1
Ge 35:1-15.
英文原文
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
無標題
2. 雅各就對他家中的人說……除掉你們中間的外邦神——希伯來文作「外邦人的神」，即列國的神。雅各在侍候他的人中，帶了一批米所波大米的家僕，他們沉迷於迷信的習俗；我們有理由擔心，關於他在家中的宗教治理，恐怕不能像對亞伯拉罕所作的那樣有力的見證
(Ge 18:19)。
他可能向來太過疏忽，對僕人們的這些惡行睜一隻眼閉一隻眼；又或者，直到他抵達迦南之後，他才頭一次得知，一個與他更親近、更親愛的人，已暗中沾染了同樣的敗壞
(Ge 31:34)。
無論如何，他決心立即徹底地整頓他的全家；在吩咐他們除掉外邦神之時，他又加上：
要自潔，更換衣裳——彷彿因與偶像接觸，仍有些污穢留在他們身上。在摩西的律法中，許多禮儀上的潔淨之禮是為那些染了某些污穢的人而設立並遵守的；若不遵行，就算為不潔，不能與眾人一同敬拜神。這些身體的潔淨純粹是象徵性的；正如在律法頒布之前已有獻祭，外在的潔淨之禮也同樣存在，這從雅各的話中可以看出；由此可見，自人類墮落以來，就已使用預表和象徵，來表明並教導兩項特殊啟示的偉大真理——即基督的贖罪與我們本性的成聖。
英文原文
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
無標題
4. 他們就把手中所有的外邦神像……和耳朵上的環子交給雅各——外邦神像，即「特拉芬」（參
Ge 31:30），
也許還有從示劍的擄物中得來的其他偶像——各種形狀、大小和材料的耳環，這些在東方是普遍佩戴的，當時如同今日一樣，與咒術和偶像崇拜有關（參
Ho 2:13）。
雅各此刻所採取的堅決態度，可能是這些迷信所愛之物被迅速交出的原因。
雅各把這些東西藏在橡樹下——或作篤耨香樹——一棵高聳的樹，與所有同類的樹一樣，是巴勒斯坦風景中引人注目的對象；先祖在示劍便是把帳棚支搭在它蔭下。他把米所波大米家僕交給他的神像和護身符，藏在這樹的根下。橡樹既被視為聖樹，將其埋在根下，就是放在一個無人敢大膽掘動的地方；因此這地方因這緣故被稱為「米永尼橡樹」——即「占卜之樹」
(Jud 9:37)；
又因約書亞所立的那塊大石頭，被稱為「柱像的橡樹」
(Jud 9:6)。
英文原文
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
無標題
5. 神使周圍城邑的人都甚驚懼——各方面都可能爆發對雅各一家的烈怒風暴，迦南諸族很可能結成統一的報復計劃。但一種超自然的恐慌抓住了他們；如此，為了那「應許的後嗣」的緣故，護理的保護盾牌特別覆庇了他的全家。
英文原文
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
無標題
6. 於是雅各到了路斯……就是伯特利——這地方大概在雅各初次去的時候是無人居住的空地；而在那之後〔CALVIN〕，迦南人在那裏建了一座城，給它起名叫路斯
[Ge 28:19]，
因為周圍長滿了杏仁樹。伯特利這名字，當然只限於雅各和他一家使用，直到很久以後才取代了原來的名字。這地方現今被認定為現代的拜廷，位於亞伯拉罕築壇那座山的西坡
(Ge 12:8)。
英文原文
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
無標題
7. 伊勒伯特利——意即「伯特利之神」。
英文原文
7. El-Beth-el--that is, "the God of Beth-el."
8
無標題
8. 利百加的奶媽底波拉死了——這事似乎是在莊嚴的典禮開始之前發生的。底波拉（希伯來文，意為「蜜蜂」），假設她來到迦南時已五十歲，那已達到一百八十歲的高齡。她何時從以撒家中被轉到雅各家中，不得而知。但大概是在他從米所波大米回來之時；她對他的幼年家庭必定是無價的幫助。像她這樣的老奶媽，不但受人尊敬，更被當作母親般敬愛；因此，她的去世是極大哀悼的緣由。她被葬在那棵橡樹下——因此被稱為「哭泣的篤耨香樹」（參
1Ki 13:14）。
神樂意在敬拜的莊嚴典禮結束之後，再次向他顯現。藉着這次的顯現，神見證了祂悅納雅各的祭，並重申了那向亞伯拉罕和以撒保證的福氣之應許
[Ge 35:11, 12]；
先祖也守了他從前用以奉獻該地的儀式，包括聖餐的杯，連同他澆在柱子上的油，並重新賦予那可記念的名字
[Ge 35:14]。
整個場面與先祖時代的安排相符，在那時代，宗教的偉大真理是向感官展示的，「世界灰髮的祖先」是以適合嬰孩狀態之軟弱的方式受教的。
英文原文
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
無標題
13. 神就從他那裏升上去——神同在以某種可見的形體顯示，而祂對祭物的悅納，藉着從天而降的火奇蹟般地焚燒祭壇上的祭物而表明。
英文原文
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.
