V. 17.— For ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Esau was very desirous of inheriting the blessing. He carefully obeyed when commanded by his father to procure him savoury food; and when, in his absence, Jacob had been blessed, Esau in vain besought his father with tears to bestow it upon him. It could not be; the blessing was irreversibly bestowed; he found no place of repentance. Some understand repentance in his father, leading him to revoke the blessing; but it rather appears to refer to himself. His sorrow was unavailing. It was not godly sorrow. He was disappointed; his pride was hurt at being overreached. His repentance did him no good; it was of no advantage to him. His history is a warning to all who mind the things which are seen and temporal, rather than those which are unseen and eternal. The same truth is inculcated in the parable of the ten virgins. Five were excluded; they besought that the door might be opened; but it was too late. The door was shut.