Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 35:8
But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth.
8. Deborah ] The mention of Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, is surprising. She is mentioned, though not by name, in Gen 24:59. Probably her name was well known in other Israelite traditions which have not survived. If we relied on the chronology of P, we should have to call attention to the fact that, according to its statements (Gen 25:20, Gen 35:28), Deborah had left Haran with Rebekah 140 years before.
below Beth-el ] On lower ground, probably to the south; cf. 1Sa 7:11, “under Beth-car”; 1Ki 4:12, “beneath Jezreel.”
Allon-bacuth ] That is, the oak of weeping. It is a coincidence, but nothing more, that Deborah, the prophetess, dwelt between Ramah and Bethel, under a palm tree, Jdg 4:5. Is this the “oak of Tabor” (1Sa 10:3)?
9 15 (P). This passage contains the account of (1) an appearance of God to Jacob, (2) the change of his name to Israel, and (3) the renewal of the Divine promises granted at Bethel. All this is parallel to the narrative in Gen 28:10-22; it presents P’s explanation of the names Israel and Bethel, both of which have already been accounted for in J and E.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 35:8
Deborah, Rebekahs nurse, died
Lessons
1.
Sad providences in the loss of dearest friends may befall the saints when they are in duty with God.
2. Parents friends should be dear unto, and accepted with their children also, especially gracious ones (Pro 27:10).
3. Death and burial are the events of providence unto the holiest and the oldest and dearest friends.
4. Burial places are of natural and not religious consideration, any fit place pointed out by providence.
5. Old gracious friends, as they live desired, so they die lamented.
6. Lamentations for good old friends, deceased, is a duty beseeming Gods church, yet not without hope.
7. Saints mourn for the loss of friends for goodness sake, not for gain. Jacob had no gain by Deborah.
8. Monuments of said providences, and lamentations over them, are not unbeseeming saints to make. (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Death of Deborah
But, continues the narrative, but Deborah, Rebekahs nurse, died; that is, although Jacob and his house were now living in the fear of God, that did not exempt them from the ordinary distresses of family life. And among these, one that falls on us with a chastening and mild sadness all its own, occurs when there passes from the family one of its oldest members, and one who has by the delicate tact of love gained influence over all, and has by the common consent become the arbiter and mediator, the confident and counsellor of the family. They, indeed, are the true salt of the earth whose own peace is so deep and abiding, and whose purity is so thorough and energetic, that into their ear we can disburden the troubled heart or the guilty conscience, as the wildest brook disturbs not and the most polluted fouls not the settled depths of the all-cleansing ocean. Such must Deborah have been, for the oak under which she was buried was afterwards known as the oak of weeping. Specially must Jacob himself have mourned the death of her whose face was the oldest in his remembrance, and with whom his mother and his happy early days were associated. Very dear to Jacob, as to most men, were those who had been connected with and could tell him of his parents, and remind him of his early years. Deborah, by treating him still as a little boy, perhaps the only one who now called him by the pet name of childhood, gave him the pleasantest relief from the cares of manhood and the obsequious deportment of the other members of his household towards him. So that when she went a great blank was made to him: no longer was the wise and happy old face seen in her tent door to greet him of an evening; no longer could he take refuge in the peacefulness of her old age from the troubles of his lot; she being gone, a whole generation was gone, and a new stage of life was entered on. (M. Dods, D. D.)
Rebekah and her nurse; or, friendly counsels to employers and employed
Here is a servant remaining in the same family through four generations, leaving Labans house with Rebekah, when a young bride, going with her into a distant country, living and serving in that family till one after another are conveyed to the grave. First, the elements of character in servants; second, the elements of character in the employer that would help to form and lead to the appreciation and honour of such a character in the employed.
I. I will begin by detailing SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER IN SERVANTS.
1. There must be in the servant a sense of responsibility to God.
2. Then you have another characteristic, that of willingly and cheerfully doing her work.
3. Then servants must be truthful.
4. Then faithfulness–just let us look at this. Faithfulness is to action what truthfulness is to word.
5. Faithfulness also implies frugality.
6. Then with regard to the influence on little children; as, you know, nursery rhymes and nursery talk cling to the child, when it has forgotten things that he had acquired in maturer life.
7. Then another thing is obedience.
II. Now, a few remarks in regard to THE CHARACTER OF EMPLOYERS.
1. He too must have the fear of God in his heart, as the ground of all his obligations, not only to God, but to his fellow-creatures.
