Chapter XXXI.—Let Us See by What Means We May Obtain the Divine Blessing.

Let us cleave then to His blessing, and consider what are the means152    Literally, “what are the ways of His blessing.” of possessing it.  Let us think153    Literally, “unroll.” over the things which have taken place from the beginning.  For what reason was our father Abraham blessed?  Was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith?  Isaac,154    Comp. James ii. 21. with perfect confidence, as if knowing what was to happen,155    Some translate, “knowing what was to come.” cheerfully yielded himself as a sacrifice.156    Gen. xxii. 6–10.  Jacob, through reason157    So Jacobson:  Wotton reads, “fleeing from his brother.” of his brother, went forth with humility from his own land, and came to Laban and served him; and there was given to him the sceptre of the twelve tribes of Israel.

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΛΑ’. Κολληθῶμεν οὖν τῇ εὐλογίᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἴδωμεν, τίνες αἱ ὁδοὶ τῆς εὐλογίας. Ἀνατυλίξωμεν τὰ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς γενόμενα. Τίνος χάριν ηὐλογήθη ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ, οὐχὶ δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἀλήθειαν διὰ πίστεως ποιήσας; Ἰσαὰκ μετὰ πεποιθήσεως γινώσκων τὸ μέλλον ἡδέως προσήγετο θυσία. Ἰακὼβ μετὰ ταπεινοφροσύνης ἐξεχώρησεν τῆς γῆς αὐτοῦ δι' ἀδελφὸν καὶ ἐπορεύθη πρὸς Λαβὰν καὶ ἐδούλευσεν, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ τὸ δωδεκάσκηπτρον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.