Genesis 35:28

Gen 35:28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

Ver. 29. And Isaac gave up the ghost.] Twelve years after Joseph was sold, and forty years after he first became blind. Three special friends Jacob buries, in this chapter. Crosses come thick: be patient.

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_35:28-29

And the days of Isaac were a hundred and fourscore years.

And Isaac gave up the ghost

The character of Isaac

The lives of Abraham and Jacob are as attractive as the life of Isaac is apparently unattractive. Isaacs character had few salient features. It had no great faults, no striking virtues; it is the quietest, smoothest, most silent character in the Old Testament. It is owing to this that there are so few remarkable events in the life of Isaac, for the remarkableness of events is created by the character that meets them. It seems to be a law that all national, social, and personal life should advance by alternate contractions and expansions. There are few instances where a great father has had a son who equalled him in greatness. The old power more often reappears in Jacob than in Isaac. The spirit of Abrahams energy passed over his son to his sons son. The circumstances that moulded the character of Isaac were these.

1. He was an only son.

2. His parents were both very old. At atmosphere of antique quiet hung about his life.

3. These two old hearts lived for him alone.

I. Take the EXCELLENCES of his character first. His submissive self-surrender on Mount Gerizim, which shadowed forth the perfect sacrifice of Christ.

2. His tender constancy, seen in his mourning for his mother, and in the fact that he alone of the patriarchs represented to the Jewish nation the ideal of true marriage.

3. His piety. It was as natural to him as to a woman to trust and love: not strongly, hut constantly, sincerely. His trust became the habit of his soul. His days were knit each to each by natural piety.

II. Look next at the FAULTS of Isaacs character.

1. He was slow, indifferent, inactive. We find this exemplified in the story of the wells (verse 26:18-22).

2. The same weakness, ending in selfishness, appears in the history of Isaacs lie to Abimelech.

3. He showed his weakness in the division between Jacob and Esau. He took no pains to harmonize them. The curse of favouritism prevailed in his tent.

4. He dropped into a querulous old age, and became a lover of savoury meat. But our last glimpse of him is happy. He saw the sons of Jacob at Hebron, and felt that Gods promise was fulfilled. (S. A. Brooke, M. A.)

The death and burial of Isaac

I. IT WAS THE OCCASION OF FAMILY REUNION.

II. IT WAS A TIME FOR REVIVAL OF MEMORIES OF THE PAST,

III. IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER AND A HIGHER LIFE. (T. H. Leale.)

The death of Isaac

I. THAT HIS DEATH WAS PEACEFUL.

1. Because his spirit was given up to the rightful owner.

2. Because the souls earthly activities had come to an end.

3. Because his souls temporal purposes had been gained.

II. THAT HIS LIFE WAS WELL SPENT.

1. His souls interests had not been neglected.

2. Society had been benefited.

3. God had been served.

III. HE WAS BELOVED AND HONOURED BY HIS FAMILY. This is intimated to us--

1. By his being buried with his people.

2. By his sons attending his funeral. (Homilist.)

Lessons

1. God brings at last His Jacob and Church to their desired place in their pilgrimage.

2. God makes good His word in making Jacob successor to Abraham and Isaac in their sojourning (Gen_35:27).

3. The blessing of long life God grants to His servants, when and where it may be beneficial to His Church (Gen_35:28).

4. Expiration and dissolution are the appointed conditions of saints in order unto glory.

5. Saints in dissolution go out of the world unto their own people.

6. Old age or fulness of days is given here sometimes to Gods saints, i.e., days full of work, as well as many.

7. Nature and grace agree to evince and perform the duty of burial.

8. It is piety to parents deceased so to order their burial and interment that it may be comely and honourable.

9. The death as well as the life of saints God recordeth for His Churchs instruction, and to point out distinct periods (Gen_35:29). (G. Hughes, B. D.)

