Genesis 35:27

Gen 35:27. Jacob came unto Isaac his father — Probably to dwell with or near him; bringing, it seems, his family with him. We can hardly suppose that this was the first visit he paid him since his return from Mesopotamia.

Without question he had often visited him, though the Scripture be silent as to this particular.

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

ISAAC’S DEATH AND BURIAL, Gen_35:27-29.

27. Jacob came unto Isaac — This appears to have been some twelve years previous to the death of Isaac, and therefore long enough to communicate often to his father his varied experiences, and to receive the counsels of the aged patriarch. Jacob was living at Hebron when Joseph was sold, (Gen_37:14,) and the latter was at that time 17 years old. Gen_37:2. Twenty-two years later Jacob went down into Egypt. He was then 130 years old; (Gen_47:9;) consequently he was now 108, and Isaac 168, (Gen_25:26;) and Isaac lived at least twelve years after this. So he must have lived to know of the loss of Joseph, and almost up to the beginning of the great famine which led Israel into Egypt.

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

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Gen_35:27-29

THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF ISAAC

Isaac was “an hundred and fourscore years” when he died. He must, therefore, have lived in a state of blindness and inactivity for fifty-seven years. His life was greatly prolonged beyond the time when he could be, in any full sense, useful to his fellow men. But when that life reached its close the solemn lessons of it would come home to the survivors.

I. It was the occasion of family re-union. The quarrel between Jacob and Esau had ended in a reconciliation. (Genesis 33) Again they meet in peace for the burial of their father. It was in similar circumstances that Isaac himself and Ishmael had met many years before to bury their father, Abraham. The grave ought to silence all enmities. These two brothers met after many years of separation, each pursuing a different course of life. The marks of time are upon each of them—the impressions of long labours, cares and sorrows. Esau is still the man of the field, renowned in chase and war. Jacob is still devoted to peaceful and domestic pursuits, acquiring wealth slowly by the raising of cattle. He is now chastened and subdued by many a sorrow, his soul humbled by the open visions of God. And now, in the death of his beloved Rachel, the sin of Reuben, and the cruel wrath of Simeon and Levi, his cup of sorrow is full. We have here types of the afflictions, struggles, and enmities of the world; but we have also types of reconciliation, forgiveness and peace, and the great consolations of God.

II. It was at the time of revival for memories of the past. The two brothers, as they stood by his grave, would re-live their old life. Esau would naturally think of the fortresses he had built, of his wives and children—those who had been a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah, and of her whom he married to please and reconcile them, Bashemath the daughter of Ishmael. Jacob would think upon the birthright, upon the promises of God renewed to him at Bethel, and now fulfilled in some degree at the death of his father. He would think of blessings yet to come when the glory and greatness of his posterity should increase, and they should have dominion and kingly power. The death of friends forces us to review our associated histories.

III. It was the beginning of another and a higher life. We are told that Isaac “was gathered unto his people.” This surely signifies more than that he was joined to them in the grave. The expression suggests—

1. The idea of rest. The toils and labours of human life end with the grave. Man goeth forth to his labour and to his work until the evening, and then the night of death comes when he can no longer work. The great end for which Isaac lived had now been gained. He had seen his two sons reconciled. He had been at length brought to the belief, though sore against his will, that the blessing of Abraham would descend along the line of Jacob. He had submitted to God. And having attained to this firm belief and resignation, the great work of his life was ended. Rest is welcome when the powers of life are failing and the work of life is done.

2. The idea of re-union in another world. We are told of Abraham that “he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God;” and further, that “Isaac and Jacob” were “heirs with Him of the same promise.” (Heb_11:9-10.) Surely Isaac died with the thought of meeting the beloved ones who had gone before, in a better country.

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES

Gen_35:27-29. Three special friends Jacob buries, in this chapter. Crosses come thick; be patient.—(Trapp).

We have no clue to his thoughts but the hopes and aspirations of that common nature which are called forth by trials and circumstances, which we have still in common with those who have gone before us in the generations. But this is a clue which we may surely follow, if we let it lead us onward from a more faithful and earnest discharge of our daily duties, especially of filial and paternal duty, to the day when whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord; when the son who honoured his father and mother, either by paying them all deference and respect, or by supporting them in poverty, or by upholding them in their infirmity, or by paying the last tribute of affection and respect to their remains, shall so also himself receive of the Lord.—(Robertson).

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

35:27-29 Esau and Jacob (listed here in ordinary birth order) came together—probably for the first time since they had reconciled (33:16-17)—to bury Isaac in Hebron (see 13:18; 23:1-2, 17-19).

