We had one chapter on Esau and now we're back to Jacob and his family.
Beresheet (Genesis) 37:1-2a"Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. This is the history of Jacob."
Finishing up Jacob's story, moving onward.
Beresheet 37:2b "Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father."
At seventeen, this guy is still telling on his brothers? Really? Dang. I guess he is the second youngest, and that's kinda what they do, but still! You'd think he'd learn by now that that is no way to make friends with your older sibs.
Beresheet 37:3-4 "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him."
Don't you hate it when people play favorites and you're not the favorite? And how does Joseph qualify as the son of Israel's old age? Didn't Rachel die bearing Benjamin? Wouldn't he be the son of his old age? Maybe they were both his favorites, but Benjamin hasn't grown out of the cute munchkin stage yet and therefore, his brothers don't appear to hold a grudge against him yet. On another note, if you have siblings, then you know you probably tease each other and drive each other crazy. Most sets of siblings also love each other, so it all evens out but Joseph's brothers don't, so it doesn't. There's nothing keeping them from being total jerks.
Beresheet 37:5-7 "Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, 'Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.'"
Dreams are often symbolic, and the brothers know it. They don't like it at all. Many of them probably remember the years before Joseph was born, they can't imagine actually bowing down to him. If you're an elder sibling, do you expect respect from your younger sibling(s) or do you expect to elevate them well above your station? Can you see how this would irritate his ten big brothers?
Beresheet 37:8 "And his brothers said to him, 'Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?' So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words."
See what I mean? As far as they're concerned, this simply isn't done. There are major perks to being the first born, not the second-to-last.
Beresheet 37:9 "Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, 'Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.'"
Why? Why tell them this?? They already hate your guts, Joseph! They don't want to hear your dreams! You need to be trying to make things better with them, not telling them your dreams of being elevated above them!
Beresheet 37:10-11 "So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, 'What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?' And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind."
Not even his dad likes the idea of Joseph being elevated so high.
Beresheet 37:12-14 "Then his brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, 'Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.' So he said to him, 'Here I am.' Then he said to him, 'Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.' So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem."
Formerly a thriving city, Shechem is now a field to feed the sheep at. He got in trouble with his brothers once for telling on them, and he's being asked to do it again. I'm not sure how much more he can alienate himself.
Beresheet 37:15-17 "Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, 'What are you seeking?' So he said, 'I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.' And the man said, 'They have departed from here, for I heard them say, "Let us go to Dothan".' So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan."
So... A random guy is wandering around in the field too and knows who and where Joseph's brothers are? That would be mighty peculiar if we didn't know that angels visited earth from time to time in this book.
Beresheet 37:18-20 "Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. Then they said to one another, 'Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, "Some wild beast has devoured him." We shall see what will become of his dreams!"
Really?!? They really truly hate their brother! They would kill their brother, cover it up, and break their father's heart just to be rid of him!
Beresheet 37:21-22 "But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, 'Let us not kill him.' And Reuben said to them, 'Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him." -That he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father."
Thank you Reuben! As an eldest sibling, I would do just about anything to keep my sibs safe, even if I'm mad at them. Reuben seems to have the same idea.
Beresheet 37:23-24 "So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it."
Yeah, I'd stick my baby sister in a well if it meant her life would be saved, but just thinking of who is threatening Joseph's life is terrible.
Beresheet 37:25-28 "And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. So Judah said to his brothers, 'What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.' And his brothers listened. Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt."
So... Why get rid of him when you can get rid of him and make money? Judah, really? Do the last seventeen years of your life with your little brother mean nothing to you? I know little sibs can be annoying, but really??
Beresheet 37:29-30 "Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. And he returned to his brothers and said, 'The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?'"
Ah, so Reuben wasn't in on this. He did want to bring Joseph back home anyway. I imagine he probably just went to get a drink of water from the stream or maybe something for Joseph, came back, and he wasn't there. But hey! He gets two shekels out of the deal, there's a bright side to this, right? Right? No. Not really. A brother is worth way more than two shekels. FYI: A shekel is worth about a third of a dollar. They sold him for a little under $7.00. Though you do have to count for a few thousands years of inflation... Nope, not worth it.
Beresheet 37:31-32 "So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, 'We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not?'"
Dang. They're good at cover-ups, but I imagine Reuben couldn't look his father in the eye for awhile after this.
Beresheet 37:33-35 "And he recognized it and said, 'It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.' Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, 'For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.' Thus his father wept for him."
Jacob's sons literally sent him into a spiraling depression. Also, since when are Jacob's daughters plural? The only one we've heard of is Dinah, though I guess there could be more. There isn't a whole lot of mention for females in the Bible. Unless a woman plays an extremely important part (like Eve being the mother of all mankind), she simply isn't named. Also, do you know what sackcloth is? Think about it. Sack + cloth. When you go to buy rice in those big brown cloth sacks, they're made of burlap. That's some of the itchiest, most uncomfortable cloth that I know of. A wool sweater is itchy too, but it's warm. Burlap is not. Sackcloth isn't made for comfort, it's made to hold stuff.
