The
Book of Genesis chapters 19-34

Genesis 19
Gen 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate
of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself
with his face toward the ground; Lot welcomed the two
angels as they came to the city gate of Sodom. The city gate (seat of judgment),
was where the leaders of the city hung out. Now it appears that Lot is a real
citizen, or one of the leaders of Sodom.
Gen 19:2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your
servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up
early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street
all night. Lot offers the two angels the same hospitality
that Abraham did. Instead of lo, nay, some manuscripts have lo, to him. "And
they said unto him, for we lodge in the street;" where, nevertheless, the
negation is understood. Knowing the disposition of the inhabitants, and
appearing in the character of mere travelers, they preferred the open street to
any house; but not yet willing to make themselves known, as Lot pressed them
vehemently, and as they knew him to be a righteous man, they consented to take
shelter under his hospitable roof.
Gen 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and
entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread,
and they did eat. After Lot insisted, they took him up on
his offer. Lot knew how wicked these people of Sodom were and he didn't want
these two men (angels of the Lord), to spend the night out in the open square.
Gen 19:4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men
of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from
every quarter: Before they retired for the night, all the
men of Sodom came and surrounded the house. What was on their minds?
Gen 19:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the
men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know
them. They shouted to lot to bring the men out to them so
that they can get to know them! You get the picture. We get the word "sodomy"
from the wickedness that went on in the city of Sodom. "They wanted to rape
these angels and have sex with them!" (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Judges 1:7,
19:22). Homosexuality is an abomination to the Lord! Will they inherit the
kingdom of God? No... (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), Do they have a chance through
repentance and forgiveness from God? Yes... (1 Corinthians 6:11). God does not
hate homosexuals, He hates the act of homosexuality just like any other sin.
Those who turn to Jesus with a true heart and repentance will be forgiven and he
will change them. Forget the world and those who copout and say; "I was born
that way."
Gen 19:6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
Lot goes outside and slams the door behind him.
Gen 19:7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
Don't do these wicked perverted things on your mind to theses men
(angels of the Lord).
Gen 19:8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I
pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your
eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow
of my roof. I believe that Lot felt the
presence of the Lord through these two men (angels of the Lord), and was going
to do whatever he could to protect them. But now he offers his two virgin
daughters to the crowd. He must of realized that these men outside were either
going to rape his daughters, or maybe they would reject them because they were
gay. It was quite a gamble.
Gen 19:9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one
fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal
worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even
Lot, and came near to break the door.
Now it appears that
Lot's influence has just dwindled and they call him an outsider. They threatened
Lot and told him he would be treated worse if he did not let them in, and they
lunged toward the door.
Gen 19:10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to
them, and shut to the door. The two angels pulled Lot in
and bolted the door.
Gen 19:11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house
with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find
the door. The word "sanver," rendered "blindness," and which
occurs only here, and in 2 Kings 6:18, is supposed to denote dazzling,
deceptions, or confusions of sight from excessive light.
The two angels of the Lord blinded the men in the crowd so that they were
confused and disoriented by a flash of light. (It would be like an intense flash
from a camera, or glare from the sun).
Gen 19:12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law,
and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring
them out of this place: Now the two angels question
lot and tell him to get out any family he might have in Sodom.
Gen 19:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen
great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
Now the angels reveal to Lot their mission from God to
destroy Sodom.
Gen 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his
daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy
this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
Lot warns his son-in-laws that the Lord is about to destroy
Sodom, but they thought he was joking. They probably didn't take Lot to
seriously because of the way he was living. Sometimes when we get caught up in
the world and worldly things, people don't take us to serious when we try to
preach to them. Sometimes actions speak louder then words. That is why it is so
hard for a pastor or teacher of the Word to get any respect in their own town.
People know you to well. They know your past and it is hard to get them to
listen unless they see some dramatic change in your life. Even then it is hard
to get them to listen.
Gen 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying,
Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be
consumed in the iniquity of the city. Now the two angels
insist. Lots last chance to get his wife and two daughters out of Sodom before
they destroy the city.
Gen 19:16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon
the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being
merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
Lot still
hesitates, but the angels take him and his family by the hand and
lead them outside the city because the Lord had mercy on him. "It is God's mercy
that saves us all." (2 Corinthians 1:3, Ephesians 2:4-5, Titus 3:5).
Gen 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that
he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the
plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
The
angels brought them safely out of the city and one of the angels tells them to
"run for your lives." Escape to the mountains and "don't look back."
Gen 19:18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
Lot says to the angels, "not to the mountains!"
Gen 19:19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou
hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and
I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
Lot was thankful to the angels, but he did not want to go to the
mountains because he feared disaster would come to him there and he would die.
The Lord sent two angels to save Lot and his family from destruction and lot is
worried about fleeing to the mountains. Is it because he lost his faith in the
Lord, or is it that he just didn't want to give up the life he had in Sodom?
(When God says we should turn from sin, we need to listen).
Gen 19:20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is
a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my
soul shall live. Lot begs the angel to let him settle in a
little village nearby.
Gen 19:21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this
thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
The angel grants Lots request and says he will not destroy the little village.
Gen 19:22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be
come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
Zoar = "little place."
Gen 19:23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
Lot arrived in the village of Zoar just as the sun was rising.
Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and
fire from the LORD out of heaven; Brimstone and fire
rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah by the power of the Lord. Brimstone: Hebrew H1614 "gophriyth" cypress resin; by analogy
"sulphur." The word rendered "brimstone," (q.d. brennestone, or brinnestone, id
est burning-stone), is always rendered by the LXX "sulphur," and seems to denote
a meteorous inflammable matter.
Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the
inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
The Lord utterly destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah along with other cities and
villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation.
Gen 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar
of salt. What did the angel of the Lord express back in
verse 17? "Don't look back!" Of course Lots wife didn't listen, and she was
turned to a pillar of salt. Lots wife got caught up in the ways of Sodom and she
could not let go. She became curious of what was about to happen. What's the old
saying; "curiosity killed the cat." Jesus warns us that the same will happen in
the end times for those who get caught up in the ways of the world. (Luke
17:28-33).
Gen 19:27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood
before the LORD:
Gen 19:28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of
the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of
a furnace. Abraham looked with awe and grief as he saw the
smoke rising towards the sky.
Gen 19:29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain,
that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow,
when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
Lot's
deliverance due to Abraham's prayer. Sometimes we need to keep praying for loved
ones living in the ways of the world.
Gen 19:30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two
daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he
and his two daughters. Lot takes the advice of the angel
and heads to the mountains.
Gen 19:31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old,
and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner
of all the earth: Lot's daughters seem to think the whole
world was destroyed and there would be no one to marry.
Gen 19:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him,
that we may preserve seed of our father. Let's get the old
man drunk and have sex with him.
Gen 19:33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn
went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor
when she arose.
Gen 19:34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the
younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine
this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve
seed of our father. The older daughter had her way with
Lot, now it was time for the younger daughter to get it on.
Gen 19:35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the
younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor
when she arose. In ancient readings this would read "he
did know when she arose."
Gen 19:36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
Gen 19:37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same
is the father of the Moabites unto this day. Moab =
Hebrew meaning "from a father."
Gen 19:38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi:
the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
Ben-ammi = Hebrew meaning "son of Ammi," "the god Am," "son of my
people." Begotten in shame, both had a shameful history. The descendants from
Lot's incestuous relationship with his daughters. The Moabites and Ammonites.
(Deuteronomy 23:3, Numbers 21:29, 2 Chronicles 20:1). Lot was quite a character.
He chose Sodom to settle in. He was once wealthy and ended up in a cave. He was
ready to give his daughters to the angry mob in Sodom. He lost his wife. His
daughters committed incest with him. What a mess this guy was. This would be the
last we here from Lot. Don't get caught up in Sodom (the ways of the world),
like Lot did. "You may not like the outcome."
Genesis 20
Gen 20:1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and
dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
Gerar was a city of Arabia Petrea, under a king of
the Philistines, 25 miles from Eleutheropolis beyond Daroma, in the south of
Judah. From (Genesis 10:19), it appears to
have been situated in the angle where the south and west sides of Canaan met,
and to have been not far from Gaza. Jerome, in his Hebrew Traditions on Genesis,
says, from Gerar to Jerusalem was three days' journey.
Gen 20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and
Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. Here we go
again with Abraham calling his wife his sister because he is afraid they would
kill him and take his wife for the kings harem. Just as he did in Egypt back in
(Genesis 12:13). The next assault on Abraham in the Great Conflict for the
destruction of the promises seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15). Why do you think
Abraham thought that the king would take his wife when she was 90 years old?
Well, it is said that in Sarah's conception, God must have renewed her youth,
for she nursed Isaac (Genesis 21:7). So, still looking good, Abimelech to Sarah.
Gen 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him,
Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for
she is a man's wife. However, God intervenes and
came to Abimelech in a dream and tells him he is a dead man for taken Sarah
because she is already married.
Gen 20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou
slay also a righteous nation? Abimelech is thinking that
God will destroy the whole nations, so he starts to haggle with God just as
Abraham did back in (Genesis 18:23).
Gen 20:5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she
herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and
innocency of my hands have I done this. Abimelech pleads
to God for his innocency.
Gen 20:6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this
in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me:
therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. God responds
in a dream that He knew Abimelech was innocent. (Because of divine
intervention). God knew that Abimelech was a man of integrity, even as a pagan
king.
Gen 20:7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a
prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore
her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are
thine. God tells Abimelech to return Abraham's wife to him
and he would pray for him, then you will live. Prophet: First occurrence,
showing that prediction is only a small part of it's meaning = God's spokesman.
Here it is prayer, and prayer is associated with prophesying, i.e. witnessing (1
Corinthians 11:3-5).
Gen 20:8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his
servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
The servants were terrified when Abimelec told them what had happened.
Gen 20:9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou
done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on
my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
Abimelech was really steamed at Abraham for getting him in
this mess.
Gen 20:10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast
done this thing? What possessed you to do such a thing?
Gen 20:11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is
not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
Abraham answers; "I thought this was a Godless place and was afraid they would
have killed me to get to my wife.
Gen 20:12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter
of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
I didn't really lie, she is my half sister.
Gen 20:13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's
house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew
unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my
brother. I did this before when God called me to leave my
father's home and travel from place to place. I asked Sarah to tell people I was
her brother.
