Chapter commentary
Genesis Chapter 35
1
Ge 35:1-15.
简体中文
English original
Ge 35:1-15.
REMOVAL TO BETHEL.
1. God said unto Jacob, Arise, &c.--This command was given seasonably in point of time and tenderly in respect of language. The disgraceful and perilous events that had recently taken place in the patriarch's family must have produced in him a strong desire to remove without delay from the vicinity of Shechem. Borne down by an overwhelming sense of the criminality of his two sons--of the offense they had given to God and the dishonor they had brought on the true faith; distracted, too, with anxiety about the probable consequences which their outrage might bring upon himself and family, should the Canaanite people combine to extirpate such a band of robbers and murderers; he must have felt this call as affording a great relief to his afflicted feelings. At the same time it conveyed a tender rebuke.
go up to Beth-el--Beth-el was about thirty miles south of Shechem and was an ascent from a low to a highland country. There, he would not only be released from the painful associations of the latter place but be established on a spot that would revive the most delightful and sublime recollections. The pleasure of revisiting it, however, was not altogether unalloyed.
make there an altar unto God, that appeared--It too frequently happens that early impressions are effaced through lapse of time, that promises made in seasons of distress, are forgotten; or, if remembered on the return of health and prosperity, there is not the same alacrity and sense of obligation felt to fulfil them. Jacob was lying under that charge. He had fallen into spiritual indolence. It was now eight or ten years since his return to Canaan. He had effected a comfortable settlement and had acknowledged the divine mercies, by which that return and settlement had been signally distinguished (compare
Ge 33:19).
But for some unrecorded reason, his early vow at Beth-el
[Ge 28:20-22],
in a great crisis of his life, remained unperformed. The Lord appeared now to remind him of his neglected duty, in terms, however, so mild, as awakened less the memory of his fault, than of the kindness of his heavenly Guardian; and how much Jacob felt the touching nature of the appeal to that memorable scene at Beth-el, appears in the immediate preparations he made to arise and go up thither
(Ps 66:13).
2
Untitled
简体中文
2. 雅各便对他家中的人说……除掉你们中间的外邦神——希伯来文作“外人的神”，即外邦的诸神。雅各的仆从中带了许多米所波大米的人，他们沉迷于迷信的举动；我们有理由担心，关于他对家中信仰监督的崇高见证，不能像亚伯拉罕那样
(Ge 18:19)
为人所称许。他也许至今对这些仆人中的恶事过于疏忽宽容；或者，他到了迦南之后才头一次知道，那与他更近更亲的人，也暗中被同样的腐败所感染
(Ge 31:34)。
无论如何，他决意立即彻底改革他的家；他吩咐他们除掉外邦神，又加上：
要自洁，更换衣裳——仿佛他们与偶像的接触，仍留下某些玷污。在摩西的律法中，许多礼仪上的洁净礼是为人沾染了某些不洁而设立并遵守的，不守这些便算为不洁，不能参与众人敬拜神的聚会。这些身体的洁净纯是象征性的；正如在律法之前已有献祭，照样子也有外表的洁净礼，这话从雅各的话中可以看出；由此可见，自人堕落以来，就有预表和象征的使用，代表并教导两项所启示真理的大道理——即基督的赎罪和我们本性的成圣。
English original
2. Then Jacob said unto his household . . . Put away the strange gods that are among you--Hebrew, "gods of the stranger," of foreign nations. Jacob had brought, in his service, a number of Mesopotamian retainers, who were addicted to superstitious practices; and there is some reason to fear that the same high testimony as to the religious superintendence of his household could not have been borne of him as was done of Abraham
(Ge 18:19).
He might have been too negligent hitherto in winking at these evils in his servants; or, perhaps, it was not till his arrival in Canaan, that he had learnt, for the first time, that one nearer and dearer to him was secretly infected with the same corruption
(Ge 31:34).
Be that as it may, he resolved on an immediate and thorough reformation of his household; and in commanding them to put away the strange gods, he added,
be clean, and change your garments--as if some defilement, from contact with idolatry, should still remain about them. In the law of Moses, many ceremonial purifications were ordained and observed by persons who had contracted certain defilements, and without the observance of which, they were reckoned unclean and unfit to join in the social worship of God. These bodily purifications were purely figurative; and as sacrifices were offered before the law, so also were external purifications, as appears from the words of Jacob; hence it would seem that types and symbols were used from the fall of man, representing and teaching the two great doctrines of revealed truth--namely, the atonement of Christ and the sanctification of our nature.