Beresheet 37:36 "Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard."
That's a long way from home. Let's hope stuff starts to look up soon.
I think this song could sum up Jacob/Israel, Reuben, and especially Joseph right now. "I'm Not Alright" -Sanctus Real
-Kj
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
What Happened to Esau?
Most of this chapter is genealogies, and since I'm trying to keep a teenage/ young adult audience interested, I'll skip straight to the interesting part for you. You can read the rest on your own time if you like, but the names can be tongue-twisters.
Beresheet (Genesis) 36:6-8 "Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom."
He didn't leave Jacob on bad terms, they just had too many livestock. Grass in a field can only feed so many goats before they start running around and eating everything else.
Did you make it through the genealogies? When reading all those funky names, remember that they're not just random conglomerations of letters, they actually have meanings. Our names still have meanings today, aside from the obvious Faith, Hope, Destiny, etc., think of the other names out there...
I'll name myself and a few of my friends and family as an example: Krystal ("Clear" or "Ice"), Kelsey ("Ship Victory"), Bethany ("House of Figs" or "House of Poverty", depending on where you look), Steven ("Crown"), Jordan ("descend" or "flow down"), Howard ("Guardian"), Jennifer ("Fair"), Rachael ("Ewe"), Denah ("Judgement"), Diana ("Heavenly, Divine"), Rick (Short for Frederick, "Peaceful Ruler"), Danielle/Daniel (God is My Judge), Josiah ("Yahuah Supports"), etc.
Sometimes names give away part of the character of a person. For example, my dad's name is Howard, which means "Guardian", and he's the protector of his house. I couldn't ask for a better guardian.
Homework: Where is Edom now?
-Kj
P.S. All name definitions come from this website: www.behindthename.com
Beresheet (Genesis) 36:6-8 "Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom."
He didn't leave Jacob on bad terms, they just had too many livestock. Grass in a field can only feed so many goats before they start running around and eating everything else.
Did you make it through the genealogies? When reading all those funky names, remember that they're not just random conglomerations of letters, they actually have meanings. Our names still have meanings today, aside from the obvious Faith, Hope, Destiny, etc., think of the other names out there...
I'll name myself and a few of my friends and family as an example: Krystal ("Clear" or "Ice"), Kelsey ("Ship Victory"), Bethany ("House of Figs" or "House of Poverty", depending on where you look), Steven ("Crown"), Jordan ("descend" or "flow down"), Howard ("Guardian"), Jennifer ("Fair"), Rachael ("Ewe"), Denah ("Judgement"), Diana ("Heavenly, Divine"), Rick (Short for Frederick, "Peaceful Ruler"), Danielle/Daniel (God is My Judge), Josiah ("Yahuah Supports"), etc.
Sometimes names give away part of the character of a person. For example, my dad's name is Howard, which means "Guardian", and he's the protector of his house. I couldn't ask for a better guardian.
Homework: Where is Edom now?
-Kj
P.S. All name definitions come from this website: www.behindthename.com
A Long Awaited Family Reunion
Today, my dear readers, is the last day of Sukkot, and therefore a high holy day. I would've written on the first day of Sukkot, on Yom Kippur, and on Rosh HaShanah, but I was spending time with my friends and family on those days and didn't have time to post. I'll still be hanging out with my family today, but not friends (we had all had dinner together last night), so I have more time today.
Beresheet (Genesis) 35:1 "Then Elohim said to Jacob, 'Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to Elohim, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.'"
Anyone else remember Bethel? Here's a hint: Jacob slept there with a stone as his pillow on the night he ran away from home. He even changed it's name, it was originally Luz. That was where he dreamed of the angels going up and down a ladder to heaven. In case you're wondering, Bethel is a word composed of two other words (like our prefixes and suffixes in English). Beth means house in Hebrew, and El means God. So Bethel could be roughly translated to mean House of God.
Beresheet 35:2-4 "And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, 'Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to Elohim, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.' So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem."
One question: Why in the world would any of Jacob's camp even have idols at this point? I don't know. Let's hope he hid them where no one else can find them and does not intend to dig them back up. As far as their location, it would appear that they're just now leaving Shechem. Remember Shechem? The place that Simeon and Levi totally destroyed because of what happened to Dinah? You don't? Well read the post before this one (provided you're old enough to handle it) and come back when you're done.
Beresheet 35:5-7 "And they journeyed, and the terror of Elohim was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there Elohim appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother."
It would appear that the citizens of Luz haven't caught on to the name-change yet.
Beresheet 35:8 "Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth."
Allon Bachuth literally means Terebinth of Weeping. Can you imagine? Jacob's sons and daughter have never met Rebekah, so Deborah must've been like a grandmother to them in her place. It is a very, very sad day when a grandma dies.