Gen 20:14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and
womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his
wife. Abraham makes out pretty good on this deal, and he
gets his wife back.
Gen 20:15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell
where it pleaseth thee. Now Abraham gets to choose some
land for a place to live. (Does this seem that God had this all planned out)?
Gen 20:16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand
pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes,
unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was
reproved. He tells Sarah that he will give her brother
1,000 pieces of silver (probably shekels). Quite a bit of money, to compensate
for any wrong he has done, and to save Sarah's reputation. "He also tells
Abraham to get her a veil." (It was common for married women to wear a veil to
cover their eyes as a sign of being married).
Gen 20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife,
and his maidservants; and they bare children.
It only makes sense, that this may have been over a period of time that they
could not bare children, so Sarah could have been in Abimelech's harem for
several months.
Gen 20:18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of
Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife. It appears
that the Lord had caused the women of Abimelech to be infertile because of what
happened with Abraham's wife Sarah. (Divine intervention). God uses whom ever He
wills. (1 Corinthians 1:26-27), God chose things
that are powerless to shame those who are so powerful. God loves to use ordinary
people who will follow Christ.
Genesis 21
Gen 21:1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto
Sarah as he had spoken. The Lord always keeps His word.
Gen 21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the
set time of which God had spoken to him. God's timing is
always perfect. Note the change in title here till verse 32. We have God,
(Hebrew Elohim = Creator). In verse 33, Yahveh, where it is Covenant relation.
Gen 21:3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom
Sarah bare to him, Isaac. Isaac, Hebrew for (let him
laugh).
Gen 21:4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God
had commanded him. Eight, the Dominical number (new
beginnings).
Gen 21:5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born
unto him.
Gen 21:6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that
hear will laugh with me.
Gen 21:7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should
have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
Proof that "God" the creator had renewed Sarah's youth. (She was beautiful).
"Showing why Abimelech should have taken her." (Genesis 20:2).
Gen 21:8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast
the same day that Isaac was weaned. Celebration for
the occasion.
Gen 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto
Abraham, mocking. Sarah caught Ishmael (son of the
Egyptian servant), making fun of Isaac. (Isaac was around 3 years old, and
Ishmael was around 17 years old at this time).
Gen 21:10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her
son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even
with Isaac. Sarah wants them both to go. Cast out: The
word rendered "cast out," signifies also to divorce. (She didn't want Ishmael to
share the inheritance with Isaac).
Gen 21:11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his
son. Abraham isn't to thrilled about the idea. After all,
it was his son.
Gen 21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight
because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said
unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
God tells Abraham to listen to Sarah and to do what she asked. Why? Was it
because we are supposed to listen to our wives? (Sarah was the one that
suggested to Abraham to have a child with Hagar). It was because Isaac would be
the son through Abraham's descendants that would be counted. It is not about who
is right or wrong between husband and wife, it is about submitting to one
another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:21), To the reverence of God. (The love
of God).
Gen 21:13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because
he is thy seed. God would take care of Ishmael
also, because he was the son of Abraham. (God always takes care of His own).
Gen 21:14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a
bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her
shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in
the wilderness of Beersheba. Hagar was sent of her way
with her son.
Gen 21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under
one of the shrubs. The water was gone and they became real
thirsty wondering around in the wilderness.
Gen 21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way
off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child.
And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
She did not want to see her child die of thirst and she burst into tears. (The
boy lifted up his voice and wept also, or was he praying)?
Gen 21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to
Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for
God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
God heard the voice of the boy (crying or praying), God hears him. The angel
of God called to Hagar and tells her not to be afraid, God hears your cry and
the cry and prayer of the boy. (God knows when we need help, He hears our cry's
in the time of need). But, we also need to learn to pray to Him. He is your
Father, and He wants to hear from you at times just to talk with Him. That is
what prayer is all about. "Not just asking for things."
Gen 21:18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make
him a great nation. Gods promise to Abraham, Hagar, and
Ishmael. (Genesis 21:13, Genesis 25:12-18, 1 Chronicles 1:29-31)
Gen 21:19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went,
and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
God opened Hagar's eyes. (Numbers 22:31, 2 Kings 6:17-20, Isaiah 35:5-6, Luke
24:16-31). Has God opened your eyes to the "Living waters?" To the truth in the
word. Christ is the living waters, He is the living Word.
Gen 21:20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness,
and became an archer.
Gen 21:21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a
wife out of the land of Egypt. Ishmael settled in the
wilderness of Paran (a desert of Arabia), and Hagar goes back home and arranged
for him to marry a woman from Egypt.
Gen 21:22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the
chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in
all that thou doest: Abimelech knew that God was with
Abraham.
Gen 21:23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal
falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to
the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land
wherein thou hast sojourned. Abimelech also knew that
Abraham isn't always truthful. So, Abimelech wants Abraham to swear (in God's
name), that he would never deceive him, his children, or his descendants again.
Gen 21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear. Abraham
agrees.
Gen 21:25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which
Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. Abraham
complained to Abimelech about the well his servants took by force form Abraham's
servants. (Wells of water were of great consequence in those hot countries,
especially where the flocks were numerous; because water was scarce, and digging
to find it was attended with the expense of much time and labor).
Gen 21:26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither
didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
Apparently Abimelech knew nothing of this matter.
Gen 21:27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and
both of them made a covenant. In the last chapter,
Abimelech gave goods to Abraham, now it is reversed, and they made a treaty.
Gen 21:28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
Took seven female lambs and set them aside. (Seven = spiritual
completeness).
Gen 21:29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe
lambs which thou hast set by themselves? Why set these
apart from the others Abimelech asked?
Gen 21:30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my
hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
In Genesis 20, Abimelech gave Abraham gifts as a witness that he did not touch
Sarah. Now Abraham gives gifts to Abimelech as a witness that this is his well.
Gen 21:31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware
both of them. Beersheba = Well of oath, or the well of the
seven. Alluding to the seven ewe lambs. The verb rendered "to swear" is derived
from the word translated seven.
Gen 21:32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and
Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the
Philistines.
Gen 21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there
on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God. This is the
Divine definition of Yahveh (Lord), Hebrew "olam" duration, secret and hidden
from man. (Psalm 90:2), everlasting to everlasting, "thou art God."
Gen 21:34 And Abraham sojourned in the
Philistines' land many days. Abraham lived as a foreigner
in Philistine country for a long time.
Genesis 22
Gen 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham,
and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
This is not a tempting of God to do wrong, this is a test from God for
Abraham to see how willing he is to trust in God. A trial of faith if you will.
We will all have them at times if your a Christian. (1 Peter 1:7), These trials show that your faith is
genuine and is the testing of your faith. When your faith remains strong it will
bring you praise, honor and glory when Christ returns at the second advent.
Gen 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom
thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a
burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Your only son Isaac! "Note that God doesn't even mention Ishmael." He is going
to give Abraham the ultimate test of his faith. Lets see how he measures up.
Don't forget, there are going to be times when God will test you for your faith
also.
Gen 22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and
took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for
the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told
him. Abraham appears to be pretty calm about what is going
to happen and sets out to where God instructed him to go. Will he really
sacrifice Isaac as God asks? Will he love and obey God more than he loves his
own son? There are scriptures in the new testament that say we need to love God
more than our own family members or we are not worthy of Him. (Matthew 10:37,
Luke 14:26).
Gen 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place
afar off.
Gen 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and
I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
Notice that Abraham says to his servants that they will return. "This was proof
of Abraham's faith."
Gen 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it
upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went
both of them together. Notice that Isaac carries the wood
for the sacrifice on his shoulders. Kind of like Christ when bearing His cross.
(John 19:17). We are not sure how old Isaac was at this time. Some say he was a
teenager, others say he was around 33 years of age like Jesus was when He was
sacrificed.
Gen 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he
said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but
where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
Now we
know, that Abraham never told Isaac what was going on because Isaac notices that
they had no lamb to sacrifice.
Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a
burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Abraham assures Isaac that a lamb would be provided by God for the sacrifice.
Gen 22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham
built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and
laid him on the altar upon the wood. Now Isaac must get
the feeling that he is going to be the sacrifice, but he still trusts in what
his father said; "God will provide a lamb." Here is a good example of faith on
Isaac's part. How would you have acted? Would you have let your father bind you
for a sacrifice, or would you hall-ass out of there?
Gen 22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay
his son. Abraham was ready to proceed with the sacrifice
of his son. How many fathers could even get this far to show their faith? Not
that many. "I know one who went all the way." Our Heavenly Father, who
sacrificed His only begotten Son (Jesus Christ), for you and the sins of the
world. (John 3:16).
Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said,
Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. Always
listen when the angel of the Lord calls to you. (i.e. listen to Jesus when He
calls).
Gen 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any
thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not
withheld thy son, thine only son from me. Not just
talk of faith here by Abraham, he proved to God he had faith by action. (James
2:20-24), Abraham's
faith was made complete
by what he did. If you
just have faith and no
works, you are
spiritually dead. A man
is saved by what he does
as well as what he
believes. Faith alone is
not enough, you need to
"do good" in God's eyes.
Gen 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind
him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the
ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
Trust in God and He will always show you a way out. (1 Corinthians 10:13),
You
are never tempted with more than you can handle in life. "Here,
the ram would die in place of his son."
Gen 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is
said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
Abraham named the place. "Yahveh Yireh" which means "The Lord will see, or
provide." It shall be seen: "In the mount of the Lord it shall be provided." The
meaning is, that God, in the greatest difficulties, when all human assistance is
vain, will make a suitable provision for the deliverance of those who trust in
Him.
Gen 22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the
second time,
The first time the angel called was for substitution; the second was for
revelation.
Gen 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou
hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will
multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is
upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
This oath is the foundation of Israel's blessings.
Gen 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast obeyed my voice. All nations of the
world would be blessed because of Abraham's obedience to God.
Gen 22:19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went
together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
Gen 22:20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham,
saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;
Nahor was left behind when Abraham had left with his father fro Ur. Now Abraham
is going to hear some news from his family.
Gen 22:21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of
Aram,
Gen 22:22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
Gen 22:23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor,
Abraham's brother. Nahor had 12 in all, as Ishmael had
(Genesis 25:13-16), and as Jacob had (Genesis 35:23-27). We also here of Nahor's
granddaughter Rebekah who would one day be the bride of Abraham's son Isaac.
