And Jacob riseth early in the morning, and taketh the stone which he hath made his pillows, and maketh it a standing pillar, and poureth oil upon its top,Genesis 28:18 Additional Translations
Clarke's Commentary on the BibleAnd Jacob - took the stone - and set it up for a pillar - He placed the stone in an erect posture, that it might stand as a monument of the extraordinary vision which he had in this place; and he poured oil upon it, thereby consecrating it to God, so that it might be considered an altar on which libations might be poured, and sacrifices offered unto God. See Genesis 35:14.
The Brahmins anoint their stone images with oil before bathing; and some anoint them with sweet-scented oil. This is a practice which arises more from the customs of the Hindoos than from their idolatry. Anointing persons as an act of homage has been transferred to their idols.
There is a foolish tradition that the stone set up by Jacob was afterwards brought to Jerusalem, from which, after a long lapse of time, it was brought to Spain, from Spain to Ireland, from Ireland to Scotland, and on it the kings of Scotland sat to be crowned; and concerning which the following leonine verses were made: -
Ni fallat fatum, - Scoti quocunque locatum
Invenient lapidem, - regnare tenentur ibidem.
Or fate is blind - or Scots shall find
Where'er this stone - the royal throne.
Camden's Perthshire.
Edward I. had it brought to Westminster; and there this stone, called Jacob's pillar, and Jacob's pillow, is now placed under the chair on which the king sits when crowned! It would be as ridiculous to attempt to disprove the truth of this tradition, as to prove that the stone under the old chair in Westminster was the identical stone which served the patriarch for a bolster.
And poured oil upon the top of it - Stones, images, and altars, dedicated to Divine worship, were always anointed with oil. This appears to have been considered as a consecration of them to the object of the worship, and a means of inducing the god or goddess to take up their residence there, and answer the petitions of their votaries. Anointing stones, images, etc., is used in idolatrous countries to the present day, and the whole idol is generally smeared over with oil. Sometimes, besides the anointing, a crown or garland was placed on the stone or altar to honor the divinity, who was supposed, in consequence of the anointing, to have set up his residence in that place. It appears to have been on this ground that the seats of polished stone, on which the kings sat in the front of their palaces to administer justice, were anointed, merely to invite the deity to reside there, that true judgment might be given, and a righteous sentence always be pronounced. Of this we have an instance in Homer, Odyss. lib. v., ver. 406-410: -
Εκ δ' ελθων, κατ' αρ' ἑζετ' επι ξεστοισι λιθοσιν,
Οἱ οἱ εσαν προπαροιθε θυραων ὑψηλαων,
Δευκοι, αποστιλβοντες αλειφατος· οἱς επι μεν πριν
Νηλευς ἱζεσκεν, θεοφιν μηστωρ αταλαντος.
continued...
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
rose up.
Genesis 22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son...
Psalm 119:60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep your commandments.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave...
and took. The practice of setting up stones as a memorial by travellers still exists in Persia, and other parts of the East.
set it.
Genesis 31:13,45 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar, and where you vowed a vow to me: now arise, get you out from this land...
Genesis 35:14,20 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon...
Joshua 24:26,27 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak...
1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying...
2 Samuel 18:18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said...
Isaiah 19:19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.
poured.
Leviticus 8:10-12 And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them...
Numbers 7:1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it...
Genesis 28:18 Parallel Commentaries
Early Head Jacob Maketh Morning Oil Pillar Pillow Pillows Placed Poured Poureth Riseth Rose Standing Stone TopEarly Head Jacob Maketh Morning Oil Pillar Pillow Pillows Placed Poured Poureth Riseth Rose Standing Stone TopTHE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica®.Genesis 28:18 Mobile Bible
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