Beresheet 35:9-15 "Then Elohim appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And Elohim said to him, 'Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel should be your name.' So He called his name Israel. Also Elohim said to him: 'I am Elohim Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.' Then Elohim went up from him in the place where he talked with him. So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. And Jacob called the name of the place where Elohim spoke with him, Bethel.
Jacob's name was changed to Israel a couple of chapters ago. Maybe he hasn't caught on to the name-change yet either. Also, he needs to think of some more names for places. He and Yahuah are creating a personal relationship here. If he names every place where he's spoken to Yahuah "Bethel," then it will be very hard to give any directions in the area. It's a great name for a place, but it will get to be quite confusing if he's drawing a map.
Beresheet 35:16-20 "Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, 'Do not fear; you will have this son also.' And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni, but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day."
In case you're wondering why Jacob/Israel changed the child's name, Ben-Oni means "Son of my Sorrow," while Benjamin means "Son of my right hand." This is another very sad day. If you recall, Rachel was the one and only woman Jacob/Israel originally intended to marry. She was the only one he truly loved. Yes, he still has three wives, and he very well could've grown to love them too, but none of them are the one. On a separate note, when do you think "to this day" refers to? It could be the time it was written in Hebrew, it could be the time it was translated into the KJV back in the 1400s, it could be the time it was translated into the NKJV more recently, or it could be right now. If anyone cares to help me figure this one out, I'd be much obliged. According to Blue Letter Bible (online), they say it a total of 85 times in the entire NKJV Bible.
Beresheet 35:21-22a "Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard about it."
Deborah and Rachel died, and Reuben slept with his... I don't know what to call her, so let's say she's an aunt. Is there no good news?
Beresheet 35:22b-26 "Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah's maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram."
Summing up, I think we already know this, but okay.
Beresheet 35:27-29 "Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Another sad day!! ='(
This is a depressing chapter! Nothing's going right! The chapter before wasn't pretty either. Let's hope things start to look up soon.
Music for the chapter: "After Today" and "Benjamin" by Sanctus Real.
-Kj
Beresheet (Genesis) 35:1 "Then Elohim said to Jacob, 'Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to Elohim, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.'"
Anyone else remember Bethel? Here's a hint: Jacob slept there with a stone as his pillow on the night he ran away from home. He even changed it's name, it was originally Luz. That was where he dreamed of the angels going up and down a ladder to heaven. In case you're wondering, Bethel is a word composed of two other words (like our prefixes and suffixes in English). Beth means house in Hebrew, and El means God. So Bethel could be roughly translated to mean House of God.
Beresheet 35:2-4 "And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, 'Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to Elohim, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.' So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem."
One question: Why in the world would any of Jacob's camp even have idols at this point? I don't know. Let's hope he hid them where no one else can find them and does not intend to dig them back up. As far as their location, it would appear that they're just now leaving Shechem. Remember Shechem? The place that Simeon and Levi totally destroyed because of what happened to Dinah? You don't? Well read the post before this one (provided you're old enough to handle it) and come back when you're done.
Beresheet 35:5-7 "And they journeyed, and the terror of Elohim was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there Elohim appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother."
It would appear that the citizens of Luz haven't caught on to the name-change yet.
Beresheet 35:8 "Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth."
Allon Bachuth literally means Terebinth of Weeping. Can you imagine? Jacob's sons and daughter have never met Rebekah, so Deborah must've been like a grandmother to them in her place. It is a very, very sad day when a grandma dies.
Beresheet 35:9-15 "Then Elohim appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And Elohim said to him, 'Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel should be your name.' So He called his name Israel. Also Elohim said to him: 'I am Elohim Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.' Then Elohim went up from him in the place where he talked with him. So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. And Jacob called the name of the place where Elohim spoke with him, Bethel.
Jacob's name was changed to Israel a couple of chapters ago. Maybe he hasn't caught on to the name-change yet either. Also, he needs to think of some more names for places. He and Yahuah are creating a personal relationship here. If he names every place where he's spoken to Yahuah "Bethel," then it will be very hard to give any directions in the area. It's a great name for a place, but it will get to be quite confusing if he's drawing a map.
Beresheet 35:16-20 "Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, 'Do not fear; you will have this son also.' And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni, but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day."
In case you're wondering why Jacob/Israel changed the child's name, Ben-Oni means "Son of my Sorrow," while Benjamin means "Son of my right hand." This is another very sad day. If you recall, Rachel was the one and only woman Jacob/Israel originally intended to marry. She was the only one he truly loved. Yes, he still has three wives, and he very well could've grown to love them too, but none of them are the one. On a separate note, when do you think "to this day" refers to? It could be the time it was written in Hebrew, it could be the time it was translated into the KJV back in the 1400s, it could be the time it was translated into the NKJV more recently, or it could be right now. If anyone cares to help me figure this one out, I'd be much obliged. According to Blue Letter Bible (online), they say it a total of 85 times in the entire NKJV Bible.
