yet he promised them to God, that is, to offer them in Sacrifice, and bestow them in other uses pertaining to God's service.