Esau and Jacob at Isaacs deathbed

The tenderness of these two brothers towards one another and towards their father was probably quickened by remorse when they met at his deathbed. They could not, perhaps, think that they had hastened his end by causing him anxieties which age has not strength to throw off; but they could not miss the reflection that the life now closed and finally sealed up might have been a much brighter life had they acted the part of dutiful, loving sons. Scarcely can one of our number pass from among us without leaving in our minds some self-reproach that we were not more kindly towards him, and that now he was beyond our kindness; that our opportunity for being brotherly towards him is for ever gone. And when we have very manifestly erred in this respect: perhaps there are among all the stings of a guilty conscience few more bitterly piercing than this. Many a son who has stood unmoved by the tears of a living mother--his mother by whom he lives, who has cherished him as her own soul, who has forgiven and forgiven and forgiven him, who has toiled and prayed, and watched for him--though he has hardened himself against her looks of imploring love and turned carelessly from her entreaties and burst through all the fond cords and snares by which she has sought to keep him, has yet broken down before the calm, unsolicitous, resting face of the dead. Hitherto he has not listened to her pleadings, and now she pleads no more. Hitherto she has heard no word of pure love from him, and now she hears no more. Hitherto he has done nothing for her of all that a son may do, and now there is nothing he can do. All the goodness of her life gathers up and stands out at once, and the time for gratitude is past. He sees suddenly, as by the withdrawal of a veil, all that that worn body has passed through for him, and all the goodness these features have expressed, and now they can never light up with joyful acceptance of his love and duty. Such grief as this finds its one alleviation in the knowledge that we may follow those who have gone before us; that we may yet make reparation. (M. Dods, D. D.)

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

Gen 35:28-29. The days of Isaac were a hundred and fourscore years — He lived the longest of all the patriarchs, even five years longer than Abraham. He was a mild and quiet man, and these qualities probably contributed no little to his health and long life. Isaac lived about forty years after he made his will. We shall not die an hour the sooner, but abundantly the better, for our timely setting our heart and house in order. Isaac gave up the ghost and died — Although it appears by computation that he did not die till many years after Joseph was sold into Egypt, and, indeed, not till about the time he was preferred there; yet his death is here recorded that his story might be finished, and the subsequent narrative proceed without interruption. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him — Solemnized his funeral in an amicable manner, being now perfectly united in brotherly affection. This is mentioned to show how wonderfully God had changed Esau’s mind, since he vowed his brother’s murder, upon his father’s death, Gen 27:41. God has many ways of preventing ill men from doing the mischief they intended; he can either tie their hands, or change their hearts.

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

28. And the days of Isaac. The death of Isaac is not related in its proper order, as will soon appear from the connection of the history: but, as we have elsewhere seen, the figure hysteron proteron was familiar to Moses. When it is said, that he died old, and full of days, the meaning is, that, having fulfilled the course of his life, he departed by a mature death; this, therefore, is ascribed to the blessing of God. Nevertheless, I refer these words not merely to the duration of his life, but also to the state of his feelings; implying that Isaac, being satisfied with life, willingly and placidly departed out of the world. For we may see certain decrepit old men, who are not less desirous of life then they were in the flower of their age; and with one foot in the grave, they still have a horror of death. Therefore, though long life is reckoned among the blessings of God; yet it is not enough for men to be able to count up a great number of years; unless they feel that they have lived long, and, being satisfied with the favor of God and with their own age, prepare themselves for their departure. Now, in order that old men may leave their minds formed to this kind of moderation, it behoves them to have a good conscience, to the end, that they may not flee from the presence of God; for an evil conscience pursues and agitates the wicked with terror. Moses adds, that Isaac was buried by his two sons. For since, at that time, the resurrection was not clearly revealed, and its first fruits had not yet appeared, it behoved the holy fathers to be so much the more diligently trained in significant ceremonies, in order that they might correct the impression produced by the semblance of destruction which is presented in death. By the fact that Esau is put first, we are taught again, that the fruit of the paternal benediction was not received by Jacob in this life; for he who was the first-born by right, is still subjected to the other, after his father’s death.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(28) The days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.—As Isaac was sixty when his sons were born, Jacob was one hundred and twenty years of age at his father’s death, and one hundred and thirty when he appeared before Pharaoh (Gen_47:9). Now, as Joseph was seventeen when sold into Egypt (Gen_37:2), and thirty when raised to power (Gen_41:46), and as the seven years of plenty and two of the years of famine had passed before Jacob went down into Egypt, it follows that the cruel deed, whereby he was robbed of his favourite child, was committed about twelve years before the death of Isaac.