Beresheet 35:21-22a "Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard about it."
Deborah and Rachel died, and Reuben slept with his... I don't know what to call her, so let's say she's an aunt. Is there no good news?
Beresheet 35:22b-26 "Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah's maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram."
Summing up, I think we already know this, but okay.
Beresheet 35:27-29 "Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Another sad day!! ='(
This is a depressing chapter! Nothing's going right! The chapter before wasn't pretty either. Let's hope things start to look up soon.
Music for the chapter: "After Today" and "Benjamin" by Sanctus Real.
-Kj
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Dinah
Parental Advisory: Today's portion deals with some major adult-type issues, so if you'd rather any children in the area find something else to do, Veggie Tales is a good movie series for the kids. Anyways, Beresheet (Genesis) 34:
Beresheet 34:1-4 "Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her. His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, 'Get me this young woman as a wife.'"
The number of things wrong with this picture isn't very large, but the things that are wrong are huge. Dinah just wanted to go hang out with some other girls. She's lived her whole life with eleven guys, so this is totally understandable. She might've gone to a party or something, but it says she went to "see the daughters of the land" not to find a man. Finding a husband wasn't even her job! But Shechem saw her and he had to have her. In more ways than one. You'll notice he took her and then he loved and sweet-talked her. This is backwards and very wrong and missing the very important element of marriage. One of the few things that will still shock the modern American is rape, and this is also the case with the culture there and then. This shock, my dear readers, is an understatement, as you will soon find.
Beresheet 34:5-10 "And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came. Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, a thing which ought not to be done. But Hamor spoke with them, saying, 'The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.'"
Hamor understands that his son royally messed up, and he is trying to make amends. Make an alliance, so maybe they won't be attacked. Jacob could very well have been practically a king in those days. True, he and his family were nomads, but it was a very large family, with a lot of servants and people in the camp. A prince is pleading for an alliance with Jacob, but will he get it? Also, Jacob's sons are growing up, not all of them are little kids anymore and they love their sister. Imagine being a girl with eleven brothers. Do you honestly think any guys who treat you badly will get away with it?
Beresheet 34:11-12 "Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, 'Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.'"
Excuse me Shechem, but you need to butt out. It's understood and obvious that you want this girl. You took her and stole her virginity. You need to shut up. Your dad is trying to make things better, but you're not helping. Oh, and another thing, Dinah's brothers will definitely take you up on that offer.
Beresheet 34:13-17 "But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. And they said to them, 'We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us. But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.'"
Circumcision is an outward sign of a man's devotion to Yahuah. Asking an entire city of pagans to become circumcised is a big deal; if the city really wanted to do it, it would be like converting a ton of people, but no, these two men are speaking for an entire city. They don't know if the individuals living therein actually want to join with Jacob or not, and they're making a big, painful promise. I have no idea how painful, as I am a girl and never had to go through it, but I've heard it'll have a perfectly healthy, strong man laying in bed in pain for a few days. As far as I know, they didn't have any local anesthetic back then either.
Beresheet 34:18-19 "And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor's son. So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father."
I will have to assume that the last sentence in that paragraph was true, even though up until now it's seemed pretty unlikely. If a rapist is more honorable than the household of his father, then what in the world has his father's household been up to?? ...Don't answer that, I don't want nightmares.
Beresheet 34:20-24 "And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: 'These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.' And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city."
Hamor is pretty dang sneaky. He knows what to say to get the men of the city interested; plenty of ladies and free property and livestock? I'm beginning to understand the idea that Shechem might be more honorable than his father, as nasty as that suggestion might be.
Beresheet 34:25-29 "Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses."
That's a pretty low blow, somehow I doubt Jacob was in on it.
Beresheet 34:30-31 "Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, 'You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.' But they said, 'Should he treat our sister like a harlot?'"
If it takes the Canaanites and Perizzites together to come up with a force big enough to take down Jacob, he can't be that small. It's a legitimate fear though, the neighbors probably saw what was going on. They could've heard about the deal made; every male circumcised in exchange for living in peace. The deal was made and Simeon and Levi broke it. That labels Jacob's household as being untrustworthy and blood thirsty, and it would be a good idea to get out of there. It definitely sets an example for the other nations; you mess with Jacob's daughter, you will die.
I noticed one thing in my research, Dinah's name is only mentioned 8 times in the entire NKJV. We don't know how her story ends. We don't know if she had Shechem's kid. We don't know if she married or died alone. We don't know the end of this story. So the homework for this passage is listen to the song "Beautiful Ending" by Barlow Girl. Let's hope Dinah's story had an ending like this, the story is depressing enough without a good ending.