Gen 22:24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also
Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah. Maachah, see
(Deuteronomy 3:14, Joshua 12:5, 2 Samuel 10:6). He may have been the father of
the Macetes, in Arabia Felix: there is a city called Maca towards the straits of
Ormus.
Genesis 23
Gen 23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these
were the years of the life of Sarah. Abraham would be
137 years old at this time. Isaac would be 37 years old, and Sarah was 127 years
old. It is worthy of remark, that Sarah is the only woman whose age, death, and
burial are distinctly noted in the Sacred writings. (Genesis 17:17).
Gen 23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land
of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
For the convenience of feeding his numerous flocks, Abraham had several places
of temporary residence; and it is likely, that while he sojourned at Beer-sheba,
as we find he did from ( Genesis 23:19), of the preceding chapter, Sarah died at
Hebron, which was 24 miles distant.
Gen 23:3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons
of Heth, saying, before his dead: Heb. "leaning over the
face of his dead." Sons of Heath: Heb. "cheth" meaning "terror," an aboriginal
Canaanite. (Genesis 10:15), also know as the Hittites, who would become a great
empire in around 600 years.
Gen 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a
possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
Abraham owned a lot of land, but was a stranger in Canaan and did not own any
land there. He wanted to purchase a small piece of land to give his wife a
proper burial.
Gen 23:5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,
The sons of heth.
Gen 23:6 Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the
choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his
sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. Abraham was
a honored mighty prince among the people here and no one would refuse his
request.
Gen 23:7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land,
even to the children of Heth.
Gen 23:8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should
bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of
Zohar, Ask Ephron son of Zohar for a favor for me.
Gen 23:9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which
is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give
it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.
Abraham just wanted to buy a cave for a burial place for his family instead of a
entire piece of land.
Gen 23:10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite
answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all
that went in at the gate of his city, saying, Dwelt: Or,
sitting (as the word frequently denotes) among the children of Heth, at the gate
of the city, where all public business was transacted. Ephron, though a chief
man, might have been personally unknown to Abraham; but now he answers for
himself, making a free tender of the field and cave to Abraham, in the presence
of all the people, which amounted to a legal conveyance to the Patriarch.
Gen 23:11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that
is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I
it thee: bury thy dead. Have you ever had someone say they
would give you something, but in the end, you end up buying it? This was a way
of haggling in the middle east, or another polite way of saying, "I will sell it
to you."
Gen 23:12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.
Bowed down: A form of respect or way of humbling yourself.
Gen 23:13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land,
saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee
money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
Abraham was willing to pay the full price for the land, he wasn't concerned
about getting a deal.
Gen 23:14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,
Gen 23:15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred
shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy
dead. The land is worth about 400 pieces of silver, but
what's that between friends. (Sometimes when you buy something from friends or
family, you will pay more than if you bought it from a stranger). Ephron starts
his haggling at a high price (common practice), but Abraham wasn't interested in
getting a deal for the land.
Gen 23:16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron
the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred
shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
Abraham agrees to Ephron's price and paid the suggested amount of weighed silver
according to the market standard.
Gen 23:17 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which
was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all
the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders
round about, were made sure
Gen 23:18 Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of
Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. The
deal was made and the land was transferred to Abraham as a permanent possession.
Gen 23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the
field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of
Canaan. Abraham buried Sarah in Canaan, in the cave of
Machpelah.
Gen 23:20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure
unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.
Kind of like making this his home and is families permanent burial place. There
was a custom to be buried in your native land. Abraham will be buried in this
same cave. (Genesis 25:9). We will also see that when Jacob dies in Egypt, his
son Joseph has his father's body taken back to Canaan, and buried in this very
cave.
Genesis 24
Gen 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD
had blessed Abraham in all things. He was about 140 years
old now and the Lord blessed Abraham in all things. The Lord will bless you in
all things also, if you let Him. (Matthew 6:33, Galatians 3:9, Ephesians 1:3, 1
Timothy 4:8).
Gen 24:2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled
over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
The eldest servant. Probably Eleazar of Damascus. (Genesis 15:2). Under my
thigh: Customary way of swearing an oath. (Like we would swear on the bible, or
raise our hand to swear to something).
Gen 24:3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the
God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters
of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: The oath was not to
let Abraham's son marry a Canaanite women. The Canaanites were the ones that
mixed with the "Nephilim," and Abraham did not want to be responsible for his
holy seed to mix with that of the Nephilim. (Genesis 6:2, 6:4). Read appendix
23, 25, and our study topic: "The fallen angels" for a better understanding.
Gen 24:4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a
wife unto my son Isaac. To Abraham's homeland and
relatives. (Gentiles thus expressly excluded from this chapter, if regarded as a
type).
Gen 24:5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be
willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the
land from whence thou camest? If the woman I find won't
come here, should I take Isaac there to live among your relatives?
Gen 24:6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son
thither again. "No!" Never take my son there Abraham
replies.
Gen 24:7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and
from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me,
saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before
thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
God will send His angels ahead of you and see to it you find a wife for Isaac.
Gen 24:8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt
be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
Abraham is saying that if the woman refuses to come, that you are free from the
oath. However, do not take my son there.
Gen 24:9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master,
and sware to him concerning that matter. Took the oath and
followed Abraham's instructions.
Gen 24:10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and
departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose,
and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. This is
about a 500 mile trip and would be about a month's travel.
Gen 24:11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of
water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw
water.
Gen 24:12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me
good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
Praying to God for success to show his love for his master,
Abraham.
Gen 24:13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters
of the men of the city come out to draw water:
Gen 24:14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let
down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I
will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou
hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast
shewed kindness unto my master. He was looking for some
special qualities in the woman he wanted to select for Isaac. Qualities like
kindness, purity, willingness to work, and of course beauty.
Gen 24:15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold,
Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor,
Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham's brother Nahor.
(Genesis 24:24). "Rebekah was the granddaughter of Isaac's uncle Nahor."
Gen 24:16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither
had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher,
and came up. Rebekah was a beautiful virgin girl.
Gen 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee,
drink a little water of thy pitcher.
Gen 24:18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her
pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. Rebekah was
very kind.
Gen 24:19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw
water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
Rebekah was considerate to the camels.
Gen 24:20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran
again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
Rebekah was a hard worker.
Gen 24:21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the
LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. The servant
was eagerly watching her to see if the Lord had led him to the right girl for
Isaac.
Gen 24:22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man
took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands
of ten shekels weight of gold;
The servant wanted
to reward Rebekah for watering the camels. A gold nose ring (popular throughout
Arabia and Persia, particularly among young women), two gold bracelets of ten
shekels weight (about 5 ounces in weight together). This is quite an expensive
gift for a girl who just watered your camels. Do you think he was trying to
impress Rebekah?
Gen 24:23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is
there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?
Gen 24:24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son
of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
Gen 24:25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender
enough, and room to lodge in.
Gen 24:26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.
Thanking God because he knew that this girl was the one for Isaac. She had all
the good qualifications for a wife.
Gen 24:27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham,
who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being
in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.
Gen 24:28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house
these things.
Gen 24:29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban
ran out unto the man, unto the well.
Gen 24:30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his
sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus
spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the
camels at the well.
Gen 24:31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest
thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
Gen 24:32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and
gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the
men's feet that were with him.
Gen 24:33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I
will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
Now the servant wants to get right to the point of why he came.
Gen 24:34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
Gen 24:35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become
great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and
menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. The
eyes are starting to light up now when they hear of Abraham's wealth.
Gen 24:36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was
old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
Now they
know that everything belongs to Isaac.
Gen 24:37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to
my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
Keeping his oath.
Gen 24:38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and
take a wife unto my son. Go right to his relatives for
help.
Gen 24:39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow
me.
Gen 24:40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his
angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of
my kindred, and of my father's house:
Gen 24:41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest
to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my
oath.
Gen 24:42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my
master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
Gen 24:43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass,
that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give
me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
Gen 24:44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy
camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out
for my master's son. Remember the qualifications?
Gen 24:45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came
forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and
drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
Gen 24:46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder,
and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made
the camels drink also.
Gen 24:47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she
said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put
the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
Gen 24:48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the
LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my
master's brother's daughter unto his son.
Gen 24:49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me:
and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
You heard the story, now are you going to show unfailing love and faith toward
my master and do what he requests or not?
Gen 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from
the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Laban and
Bethuel were brothers and Laban was the eldest and chief.
Gen 24:51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and
let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.
Permission was given to take Rebekah for a wife to Isaac.
Gen 24:52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their
words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
Mission complete and the servant thanked the Lord.
Gen 24:53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,
and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to
her mother precious things. Financially securing Rebekah
and her family.
Gen 24:54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with
him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send
me away unto my master.
Gen 24:55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us
a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
They wanted to hold up the process for a little while. Hmmm. Why
the delay? When the Holy Sprit calls, we should act. It seems they acting in a
worldly manner.
Gen 24:56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath
prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
The servant didn't want to delay his return. He was listening to
the Lord.
Gen 24:57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
Let's see what Rebekah says.
Gen 24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this
man? And she said, I will go. Rebekah answers the call and
agrees to go. When God knocks at your door, you better let him in.
Gen 24:59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and
Abraham's servant, and his men. Rebekah was on her way,
but not alone. She took with her the woman who raised her and apparently other
maidservants as well. "The name of this woman was Deborah." (Genesis 35:8).
Gen 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our
sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed
possess the gate of those which hate them. Be thou the
mother: Or, "be thou for thousands of myriads;" a large family being always
considered, in ancient times, as a proof of the peculiar blessing and favor of
God.
Gen 24:61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels,
and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
Gen 24:62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in
the south country. Lahairoi: The well of life and vision.
Gen 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he
lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
To meditate: Usually to pray, They who acknowledge God in all their ways, will
find him present to direct their paths, and make their way prosperous; and when
the prayer of faith meets with an immediate answer, the glory ought as speedily
to be rendered to God in solemn praise and thanksgiving. However, here I believe
Isaac didn't go out to pray, but to mourn the death of his mother Sarah.
Gen 24:64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted
off the camel. When Rebekah looked up and seen Isaac, she
dismounted from her camel.
Gen 24:65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this
that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is
my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
Preparing herself to meet Isaac.
Gen 24:66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
Gen 24:67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took
Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted
after his mother's death. Isaac and Rebekah
became man and wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him
after the death of his mother Sarah.
