Genesis — Chapter 25
These annotations are from the original 1609 Douay Old Testament, the first complete English Catholic Bible translation, produced by English scholars in exile at the English College of Douai. The archaic spelling is preserved.
This content was digitized from the original 1609 Douay (Old Testament) and 1582 Rheims (New Testament) print editions by OCR. The OCR process sometimes confused print page numbers with verse numbers, and may have assigned annotations to the wrong chapter. Chapter and verse labels on this page reflect the OCR output from the original print pagination and may not correspond to canonical Scripture chapter/verse numbers. For canonical reference, consult a standard Douay-Rheims edition. The annotation texts themselves are authentic 1609/1582 Douay-Rheims content.
Verse 6
S. Augustin sheweth that both Agar and Cetura, being Abrahams lawful wiues (for so they are called in holie Scripture) are also called concubines, because they had not like priuiledges to Sara, whose sonne was sole heyre to his father, and the children of the others had only guifts (or moueable goods) not attayning to the promised Kingdom. And al this for mysterie sake. For Ismael signified the carnal people before Christ, the children of Cetura prefigured Heretikes, who suppose themselues to pertaine to the new Testament, but are separated no lesse then the Iewes from Christs Kingdom. And albeit there was also an other particular reason why Agar was called concubine, because she was a second wife the first then liuing, yet this learned father faith, he did not see why Cetura, being maried after the death of Sara, should be called concubine, but only for this Mysterie.
Verse 21
Notwithstanding Gods assured promise, that Isaac should haue issue (Gen. 21. v. 12.) yet he prayeth instantly for the same. And Moyses here attributeth Rebeccas conceiuing to Isaacs prayer. Wherby we see that Gods foreseeing, predestinating, and promising, exclude not, but indeed include secondarie causes, and ordinarie meanes, by which his eternal wil and pleasure is fulfilled.
Verse 23
The elder shal serue the yonger.] As before (c. 17. v. 21. and c. 21. v. 12.) the couenant and great promises made to Abrahams seed, are declared to pertaine only to Isaac, and not to Ismael, nor to the other brothers; so the same belong not to Esau the elder, but only to Iacob the yonger sonne of Isaac, the Holie Ghost saying, The elder shal serue the yonger. And withal signifieth (faith S. Augustin) that the elder people of the Iewes shal serue the yonger Christian people. An other great document of grace S. Paul gathereth vpon this Mysterie: that the twinnes being not yet borne, nor hauing done any thing good or euil, without anie good merits the yonger is elected, the elder reprobate. For doubtles (faith S. Augustin) touching original sinne they were both equal, and concerning proper sinne, neither of them had anie at al. By which example he sheweth Gods mere mercie in the elect, and iustice in the reprobate.
Verse 31
] Tacob inftru&ed by his mother,that God had chofen him in place of his brother Efau (for to her God had reuealed that the elder should ferue the yonger ) did lawfully vfe this oportunitie to get Efaus grant of the right pertaining to the firft-borne , but Efau in felling it finned , shewing himfclfe an intemperate prophane man Heb, 12.