Beresheet 34:1-4 "Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her. His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, 'Get me this young woman as a wife.'"
The number of things wrong with this picture isn't very large, but the things that are wrong are huge. Dinah just wanted to go hang out with some other girls. She's lived her whole life with eleven guys, so this is totally understandable. She might've gone to a party or something, but it says she went to "see the daughters of the land" not to find a man. Finding a husband wasn't even her job! But Shechem saw her and he had to have her. In more ways than one. You'll notice he took her and then he loved and sweet-talked her. This is backwards and very wrong and missing the very important element of marriage. One of the few things that will still shock the modern American is rape, and this is also the case with the culture there and then. This shock, my dear readers, is an understatement, as you will soon find.
Beresheet 34:5-10 "And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came. Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, a thing which ought not to be done. But Hamor spoke with them, saying, 'The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.'"
Hamor understands that his son royally messed up, and he is trying to make amends. Make an alliance, so maybe they won't be attacked. Jacob could very well have been practically a king in those days. True, he and his family were nomads, but it was a very large family, with a lot of servants and people in the camp. A prince is pleading for an alliance with Jacob, but will he get it? Also, Jacob's sons are growing up, not all of them are little kids anymore and they love their sister. Imagine being a girl with eleven brothers. Do you honestly think any guys who treat you badly will get away with it?
Beresheet 34:11-12 "Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, 'Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.'"
Excuse me Shechem, but you need to butt out. It's understood and obvious that you want this girl. You took her and stole her virginity. You need to shut up. Your dad is trying to make things better, but you're not helping. Oh, and another thing, Dinah's brothers will definitely take you up on that offer.
Beresheet 34:13-17 "But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. And they said to them, 'We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us. But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.'"
Circumcision is an outward sign of a man's devotion to Yahuah. Asking an entire city of pagans to become circumcised is a big deal; if the city really wanted to do it, it would be like converting a ton of people, but no, these two men are speaking for an entire city. They don't know if the individuals living therein actually want to join with Jacob or not, and they're making a big, painful promise. I have no idea how painful, as I am a girl and never had to go through it, but I've heard it'll have a perfectly healthy, strong man laying in bed in pain for a few days. As far as I know, they didn't have any local anesthetic back then either.
Beresheet 34:18-19 "And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor's son. So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father."
I will have to assume that the last sentence in that paragraph was true, even though up until now it's seemed pretty unlikely. If a rapist is more honorable than the household of his father, then what in the world has his father's household been up to?? ...Don't answer that, I don't want nightmares.
Beresheet 34:20-24 "And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: 'These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.' And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city."
Hamor is pretty dang sneaky. He knows what to say to get the men of the city interested; plenty of ladies and free property and livestock? I'm beginning to understand the idea that Shechem might be more honorable than his father, as nasty as that suggestion might be.
Beresheet 34:25-29 "Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses."
That's a pretty low blow, somehow I doubt Jacob was in on it.
Beresheet 34:30-31 "Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, 'You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.' But they said, 'Should he treat our sister like a harlot?'"
If it takes the Canaanites and Perizzites together to come up with a force big enough to take down Jacob, he can't be that small. It's a legitimate fear though, the neighbors probably saw what was going on. They could've heard about the deal made; every male circumcised in exchange for living in peace. The deal was made and Simeon and Levi broke it. That labels Jacob's household as being untrustworthy and blood thirsty, and it would be a good idea to get out of there. It definitely sets an example for the other nations; you mess with Jacob's daughter, you will die.
I noticed one thing in my research, Dinah's name is only mentioned 8 times in the entire NKJV. We don't know how her story ends. We don't know if she had Shechem's kid. We don't know if she married or died alone. We don't know the end of this story. So the homework for this passage is listen to the song "Beautiful Ending" by Barlow Girl. Let's hope Dinah's story had an ending like this, the story is depressing enough without a good ending.
So tell me, what is our ending?
Will it beautiful? So beautiful?
Will my life find me by your side?
'Cause your love is beautiful, so beautiful...
Next time: Beresheet 35.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Jacob and Esau Meet Again
Today's reading is from Beresheet (Genesis) chapter 33.
Beresheet 33:1-3 "Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother."
Now why do you suppose he would do something like that? We know Jacob and Esau weren't exactly on good terms when Jacob fled (to say the least), but is he afraid Esau is still out for his blood? Sure looks like it. You notice how he arranged his family, with the maidservants up front, nearest where he will eventually meet Esau, Leah in the middle, and his beloved Rachel in the back? Is that his way of doing his best to protect those closest to him?
Beresheet 33:4-5a "But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, 'Who are these with you?'"
Crisis averted!!
Beresheet 33:5b-7 "So he said, 'The children whom Elohim has graciously given your servant.' Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down."