Genesis 25
Gen 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
Abraham takes another wife named Keturah. This genealogy, and Abraham's death
recorded here, because no more is to be said about Abraham. However, Abraham
lived till Jacob was 15 years old.
Gen 25:2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and
Ishbak, and Shuah. Medan and Midian were half-brothers
with Ishmael, and they were mixed up together in their dealings. (These names
are associated with the Arab tribes).
Gen 25:3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were
Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
Gen 25:4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and
Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
These = the tares. The "good seed" was sown after Isaac.
Gen 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
The land of Canaan belongs to Isaac.
Gen 25:6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave
gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto
the east country. Land of the Arab's.
Gen 25:7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which
he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. Abraham
lived for 175 years.
Gen 25:8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old
man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.
Abraham joined his ancestors in death.
Gen 25:9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah,
in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before
Mamre;
Gen 25:10 The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was
Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.
Buried in the same
cave as Sarah his wife.
Gen 25:11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed
his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi. "Well
of the living."
Gen 25:12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son,
whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham:
The account of the family of Ishmael. (Tribes of the Ishmaelites).
Gen 25:13 And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their
names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and
Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,
Gen 25:14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,
Gen 25:15 Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
Gen 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their
names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their
nations.
Gen 25:17 And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred
and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered
unto his people. Ishmael lived for 137 years.
Gen 25:18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt,
as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his
brethren. The angel of the Lord told Hagar about Ishmael
before he was born. (Genesis 16:12), he would dwell in the presence of all his
brethren.
Gen 25:19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son:
Abraham begat Isaac: Now we move on to Isaac and his
family.
Gen 25:20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the
daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
Gen 25:21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was
barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
The Lord = Yahveh. Isaac prayed to the Lord. There was a little span of time
here before Rebekah became pregnant. About 20 years past before she became
pregnant with twins.
Gen 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If
it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
A little war within going on here.
Gen 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and
two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one
people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve
the younger. God explains to Rebekah about the future of
her two sons. They will become two nations that will be at odds with one
another. (The older will serve the younger).
Gen 25:24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there
were twins in her womb.
Gen 25:25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and
they called his name Esau. Esau: The word Esau has been
generally considered to imply made, formed, or perfected; or perfect, robust,
etc. But it appears to be a dialectical variation of the Arabic atha, to be
covered with hair; whence athai, hairy, as no doubt the word Esau imports, in
allusion to the circumstance of his being covered with red hair or down at his
birth.
Gen 25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on
Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore
years old when she bare them. Jacob: Heel catcher. The
younger of the twins.
Gen 25:27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the
field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
As they grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter and was an outdoorsman, but Jacob
was more of a shepherd who dwelt in tents.
Gen 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but
Rebekah loved Jacob. Isaac favored Esau because he brought
home the wild game grub, but Rebekah favored Jacob.
Gen 25:29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was
faint: He was really hungry.
Gen 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red
pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
Edom meaning red.
Gen 25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
Birthright: The first born would become the head of the family and received a
double portion of the inheritance, twice as much as the other heirs.
(Deuteronomy 21:17).
Gen 25:32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what
profit shall this birthright do to me? Esau was only
thinking of his flesh and didn't care about his birthright. "A famine accounts
for the sale." (Genesis 26:1).
Gen 25:33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he
sold his birthright unto Jacob. Swore an oath and sold his
birthright for a bowl of lentils.
Gen 25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat
and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his
birthright. Part of the birthright was his inheritance,
but it also included the blessings from the Lord which were promised to Abraham
and his descendants. Esau treated his birthright as merchandise and despised
grace. Hence, He is called a profane person. (Hebrews 12:16).
Genesis 26
Gen 26:1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was
in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines
unto Gerar. Famine: Accounts for Esau's despair of living
and the selling of his birthright. One of the first of thirteen famines. (Note:
13 is the number of rebellion). Abimelech = official name or title. Not the same
as Abimelech in (Genesis 20:2).
Gen 26:2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt;
dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Don't go
down to Egypt as your father Abraham did in (Genesis 12:10), but do as I tell
you.
Gen 26:3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee;
for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will
perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
Live here in this land as a foreigner and I the Lord will bless you. So to each
Patriarch (father), Abraham (Genesis 13:15), Jacob (Genesis 28:13).
Gen 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and
will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the
nations of the earth be blessed; Your descendants will
become as numerous as the stars of the sky. Through these descendants, the
promise of the Messiah that will bless the world. (Acts 3:25, Galatians 3:8,
3:16).
Gen 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my
commandments, my statutes, and my laws. God offers Isaac
the same as his father Abraham. Abraham listened and obeyed all the Lords
requirements and commands. Well, most of the time. Will Isaac listen and obey?
Gen 26:6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:
Gen 26:7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said,
She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest,
said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was
fair to look upon. Sound familiar? Isaac decides to do
exactly what Abraham did. (Genesis 12:13, 20:2, 20:12).
Gen 26:8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that
Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold,
Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.
Isaac got
busted by the king caressing Rebekah. Now what?
Gen 26:9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is
thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him,
Because I said, Lest I die for her.
Isaac fesses up to the
king and tells him Rebekah was his wife. (Lying about his wife for his own
safety).
Gen 26:10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one
of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have
brought guiltiness upon us. What are you doing the king
said? If one of us would have slept with Rebekah, we would have been guilty of a
great sin. Here we have Isaac (a believer), being rebuked by and unbeliever (Abimelech).
Gen 26:11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that
toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
Abimelech solves the problem. (One of the laws given and observed before Moses).
Gen 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an
hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. One hundred fold
blessing from the Lord. (Mark 4:8).
Gen 26:13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became
very great: Isaac became very rich and his wealth
continued to grow. (Psalm 112:3).
Gen 26:14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great
store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. You
need to watch out for jealously when your wealth increases.
Gen 26:15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the
days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them
with earth. Isaac seems to be a threat to the Philistines.
In those countries, a well of water was a great acquisition; and hence, this
mode of injuring new settlers, or revenging themselves on their enemies, is
still resorted to among the inhabitants.
Gen 26:16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much
mightier than we. You have become to powerful for us, move
on somewhere else.
Gen 26:17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of
Gerar, and dwelt there. Isaac takes the advice and moves
from the city to the valley of Gerar.
Gen 26:18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in
the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the
death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father
had called them. Isaac reopens (re-digs), the wells that
Abraham dug, but were filled in by the Philistines. He not only re-digs the
wells, but also restored the names of the wells.
Gen 26:19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well
of springing water. Also known as "living waters."
Gen 26:20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying,
The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they
strove with him. This well was know as the well Esek,
(well of strife or contention).
Gen 26:21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he
called the name of it Sitnah. This well was know as the
well Sitnah, (well of opposition or hostility).
Gen 26:22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that
they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the
LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
Abandoning that one also, Isaac moved on and dug another well with no disputes.
This well was know as the well Rehoboth, (well of roominess or open space). The
wells in Arabia are generally dug in the rock. Their mouths are about six feet
in diameter, and they are from nineteen to twenty feet in depth. However, many
wells are from 160 to 170 feet deep.
Gen 26:23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba.
Gen 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am
the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will
bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
Gen 26:25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the
LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.
Built an altar and called on the name of the Lord.
Gen 26:26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his
friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.
Phichol, as well as Abimelech, "father king," seems to have been a name of
office or dignity among the Philistines; for it is not probable that they were
the same as are mentioned in the days of Abraham. (Genesis 21:22, 21:32).
Gen 26:27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate
me, and have sent me away from you? Why have you come
here? You kicked me off your land.
Gen 26:28 And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we
said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and
let us make a covenant with thee; After thinking it over,
Abimelech and the boys finally see that the Lord was with Isaac. "Let's make a
deal."
Gen 26:29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as
we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou
art now the blessed of the LORD.
Emphasizing the
fact that so far from injuring him in any way they had shown him favor. (It
appears they wanted to share in Isaac's blessings). Did you ever find people
wanting to hang with you because they know your blessed by God?
Gen 26:30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.
Isaac prepared a covenant feast to celebrate the treaty between
them with a big party.
Gen 26:31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another:
and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
They all took the oath not to interfere with each other and they
left Isaac in peace.
Gen 26:32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and
told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have
found water. Found more water!
Gen 26:33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is
Beersheba unto this day. Beersheba: i.e. the well of the
oath, (Genesis 26:28); This may have been the same city which was called Beer-sheba
a hundred years before this, in the time of Abraham; but as the well, from which
it had its name originally, was closed up by the Philistines, the name of the
place might have been abolished with the well; when, therefore, Isaac re-opened
it, he restored the ancient name of the place.
Gen 26:34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the
daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
Meanwhile, Esau at the age of forty married two Hittite wives. Two pagan wives
named Judith (also named Aholibamah), and Bashemath (also named Adah).
Gen 26:35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
Esau's wives were grief of mind (caused bitterness of spirit) or,
i.e. made life miserable for Isaac and Rebekah.
Genesis 27
Gen 27:1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim,
so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My
son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. Isaac
was about 137 years old now and turning blind. Jacob and Esau were about 77
years old. (Remember they were twins). However, Esau would be considered the
oldest son of Isaac.
Gen 27:2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
Isaac was the same age as his half-brother Ishmael when he died, but Isaac would
recover and live another 43 years.
Gen 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy
bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
The result of hunting: In (Genesis 25:29), Esau missed his venison and lost his
birthright. Was he now to miss it again and lose his blessing?
Gen 27:4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me,
that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.
The blessing, which Isaac was to confer on his son, was a species of divine
right, and must be communicated with appropriate ceremonies. As eating and
drinking were used among the Asiatics on almost all religious occasions, and
especially in making and confirming covenants, it is reasonable to suppose, that
something of this kind was essentially necessary on this occasion; and that
Isaac could not convey the right, till he had eaten of the meat provided for the
purpose by him who was to receive the blessing. Isaac has the intention to give
this blessing to Esau, the oldest of the two brothers. However, before the boys
were born, God spoke to Rebekah and told her that the blessing should go to
Jacob, and that the older would serve the younger brother. (Genesis 25:23).
Gen 27:5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to
the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
Rebekah did a little covert listening and found out what was on the mind of
Isaac.
Gen 27:6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy
father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Rebekah lets
Jacob in on the secret.