4
Untitled
简体中文
4. 他们就把手中所有外邦的神像……和耳朵上的环子交给雅各——外邦神像，即“teraphim”（参
Ge 31:30)，
也许还有从示剑掳物中得的其他偶像；耳环则有各种形式、大小、材料，在东方普遍佩戴，那时和如今一样，与念咒和偶像崇拜相连（参
Ho 2:13)。
雅各此时所采取的坚决态度，可能是这些迷信所钟爱之物被迅速交出的原因。
雅各把它们藏在橡树底下——或作笃耨香——一棵高耸的树，像一切同类一样，是巴勒斯坦风景中显著的对象；在示剑，这位列祖就在其下扎营。他把米所波大米仆从所交出的神像和护符藏在这树的根部。橡树被视为圣树，把它们埋在其根，就是放在无人敢擅自动土的地方；因此这事而得名——“米罗尼橡树”——即“施咒之橡”
(Jud 9:37)；
又因约书亚所立的大石而称为“柱像的橡树”
(Jud 9:6)。
English original
4. they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods . . . and earrings--Strange gods, the "seraphim" (compare
Ge 31:30),
as well, perhaps, as other idols acquired among the Shechemite spoil--earrings of various forms, sizes, and materials, which are universally worn in the East, and, then as now, connected with incantation and idolatry (compare
Ho 2:13).
The decided tone which Jacob now assumed was the probable cause of the alacrity with which those favorite objects of superstition were surrendered.
Jacob hid them under the oak--or terebinth--a towering tree, which, like all others of the kind, was a striking object in the scenery of Palestine; and beneath which, at Shechem, the patriarch had pitched his tent. He hid the images and amulets, delivered to him by his Mesopotamian dependents, at the root of this tree. The oak being deemed a consecrated tree, to bury them at its root was to deposit them in a place where no bold hand would venture to disturb the ground; and hence it was called from this circumstance--"the plain of Meonenim"--that is, "the oak of enchantments"
(Jud 9:37);
and from the great stone which Joshua set up--"the oak of the pillar"
(Jud 9:6).
5
Untitled
简体中文
5. 神使那周围城邑的人惊恐——大有理由担心四围对雅各家的怒潮会爆发，迦南众族会联合一致的复仇计划。但一种超自然的恐慌抓住了他们；这样，为着“应许的承继者”，神护佑的盾牌特特地覆在他全家之上。
English original
5. the terror of God was upon the cities--There was every reason to apprehend that a storm of indignation would burst from all quarters upon Jacob's family, and that the Canaanite tribes would have formed one united plan of revenge. But a supernatural panic seized them; and thus, for the sake of the "heir of the promise," the protecting shield of Providence was specially held over his family.
6
Untitled
简体中文
6. 于是雅各到了路斯……就是伯特利——可能这地方在雅各初次去时尚为无人之地；之后〔CALVIN〕，迦南人在那里建了一座城，因其周围杏仁树众多，便给它起名叫路斯
[Ge 28:19]。
伯特利这名字当然只限于雅各和他的家族使用，长久之后才取代原名。该地今被认为即现代的贝婷，位于亚伯拉罕筑坛的那山的西坡
(Ge 12:8)。
English original
6. So Jacob came to Luz . . . that is, Beth-el--It is probable that this place was unoccupied ground when Jacob first went to it; and that after that period [CALVIN], the Canaanites built a town, to which they gave the name of Luz
[Ge 28:19],
from the profusion of almond trees that grew around. The name of Beth-el, which would, of course, be confined to Jacob and his family, did not supersede the original one, till long after. It is now identified with the modern Beitin and lies on the western slope of the mountain on which Abraham built his altar
(Ge 12:8).