It's safe to say that their bowing is a sign of respect, not of worship. This reminds me of my martial arts classes, the teacher, Master Chang, had all his students give a small bow before sparring, as a sign of mutual respect. We also bowed when entering and leaving the dojo (studio).
Beresheet 33:8-11 "Then Esau said, 'What do you mean by all this company which I met?' And he said, 'These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.' But Esau said, 'I have enough, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.' And Jacob said, 'No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of Elohim, and you were pleased with me. Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because Elohim has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.' So he urged him, and he took it."
Remember the servants Jacob sent ahead with all that livestock? That's what Esau's asking about here. Why give him so much when he already has enough? Jacob wanted to create peace, hence the presents.
Beresheet 33:12-14 "Then Esau said, 'Let us take our journey, let us go, and I will go before you.' But Jacob said to him, 'My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir.'"
This is a legitimate concern. For all we know, Esau brought the four hundred men and no women or children. Even though his own new livestock would probably slow him down a bit too, Jacob's marching with toddlers. He has to let the weak set his pace, even if it doesn't match the pace of the welcoming party.
Beresheet 33:15-17 "And Esau said, 'Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.' But he said, What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.' So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth."
You may think Jacob is being a suck-up to his (slightly) older brother with all this "my lord" business, but if you think about it for a moment, you may remember that the eldest son got the greatest portion of the inheritance, he's the one who gets the perks. Jacob's simply giving him the respect he didn't give him when they were younger. He might be going a bit overboard, I'm certainly no expert on ancient Hebrew traditions, but his number one goal is to make peace with the man who wanted him dead. Also, little fun-fact, Succoth is literally translated to mean "booths".
Beresheet 33:18-20 "Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money. Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel."
It looks like the world is still so new that if you go to a town, you could very well learn that the person the town is named for is still alive! Lifespans were still declining from the olden days, when people could live to over 900, but a town doesn't need to be 900 years old to be a decent sized place.
And thus, the chapter has ended. The estranged brothers are reunited, and all is well. In the spirit of happy family reunions and general peacefulness, I have a song for you to check out. Look up "Hold Us Together" by Matt Maher. You can try Youtube, but I've found I like Grooveshark better.
Shalom!
-Kj
Beresheet 33:1-3 "Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother."
Now why do you suppose he would do something like that? We know Jacob and Esau weren't exactly on good terms when Jacob fled (to say the least), but is he afraid Esau is still out for his blood? Sure looks like it. You notice how he arranged his family, with the maidservants up front, nearest where he will eventually meet Esau, Leah in the middle, and his beloved Rachel in the back? Is that his way of doing his best to protect those closest to him?
Beresheet 33:4-5a "But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, 'Who are these with you?'"
Crisis averted!!
Beresheet 33:5b-7 "So he said, 'The children whom Elohim has graciously given your servant.' Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down."
It's safe to say that their bowing is a sign of respect, not of worship. This reminds me of my martial arts classes, the teacher, Master Chang, had all his students give a small bow before sparring, as a sign of mutual respect. We also bowed when entering and leaving the dojo (studio).
Beresheet 33:8-11 "Then Esau said, 'What do you mean by all this company which I met?' And he said, 'These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.' But Esau said, 'I have enough, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.' And Jacob said, 'No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of Elohim, and you were pleased with me. Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because Elohim has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.' So he urged him, and he took it."
Remember the servants Jacob sent ahead with all that livestock? That's what Esau's asking about here. Why give him so much when he already has enough? Jacob wanted to create peace, hence the presents.
Beresheet 33:12-14 "Then Esau said, 'Let us take our journey, let us go, and I will go before you.' But Jacob said to him, 'My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir.'"
This is a legitimate concern. For all we know, Esau brought the four hundred men and no women or children. Even though his own new livestock would probably slow him down a bit too, Jacob's marching with toddlers. He has to let the weak set his pace, even if it doesn't match the pace of the welcoming party.
Beresheet 33:15-17 "And Esau said, 'Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.' But he said, What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.' So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth."
You may think Jacob is being a suck-up to his (slightly) older brother with all this "my lord" business, but if you think about it for a moment, you may remember that the eldest son got the greatest portion of the inheritance, he's the one who gets the perks. Jacob's simply giving him the respect he didn't give him when they were younger. He might be going a bit overboard, I'm certainly no expert on ancient Hebrew traditions, but his number one goal is to make peace with the man who wanted him dead. Also, little fun-fact, Succoth is literally translated to mean "booths".
Beresheet 33:18-20 "Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money. Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel."
It looks like the world is still so new that if you go to a town, you could very well learn that the person the town is named for is still alive! Lifespans were still declining from the olden days, when people could live to over 900, but a town doesn't need to be 900 years old to be a decent sized place.
And thus, the chapter has ended. The estranged brothers are reunited, and all is well. In the spirit of happy family reunions and general peacefulness, I have a song for you to check out. Look up "Hold Us Together" by Matt Maher. You can try Youtube, but I've found I like Grooveshark better.