Gen 27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and
bless thee before the LORD before my death. Isaac tells
Esau what he needs to do for the blessing.
Gen 27:8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I
command thee. Now Rebekah has another plan of her own and
tells Jacob what to do.
Gen 27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the
goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
Go to the flocks and bring me two fine young goats. I'll prepare them for your
fathers favorite dish. (Rebekah knew what Isaac liked).
Gen 27:10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and
that he may bless thee before his death.
Were going to
pull a little switch on your father.
Gen 27:11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is
a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: Isaac may have
been going blind, but he still had the sense of feel.
Gen 27:12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a
deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
Jacob gets a little worried here that he might get discovered trying to deceive
his father. (This would not be good).
Gen 27:13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son:
only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
Rebekah wasn't worried and said "let the curse fall on me" if we get discovered.
Gen 27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother:
and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
Jacob listens to Rebekah and gets the young goats and she prepares Isaac's
favorite meal.
Gen 27:15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which
were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:
Rebekah takes Esau's clothes and gave them to Jacob to put on.
This was a robe worn by the first-born usually kept by the mother of the family
in sweet chests to keep the moths out. Remember that Isaac is blind, so Jacob
wears his brother's robe because of the smell, not the look.
Gen 27:16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and
upon the smooth of his neck: Remember Esau was hairy. So,
Rebekah covers Jacobs smooth parts with the skin of the young goats, so he would
appear hairy like Esau. Travelers inform us, that the Eastern goats have long,
fine, and beautiful hair, of the most delicate silky softness; indeed the
animals generally in those hot countries are not covered with so thick a coat of
hair as they are in more northerly regions; so that Isaac might easily be
deceived, when his eyes were dim, and his feeling no less impaired than his
sight.
Gen 27:17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had
prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
Jacob brings the
meal to his father in disguise.
Gen 27:18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here
am I; who art thou, my son?
Who are you
Isaac asked?
Gen 27:19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I
have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my
venison, that thy soul may bless me.
Jacob replied, "It's
Esau, your firstborn son. I did what you wanted so you can eat your favorite
meal and then give me your blessing." (Are these what we call little white
lies)?
Gen 27:20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found
it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought
it to me. Isaac may have been old and blind, but he
wasn't stupid.
Gen 27:21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel
thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.
Come closer so that I can touch you to see if you are really Esau.
Gen 27:22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and
said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of
Esau. Hmmm, Your hand feels like Esau, but you sound like
Jacob.
Gen 27:23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his
brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him. His hand felt
hairy to Isaac, so he did not think it was Jacob. (Or did he)?
Gen 27:24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I
am. Still a little skeptical, he say's, "are
you really Esau?" "Yes, I am," Jacob replied.
Gen 27:25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's
venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and
he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank. Isaac
enjoyed his favorite meal with some wine that Jacob served him.
Gen 27:26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my
son. It must have been at this point that Isaac's faith
finally overcame "the will of the flesh," and made him resolve to bless Jacob,
in spite of it.
Gen 27:27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his
raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the
smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: Jacob goes
over and kissed his father. Isaac could smell the sent of Esau's garment on him
and was pleased. The smell of a field: A field where aromatic plants, flowers,
fruits, and spices grew in abundance, with which these garments (Genesis 27:15),
of Esau might probably have been perfumed by being laid up with them.
Gen 27:28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of
the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: The blessing was
given by Isaac and Jacob would receive the rewards.
Gen 27:29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over
thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every
one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
The blessing was to include wealth and good farming, to rule over
the nations, to rule over his own brother, and all that curse would be cursed.
But, "All that bless you will be blessed."
Gen 27:30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing
Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father,
that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
Oh No...
Esau finally returns from the hunt.
Gen 27:31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father,
and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison,
that thy soul may bless me. Another meal for dad presented
by Esau.
Gen 27:32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he
said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau. Who the
heck are you now? It's Esau, your firstborn son.
Gen 27:33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is
he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all
before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.
Isaac began to tremble uncontrollably (because of Esau's temperament), and said
who just served me, and who did I bless? Before you came I blessed the one who
served me thinking it was you.
Gen 27:34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great
and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me
also, O my father. Esau was quite upset and let out a load
cry. Something like "What did you do?" Then he begged Isaac to bless him too.
Gen 27:35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away
thy blessing. Isaac said to Esau, "Your brother was here
and tricked me." "You blessing has been taken away."
Gen 27:36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted
me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken
away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?
No wonder his name is Jacob (heal-catcher or trickster), he cheated me out of my
birthright, and now my blessing. Don't you have one blessing for me father Esau
asked?
Gen 27:37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy
lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and
wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
Nope! It's to late. Jacob will be your master and all his
brothers will serve him.
Gen 27:38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my
father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his
voice, and wept. Esau asked Isaac again; just one blessing
for me father, and then Esau broke down and wept.
Gen 27:39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy
dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
Sorry, you are going to live away from the fat of the land and the dew from
heaven above. (In the desert he would live).
Gen 27:40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and
it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break
his yoke from off thy neck. You will live by the sword and
serve your brother. Esau and his descendants the Edomites were violent people
and would serve Jacob and his descendants untill; Thou shalt break his yoke from
off thy neck: They would stop serving Israel, fulfilled in (2 Kings 8:20-22).
Gen 27:41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father
blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are
at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.
From then on
Esau hated Jacob because their father gave him the blessing. Esau began to
scheme and planed on killing Jacob after his father died. However, He didn't
know that dad would last another 43 years before he died.
Gen 27:42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she
sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother
Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
Mom comes to the rescue and wars Jacob that his brother wants to kill him.
Gen 27:43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban
my brother to Haran; Flee to my brother Laban, in Haran.
Gen 27:44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;
Rebekah tells Jacob to stay and pray there a few days till your brother cools
off.
Gen 27:45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget
that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from
thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?
When he cools down I will send for you. Rebekah's timing was a
little off, because Jacob would be their for 20 years.
Gen 27:46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the
daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these
which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?
Rebekah says to Isaac, "I'm sick of these local Hittite
women!" (Referring to Esau's wife). I would rather die than see Jacob marry one
of them. Rebekah will never see Jacob again. Hence the phrase: "Let us do evil
that good may come." (Romans 3:8). "God works in mysterious ways."
Genesis 28
Gen 28:1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said
unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
The blessing God endorses (Genesis 13:15), by sending Jacob to
Haran, as he had blessed Abraham to bring him from Haran. (Genesis 12:1-3). Do
not marry any Canaanite women. (Genesis 24:3).
Gen 28:2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father;
and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.
Go to Padanaram (the plain of Syria), and marry one of
your uncle Laban's daughters.
Gen 28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply
thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; God
Almighty: El Shaddai.
Gen 28:4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with
thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God
gave unto Abraham. Isaac wanted the blessing to go to
Esau, but even though the blessing was stolen by Jacob, Isaac finally realizes
that God's blessing is going to be with the younger son Jacob. (When God has a
plan, you got to go with it).
Gen 28:5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son
of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
About a 500 mile journey to Padanaram. Jacob sent away: Whoever observes Jacob's
life, after he had surreptitiously obtained his father's blessing, will perceive
that he enjoyed very little worldly felicity. His brother purposed to murder
him, to avoid which he was forced to flee from his father's house; his uncle
Laban deceived him, as he had deceived his father, and treated him with great
rigor; after a servitude of 21 years, he was obliged to leave him in a
clandestine manner, not without danger of being brought back, or murdered by his
enraged brother; no sooner were these fears over, than he experienced the
baseness of his son Reuben, in defiling his bed; he had next to bewail the
treachery and cruelty of Simeon and Levi toward the Shechemites; then he had to
feel the loss of his beloved wife; he was next imposed upon by his own sons, and
had to lament the supposed untimely end of Joseph; and to complete all, he was
forced by famine to go into Egypt, and there died, in a strange land. So just,
wonderful, and instructive are all the ways of Providence.
Gen 28:6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to
Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave
him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;
Gen 28:7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to
Padanaram;
Gen 28:8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his
father;
Gen 28:9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had
Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be
his wife. Esau married one of Ishmael's daughters (in
addition to the wives he already had), named Mahalath, also called Bashemath.
(Genesis 36:3). He figured it would please Isaac if he married someone different
than a Canaanite women. However, Esau is thinking in the flesh again and married
someone within the family.
Gen 28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
Meanwhile Jacob beats feet and heads toward Haran. (He needs to get away from
Esau).
Gen 28:11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night,
because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put
them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
Gen 28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the
top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and
descending on it. Also know as Jacob's ladder, or the
"Stairway to Heaven." (So... that's where the song came from). One interesting
scripture Jesus quoted was in the book of John, referring to Jacob's dream.
And he saith unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter
ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon
the Son of man. (John 1:51). Jesus is saying, "I tell you the
truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on
the Son of Man, the "One" who is the stairway between heaven and earth."
Jesus is the only way to the Father and to Heaven. (John 14:6).
Gen 28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the
LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou
liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; God's
promise to Abraham and Isaac. "Now He becomes the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob."
Gen 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt
spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south:
and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
This can be fulfilled only in Christ. All the families of
the earth will be blessed through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because Jesus would
come through these descendants. "The promise of the Messiah."
Gen 28:15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all
places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I
will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee
of. I will not leave thee: The promise first made here, to
Jacob for covenant grace; to the people, for journey (Deuteronomy 31:6); to
Joshua, for conflict (Joshua 1:5-8); to Solomon, for work (1 Chronicles 28:20);
to us, for daily provision (Hebrews 13:5-6).
Gen 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is
in this place; and I knew it not.
Jacob realizes
now that God was with him.
Are you aware of God's presence and that He is with you wherever you go?
(Hebrews 13:5, Matthew 28:20).
Gen 28:17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place!
this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of
heaven. House of God: The place where God meets the
unworthy in grace. i.e. where you worship Him, He is present. You don't need a
big fancy building to have the presence of God.
Gen 28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he
had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured
oil upon the top of it. Consecrating the altar and making
it a holy place. (Leviticus 8:10-12).
Gen 28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that
city was called Luz at the first.
Bethel: The house
of El, or the house of God.
Gen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will
keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put
on, Jacob makes a solemn vow. (The first recorded vow).
Gen 28:21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the
LORD be my God:
Gen 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be
God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth
unto thee. God's house: Hebrew, "Beth-elohim." Not
Beth-el. Jacob sets up a memorial pillar for worshipping God. Then promises to
give a tenth of everything God gives him back to God.
