And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that [was] our father's; and of [that] which [was] our father's hath he gotten all this glory.
Ver. l. And he heard the words of Laban's sons.] These were chips off the old block, as they say; as like the father, as if spit out of his mouth. Avarice made them think, as Sejanus did, Quicquid non acquiritur, damnum; a all lost, that fell beside their own lips. As a ship may be overladen with gold and silver, even unto sinking, and yet have compass and sides enough to hold ten times more: so, covetous men, though they have enough to sink them, yet have they never enough to satisfy them.
Hath he gotten all this glory.] That is, All this wealth, which easily gets glory; and goes therefore joined with it. Proverbs 3:16 ; Pro 8:18 This regina pecunia doth all, and hath all here below, saith Solomon. Ecc 10:19 Money beareth the mastery, and is the monarch of this world. None so admired, or so soon admitted, as he that is well heeled. The Chaldee word for money, b signifies to do some great work. It was commonly said in Greece, that not Philip but his money took their cities. c And a certain Grecian coming to Rome, where the honour of a lord was offered unto him, answered -
Oυκ εθελω δομναι, ου θαρ εχω δομεναι .
Allin had a cardinal's hat there bestowed upon him by the Pope: but because his hat had so thin lining - he wanted wealth, I mean, to support his state - he was commonly called, The starveling cardinal; and nobody cared for him. d
a Tacitus.
b אדרכון, from אדר strong, and כון to prepare.
c Oυ Fιλιππος, αλλα το Fιλιππου χρυσιον. - Plut. in Emyl. .
d Manl., loc. com., p. 441.