Shalom!
-Kj
Monday, April 11, 2011
Hello Again
Hey guys,
I know it's been a really long time, and I am insanely sorry about that. Fortunately (and unfortunately) I now have a ton of free time on Saturdays, so I can post weekly again. Why is this somewhat unfortunate? Well, I went to church/synagogue/shul/whatever-you-wanna-call-it every week for... Well, the vast majority of my life and a couple weeks ago, it was closed due to a lack of donations. Anyway, that's several hours I would normally spend studying the Bible at church that I can now spend on here. Who knows? Maybe I'll go back to the longer posts again. ...Then again, the chapter long ones seem to be a lot easier to swallow, so maybe not. Let me know which you prefer and I can work with that.
Anyways, we shall be picking up again this week, and I'm super excited to get back! I love doing this and it, well, it makes me happy.
In other good news, Tightrope Walking may soon have another writer! If she accepts the offer, she will be helping put together the music/movies/books/other-homework part of the blog. Actually, she'll be doing most of that job. I may also occasionally ask her to write her thoughts in some of my posts. She's already come up with some interesting points that never really occurred to me regarding my older posts, so it may be time to go edit! So far, she has the right qualifications: she's a teenager, loves music, enjoys writing, and is a leader in her church's youth group.
I'd ask for a round of applause to our possible new writer, but since we can't hear you and it'd be weird to clap at your computer, you don't need to do that. I would however, appreciate your thoughts on these new developments, so comment away!
Have an awesome week, and I'll be back this Saturday!
-Kj
I know it's been a really long time, and I am insanely sorry about that. Fortunately (and unfortunately) I now have a ton of free time on Saturdays, so I can post weekly again. Why is this somewhat unfortunate? Well, I went to church/synagogue/shul/whatever-you-wanna-call-it every week for... Well, the vast majority of my life and a couple weeks ago, it was closed due to a lack of donations. Anyway, that's several hours I would normally spend studying the Bible at church that I can now spend on here. Who knows? Maybe I'll go back to the longer posts again. ...Then again, the chapter long ones seem to be a lot easier to swallow, so maybe not. Let me know which you prefer and I can work with that.
Anyways, we shall be picking up again this week, and I'm super excited to get back! I love doing this and it, well, it makes me happy.
In other good news, Tightrope Walking may soon have another writer! If she accepts the offer, she will be helping put together the music/movies/books/other-homework part of the blog. Actually, she'll be doing most of that job. I may also occasionally ask her to write her thoughts in some of my posts. She's already come up with some interesting points that never really occurred to me regarding my older posts, so it may be time to go edit! So far, she has the right qualifications: she's a teenager, loves music, enjoys writing, and is a leader in her church's youth group.
I'd ask for a round of applause to our possible new writer, but since we can't hear you and it'd be weird to clap at your computer, you don't need to do that. I would however, appreciate your thoughts on these new developments, so comment away!
Have an awesome week, and I'll be back this Saturday!
-Kj
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Family Reunion
Today's reading is from Beresheet (Genesis) chapter 32.
Beresheet 32:1-2 "So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of Elohim met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, 'This is Elohim's camp.' And he called the name of that place Mahanaim."
Can anyone guess what Mahanaim means? According to my NKJV, which has these neato little footnotes at the bottom of most pages, Mahanaim means "Double Camp." So basically Jacob is saying that he and Elohim are sharing the camp.
Beresheet 32:3-5 "Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, 'Speak thus to my lord Esau, "Thus your servant Jacob says: 'I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.'"'"
It looks like what Jacob is saying here is that he is rich and willing to give Esau lots of stuff so he doesn't continue to hold a grudge and want to kill him. Remember, Jacob ran away from home with Esau's inheritance and blessing.
Beresheet 32:6-8 "Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, 'We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.' So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. And he said, 'If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.'"
Jacob's twin brother who has threatened to kill him is now coming to him with four hundred men. Granted it is several years later, but has time healed Esau's heart? At any rate, it is justified for Jacob to be scared of his brother, but he should remember that Yahuah is on his side no matter what.
Beresheet 32:9-12 "Then Jacob said, 'O El of my father Abraham and the Elohim of my father Isaac, Yahuah who said to me, "Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you": I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have bcome two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. For You said, "I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."'
Jacob definitely remembers. First thing to do when faced with trouble like this, or any kind actually, is pray. Wholeheartedly and faithfully pray. Pray when you're scared and remember that the only thing you should ever be afraid of is Yahuah Himself, because He'll take care of everything for you. I know that for some of you, praying sounds like kneeling down and talking to yourself, or to a wall or to whatever you happen to be facing at the time, but take that leap of faith and pray; He's listening for you.