Genesis 29
Gen 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people
of the east. Getting close to the end of his 500 mile
journey to Haran.
Gen 29:2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there
were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered
the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
Great stone: In Arabia, and other places in the East, they cover up their wells
of water, lest the sand, which is put in motion by the winds, should fill and
quite stop them up. So great was their care not to leave the well open any
length of time, that they waited till the flocks were all gathered together
before they began to draw water; and when they had finished, the well was
immediately closed again. Note: The flock of sheep were waiting to be watered. A
Christians, we wait upon the Lamb (Christ), "the fountains of living waters," as
stated in (Revelation 7:17), when God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Christ will constantly feed them and be their shepherd.
Gen 29:3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone
from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the
well's mouth in his place. This verse describes what was
usually done by some mutual compact among the shepherds, and shows the purpose
for which the flocks lay by the well; for the stone was not removed till all the
flocks had been collected. (Genesis 29:3). Just as God's elect will be gathered
together in the end times and come out of the tribulation of antichrist. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he
said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed
their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14). These are the
ones who hung in there through the tribulation and were not deceived by Satan.
They did the work they were supposed to do, and they washed their robes with the
blood of the Lamb which is Christ. (Those with
righteous acts).
Gen 29:4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they
said, Of Haran are we.
Gen 29:5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they
said, We know him.
Gen 29:6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is
well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
Rachel will later become a wife a Jacob.
Gen 29:7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it
time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go
and feed them. Could it be that Jacob wants to
get rid of the other flocks and shepherds before Rachel arrives?
Gen 29:8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together,
and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the
sheep. Their customs were to wait until all the shepherds
arrive to remove the large stone, water their flocks and put the stone back. The
shepherds were usually slaves, younger sons, or daughters.
Gen 29:9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's
sheep: for she kept them. Rachel was a shepherd and came
with her father's sheep. In those primitive times, a pastoral life was not only
considered useful but honorable. Nor was it beneath the dignity of the daughters
of the most opulent chiefs to carry water from the well, or tend the sheep.
Jacob, Moses, and David were shepherds.
Gen 29:10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban
his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob
went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of
Laban his mother's brother. Once Jacob got a good look at
Rachel, he is going to impress her by moving the stone himself and water his
uncle's flock.
Gen 29:11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
Jacob kissed Rachel for the first time. This was not a love Kiss,
but a customary eastern greeting kiss. Jacob was weeping for joy because he
finally reached his destination and met his beautiful cousin Rachel.
Gen 29:12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and
that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
Rachel appears to be happy that she met her cousin Jacob and runs
to tell her father Laban.
Gen 29:13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his
sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and
brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
Gen 29:14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh.
And he abode with him the space of a month. Stayed there
"a month of days."
Gen 29:15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother,
shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy
wages be? Jacob must have been helping out around
the house. Laban wanted to reward him for his labor.
Gen 29:16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah,
and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah
(weary), the older daughter, and Rachel (a ewe), the younger daughter.
Gen 29:17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well
favoured. Leah was weak eyed (no sparkle in her eyes), but
Rachel was beautiful and had the full package.
Gen 29:18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for
Rachel thy younger daughter. Jacob was taken in by
Rachel's looks right off the bat. "He was in love." He was willing to work seven
years for free for Rachel.
Gen 29:19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than
that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
Laban agrees!
Gen 29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him
but a few days, for the love he had to her. He
really loved Rachel and time flew by as he served for his wife. (Hosea 12:12).
Gen 29:21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are
fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. Jacob fulfills his
agreement as agreed to with Laban, and now he wants Rachel to be his wife and
get to the love making.
Gen 29:22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a
feast.
Gen 29:23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter,
and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
We say
"only in America." They say, "only in the middle east." Jacob gets to sleep with
the older daughter first and doesn't even know it. Hmmm... The wine must have
been real good that night. (Was this a custom, or little covert action on
Laban's part)?
Gen 29:24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an
handmaid.
Gen 29:25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was
Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not
I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
Jacob wakes up after what was probably a hard night of partying and realizes
that he slept with the wrong girl. (Jacob was deceived just as he deceived
Isaac).
Gen 29:26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the
younger before the firstborn. Here comes the custom again.
The first born was to be married off first before the younger. (Not in America).
"Here you can marry anyone or anything."
Gen 29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service
which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. Now
the deal changes a little with Labon. Stay with Leah for a week and then you can
have Rachel, "if" you serve me for another seven years.
Gen 29:28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel
his daughter to wife also. Jacob agrees and now he has
both sisters for wives. However, it is a popular mistake to suppose that Jacob
did not marry Rachel till the end of the second seven years, for in the first
seven were born seven sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, and
Joseph. In the second seven: Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, and Dinah.
Gen 29:29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her
maid. Strictly in accordance with the Code of Khammarabi.
(See appendix 15).
Gen 29:30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than
Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. Jacob
loved Rachel much more than Leah.
Gen 29:31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her
womb: but Rachel was barren.
Gen 29:32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben:
for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my
husband will love me. Reuben "r-uwben" meaning (see, a
son). Leah conceived as a result of praying to the Lord. (For the various orders
of the twelve tribes see appendix 45).
Gen 29:33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD
hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son
also: and she called his name Simeon. Simeon "Shimon"
meaning (hearing).
Gen 29:34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time
will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore
was his name called Levi. Levi meaning (joiner). He will
be the father of the Levites. (Tribe the priests would come from).
Gen 29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I
praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
Judah "y-hudah" meaning (he shall be praised). "Father of the
tribe of David, in that Christ would come." (Genesis 49:8-12). Left bearing:
That is, for a time; Leah had several children afterwards. (Genesis 30:17).
Genesis
30
Gen 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied
her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
Complaining to Jacob that she had no sons for him.
Gen 30:2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am
I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
What do you want from me Jacob replies? God is the one who kept
you from having children.
Gen 30:3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall
bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
This was strictly in accordance with the Code of Khammurabi. The earliest known
written legal code, was composed about 1780 B.C.E. by Hammurabi, the ruler of
Bablyon. This text was excavated in 1901; it was carved on an eight foot high
stone monolith. The harsh system of punishment expressed in this text prefigures
the concept of 'an eye for an eye'. The Code lays out the basis of both criminal
and civil law, and defines procedures for commerce and trade. This text was
redacted for 1,500 years, and is considered the predecessor of Jewish and
Islamic legal systems alike.
Gen 30:4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto
her. Another wife for Jacob so Rachael can have a son.
(Here we see a surrogate pregnancy is nothing new).
Gen 30:5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
Gen 30:6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice,
and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.
Named the boy Dan, meaning "Judge."
Gen 30:7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second
son.
Gen 30:8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my
sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
Because Rachael was struggling with her sister for supremacy in the marriage,
she named the boy Naphtali. Meaning "my wrestling."
Gen 30:9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid,
and gave her Jacob to wife. Now Leah could not have any
more children and the competition continues. She does not want to lose her
advantage over Rachael in the marriage, so she gives Jacob on of her servants
just like Rachael did. Her name was Zilpah. (Talk about wearing a man down).
Again, this was strictly in accordance with the Code of Khammurabi.
Gen 30:10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.
Gen 30:11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
Gad meaning "Jupiter" of the Babylonians. Baal-Gad (Joshua 11:17,
12:7), is the god-jupiter. A troop cometh = Over-run, or have victory.
Gen 30:12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.
Gen 30:13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed:
and she called his name Asher. Asher, meaning "happy."
Will call = "ishsruni" (sure to call me).
Gen 30:14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes
in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah,
Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.
Mandrakes "mandragora"
(a species of melon), the roots easily formed, by pinching it, into the shape of
a man. Hence it's name; also supposed to be and used as a "love potion," or
"aphrodisiac" (ancient Viagra). Arabic = "apples of Satan." Rachel want to
kick-it-up a notch.
Gen 30:15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast
taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And
Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.
Little tension over the "love drug." But, lets make a deal for the mandrakes.
Gen 30:16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out
to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee
with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
Customary or, just a cover-up for a form of prostitution. Oh, I forgot, this was
strictly in accordance with the Code of Khammurabi. How many of us guys today
would complain about these rules? (I sure don't hear Jacob complaining).
Gen 30:17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the
fifth son. Rachael is thinking in the flesh trying to get
pregnant by the use of mandrakes, but it backfires and Leah ends up with child.
Gen 30:18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my
maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
Issachar = "he is wages," "he will bring rewards."
Gen 30:19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.
Gen 30:20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now
will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called
his name Zebulun. Zebulum = "dwelling," or "habitation."
Assyrian word, "to honor."
Gen 30:21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
Dinah = "vindication," or "judgment." (Jacob may have had other daughters not
named).
Gen 30:22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her
womb. God remembers Rachael and she finally gets pregnant.
Not because of the mandrakes, but because of God answering her prayers.
Gen 30:23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my
reproach:
Gen 30:24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me
another son. Joseph = "may He add," or "Yahveh has added."
Gen 30:25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said
unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
Jacob served his time and completed his deal that he made
with Laban. Now he wants to go home to his country with his new family.
Gen 30:26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served
thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
Gen 30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in
thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath
blessed me for thy sake. Laban tells Jacob he has become
very wealthy because God has had favor on him because of Jacob.
Gen 30:28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
What do I owe you for your service?
Gen 30:29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how
thy cattle was with me.
Gen 30:30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and
it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee
since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
Jacob wants to start to provide for his own family. He wants his
own little business.
Gen 30:31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not
give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and
keep thy flock: Jacob makes a deal to continue to tend and
watch over Laban's flocks.
Gen 30:32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all
the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and
the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
Here's the deal... Jacob wants all the sheep and goats that are speckled or
spotted, along with all the black sheep for his wages.
Gen 30:33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it
shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled
and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted
stolen with me. Jacob tells Labab that he would be totally
honest with him, and that if he found any of his flock of goats or sheep that
are not speckled or black, he would know that he stole from him.
Gen 30:34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
Laban agrees to the terms.
Gen 30:35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and
spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every
one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and
gave them into the hand of his sons.
From this it
appears, that, as Jacob had agreed to take all the parti-coloured for his wages,
and was now only beginning to act upon this agreement, and consequently had as
yet no right to any of the cattle, therefore Laban separated from the flock all
such cattle as Jacob might afterwards claim in consequence of his bargain,
leaving only the black and white with Jacob.
