Homilies on Genesis 46–67

Homily 53

HOMILY 53 "Now, Esau was forty years old when he took as his wifeJudith, daughter ofBeel the Chettite, and Basemath, daughter ofElom the Evite. They were at odds with Isaac and Rebecca."l OME NOW, [4631 today we will take up the sequel to what was said yesterday, if you don't mind, and expound each phrase ih the text to the extent of our ability so that we may gain some [464] benefit from it and thus go off home. So let us look at the beginning of what was read.2 "Now, Esau was forty years old when he took as his wife Judith, daughter ofBeel the Chettite, and Basemath, daughter ofElom the Evite. They were at odds with Isaac and Rebecca:' See how much can be learnt from these few words. I mean, why did it indicate to us Esau's age? Not idly, but for us to learn from it Isaac's advanced years and the fact that he was now well beyond his prime. You see, if we recall what was said before, that at the time he married Rebecca he was in fact forty years old, whereas when the children were born he was sixty, we will realize that now at a hundred he had reached the height of old age. Since, in fact, it is next about to recount to us that because of his age he had poor eyesight, accordingly it indicates his age to us so that we might be in a position to know precisely Isaac's time of life. So, it said, "Now, Esau was forty." (2) Then for us to learn the boy's indiscretion in taking brides from races he should not have, it revealed to us that one was from the race of the Chettites, the other from the Evites. Yet 1. Gen 26.34-35. 2. It seems the text that Chrysostom comments on in these homilies was first read aloud to the congregation before the preacher began "teasing out", "opening up" each phrase, in his habitual manner. Hence that frequent particle introducing successive verses, "the text says, remember:' See Introduction 12. 79 80 ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM knowing as he did the pains taken by the patriarch in giving express orders to his servant to select a bride for Isaac from his own tribe and the fact that their mother Rebecca came from Charran, he should not have set his mind on any such thing. In order, however, to show from the outset the undisciplined character of his behavior, he took those wives before seeking advice. And for us to learn their intractable nature, Scripture says, "They were at odds with Isaac and Rebecca:' What could be more galling than this antipathy when they were due to show complete respect and not only did not do this but were even prepared for hostility? (3) It is not idly, however, that the narrative tells us all this but for the purpose of your learning later, when you see Rebecca showing great favor to Jacob, that the action was not taken without good reason. But for the time being let us turn to the text itself, lest we get ahead of ourselves. "Now, after Isaac had grown old and his eyesight faded" - he could no longer see because of his old age, it is saying, note-"he summoned his elder son Esau and said to him, 'My son, I have grown old and there is no knowing the day of my death. So now get your belongings, your quiver and bow, and go out into the open country and catch me some game; make me the food I like, and bring it to me to eat so that my spirit may bless you before I die:"3 Notice in this, dearly beloved, God's ineffable wisdom: whereas the father gave evidence of natural affection by giving these directions to Esau, the wise and resourceful Lord caused his own prediction to be brought to pass by means of Rebecca, thus teaching us the power of virtue and mildness of manner. I mean, one son considered himself to hold pride of place by birthright and by his father's preference for him, and yet was suddenly found to be bereft of all this; the other son, on the contrary, being endowed with homely virtues and enjoying the help of favor from above, won his father's [465] blessing against his will. Nothing is more powerful than the person helped...