Genesis 33:11

Gen 33:11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took [it].

Ver. 11. I have enough.] Heb., I have all. Esau had much, but Jacob had all, because he had the God of all. Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia, saith Augustine. Esau’s "enough," in the original, is not the same with Jacob’s. {a} There are two manner of enoughs. Godliness only hath contentedness. {1Ti 6:6}

{a} רבלי, λμΞμι

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen_33:9; Gen_33:11

I have enough

Contentment from two points of view

I.

HERE IS AN UNGODLY MAN WHO HAS ENOUGH (Gen_33:9). Esau. Unconverted men are sometimes contented with their lot in this life.

1. It is not always or often so: they are mostly a dissatisfied company.

2. It is sometimes so: as in the case of Esau. This may arise from--

(1) A want of energy.

(2) A naturally easy disposition, readily pleased.

(3) Utter recklessness, which only considers present pleasure.

3. It has some good points about it.

(1) As preventing greed, and the oppression which comes of it.

(2) As often promoting a good-natured liberality, and the disposition to live and let live.

4. Yet it has its evil side.

(1) It leads men to boast of their wealth or acquirements, who would not do so if they were craving for more.

(2) It tends to breed a contempt for spiritual riches.

(3) It may thus be a sign of having ones portion in this life.

II. HERE IS A GODLY MAN WHO HAS ENOUGH (Gen_33:11). Jacob.

1. It is a pity that this is not true of every Christian man.

2. It is delightful to have enough. Contentment surpasses riches.

3. It is pleasant to have somewhat to spare for the poor (Eph_4:28).

4. It is blessed to have all this through our God. Jacob said, God hath dealt graciously with me, and I have enough.

5. It is best of all to have all things. In the margin we read that Jacob said, I have all things. All things are yours (1Co_3:22).

(1) All that the believer needs is promised in the covenant.

(2) All things in providence work together for his good.

(3) In having God for his portion he has more than all.

Thus he has enough of strength and grace. Enough in Christ, in the Word, and in the Spirit. Enough in Gods love, power and faithfulness, and an immeasurable supply in God Himself, whose name is God All-sufficient. The child of God should be ashamed of discontent, since even a common sinner may be free from it. He should be heartily satisfied; for he has all things, and what more can he desire? O rest in the Lord (Psa_37:7). (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Lessons

1. Natural affection will urge to inquire of the outward state of brethren as well as of relations.

2. Modesty in nature will expostulate about brethrens offers of love rather then covetously take them.

3. Providential occurrences of good pretended may occasion natural men to inquire about them.

4. Humble souls as under providence they do seek favour with men by presents, so they profess it (Gen_33:8).

5. It is possible for natural men to have a kind of sufficiency and content in their possessions.

6. Nature may desire others to keep their own, as it is contented with its portion.

7. Nature is apt to think earthly possessions enough without God (Gen_33:9).

8. Ingenuity and grace is not only liberal, but urgent to have fruits of love accepted.

9. Acceptance of loving presents is a token of acceptance of persons.

10. It is just cause of importunity in pressing pacifying presents when Gods face is seen in reconciled adversaries.

11. Unexpected love from displeased ones engageth to press kindness on them (Gen_33:10).

12. Presents of gracious souls from God to men are blessings.

13. Grace is importunate with man as well as with God to win Him.

14. Gods gracious respects to saints causeth them so to respect their brethren.

15. Gods Jacobs, gracious souls, they have not only enough, but all in the grace of God.

16. The all-sufficiency which God giveth His saints makes them so pressing kindness to others.

17. Nature is overcome by the importunity of grace to accept an outward blessing.

18. Brotherly conference is the way of winning upon men of bad spirits. All this between Jacob and Esau is by loving parley. (G. Hughes, B. D.)

Christian contentment

A poor Christian woman, who was breaking her fast upon a crust and a cup of water, exclaimed, What! all this and Christ too! (C. H. Spurgeon.)

A Puritan preacher asking a blessing on a herring and potatoes, said, Lord, we thank Thee that Thou hast ransacked sea and land to find food for Thy children. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Angelic content

The great cry with everybody is, Get on! get on! just as if the world were travelling post. How astonished these people will be, if they arrive in heaven, to find the angels, who are much wiser than they, laying no schemes to be made archangels! (Maxims for Meditation.)

Content from a quiet mind

Is not the bee as well contented with feeding on the dew, or sucking from a flower, as the ox that grazeth on the mountains? Contentment lies within a man, in the heart; and the way to be comfortable is not by having our barrels filled, but our minds quieted. The contented man (saith Seneca)is the happy man . . . Discontent robs a man of the power to enjoy what he possesses. A drop or two of vinegar will sour a whole glass of wine. (T. Watson.)

Contentment of the unregenerate

As a typical instance of the contentment of some unregenerate persons, note the following: A captain of a whale-ship told one of the wretched natives of Greenland that he sincerely pitied the miserable life to which he was condemned. Miserable! exclaimed the savage. I have always had a fish-bone through my nose, and plenty of train-oil to drink: what more could I desire? (C. H. Spurgeon.)

I have enough

1. The first man who ever said so.

2. What even non-spiritual men may say. Should not Christians say more?

3. Property should be a heart-store.

4. Enough can never be true of spiritual blessings.

5. The evils of avaricious grasping.

6. We must not be avaricious, even on the plea that it is for others,

7. Christianity should be proved by contentment. Examples of

Christ and Paul. (J. Parker, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen 33:11. Take, I pray thee, my blessing — This gift, which, as I received it from God, I heartily give thee, with my blessing and prayer that God would bless it to thee.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

33:11 this gift I have brought you (literally my blessing): Jacob perceived Esau as a threat and tried to appease him with a gift (cp. 2 Kgs 17:3-4; 18:7, 14; 2 Chr 28:21), perhaps in a guilty attempt to undo the past. Jacob would not take no for an answer.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, gift.

