And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.
Ver. 22. Reuben went and lay with Bilhah.] A foul fault, in so good a family: but so it sometimes falls out, by the malice of Satan, for the discrediting of religion. Such ugly incest was committed at Corinth, as was hardly a "heard of among heathen, that a man should have his father's wife." 1Co 5:1 Some such there were among the kings of Egypt; but not many. Ethelbald, king of West Saxons, with great infamy marrying his father's widow Judith, enjoyed his kingdom but two years and a half. b But how hateful is that Spanish incest, by Papal dispensation! King Philip of Spain might call the Archduke Albert, both brother, cousin, nephew, and son: for all this was he unto him, either by blood or affinity; being uncle to himself, first cousin to his father, husband to his sister, and father to his wife. c Abhorred filth!
And Israel heard it.] And held his peace, because he saw God in it, chastising him for his polygamy. The punishment is sometimes so like the sin, that a man may boldly say, Such a sin was the mother of such a misery. And here is a pause in the Hebrew, to show Jacob's great amazement at this sad tidings. Dolores ingentes stupent. He was even "dumb, and opened not his mouth, because God was in it." Psa 39:9
a Seleucus, Syriae rex, tradidit filio Antiocho novercam Stratonicen, cuius amore ille decumbebat. - Appian, in Syriacis.
b Dan., Chron., p. 12.
c Sandys's Relation of West. Religion.