7
Untitled
简体中文
7. 伊勒伯特利——即“伯特利之神”。
English original
7. El-Beth-el--that is, "the God of Beth-el."
8
Untitled
简体中文
8. 利百加的奶母底波拉死了——这事似乎在典礼开始之前发生。底波拉（希伯来文意为“蜜蜂”），假设她来迦南时五十岁，已达一百八十高龄。她何时从以撒家转到雅各家，不得而知。但大概是在他从米所波大米回来时；她对雅各年幼的家必是无价之助。像她这样的老奶妈，不仅受人尊敬，更被当作母亲一样爱戴；因此她的死成为极大哀哭的缘由。她被葬在那棵橡树底下——因此称为“哭泣的笃耨香”（参
1Ki 13:14)。
神乐意在敬虔的礼仪完毕之后，再次向他显现。借着这临在的彰显，神表明他悦纳了雅各的祭，并重申向亚伯拉罕和以撒所保证的福气之应许
[Ge 35:11, 12]；
这位列祖也行了他从前用以分别为圣该地的礼仪，包括圣杯，连同他浇在柱子上的油，并重新立那可记念的名
[Ge 35:14]。
整个情景与列祖时代的安排相符，在其中宗教的大真理借感官显明，“这世界的灰发先祖”以适合婴孩状态软弱之方式受教。
English original
8. Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died--This event seems to have taken place before the solemnities were commenced. Deborah (Hebrew, a "bee"), supposing her to have been fifty years on coming to Canaan, had attained the great age of a hundred eighty. When she was removed from Isaac's household to Jacob's, is unknown. But it probably was on his return from Mesopotamia; and she would have been of invaluable service to his young family. Old nurses, like her, were not only honored, but loved as mothers; and, accordingly, her death was the occasion of great lamentation. She was buried under the oak--hence called "the terebinth of tears" (compare
1Ki 13:14).
God was pleased to make a new appearance to him after the solemn rites of devotion were over. By this manifestation of His presence, God testified His acceptance of Jacob's sacrifice and renewed the promise of the blessings guaranteed to Abraham and Isaac
[Ge 35:11, 12];
and the patriarch observed the ceremony with which he had formerly consecrated the place, comprising a sacramental cup, along with the oil that he poured on the pillar, and reimposing the memorable name
[Ge 35:14].
The whole scene was in accordance with the character of the patriarchal dispensation, in which the great truths of religion were exhibited to the senses, and "the world's grey fathers" taught in a manner suited to the weakness of an infantile condition.
13
Untitled
简体中文
13. 神就从那与雅各说话的地方升上去了——神的临在以某种可见的形式表明，他对祭物的悦纳则借天火奇迹般降下烧尽坛上之祭而显明。
English original
13. God went up from him--The presence of God was indicated in some visible form and His acceptance of the sacrifice shown by the miraculous descent of fire from heaven, consuming it on the altar.
16
Ge 35:16-27.
简体中文
Ge 35:16-27.
便雅悯的出生——拉结的死，等。
16. 他们从伯特利起行——毫无疑问，他们在伯特利享受了许多快乐；在所举行的敬拜中，以及在鲜明地回忆那在那里所见的荣耀异象中，这位列祖的情感得了强烈激发，他离开那地时成了一个更好、更奉献的神仆。典礼完毕后，雅各带着家眷径向南行；到了以法他，便因拉结的死而陷入哀悼——她在生产时去世，留下一个遗腹子
[Ge 35:18]。
考虑到拉结的心曾何等热切地盼望后裔（参
Ge 30:1)，
这是何等动人的死。
English original
Ge 35:16-27.
BIRTH OF BENJAMIN--DEATH OF RACHEL, &c.
16. And they journeyed from Beth-el--There can be no doubt that much enjoyment was experienced at Beth-el, and that in the religious observances solemnized, as well as in the vivid recollections of the glorious vision seen there, the affections of the patriarch were powerfully animated and that he left the place a better and more devoted servant of God. When the solemnities were over, Jacob, with his family, pursued a route directly southward, and they reached Ephrath, when they were plunged into mourning by the death of Rachel, who sank in childbirth, leaving a posthumous son
[Ge 35:18].
A very affecting death, considering how ardently the mind of Rachel had been set on offspring (compare
Ge 30:1).
18
Untitled
简体中文
18. 母亲给他起名叫便俄尼——垂死的母亲给她的孩子起这名，意为她的处境；但雅各把他的名字改为便雅悯。有人以为原名便为便雅悯，意为“日子之子”，即晚年之子。但照现今的结尾，它意为“右手之子”，即特别亲爱的。
English original
18. She called his name Ben-oni--The dying mother gave this name to her child, significant of her circumstances; but Jacob changed his name into Benjamin. This is thought by some to have been originally Benjamin, "a son of days," that is, of old age. But with its present ending it means "son of the right hand," that is, particularly dear and precious.