By earnest entreaty.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

He urged him and he took it--In the East the acceptance by a superior is a proof of friendship, and by an enemy, of reconciliation. It was on both accounts Jacob was so anxious that his brother should receive the cattle; and in Esau's acceptance he had the strongest proofs of a good feeling being established that Eastern notions admit of.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

11. gift] Heb. blessing; LXX τὰς εὐλογίας μου; Lat. benedictionem. The “gift” is the material side of the “blessing”; and the word “blessing” is thus used for a gift, in Jos_15:19; Jdg_1:15; 1Sa_25:27; 1Sa_30:26; 2Ki_5:15. The word benedictio was similarly used to denote a gift in the Middle Ages. The “liberal soul” of Pro_11:25 is a “soul, or person, of blessing.”

enough] Heb. “all.” Jacob means that in the kindness of Esau he has everything. Perhaps also there is an allusion to the Divine blessing in Gen_32:29.

urged] Until Esau had accepted the gift, Jacob’s suspicious nature could not feel secure.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee,.... The present he had sent him, now carrying home to his house, which was a part of what God had blessed Jacob with; and which he from a beneficent generous spirit gave his brother, wishing the blessing of God to go along with it; it was an insinuation, and so he would have it taken, that he wished him all happiness and prosperity:

because God hath dealt graciously with me; in giving him so much substance, and now in giving him so much favour in the sight of Esau, whom he dreaded:

and because I have enough; a sufficiency of all good things, being thoroughly contented with his state and circumstance; or "I have all things" (p), all kind of good things, everything that was necessary for him; the expression is stronger than Esau's; and indeed Jacob had besides a large share of temporal mercies, all spiritual ones; God was his covenant God and Father, Christ was his Redeemer, the Spirit his sanctifier; he had all grace bestowed on him, and was an heir of glory:

and he urged him, and he took it: being pressing on him, or importunate with him, he accepted of his present.

(p) "sunt mihi omnia", Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Vatablus, Drusius, Cartwright.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Take, I pray thee, my blessing; this gift, which as I received from God’s blessing, so I heartily give it to thee with my blessing and prayer, that God would abundantly bless it to thee. Gifts are oft called blessings, as Jos 15:19; 1Sa 25:27; 30:26.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

11. He urged him and he took it — This acceptance of his large and princely gift would enable the humbled Jacob to feel that he had now made suitable reparation for any wrong he had previously done his brother.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Blessing: i.e., the present, expressive of his desire to bless, as in Sa1 25:27; Sa1 30:26. הבאת: for הבאה, as in Deu 31:29; Isa 7:14, etc.; sometimes also in verbs הל, Lev 25:21; Lev 26:34. כל ישׁ־לי: "I have all" (not all kinds of things); viz as the heir of the divine promise.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

ברכתי means MY PRESENT — a present such as this that is brought, when one has an audience with a person after an interval of time is intended only as a greeting. Now wherever the term "blessing” (ברכה) is used in connection with an audience — as for example, (47:7) “Jacob blessed (ויברך) Pharaoh”, and (2 Kings 18:31) "make your peace (ברכה) with me” mentioned in connection with Sennacherib, and also (2 Samuel 8:10) to salute him and to bless him (לברכו)” mentioned in connection with Toi, King of Hamath — they all signify greeting, O.I. saluer. So that here, too: ברכתי really means “mon salut” — my greetings and the term is then transferred to the greeting-present.

אשר הבאת לך THAT IS BROUGHT TO THEE without any exertion on your part. I have myself taken the trouble to bring it all this way until it has reached your hand (Genesis Rabbah 78:12).

חַנַּנִי GOD HATH FAVOURED ME — The first נ has a Dagesh, because it serves the purpose of two נ’s since it should have said חַנְנַנִי as we always find the forms of חנן with two נ’s. The third נ here (Rashi means the third that is pronounced) serves as part of the accusative pronominal suffix (meaning “me”), as (Isaiah 29:16) עשני "He made me”, and as (30:20) זבדני “he endowed me”.

יש לי כל I HAVE EVERYTHING — all that will supply my needs. But Esau spoke proudly (v. 8): I have (רב) abundance — far more than my needs.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

TAKE, I PRAY THEE, MY BLESSING. I.e., the gift. Likewise, Make your blessing with me means “bring me a gift” or “make your peace with me.” So also, Take a blessing of thy servant, 5:15. means “take a present from thy servant.” They called a gift which a man sends of his own free will “a blessing” because he sends it from that with which G-d had blessed him, just as the verse states, Wherewith the Eternal thy G-d hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him, and just as Scripture said above, And he took of that which he had with him. However, a specific gift of that which has been agreed upon as due the king is called mas (tribute).

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

קח נא את ברכתי, the word ברכתי here means: “my gift.” It occurs in this sense in Kings II 5,15 קח נא ברכה מאת עבדך, “please accept a gift from your servant.”

אשר הובאת לך, by the servants who have been walking ahead of me behind those herds. Besides, I have all the wealth and honour I could wish for.

ויפצר בו, he pleaded with him insistently until he agreed to accept it.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.