a mantle of hair;' Gr. 'like a rough hide;' Ch. ' as a bristly garment.' This denoted his strong, rough, goatlike, or libidinous character. Compare with this prophetic portraiture the history of the Saracens, Arabs, and Turks, in all ages.- Esau ;' i. e. made up, perfected, not having a soft smooth skin like other infants, but being hairy like a full grown man, indicating the possession of a constitutional vigor altogether preternatural.-' Jacob;' i. e. he shall hold by the foot; a supplanter, or overthrower.

What was Isaac's age at the birth of his two sons, and what were their respective occupations? v. 26, 27.

'A cunning hunter;' Heb. a man knowing hunting.' —' Plain man; Heb. 'perfect man;' i. e. a sincere, upright, simple-minded man, of plain habits and religious disposition.-Dwelling in tents;' intimating that he was devoted to the tranquil life of a shepherd, and also that he had no fixed or permanent habitation, but like Abraham was a pilgrim and sojourner in the land of promise.

Which was the father's favorite, and why? v. 28.

'Did eat of his venison; Heb. venison was in his mouth; i. e. was grateful to his palate; he had a special relish for it. Gr. This venison was food to him;' Chal. he, ate of his hunting.' The word • venison,' though now applied exclusively to the flesh of the deer, yet in this place is equivalent to game in general, or any eatable procured in hunting; properly, the product of hunting. It savored greatly of human infirmity to bestow a preference upon a child for se slight a cause.

Relate the circumstances by which Jacob became possessed of the birthright. v. 29-34. 'Sod pottage; Heb. ' sod a seething.' 'Sod' is the past tense of 'seethe,' to boil,— With that same red

(pottage ;) Heb. with the red, that red;' the repetition of the epithet 'red,' and the omission of the substantive pottage,' indicated the extreme haste and eagerness of the asker. Edom;' i. e. red. This name, therefore, besides its allusion to the ruddiness of his skin at the time of his birth, is here bestowed as a brand-mark of his inordinate craving of his brother's red pottage, in his greediness for which he profanely sold his birthright. Birthright.' The prerogatives attending the birthright were very distinguished. The first-born were peculiarly given and consecrated to God, Ex. 22. 29; they stood next in honor to their parents, Gen. 49. 3; had a double portion in the paternal inheritance, Deut. 21. 17; succeeded them in the government of the family or kingdom, 2 Chron. 21. 3; and were honored with the office of priesthood, and the administration of the public worship of God. The phrase 'first-born' therefore was used to denote one who was peculiarly near and dear to his father, Ex. 4. 22, and higher than his brethren, Ps. 89. 28; and typically pointed to Christ, and to all true Christians, who are joint heirs with him to an eternal inheritance, and constitute the first-born whose names are written in heaven, Heb. 12. 23. The blessing which Jacob afterward surreptitiously obtained, though distinct in itself from the birthright, and including merely the matter of the promises respecting the Messiah, the inheritance of Canaan, and the kingdom of God under the Gospel, yet was intimately connected with it. At the point to die;' Heb. I am going (or walking about) to die;' i. e. I am daily under an exposedness to die; liable to be cut off in consequence of my precarious mode of life, and at best have but a short time to live; of what great advantage then can this birthright be to me? Thus a powerful temptation blinds the mind to the value of the blessing which is in danger of being lost by yielding to it. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; rather, then Jacob gave Esau food, even

pottage of lentiles.' 'Lentiles' were a kind of pulse, like vetches or pease. Dr. Shaw observes of the Egyptians, that beans, lentiles, kidney beans, and garvancos, are the chiefest of their pulse kind. Beans, when boiled and stewed with oil and garlic, are the principal food of persons of all distinctions. Lentiles are dressed in the same manner as beans, dissolving easily into a mass, and making a pottage of a chocolate color.' Travels, p. 140.-Despised his birthright;' Gr. ' made vile his birthright;' Chal.lightly esteemed his birthright.' To this the Jerus. Targ. adds, 'He also despised his portion in the world to come, and denied the resurrection of the dead.' His apology, therefore, grounded upon the prospect of his speedy death, implying that the benefits of the birthright were confined to this life, was based upon a falsity. The distinction of the birthright certainly pointed to the resurrection, and it is alluded to in the expression applied to Christ, ' firstborn of the dead.'

What epithet does the Apostle apply to Esau, in consequence of this transaction? Heb. 12. 16. Profane person.' The privileges connected with pri mogeniture were such as in a sense to consecrate or hallow the person enjoying them. Lightly to esteem and heedlessly to forego these privileges therefore was in effect to desecrate and profane the sacred character which they conferred. Esau, accordingly, who acted this part, is justly denominated a 'profane person.'

HEADS OF PRACTICAL REFLECTION.

V. 1. The example of the best of mon confirms the propriety of second marriages.

V. 4. The providence of God is remarkable in mul tiplying the seed of the flesh, as well as that of promise.

V. 8. It is a happy lot to be able to die like Abraham in a good old age, departing full and satisfied with the measure of life afforded on earth.

V. 8. The righteous dead are gathered to their own people, not to the society of enemies or aliens.

V. 11. God never fails to bless those whom he has promised to bless.

V. 21. Few are the temporal or spiritual calamities which may not be expected to be removed by fervent prayer.

V. 28. Even pious parents are liable to have their affections unduly warped towards some of their children in preference to others, upon very weak and carnal grounds.

V. 32. The urgency of a fleshly appetite, not inured to control, may prompt a man to barter away his soul's salvation for its indulgence.

V. 34. Sensual men despise and count vile the choicest of spiritual privileges.

What induced Isaac to leave the place of his ordinary residence, and whither did he go? v. 1.

'Abimelech ;' probably a different person from him mentioned Gen. 20. 1, 2, &c. Abimelech,' it is supposed, was the common title of the kings of Gerar. Whither was it probably his intention to go, how was he diverted from his purpose, and what was he commanded to do? v. 2, 3. Dwell; Heb. ' tabernacle,' or, dwell tentwise.'

What promises were now renewed to him, and what is assigned as the ground of them? v. 3-5.

Kept my charge;' Heb. kept my keeping;' i. e. ordinances to be kept; a general term for whatever God commands or ordains for man's observancé.• Commandments;' i. e. moral precepts; as those of the decalogue, and also occasional directions or appointments, such as the command to leave the land of the Chaldees, to offer up Isaac, &c.-' Statute;' i. e. ceremonial institutes, rules and ordinances respecting ritual services, such as circumcision, sacrifice, distinction of clean and unclean, &c. These are founded solely upon the will of God, and not upon the intrinsic nature or propriety of things.-' Laws;' i. e. authoritative instruction in regard to the doctrines and duties of religion in general; moral teachings which have a binding power upon the conscience. The word is derived from a root signifying to teach, to train by institution, an etymology plainly hinted at, Ex. 24. 12, I will give thee tables of stone, and (even) a law, and commandments, that thou mayest teach them.

Where did Isaac dwell, and what happened to him there? v. 6, 7.

Dwelt; Heb. sat down;' often applied to local habitation. Fair to look upon; Heb. 'good of visage.' The Heb.'expresses' good,' and 'goodly,' i. e. fair, by one and the same word.

What probably led him to adopt this sinful precaution? Gen. 20. 2.

How was his prevarication detected, and what did Abimelech say to him and to his own people? v. 8-11.

When he had been there a long time;' Heb. ' when the days had been prolonged to him there.'-' Window; Heb. Hallon.' Glass windows were unknown