GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 46 (Gen 46:1) And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. Jacob could not believe the news, but Israel believed and took a step of faith. Now it was Israel that took his journey. But before he went he felt a need to go to Beersheba, the well of the oath, and make a new sacrifice to God. Horace Greely, long ago, set the fashion of saying, "Go West, young man, go West"; and there is wisdom in the advice, provided it be conjoined with the admonition, "But don't go without your God." Perhaps some here are meditating on the propriety of their pushing away into the places where the labor market is not overstocked, and the opportunities are far better than they are in a comparatively crowded city such as this. Nor do we say a word against the project. Go, by all means, if you are not afraid to work; but remember the sacrifice at Beer-sheba, and don't go without your God. Too many have done that, and have gone to ruin. But take Him with you, and He will be "your shield and your exceeding great reward." (W. M. Taylor, D. D.) (Gen 46:2) And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. Apparently that same night after he had made his sacrifice that day, the Lord spoke to him about the covenant promise. Jacob then presented himself as a living sacrifice before the Lord. He may have remembered the prophecy to Abraham that his posterity was to be afflicted in Egypt and also that his father had been expressly told not to go [Gen_15:13; Gen_26:2]; he may have feared the contamination of idolatry to his family and their forgetfulness of the land of promise. These doubts were removed by the answer of the oracle, and an assurance given him of great and increasing prosperity. (JFB) (Gen 46:3) And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 46—PAGE 1