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

28. the days of Isaac] Isaac is here credited with a longer life by 5 years than Abraham. Cf. Gen_25:7. Comparing this verse with Gen_25:20, Gen_26:34, Jacob, according to P, was 120 years old at his father’s death; he had left his father at the age of 40; and had resided in Canaan for nearly 60 years. There is no mention of his having visited Isaac again.

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.

28. Hundred and fourscore years — He lived five years more than his father Abraham. Gen_25:7.

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

And the days of Isaac were a hundred and fourscore years. At this time Jacob was 120; but at 130 he stood before Pharaoh in Egypt, at which date Joseph had been 10 years governor. He was therefore 120 when Joseph was promoted at the age of 30, and 107 when Joseph was sold; consequently Isaac was 167 years of age when Joseph was sold, so that he must have survived that event and sympathized with Jacob his son for a period of 13 years.

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

The age and death of Isaac are here recorded, though it appears by computation that he died not 'till many years after Joseph was sold into Egypt, and much about the time that he was preferred there. Isaac, a mild quiet man, lived the longest of all the patriarchs, for he was one hundred and eighty years old: Abraham was but one hundred and seventy-five. Isaac lived about forty years after he had made his will, chap. xxvii, 2. We shall not die an hour the sooner, but abundance the better, for our timely setting of our heart and house in order. Particular notice is taken of the amicable agreement of Esau and Jacob in solemnizing their father's funeral, ver. 29, to shew how God had wonderfully changed Esau's mind, since he vowed his brother's murder, upon his father's death, chap. xxvii, 41. God has many ways of preventing ill men from doing the mischief they in tended; he can either tie their hands, or turn their hearts.

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

one hundred eighty years

"180 years" (See: Numbers)

Isaac breathed his last and died

"Isaac took his last breath and died." The phrases "breathed his last" and "died" mean basically the same thing. See how you translated a similar phrase in Genesis 25:08. AT: "Isaac died" (See: Doublet)

breathed his last

This is a polite way of saying a person died. See how you translated this in Genesis 25:8. (See: Euphemism)

was gathered to his ancestors

This means that after Isaac died, his soul went to the same place as his relatives who died before him. This can be stated in active form. AT: "he joined his family members who had already died" (See: Idiom and Active or Passive)

an old man full of days

The phrases "old man" and "full of days" mean basically the same thing. They emphasize that Isaac lived a very long time. AT: "after he had lived a very long time and was very old" (See: Doublet)

translationWords

Isaac

year

ancestor

Esau

Jacob

bury

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

AND THE DAYS OF ISAAC WERE. There is no strict chronological order in the narrative of the Torah. The sale of Joseph preceded Isaac’s death. This is Rashi’s language. Now I have already written that such is the customary way of Scripture with respect to all generations: it tells of a person and his children and his death and then begins with the account of the next generation even though the generations overlapped.Now it would have been proper for Scripture to present Isaac’s death prior to the experiences of Jacob, just as it did in the case of Abraham and all former generations. But by this delay, Scripture intended to state that Isaac died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, 25:8. — [just as is said of Abraham] — after his blessed son Jacob, the inheritor of his high rank, returned to him, and his sons Esau and Jacob, great men of the world, buried him. It was not necessary for Scripture to mention that they buried him in the cave of Machpelah since it mentioned that Isaac was in the city of Hebron, and where should they bury him if not near the gravesite of his father?

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.