19
Untitled
简体中文
19. 以法他，就是伯利恒——前者是旧名；后者是后来的名，意为“粮仓”。
English original
19. Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem--The one, the old name; the other, the later name, signifying "house of bread."
20
Untitled
简体中文
20. 雅各在她的坟上立了一块碑……直到今日——至今仍被指认为拉结坟墓的地点，与圣经的记载完全吻合，距伯利恒约一英里。从前其上有一座用石头砌成的金字塔，但现今的坟是穆罕默德式的建筑。
English original
20. and Jacob set a pillar on her grave . . . unto this day--The spot still marked out as the grave of Rachel exactly agrees with the Scriptural record, being about a mile from Beth-lehem. Anciently it was surmounted by a pyramid of stones, but the present tomb is a Mohammedan erection.
26
Untitled
简体中文
26. 雅各的儿子们……都是在巴旦亚兰生的——圣经历史家惯于论一群人或一群人当中之事，虽然说对大多数人属实，却不一定适用于每一个人。（见
太 19:28； 约 20:24； 来 11:13）。
这里便是一个例子，因为便雅悯是生在迦南
[Ge 35:16-18]。
English original
26. Sons of Jacob . . . born to him in Padan-aram--It is a common practice of the sacred historian to say of a company or body of men that which, though true of the majority, may not be applicable to every individual. (See
Mt 19:28; Joh 20:24; Heb 11:13).
Here is an example, for Benjamin was born in Canaan
[Ge 35:16-18].
28
Ge 35:28, 29.
简体中文
Ge 35:28, 29.
以撒之死。
English original
Ge 35:28, 29.
DEATH OF ISAAC.
29
Untitled
简体中文
29. 以撒气绝而死——这位可敬的先祖之死在此是预先记载的，因为他的死其实是在约瑟失踪之后十五年才发生。他虽然衰弱眼瞎，却活到极高龄；以扫与雅各在幔利相会，共同为父亲举行葬礼，这是二人永久和好的可喜明证。
English original
29. Isaac gave up the ghost--The death of this venerable patriarch is here recorded by anticipation for it did not take place till fifteen years after Joseph's disappearance. Feeble and blind though he was, he lived to a very advanced age; and it is a pleasing evidence of the permanent reconciliation between Esau and Jacob that they met at Mamre to perform the funeral rites of their common father.
Ge 35:1-15.
迁往伯特利。
1. 神对雅各说，起来，等——这道命令在时机上十分合宜，在言语上也极为柔和。这位列祖家中最近发生的那些可耻而危险的事，必然使他心中强烈渴望立即离开示剑附近。两个儿子的罪行——他们得罪了神，又玷辱了真信仰——压在他心头；加上对他们的暴行可能给自己和家人带来的后果深感忧虑（倘若迦南众人联合起来要剿灭这样一伙强盗杀人犯）；他必感到这个呼召给了他受创之心的极大安慰。同时也是温柔的责备。
上伯特利去——伯特利在示剑以南约三十里，是从低地往高原的上坡路。在那里，他不仅可脱离示剑那些令人痛苦的联想，更可站在一个能唤起最甘甜、最崇高回忆的地方。然而重访此地的喜乐，并非全然无掺杂。
在那里筑一座坛给神，就是向我显现的那位——早期的印象往往因时光流逝而被涂抹，在苦难时所许的愿被遗忘；或即便在健康和兴旺恢复后被记起，却没有同样的殷勤和责任感去履行。雅各正落在这罪责之下。他陷入了属灵的懈怠。自他回到迦南已八、十年了。他已经安顿妥当，并藉着一些显赫的神恩承认了那使他的归回与安顿与众不同的怜悯（参
Ge 33:19）。
但因某种未记之因，他在一生重大危机中于伯特利所许的愿
[Ge 28:20-22]，
仍未履行。耶和华现在向他显现，是要提醒他疏忽的本分；然而所用的语气极为温和，所唤醒的多半不是他对过错的记忆，而是他对天上保护者恩慈的回忆；雅各对这一指着伯特利那难忘情景的恳求之动人之处感受多深，可从他立即作的起来、上去的准备看出来
(Ps 66:13)。