2. Then there must be justice done by the employer to the employed.
3. In the next place, there must be order on the part of the employer.
4. Then next there must be right example before the servants on the part of the master and mistress.
5. Benevolence should be another part of the masters character. Finally, I would direct the employer and employed to that world where the faithful servant of God will receive an inheritance that will never pass away, and a crown that will never perish, and where both masters and servants, who have followed the Lord in their lives, will become priests and kings unto God for ever. (T. Thomas.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. But Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died] She was sent with Rebekah when taken by Abraham’s servant to be wife to Isaac, Ge 24:59. How she came to be in Jacob’s family, expositors are greatly puzzled to find out; but the text does not state that she was in Jacob’s family. Her death is mentioned merely because Jacob and his family had now arrived at the place where she was buried, and the name of that place was called Allon-bachuth, “the oak of weeping,” as it is likely her death had been greatly regretted, and a general and extraordinary mourning had taken place on the occasion. Of Rebekah’s death we know nothing. After her counsel to her son, Ge 27:5-17; Ge 27:42-46, we hear no more of her history from the sacred writings, except of her burial in Ge 49:31. Her name is written in the dust. And is not this designed as a mark of the disapprobation of God? It seems strange that such an inconsiderable person as a nurse should be mentioned, when even the person she brought up is passed by unnoticed! It has been observed that the nurse of AEneas is mentioned nearly in the same way by the poet Virgil; and in the circumstances, in both cases, there is a striking resemblance.
“Tu quoque littoribus nostris, AEneia nutrix,
AEternam moriens famam, Caleta, dedisti:
Eet nunc servat honos sedem tunus; ossaque nomen,
Hesperia in magna, (si qua est en gloria,) signat.
At pius exequils AEneas rite solutis,
Aggere composito tumuli, postquam alta quierunt
AEquora, tendit iter veils, portumque relinqult.”
AEn., lib. vii., ver. 1, c.
“Thou too, Cajeta, whose indulgent cares
Nursed the great chief, and form’d his tender years,
Expiring here (an ever-honour’d name!)
Adorn Hesperia with immortal fame:
Thy name survives, to please thy pensive ghost
Thy sacred relics grace the Latian coast.
Soon as her funeral rites the prince had paid,
And raised a tomb in honour of the dead;
The sea subsiding, and the tempests o’er,
He spreads the flying sails, and leaves the shore.”
PITT.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
She came with Rebekah into Canaan, Gen 24:59, and probably tarried with her whilst she lived, and after her death, as it seems; and, upon Jacobs desire, after his return from Haran, came into his family; where, being a person of great prudence and piety, her presence and advice was very useful in his numerous and divided family.
Allon-bachuth, from the great lamentation which they made there for the loss of a person of such singular worth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse,diedThis event seems to have taken place before thesolemnities were commenced. Deborah (Hebrew, a “bee”),supposing her to have been fifty years on coming to Canaan, hadattained the great age of a hundred eighty. When she was removed fromIsaac’s household to Jacob’s, is unknown. But it probably was on hisreturn from Mesopotamia; and she would have been of invaluableservice to his young family. Old nurses, like her, were not onlyhonored, but loved as mothers; and, accordingly, her death was theoccasion of great lamentation. She was buried under theoakhence called “the terebinth of tears” (compare 1Ki13:14). God was pleased to make a new appearance to him after thesolemn rites of devotion were over. By this manifestation of Hispresence, God testified His acceptance of Jacob’s sacrifice andrenewed the promise of the blessings guaranteed to Abraham and Isaac[Gen 35:11; Gen 35:12];and the patriarch observed the ceremony with which he had formerlyconsecrated the place, comprising a sacramental cup, along with theoil that he poured on the pillar, and reimposing the memorable name[Ge 35:14]. The whole scene wasin accordance with the character of the patriarchal dispensation, inwhich the great truths of religion were exhibited to the senses, and”the world’s grey fathers” taught in a manner suited to theweakness of an infantile condition.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died,…. That is, when, and quickly after they were come to Bethel; a nurse of Rebekah’s came with her to Canaan, when she married Isaac, and is generally thought to be this Deborah, which is not improbable, Ge 24:59, though she might have more nurses than one, as great personages sometimes have, and then it will not be so difficult to answer the objection made here; that Rebekah’s nurse, whom Jacob is supposed to leave in Canaan when he went to Padanaram, should now be in his family when he returned from hence; since the reply would be, that that nurse and this Deborah were not the same; but supposing them to be the same, which is most likely, this is accounted for several ways: according to Jarchi, who had it from an ancient writer of theirs u, Rebekah sent her to fetch Jacob home, according to her promise, Ge 27:45; but it is not very probable that she should send a woman, and one so ancient, on such an errand: rather, this nurse of hers, after she had accompanied her to Canaan, and stayed awhile with her there, returned to Haran again, and being very useful in Jacob’s large family, and having a great respect for them, returned again with them, and which she might choose in hopes of seeing Rebekah once more, whom she had a strong affection for; or, when Jacob was come into the land of Canaan to Shechem, he might send for her from Hebron to be assisting in his family; or going to visit his parents, which he might do before he went with his whole family to them, might bring her with him to Shechem, who travelling with him to Bethel died there: her name signifies a bee, as Josephus w observes:
and she was buried beneath Bethel; at the bottom of the hill or mountain on which Bethel stood:
under an oak; of which there were many about Bethel, 1Ki 13:14 2Ki 2:23; and it was not unusual to bury the dead under trees, see
1Sa 31:13;
and the name of it was called Allonbachuth; the oak of weeping, because of the weeping and mourning of Jacob’s family at her death, she being a good woman, an ancient servant, and in great esteem with them. The Jews have a tradition that the occasion of this weeping, or at least of the increase of it, was, that Jacob at this time had the news of the death of Rebekah his mother; so the Targum of Jonathan,
“there tidings were brought to Jacob of the death of Rebekah his mother, and he called the name of it another weeping;”
and so Jarchi.
u R. Moses Hadarsan. w Antiqu. l. 5. c. 5. sect. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
There Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and was buried below Bethel under an oak, which was henceforth called the “oak of weeping,” a mourning oak, from the grief of Jacob’s house on account of her death. Deborah had either been sent by Rebekah to take care of her daughters-in-law and grandsons, or had gone of her own accord into Jacob’s household after the death of her mistress. The mourning at her death, and the perpetuation of her memory, are proofs that she must have been a faithful and highly esteemed servant in Jacob’s house.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
8. But Deborah, Rebecca’s nurse, died. Here is inserted a short narration of the death of Deborah, whom we may conclude to have been a holy matron, and whom the family of Jacob venerated as a mother; for the name given in perpetuity to the place, testifies that she was buried with peculiar honor, and with no common mourning. Shortly afterwards the death and burial of Rachel are to be recorded: yet Moses does not say that any sign of mourning for Deborah was transmitted to posterity; (124) therefore it is probable that she was held by all in the place of a grandmother: But it may be asked, how she then happened to be in Jacob’s company, seeing that he had not yet come to his father; and the age of a decrepit old woman rendered her unfit for so long a journey. (125) Some interpreters imagine that she had been sent by Rebecca to meet her son Jacob; but I do not see what probability there is in the conjecture; nor yet have I anything certain to affirm, except that, perhaps, she had loved Jacob from a boy, because she had nursed him; and when she knew the cause of his exile, she followed him from her regard for religion. Certainly Moses does not in vain celebrate her death with an eulogy so remarkable.
(124) The meaning, perhaps, is, that no monumental pillar was raised to Deborah, as was done to Rachel; the probable reason given for the fact, namely, that she was regarded as a grandmother, does not seem very intelligible. — Ed.
(125) It appears, from a calculation of the ages of Rebekah, of Jacob, and of Rachel, that Deborah must, at this time, have lived far beyond the common term of human life. “Jacob was then about one hundred and seven years of age. Isaac had been sixty years old when Jacob was born; he married Rebekah when he was at the age of forty, and she could not be less than twenty at the time of her marriage; it will follow that she bore twins in, or after, the fortieth year of her age. If these forty years be added to the one hundred and seven of Jacob’s life, this will make one hundred and forty-seven. Supposing Deborah to have been twenty-five when she was given as a nurse to Rebekah, she could not now be less than one hundred and seventy years old” — See Rivetus, p. 701. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) Deborah.As she was at Hebron with Rebekah when Jacob journeyed to Haran, he must have somehow gone thither before this, have seen his father, and told him of his fortunes. Apparently Rebekah was then dead, and Jacob brought back Deborah with him. (See Note on Gen. 33:18.) How dear she was to them is shown by their calling the tree under which she was buried the oak of weeping. This oak was beneath Beth-el, that is, in the valley below it. Deborah must have died at a great age, for she gave Rebekah suck, and must therefore have been grown up at her birth. Now Jacob, when he returned from Padan-aram, was ninety-seven years of age; and as he was born twenty years after his mothers marriageif we allow the shortest possible space for the interval spent at Succoth and ShechemDeborah must have been nearly one hundred and sixty years of age. This again confirms the conclusion that Dinahs dishonour occurred very soon after the arrival of Jacob at Shechem. (See Note on Gen. 34:1.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Deborah Here suddenly comes the mention of the death of Rebekah’s nurse, without any notice of how she came to be with Jacob, or any apparent reason for its being mentioned in this connexion . Evidently the sacred writers have not attempted to tell us every thing, and the criticism which raises quibbles and difficulties over such stray notices of names as this is unworthy of serious regard . A very natural and probable supposition is that of Lange, that Rebekah was now dead, and after her death, Deborah came to dwell with Jacob . The death of Rebekah is nowhere recorded, but Jacob mentions her burial in Machpelah . Gen 49:31. Perhaps Jacob had gone to his mother’s burial from Shechem, and brought Rebekah home with him; or perhaps Rebekah’s death occurred while Jacob was still with Laban, and the loving mother, who was never able to fulfil the promise of Gen 27:45, desired that after her death the faithful and honoured nurse should go and dwell with Jacob.
