Those who part with their wisdom and grace, their faith and a good conscience, for the honours, wealth, or pleasures of this world, however they feign a zeal for the blessing, have judged themselves unworthy of it, and their doom shall be accordingly. But he soon recovers, and confirms the blessing he had given to Jacob, saying, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed. Those who follow the choice of their own affections, rather than the Divine will, get themselves into perplexity. Isaac, when made sensible of the deceit practised on him, trembled exceedingly. The day is coming, when those that now make light of the blessings of the covenant, and sell their title to spiritual blessings for that which is of no value, will, in vain, ask urgently for them. Verses 30-40 When Esau understood that Jacob had got the blessing, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry. It might therefore be expected, that leanness would attend his blessing, agreeing with the state of his mind. Moreover, his attachment to Esau, so as to disregard the mind of God, must have greatly weakened his own faith in these things. He could not be ignorant how Esau had despised the best things. This might be owing to Isaac having Esau in his mind, though it was Jacob who was before him. No mention is made of the distinguishing mercies in the covenant with Abraham. Verses 18-29 Jacob, with some difficulty, gained his point, and got the blessing. But it is too daring for any creature to say, Upon me be thy curse. And it was a very rash speech of Rebekah, 'Upon me be thy curse, my son.' Christ has borne the curse of the law for all who take upon them the yoke of the command, the command of the gospel. The answer to all such things is that which God addressed to Abraham, I am God Almighty walk before me and be thou perfect. Thus many have acted wrong, under the idea of being useful in promoting the cause of Christ. It was one of those crooked measures often adopted to further the Divine promises as if the end would justify, or excuse wrong means. She put a stumbling-block in Esau's way, and gave him a pretext for hatred to Jacob and to religion. But she wronged Isaac by putting a cheat on him she wronged Jacob by tempting him to wickedness. Verses 6-17 Rebekah knew that the blessing was intended for Jacob, and expected he would have it. We are very apt to take measures rather from our own reason than from Divine revelation, and thereby often miss our way. Isaac being now about 135 years of age, and his sons about 75, and not duly considering the Divine word concerning his two sons, that the elder should serve the younger, resolved to put all the honour and power that were in the promise, upon Esau his eldest son. Verses 1-5 The promises of the Messiah, and of the land of Canaan, had come down to Isaac. (30-40) Esau threatens Jacob's life, Rebekah sends Jacob away. (18-29) Isaac's fear, Esau's importunity. (6-17) Jacob, pretending to be Esau, obtains the blessing. (1-5) Rebekah teaches Jacob to obtain the blessing.

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