Ge 35:16-27.
便雅憫出生——拉結去世等。
16. 他們從伯特利起行——毫無疑問，他們在伯特利享受了極大的快樂，在所舉行的宗教典禮中，以及在對那裏所見榮耀異象的生動回憶中，先祖的情感被有力地激發，他離開那地方時，成了神更善良、更敬虔的僕人。典禮結束後，雅各帶着他的家人直接向南行進，他們到了以法他，那時因拉結去世而陷入悲哀，拉結在生產時死去，留下一個遺腹子
[Ge 35:18]。
考慮到拉結的心是何等熱切地盼望後裔（參
Ge 30:1），
這是一個十分令人傷感的離世。
英文原文
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
無標題
18. 拉結給她兒子起名叫便俄尼——垂死的母親給她孩子起這名字，意義與她的境況相符；但雅各把他的名字改為便雅憫。有人認為這名字原本是便雅憫，「日子之子」，即年老之子。但按其現在的結尾，意為「右手之子」，即特別親愛和寶貴。
英文原文
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
無標題
19. 以法他，就是伯利恆——前者是舊名；後者是後來的名字，意為「糧食之家」。
英文原文
19. Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem--The one, the old name; the other, the later name, signifying "house of bread."
20
無標題
20. 雅各在她的墳上立了碑……直到今日——仍被標示為拉結墳墓的那個地點，與聖經的記載完全吻合，距伯利恆約一英里。古時其上有一個石頭砌成的金字塔，但如今的墳墓是回教徒的建築。
英文原文
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
無標題
26. 雅各的眾子……都是在巴旦亞蘭生的——神聖的歷史家常對一群人或一個團體說：對大多數人雖是真實，卻不一定適用於每個人的話。
（見
Mt 19:28； Joh 20:24； Heb 11:13。）
這裏就是一例，因為便雅憫是生在迦南
[Ge 35:16-18]。
英文原文
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.
Ge 35:28, 29。
以撒之死。
英文原文
Ge 35:28, 29.
DEATH OF ISAAC.
29
無標題
29. 以撒氣絕而死——這位可敬先祖的死，在此是預記的，因為它實際發生在約瑟失蹤之後十五年。他雖然衰弱又瞎眼，卻活到極高的年紀；以掃與雅各在幔利相聚，為他們共同的父親舉行葬禮，這是他們已經永久和好的可喜證據。
英文原文
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.
遷往伯特利。
1. 神對雅各說，起來，等等——這命令在時間上合時，在措辭上溫柔。先祖家中最近所發生那可恥而危險的事件，必在他心中產生強烈的願望，要立即從示劍一帶遷離。他被兩個兒子的罪孽感——他們對神的冒犯以及他們對真信仰所帶來的羞辱——所壓倒；又因他們的暴行可能對自己和全家造成的後果而焦慮不安（倘若迦南人聯合起來剿滅這樣一夥強盜和殺人犯）；他必感到這呼召對他受創的心是極大的解脫。同時這也帶著溫柔的責備。
上伯特利去——伯特利在示劍以南約三十英里，由低地往高原而上。在那裡，他不僅可以擺脫示劍那些痛苦的聯想，還可住在一個能喚起最甜美、最崇高回憶的地點。然而，重訪此地的喜樂並非全無摻雜。
在那裏築一座壇給神，就是……顯現的——早期的印象常因歲月流逝而磨滅；在苦難中所許的願常被忘記；即或在健康昌盛時記起，也沒有同樣的踴躍和責任感去還願。雅各正是處於這種虧欠之下。他陷入了屬靈的怠惰。自他回到迦南以來，已八至十年。他已建立了舒適的居所，並承認了那使他的歸回和定居顯得特別的神聖憐憫（參
Ge 33:19）。
但因某種未記載的原因，他在人生重大危機時於伯特利所許的願
[Ge 28:20-22]，
卻遲遲未還。主如今向他顯現，為要提醒他這被忽略的本分；然而措辭如此溫和，所喚起的更多是天上保護者的恩慈，而非他自己過犯的記憶；雅各對這番指向伯特利難忘情景的動人呼籲感受何等深切，可從他立即預備起來、上去的反應中看出
(詩 66:13)。