Beresheet 32:13-21 "So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother: two hundred female goat and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, 'Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves.' And he commanded the first one, saying, 'When Esau my brother meets you and asks you saying, "To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?" then you shall say, "They are your servant Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us."' So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, 'In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him; and also say, "Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us"' For he said, 'I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.' So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp."
This is fairly self-explanatory. Jacob is hoping that by giving Esau all these animals and gifts, his brother won't decide to kill him. Maybe his anger will cool down with each successive gift? Or is he still even angry?
Beresheet 32:22- 32 "And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, 'Let Me go, for the day breaks.' but he said, 'I will not let You go unless You bless me!' So He said to him, 'What is your name?' He said, 'Jacob.' And He said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with Elohim and with men, and have prevailed.' Then Jacob asked, saying, 'Tell me Your name, I pray.' And He said, 'Why is it that you ask about My name?' And he blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 'For I have seen Elohim face to face, and my life is preserved.' Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank."
This one's a little hard to follow unless you pay attention to capitalization. Specifically the capitalization of the word "He" Jacob/Israel is never named with a capitalized "he." The only One who is ever named with a capitalized "He" is Yahuah and Yeshuah, who we'll meet later. Anyway, basically some stranger went and wrestled with Jacob until daybreak and Jacob was actually winning. In the end, his name was changed to Israel, which means "Prince with Elohim," and now the Israelites don't eat the meat off the hip socket of the sheep and goats and cows and stuff because it reminds them of what happened to their ancestor.
Homework: Check out the song "Strong Tower." Newsboys and Kutless both sing a version of it.
Next time we'll be reading Beresheet (Genesis) chapter 33.
Beresheet 32:1-2 "So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of Elohim met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, 'This is Elohim's camp.' And he called the name of that place Mahanaim."
Can anyone guess what Mahanaim means? According to my NKJV, which has these neato little footnotes at the bottom of most pages, Mahanaim means "Double Camp." So basically Jacob is saying that he and Elohim are sharing the camp.
Beresheet 32:3-5 "Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, 'Speak thus to my lord Esau, "Thus your servant Jacob says: 'I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.'"'"
It looks like what Jacob is saying here is that he is rich and willing to give Esau lots of stuff so he doesn't continue to hold a grudge and want to kill him. Remember, Jacob ran away from home with Esau's inheritance and blessing.
Beresheet 32:6-8 "Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, 'We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.' So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. And he said, 'If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.'"
Jacob's twin brother who has threatened to kill him is now coming to him with four hundred men. Granted it is several years later, but has time healed Esau's heart? At any rate, it is justified for Jacob to be scared of his brother, but he should remember that Yahuah is on his side no matter what.
Beresheet 32:9-12 "Then Jacob said, 'O El of my father Abraham and the Elohim of my father Isaac, Yahuah who said to me, "Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you": I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have bcome two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. For You said, "I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."'
Jacob definitely remembers. First thing to do when faced with trouble like this, or any kind actually, is pray. Wholeheartedly and faithfully pray. Pray when you're scared and remember that the only thing you should ever be afraid of is Yahuah Himself, because He'll take care of everything for you. I know that for some of you, praying sounds like kneeling down and talking to yourself, or to a wall or to whatever you happen to be facing at the time, but take that leap of faith and pray; He's listening for you.
Beresheet 32:13-21 "So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother: two hundred female goat and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, 'Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves.' And he commanded the first one, saying, 'When Esau my brother meets you and asks you saying, "To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?" then you shall say, "They are your servant Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us."' So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, 'In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him; and also say, "Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us"' For he said, 'I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.' So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp."
This is fairly self-explanatory. Jacob is hoping that by giving Esau all these animals and gifts, his brother won't decide to kill him. Maybe his anger will cool down with each successive gift? Or is he still even angry?
Beresheet 32:22- 32 "And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, 'Let Me go, for the day breaks.' but he said, 'I will not let You go unless You bless me!' So He said to him, 'What is your name?' He said, 'Jacob.' And He said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with Elohim and with men, and have prevailed.' Then Jacob asked, saying, 'Tell me Your name, I pray.' And He said, 'Why is it that you ask about My name?' And he blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 'For I have seen Elohim face to face, and my life is preserved.' Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank."
This one's a little hard to follow unless you pay attention to capitalization. Specifically the capitalization of the word "He" Jacob/Israel is never named with a capitalized "he." The only One who is ever named with a capitalized "He" is Yahuah and Yeshuah, who we'll meet later. Anyway, basically some stranger went and wrestled with Jacob until daybreak and Jacob was actually winning. In the end, his name was changed to Israel, which means "Prince with Elohim," and now the Israelites don't eat the meat off the hip socket of the sheep and goats and cows and stuff because it reminds them of what happened to their ancestor.
Homework: Check out the song "Strong Tower." Newsboys and Kutless both sing a version of it.
Next time we'll be reading Beresheet (Genesis) chapter 33.
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