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

Verse 27. The city of Arbah, (which is Hebron)] See Ge 23:2. It has been conjectured that Jacob must have paid a visit to his father before this time, as previously to this he had been some years in Canaan; but now, as he was approaching to his end, Jacob is supposed to have gone to live with and comfort him in his declining days.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(27) The city of Arbah, which is Hebron.—Better rendered Kirjath-arba in Gen_23:2, where see Note.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. Isaac] The mention of Isaac, after so long an interval, is surprising. But the P narrative carefully records the death and age of each patriarch. According to J, Isaac was living at Beer-sheba, when Jacob left his home (Gen_28:10). According to P, Isaac died 80 years later at Mamre in close proximity to the burial-place of his father. Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah (Gen_25:20); 60 years old at the birth of Esau and Jacob (Gen_25:26); at least 100 years old when Jacob went to Haran (Gen_27:46, cf. Gen_26:34), and, therefore, over 120 when Jacob returned from Haran.

Mamre] Cf. Gen_13:18, Gen_23:19.

Kiriath-arba] Cf. Gen_23:2.

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.

Jacob came; either with his wives, and children, and estate, to dwell with Isaac; or rather in person, to visit his sick and dying father; for otherwise Jacob having been ten years near his father, no doubt he had oft visited him, and carried his wives and children thither, though Scripture be silent in this particular: but they could not live together because of the greatness of their estates, as it happened with others. See Gen 13:6; 36:7.

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

And Jacob came unto Isaac his father, unto Mature (on the probability of Jacob s having previously visited his father, vide ver. 8), unto the city of Arbah (Gen_13:18 Gen_23:2, Gen_23:19; Jos_14:15 Jos_15:13) which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Jacob came unto Isaac his father - We may suppose he had visited him before since his return, for he sore longed after his father's house, but never 'till now brought his family to settle with him, or near him. Probably he did this now upon the death of Rebekah, by which Isaac was left solitary.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Jacob's arrival in "Mamre Kirjath-Arbah," i.e., in the terebinth-grove of Mamre (Gen 13:18) by Kirjath-Arbah or Hebron (vid., Gen 23:2), constituted his entrance into his father's house, to remain there as Isaac's heir. He had probably visited his father during the ten years that had elapsed since his return from Mesopotamia, though no allusion is made to this, since such visits would have no importance, either in themselves or their consequences, in connection with the sacred history. This was not the case, however, with his return to enter upon the family inheritance. With this, therefore, the history of Isaac's life is brought to a close. Isaac died at the age of 180, and was buried by his two sons in the cave of Machpelah (Gen 49:31), Abraham's family grave, Esau having come from Seir to Hebron to attend the funeral of his father. But Isaac's death did not actually take place for 12 years after Jacob's return to Hebron. For as Joseph was 17 years old when he was sold by his brethren (Gen 37:2), and Jacob was then living at Hebron (Gen 37:14), it cannot have been more than 31 years after his flight from Esau when Jacob returned home (cf. Gen 34:1). Now since, according to our calculation at Gen 27:1, he was 77 years old when he fled, he must have been 108 when he returned home; and Isaac would only have reached his 168th year, as he was 60 years old when Jacob was born (Gen 25:26). Consequently Isaac lived to witness the grief of Jacob at the loss of Joseph, and died but a short time before his promotion in Egypt, which occurred 13 years after he was sold (Gen 41:46), and only 10 years before Jacob's removal with his family to Egypt, as Jacob was 130 years old when he was presented to Pharaoh (Gen 47:9). But the historical significance of his life was at an end, when Jacob returned home with his twelve sons.

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.)

ממרא MAMRE — the name of the plain.

קרית הארבע KIRIATH-ARBA— the name of the city.

ממרא קרית הארבע therefore means “to the plain of Kiriath-arba”. If you say that it should have written ממרא הקרית ארבע (that Kirjath-arba being one name the definite article should be placed in front of it) then I reply that this is the rule in Biblical Hebrew: in every case of a name compounded of two words, such as this, and such as בית לחם and אבי עזר and בית אל, when it is necessary to prefix the definite article (in order to determine the name) it is prefixed to the second element of the name — thus (1 Samuel 16:1)בית הלחמי the Bethlehemite; (Judges 6:24) “in Ophrah (אבי העזרי) of the Abiezrites”; (1 Kings 16:34) “did Hiel the Bethelite (בית האלי) build”.

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.

Where Avraham and Yitzchok lived. Righteous forebears stand a person in good stead among his neighbors.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ויבא..קרית הארבע, we explained the meaning of this on 23,2. The reason for the definitive article in front of the word ארבע, i.e. הארבע, something strange seeing that it refers to the name of a human being, is justified as the name itself is symbolic, i.e. is in reality an attribute, describing the “foursome,” the father and his three sons, all of whom giants.

אשר גר שם אברהם ויצחק, this is mentioned seeing that now Yaakov also sojourned there. It teaches that it is appropriate for a person to be buried in the town where his ancestors had lived as it is a sign of honour for his ancestors who were also buried there. Nechemyah speaks repeatedly of “the city where my fathers have been buried;” he attributed the significance to the fact that several generations of his ancestors had been buried in the same place. (Nechemyah 2,3 and 2,5)

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.