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James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 35:22-27

THE LIST OF THE TWELVE SONS"Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob's first born, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin; the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid: Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob that were born to him in Paddan-aram. And Jacob came unto Isaac his father to Mamre, to Kiratharba (the same is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 35:22

Genesis 35:22. Reuben went, &c.— Dr. Kennicott says, this is one of the twenty-five or twenty-eight places, where the Jewish transcribers have left a vacant place in their manuscripts in the middle of the verse; and where a space has been also left in the printed editions. But the Greek version is very full. The supplement in the Greek acquaints us, that this act of Reuben's was considered by his father as vile and flagitious, και πονηρον εφανη εναντιον αυτου, a censure which is naturally... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 35:16-22

Ben-oni means "son of my pain (Genesis 35:18)." For Rachel, Benjamin’s birth was a fatally painful experience. However the birth of his twelfth son mollified Jacob’s sorrow over Rachel’s death. He named his son Benjamin meaning "Son of my good fortune." [Note: See James Muilenberg, "The Birth of Benjamin," Journal of Biblical Literature 75 (1956):194-201.] Oni in Hebrew can mean either "trouble" or "wealth." This is the only son that Jacob named, which suggests his renewed leadership of the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 35:16-29

The birth of Benjamin, death of Rachel, and sin of Reuben 35:16-29Was Jacob disobedient to God when he left Bethel? God had told him to go to Bethel and "live there" (Genesis 35:1). This may have been a command to dwell there while he fulfilled his vow. On the other hand, God may have wanted Jacob to establish permanent residence there. This seems unlikely, however, since Jacob remained a semi-nomad. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 35:19-29

C. What became of Isaac 25:19-35:29A new toledot begins with Genesis 25:19. Its theme is "the acquisition of the blessing and its development and protection by the Lord." [Note: Ross, Creation and . . ., p. 433.] Moses set up the whole Jacob narrative in a chiastic structure that emphasizes the fulfillment of the promise of the seed and the seed’s prosperity."A Oracle sought; Rebekah struggles in childbirth; bekorah birthright; birth; themes of strife, deception, fertility (Genesis 25:19-34).B... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 35:22-27

This paragraph is important because it records the entrance of Jacob into his father’s inheritance. Jacob presumably visited Isaac in Hebron on various occasions following his return from Paddan-aram. However on this occasion he moved his family to his father’s encampment and evidently remained there as Isaac’s heir.Jacob had left Beersheba with only a staff in his hand. Now he returned with 12 sons, a large household, and much livestock. The most important aspect of God’s blessing was his 12... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 35:1-29

Jacob journeys by way of Bethel to Hebron. Death of Rachel and of Isaac1. Jacob is commanded to go to Bethel and fulfil the vow he had once made there (Genesis 28:20, Genesis 28:22).2. Strange gods] Perhaps the idols of some of Jacob’s people who had come with him from Haran, such as the teraphim which Rachel carried off (Genesis 31:19). Be clean, and change your garments] rites symbolising purification from idolatry. 4. Earrings] worn superstitiously as charms, and often inscribed with magical... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 35:1-29

THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS.Abraham begat Isaac—The Tôldôth in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his descent to Shem, and showing thereby that the right of primogeniture belonged to him; but the inspired historian uses only so much of this as is necessary for tracing the development of the Divine plan of human redemption.The Syrian.—Really, the Aramean, or descendant of Aram. (See Genesis 10:22-23.) The... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 35:22

(22) Reuben.—Again another grief for Jacob to mar his return home, and this time it arises from the sin of his first-born, who thereby forfeits the birthright. It was the thought of these miseries, following upon his long years of exile, which made Jacob speak so sorrowfully of his experience of life before Pharaoh (Genesis 47:9).And Israel heard it.—The Masora notes that some words have here fallen out of the text, which the LXX. fill up by adding, “And it was evil in his sight.” read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Genesis 35:1-29

Genesis 35:2 St. John of the Cross says: 'When the patriarch Jacob wished to go up to the Mount of Bethel in order to build there an altar to God on which he should offer sacrifice, he first gave three commands to his household.' He applies these three commands to the spiritual life of the Christian. The strange gods are the 'outside affections and attachments'. 'Use clean means to get rid of the worldly appetites still left in the soul.' And the third thing we must have in order to reach the... read more

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