Allon-bachuth Which means oak of weeping. The special mention of Deborah’s death and burial at this time and place, and the name given to her grave, show with what honour and affection she was regarded. She had gone forth in youth with her beautiful mistress, on her bridal journey, (Genesis 34:59,) nearly one hundred and forty years before.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak, and the name of it was called Allon-Bacuth.’
The ceremony was marred by a sad event, the death of Rebekah’s nurse. It is probable that Rebekah had sent her nurse to keep a motherly eye on Jacob on his flight to Paddan-aram as she could not do so herself. Thus she had been with him many years. It was the end of an era. (Alternately Rebekah may have come with her nurse to see Jacob on his return to Canaan). She had watched over Jacob these many years and now he has returned to Bethel her work is done She has done what God required. The writer probably saw it as the final evidence of the end of the past and a new beginning.
It may be that the death of such a faithful retainer at such a time was seen as somehow a fitting offering to God for she was buried under an oak tree ‘below Bethel’. The place was thus called Allon-Bacuth – ‘the oak of weeping’, an indication of the sorrow that accompanied her departure. Possibly it became for the people a place where they could weep when they were enduring sorrow.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 35:8. Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse See ch. Gen 24:59. This incident is mentioned to give the reason of the name of the place, which was afterwards celebrated, Allon-bachuth, the oak of mourning. It has been supposed, that Rebekah was now dead, and that Deborah had joined herself to Jacob’s family, where there were several of her countrywomen. The prince of heathen poets gives us a beautiful account of the death, &c. of AEneas’s nurse, AEneid. 7: Gen 24:1. The frequent allusion in this history to the oak, is remarkable. See note on ch. Gen 12:6.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 24:59 . Faithful, long-tried servants are humble friends, and should be treated with affection and tenderness. Jacob’s example here is worthy imitation. Col 4:1 . Allon-bachuth, that is, the Oak of Weeping. This shows that a grateful tribute was paid to Deborah’s memory.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 35:8 But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth.
Ver. 8. But Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died.] A grave matron she was; of great use while she lived, and much missed when she died. This is not every man’s case. Some have their souls, as swine, for no other use, than, as salt, to keep their bodies from putrefaction. a And when they die, they are no more missed than the sweepings of the house, or parings of the nails.
a Suillo pecori anima pro sale.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Deborah Rebekah’s nurse. We hear no more of Rebekah from the time Jacob left home (Gen 27:45), not even of her death! Deborah may have come with a message, or she may, on Rebekah’s death, have joined his household.
Allon-bachuth. Hebrew The oak of weeping.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rebekah’s: Gen 24:59
under an oak: 1Sa 31:13
Allonbachuth: i.e. the oak of weeping, Jdg 2:1, Jdg 2:5
Reciprocal: Jos 24:26 – under Jdg 4:5 – the palm 1Ch 10:12 – the oak Luk 7:2 – who
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 35:8. Deborah, Rebekahs nurse, died It appears, on computation, that this event took place not less than a hundred and twenty-five years after Rebekahs marriage with Isaac. No doubt Rebekah was now dead, and this old nurse, who had come with her into Canaan, (Gen 24:59,) and had tarried with her while she lived, was, after her death, taken into Jacobs family, in which, as she was a person of great prudence and piety, her presence and advice must have been very useful. Hence her death is recorded in Jacobs history, rather than in Isaacs. Now, while they were at Beth-el, she died, and died so much lamented, that the oak, under which she was buried was called Allon-bachuth, the oak of weeping.