Gen 30:36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob
fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
Laban took all the good
breeding stock and removed them while Jacob tended to the rest of the flock.
i.e. Jacob gets conned again.
Gen 30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and
chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which
was in the rods. Trying to manipulate the flock.
Gen 30:38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the
gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should
conceive when they came to drink. He thought this would
encourage the animals would mate.
Gen 30:39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle
ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. Some of the young were
streaked, speckled, and spotted. (This was not because of what Jacob did with
the rods). We will find out later that it was because of the hand of God, for
all of Jacobs hard work.
Gen 30:40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks
toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his
own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
Gen 30:41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive,
that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they
might conceive among the rods.
Gen 30:42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the
feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. It's
called selective breeding.
Gen 30:43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and
maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
As a
result of Jacob's hard work and God's help, he became very wealthy. The Lord
will, in one way or other, honor those who simply trust his providence.
Remember, material wealth is not that important, but spiritual wealth is, and
that is what having a blessed life is all about. God will always give you what
you need, not necessarily what you want. The key to having a blessed life is in
Christ; do your best, trust in Him, and He takes care of the rest.
Genesis
31
Gen 31:1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken
away all that was our father's; and of that which was
our father's hath he gotten all this glory. Jacob
heard that Labon's sons were complaining about him, and that he has become
wealthy at their fathers expense. (A little jealous of Jacob getting ahead).
Gen 31:2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. Now even Labon's
attitude has changed toward him. (Some people that are better off than
others like it to stay that way).
Gen 31:3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy
fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
God knows what is going on and tells Jacob to return to his home land.
Gen 31:4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his
flock, Come out in private to discuss the situation.
Gen 31:5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it
is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
Your father's attitude has changed toward me, but God has still been with
me.
Gen 31:6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
I have worked very hard for your father.
Gen 31:7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten
times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
He cheated
me plenty of times, but God has not allowed him to harm me.
Gen 31:8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the
cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy
hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked. Even
though Laban changed the deal several times, it was by the hand of God that
produced the flock for Jacob.
Gen 31:9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. It happens it everyday life. Some
people just can't handle wealth; God will make them lose it and give it to
someone who he trusts with it.
Gen 31:10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that
I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which
leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
Grisled = marked with white spots like hail.
Gen 31:11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying,
Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
Gen 31:12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams
which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled:
for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. God
seen how Laban treated Jacob.
Gen 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the
pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out
from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
God reminds Jacob that He spoke to him at Bethel. (The place where Jacob
anointed the pillar of stone and made a vow to God). Now God tells him to
get ready to leave this land and return home.
Gen 31:14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there
yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
The girls are on board.
Gen 31:15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and
hath quite devoured also our money.
Our father reduced
our rights to those foreign women and wasted all his money on himself.
Gen 31:16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that
is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto
thee, do. The girls are going where the money is and
encourage Jacob to do what God has told him.
Gen 31:17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
Gen 31:18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he
had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for
to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. Sets
out for the land of Canaan where his father, Isaac lived.
Gen 31:19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the
images that were her father's. Idols, a kind of
household gods. Showing that the idolatry of Babylonia still clung to
Laban's family.
Gen 31:20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he
told him not that he fled. Jacob outwitted Laban the
Aramean, and set out secretly never telling him they were leaving. Stole
away: (Rachel stole Laban's idols and Jacob stole Laban's heart).
Gen 31:21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed
over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
The river Euphrates.
Gen 31:22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
While Laban was out shearing his sheep,
Laban is out
sheering the sheep and finds out Jacob left three days later.
Gen 31:23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven
days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
Laban and a group of relatives set out in hot pursuit of Jacob and they
caught up with them seven days later in the hill country of Gilead. Note:
Jacob was moving slow because of the goat flocks with him. Laban and the
boys were probably riding camels or horses when they caught him.
Gen 31:24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said
unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
However, earlier, God appeared to Laban in a dream and warned
him to leave Jacob alone.
Gen 31:25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in
the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
Set up camp not far from Jacob.
Gen 31:26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast
stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? Laban thinks Jacob took his
daughters by force. Remember, the girls were on board and wanted to leave.
Gen 31:27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from
me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and
with songs, with tabret, and with harp? Why did you
slip away in secret? Why did you deceive me? Why didn't you say you wanted
to leave? Why? Why? Why? Laban adds hypocrisy, covetousness, and avarice, to
idolatry.
Gen 31:28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou
hast now done foolishly in so doing.
Gen 31:29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of
your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou
speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
God in control
here and wants Jacob to head home no matter what Laban thinks or says. Note:
Laban had spoken of the Lord (Yahveh); now he has sunk so low as to say'
"you God," and calls the "teraphim" (idols, or household gods), "my gods."
Gen 31:30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because
thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou
stolen my gods? It appears that Laban was only
interested in his "household gods."
Gen 31:31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for
I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
Gen 31:32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before
our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it
to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
This was rash, and might have produced fatal effects; but Jacob was partial
to Rachel, and did not suspect her; and he was indignant at being accused of
a crime which he deeply abhorred.
Gen 31:33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and
into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he
out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
After a long search, Laban goes into Rachael's tent.
Gen 31:34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's
furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. Rachael has her own plan to hide the
idols, "she is sitting on them."
Gen 31:35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I
cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And
he searched, but found not the images. Rachael says to
her father, forgive me if I don't get up, "it's that time of the month."
Gen 31:36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered
and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that
thou hast so hotly pursued after me? Now Jacob becomes
angry and challenges Laban. "What's my crime?"
Gen 31:37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found
of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy
brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. Even
though Jacob has the right to be mad about all the deception from Laban, he
thinks that Laban is lying about the idols and he wasn't. (Sometimes we get
mad at people for the wrong reasons).
Gen 31:38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes
and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have
I not eaten.
Gen 31:39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I
bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen
by day, or stolen by night. Jacob took any loses on
his own. (i.e. Jacob did everything he could to do a good job for Laban).
Gen 31:40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the
frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
Worked hard through scorching heat and cold sleepless nights. (The eastern
shepherd was often away from home for weeks at a time).
Gen 31:41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee
fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou
hast changed my wages ten times.
Gen 31:42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear
of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God
hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee
yesternight.
Fear put for the God whom Jacob worshipped.
Gen 31:43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters
are my daughters, and these children are my children,
and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is
mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their
children which they have born? What can I do? Nothing!
They belong to Jacob now by the hand of God.
Gen 31:44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou;
and let it be for a witness between me and thee. Now
Laban wants make a covenant with Jacob. God can put a bridle into the mouth
of wicked man to restrain their malice; and then, though they have no love
for his people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of
necessity.
Gen 31:45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
Gen 31:46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took
stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
i.e. a covenant sacrifice.
Gen 31:47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
Jegarsahadutha is Chaldiac for "witness-heap. Galeed is Hebrew for "heap of
testimony."
Gen 31:48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and
thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
Gen 31:49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee,
when we are absent one from another. Mizpah =
watch-tower. i.e. Laban knew Hebrew as well as Chaldee. The Lord will keep
watch between the two of us so that we keep the covenant. Sounds like a pact
between two friends. Hmmm, I think the real reason was because they did not
trust each other. (i.e. God will keep an eye on you when I cannot).
Gen 31:50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man
is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.
Gen 31:51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this
pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;
Gen 31:52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be
witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt
not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.
Gen 31:53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their
father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.
The God that Isaac feared.
Gen 31:54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his
brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the
mount.
Gen 31:55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and
his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his
place. Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren,
blessed them and left for home, never to hear from Laban again. (Genesis
30:25), Jacob gets his wish.
Genesis
32
Gen 32:1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
The second vision, corresponding with that of Bethel. (Genesis 28:10-22). Angel
of God: To assure him of God's presence with him, and his protection. (Psalm
34:7).
Gen 32:2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he
called the name of that place Mahanaim. Host is a Hebrew
word "machaneh" which is camp. Mahanaim = two camps. Jacob has a camp (with
God), and God has a camp with the angels. (Psalm 34:7, 148:2).
Gen 32:3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the
land of Seir, the country of Edom. God has the angels for
His messengers; Jacob has his own messengers which he sent ahead hoping for
reconciliation with Esau.
Gen 32:4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord
Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed
there until now: Note Jacobs humble approach and message
to be sent to Esau calling him lord and himself a servant.
Gen 32:5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and
womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy
sight. Jacob trying to gain favor with Esau.
Gen 32:6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother
Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
This isn't what Jacob wanted to hear. A small army doesn't sound like a
reception comitee.
Gen 32:7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the
people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into
two bands; Jacob was about to take some precautions here.
He divides his household into two groups. Do you think he got the idea from
verse two? (Two camps, two groups).
Gen 32:8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the
other company which is left shall escape.
Jacob's plan
here is that if one group is attacked, the other group may escape.
Gen 32:9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father
Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy
kindred, and I will deal well with thee: Jacob turns to
prayer and remembers what God told him. (His prayer acknowledges both Elohim and
Yahveh).
Gen 32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the
truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over
this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Jacob not only
acknowledges God, but he shows humility "I am not worthy," for all that God has
blessed him with. (Always be thankful for the things you have, but remember,
when God blesses you, don't get on an ego trip thinking you did it yourself).
Know that you were "not worthy," but because of God's grace, He has blessed you.
(1 Peter 5:10).
Gen 32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand
of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother
with the children. With = Hebrew "upon," as though sons
slain and mothers falling on them.
Gen 32:12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as
the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
Reminding God of his promise made to him. (Genesis 28:13-15). God
wants you to remind Him of His promise. (Isaiah 43:26). It not only keeps Him in
remembrance of you, but it keep you in remembrance of Him.
Gen 32:13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to
his hand a present for Esau his brother; Getting ready to
make his brother an offer he can't refuse. (A little strategy will be used
here).
Gen 32:14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and
twenty rams,
Gen 32:15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls,
twenty she asses, and ten foals.
Gen 32:16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every
drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a
space betwixt drove and drove. Part of the strategy here
is to deliver the animals in small groups and to keep distance between the
herds.
Gen 32:17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth
thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou?
and whose are these before thee?
Gen 32:18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is
a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.
Gen 32:19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that
followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye
find him.
Gen 32:20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us.
For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and
afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.
