Ephrata: wherin when Rachel was in trauaile, 17because of difficultie in her trauaile, she began to be in danger, and the midwife said vnto her: Feare not, for thou shalt haue also this a sonne. 18And her soule departing for paine, and death now at hand, she called the name of her sonne Benoni, that is the sonne of my paine: but his father called him Beniamin, that is the sonne of the right hand. Math. 2.19Rachel therfore died, and was buried in the high way that leadeth to Ephrata, this same is Bethleem. 20And Iacob erected a title ouer her sepulchre: This is the title of Rachels monument, vntil this present day. 21Departing thence, he pitched his tent beyond the Flocke tower. 22And when he dwelt in that countrie, Ruben went, and [1] slept with Bala his fathers concubine: which thing he was not ignorant of. And the sonnes of Iacob were twelue. 23The sonnes of Lia: Ruben the first begotten, and Simeon, and Leui, and Iudas, and Issachar, and Zabulon. 24The sonnes of Rachel: Ioseph and Beniamin. 25The sonnes of Bala Rachels handmaid: Dan and Nepthali. 26The sonnes of Zelpha Lias handmaid: Gad and Aser: these are the sonnes of Iacob, that were borne to him in Mesopotamia of Siria. 27He came also to Isaac his father in Mambre, the citie of Arbee, this is Hebron: wherin Abraham and Isaac seiourned. 28And the dayes of Isaac were complete an hundred eyghtie yeares. 29And spent with age he died, and was put to his people, being old and ful of dayes: and Esau and Iacob his sonnes buryed him.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAP. XXXV.
Clensing from sinne is the first office of the seruants of God.2. Cast away the strange Gods.) Iacob preparing to performe his vow of building a house and altar to God, first extirpateth al Idolatrie from amongst his people; and then by Sacrifice appeaseth Gods wrath, prouoked howsoeuer, and specially by Simeon and Leui killing the Sichemites. Duly considering that what people or person desireth Gods protection and blessings, must first be pure in Religion, and clensed from sinnes: Quia es nulla no cebit aduersitas, si nulla es dominetur iniquitas: because no aduersitie shal hurt him, if no iniquitie haue dominion ouer him. orat. ser. 6. post cineres.
The name Israel signifieth special perogatiues in the Patriarch Iacob.10. Called him Israel.) As the Patriarch now performeth his vow to God: so God fulfilleth his promise, giuing him a new name. For Iacob a supplanter, signifying too smal force and praise for such a champion, God therfore honoured him with the name of Israel. That is, One that seeth and contemplateth God, as most ancient writers expound it. Also A prince, or valient with God, as S. Hierome sheweth Tradit. Heb. For Isra in Hebrew signifieth To dominier, or rule ouer, and El signifieth God. And so this name giuen to him testifieth that he, by Gods guift and grace, was valiant euen against an Angel, representing God, much more against men, and other aduersaries. Others interprete it, The right one of God, as witnesseth the same S. Hierom both heer, and in his commentaries
- ↑ For this fact Ruben was excluded from the chiefe dignitie among his brethren. Gen. 49.
