In the womb he supplanted his brother, and in his struggles he strove against God. He strove against an angel, and got the better of him (vv. 3–4). He helpfully lists the achievements of Jacob by way of refuting those who opt to think and do differently from them. His constant procedure, you see, is to rebut depravity by setting the good in opposition, and by contrasting it with what is commendable he is fond of criticising what is not. The fact that Jacob was gifted from infancy itself, (244) or
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