Continuing with his strategy here trying to appease Esau by sending him gifts in
secret. (Proverbs 21:14).
Gen 32:21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night
in the company. The gifts were sent ahead, now lets see
what happens.
Gen 32:22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two
womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
Jabbok in Hebrew is "yabboq" meaning "pouring forth," a river
east of the Jordan.
Gen 32:23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that
he had. Jacob took his family and all his possessions to
the other side of the river. He remained there.
Gen 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until
the breaking of the day. a Man, Hebrew "iysh" called "God"
an "Angel," and Yahveh Elohim. (Hosea 12:4-5).
Yea,
he had power over the angel, and
prevailed: he wept, and made
supplication unto him: he found
him in Bethel, and there he
spake with us. (Hosea 12:4).
Jacob wrestled with the Angel
and won where he met God face to
face. (Genesis 32:9-12)
Even
the LORD God of hosts; the LORD
is his memorial. (Hosea 12:5).
His memorial name
Jehovah (Yahveh).
Gen 32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the
hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he
wrestled with him. Jacob must have been a tough cookie
because he was winning the match. Even though the angel could have crippled
Jacob earlier, he wanted to see what Jacob was made of and gave him a chance to
make a choice. If God ever cripples (weakens) one of his children, it is for a
reason. Sometimes we need to be reminded who is in control. "God is always in
control."
Gen 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will
not let thee go, except thou bless me. Jacob was tired and
weak, but persistent. He wanted the blessing!
Gen 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
The Angel knew his name.
Gen 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel:
for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Jacob struggled with Laban and now was struggling with
God. But, did he prevail? Jacob = contender; used of the natural Jacob and his
natural seed. Israel = God commands, orders or rules; used for spiritual Jacob
and his spiritual seed. Prince = commander, ordered. Hast thou power = hast thou
contended. Jacob had contended with Esau in the womb, and thus got the name
Jacob. Prevailed = succeeded. He had contended for the birthright and succeeded.
(Genesis 25:29-34). He had contended for the blessing and succeeded. (Genesis
27). He had contended with Laban and succeeded. (Genesis 31). He had contended
with "men" and succeeded. Now he contends with God, and fails. Hence his name
was changed to Israel, (God commands), to teach him the greatly needed lesson of
dependence upon God. (i.e. even though we think are act is together at times,
God may need to remind us who is in control). Our dependence needs to be upon
God, not man.
Gen 32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee,
thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my
name? And he blessed him there. Jacob gets his blessing.
Gen 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God
face to face, and my life is preserved. Peniel, Hebrew for
"God's face." Life = soul, Hebrew (nephesh). See appendix 13.
Gen 32:31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted
upon his thigh. The sun was rising and Jacob was limping
away because of his hip injury. (The sign that it is God who commands, and has
real power to overcome).
Gen 32:32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which
shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he
touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
Sinew "giyd" the ligament of the hip. (Even today the people of
Israel don't eat the tendon near the hip socket because of what happened that
night when the Man strained the tendon of Jacob's hip).
Genesis
33
Gen 33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came,
and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto
Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.
Esau is coming so
Jacob divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and his two servant wives.
Gen 33:2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and
her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
Lines up the family of importance to him in case of escape.
Gen 33:3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground
seven times, until he came near to his brother. Jacob went
ahead to meet his brother.
Gen 33:4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck,
and kissed him: and they wept. Esau sees him coming and
runs to him, greeting him with a hug and a kiss.
Gen 33:5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and
said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath
graciously given thy servant.
Gen 33:6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they
bowed themselves.
Gen 33:7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and
after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
Gen 33:8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met?
And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
Esau curious about all the flocks and herds Jacob brought for
gifts.
Gen 33:9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto
thyself.
Gen 33:10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy
sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face,
as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
To accept a present from an inferior was a customary pledge of friendship; but
returning it implied disaffection. It was on this ground that Jacob was so
urgent with Esau to receive his present.
Gen 33:11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God
hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and
he took it. Jacob asking Esau to take his blessing.
Hmmm. Remember about twenty years ago, Jacob had taken Esau's blessing. Now he
wants Esau to take his blessing. (Returning the favor possibly).
Gen 33:12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go
before thee.
Gen 33:13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are
tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men
should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.
We
don't want to push the animals to hard Jacob tells Esau.
Gen 33:14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will
lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be
able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir. Go
ahead of us and we will take our time and meet you in Seir.
Gen 33:15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk
that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the
sight of my lord. Esau wants to give them an escort, but
Jacob refuses. Does Jacob have other plans?
Gen 33:16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.
Esau returned to Seir.
Gen 33:17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made
booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
Jacob, on the other hand, heads towards Succoth. Located on the east of Jordan,
between the brook Jabbok and that river, about 40 miles from Jerusalem, and
consequently near Penuel; where a city was afterwards built, which Joshua
assigned to the tribe of Gad.
Gen 33:18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the
land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the
city. Later, (approx. 8-10 years), Jacob traveled to
Shechem in the land of Canaan. "The city Shechem," which was situated in a
narrow valley, abounding with springs, between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, having
the former on the north, and the latter on the south; 10 miles from Shiloh, and
34 from Jerusalem. It became the capital of Samaria, after the ruin of the city
of that name.
Gen 33:19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at
the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of
money. Bought a plot of land from Hamor (Shechem's
father).
Gen 33:20 And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel. There Jacob built an altar and named it Elelohe-Israel.
Hebrew "el elohey yisrael," meaning "The Mighty God of Israel."
Genesis
34
Gen 34:1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out
to see the daughters of the land. Dinah (meaning justice),
was the teenage daughter of Jacob and Leah. (The only girl in the family).
Having only brothers, she wanted to meet some female friends in the area.
Gen 34:2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country,
saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.
The local prince Shechem (son of Hamor), saw Dinah, took her, and raped her.
Gen 34:3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved
the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. Shechem
(after raping Dinah), decides he is in love with her and tries to win her
affection.
Gen 34:4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel
to wife. Now Shechem demands to his father that he wants
Dinah for his wife. (Sounds like a spoiled little brat).
Gen 34:5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons
were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were
come. Jacob finds out Shechem raped his daughter. With his
sons out in the fields, Jacob was alone and held his peace till they returned.
Gen 34:6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with
him. Now Hamor (Shechem's father), goes to talk with Jacob
about the matter.
Gen 34:7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it:
and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly
in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
The brothers of Dinah found out what happened and were
furious that their little sister was raped by a Canaanite. (Remember, the
Canaanites were immoral people and very bad news). "Many like them in our
society today."
Gen 34:8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem
longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
Hamor speaks to Jacob and his sons about Shechem being in love with Dinah. Now
he wants them to give permission for his son to marry her.
Gen 34:9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto
us, and take our daughters unto you. Now Hamor wants to do
a little horse trading, only with the girls.
Gen 34:10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell
and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
Kind of a condition for peace if he gives in to Hamor's proposal.
Gen 34:11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find
grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
Now Shechem offer anything just to marry Dinah.
Gen 34:12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as
ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
I
will give you anything you ask for the young girl. (This guy was really hooked
on this girl). As for the brothers of Dinah, I wonder what they were really
thinking?
Gen 34:13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father
deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
The brothers weren't to happy with Shechem and responded deceitfully. (Kind of
like Jacob's own character).
Gen 34:14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our
sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:
Now the brothers have a plan of their own.
Gen 34:15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be,
that every male of you be circumcised; If every man among
you will be circumcised like us;
Gen 34:16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your
daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
then we will swap daughters and live among you and become one people.
Gen 34:17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we
take our daughter, and we will be gone. However, if you do
not agree, we will take Dinah and be on our way.
Gen 34:18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son.
Hamor and Shechem agree to the proposal.
Gen 34:19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had
delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honourable than all the
house of his father. Shechem wasted no time in acting on
this request because he wanted Jacob's daughter desperately. (He was ready to
drop his drawers right there and be circumcised).
Gen 34:20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and
communed with the men of their city, saying, Shechem goes
to the leaders at the town gate with his father Hamor to present the proposal.
Gen 34:21 These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in
the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for
them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our
daughters. Bringing their proposal to the town leaders and
making it sound so good.
Gen 34:22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to
be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are
circumcised. Here's the catch... They will only stay among
us if all of our men are circumcised as they are.
Gen 34:23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast
of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell
with us. But, if we do, it will be very profitable. They
have lots of livestock and possessions that will eventually be ours. The ways of
the world... (Women, wealth, power).
Gen 34:24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out
of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of
the gate of his city. The proposal sounded so good that
every male in the town was circumcised. (What a bunch of dummies). Again,
thinking with the wrong head.
Gen 34:25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two
of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his
sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
Payback time! While theses guys were healing up from the
circumcision, Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, (Dinah's full brothers), took their
swords and slaughtered every male there.
Gen 34:26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword,
and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. Then
they finally got revenge by killing Hamor and Shechem with the sword, rescuing
Dinah from Shechem's house.
Gen 34:27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city,
because they had defiled their sister. Then all the boys
arrived and plundered the town because their sister had been defiled.
Gen 34:28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that
which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
Gen 34:29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives
took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
They took it all, including their women and children as captives.
Gen 34:30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me
to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the
Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves
together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
Jacob tells Simeon and Levi, "You have ruined me!" Your revenge has caused the
whole family problems now. The Canaanites (descendants of the Nephilim), and
Perizzites will join forces and crush us, and wipe us out for what you have
done.
Gen 34:31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
But the two brothers tell Jacob; "should we let them treat our sister like a
prostitute?" Well they both have a good point, but Jacob is right here. Perhaps
the boys went a little overboard here. They could have asked Hamor and the the
city to punish Shechem for raping their sister, but they took matters in their
own hands and made things worse. Paul would tell us in the book of Romans to let
God handle vengeance.
Dearly
beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:
for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
(Romans 12:19).
Never take revenge on others,
especially if you are a true Christian. Leave the revenge to God. If
someone messes with one of God's children, He will take care of them.
(Hebrews 10:30),
Vengeance belongs to the Lord and He will judge His people
(Deuteronomy 32:35-36).
Therefore
if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for
in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (Romans
12:20).
Be
not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21).
Never let evil conquer you. That is what Satan wants,
then he has you. Always conquer evil by doing good. However, Never
be a doormat or victim to anyone. If someone attacks you or your family, "take
care of business." (We all have the right to defend ourselves).
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Bart
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