God tells Jacob to go make an altar where he appeared to him when he fled Esau. Jacob does so and anoints it Bethel.
Jacob collects all the foreign gods and earring from his company. Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, dies and is buried.
A different version of God changing Jacob's name to Israel is told. God gives him all the land he gave Abraham and Isaac.
Rachel dies in childbirth, bearing Benjamin. Jacob buries her and constructs a pillar that remains to this day.
Reuben, Jacob's first born, lies with Israel's concubine. Isaac dies at 180 and Jacob and Esau bury him.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Genesis 34
Dinah, daughter of Leah, is abducted and raped by Shechen the son of Hamor. He confesses to Jacob who holds his tounge as his sons are out in the field. The sons come in and are pissed.
Shechem wants Dinah, so Hamor proposes an intermingling of the families. Jacob's sons lie by saying they'll accept if all the men of Hamar's tribe are circumcised. The men of Hamar agree.
While they are recovering, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's full brothers, took swords and kill off all the men of Hamor, who are still sore from the circumcision, including Hamor and Shechem.
Jacob's son take Dinah back and sack the city of Hamor. Jacob is pissed at Simeon and Levi, fearing they've provoked a blood feud with the rest of the Canaanites.
Shechem wants Dinah, so Hamor proposes an intermingling of the families. Jacob's sons lie by saying they'll accept if all the men of Hamar's tribe are circumcised. The men of Hamar agree.
While they are recovering, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's full brothers, took swords and kill off all the men of Hamor, who are still sore from the circumcision, including Hamor and Shechem.
Jacob's son take Dinah back and sack the city of Hamor. Jacob is pissed at Simeon and Levi, fearing they've provoked a blood feud with the rest of the Canaanites.
Genesis 33
Jacob see Esau coming with his men, so he puts the mistresses and their children in front, then Leah and her children and Rachel and Joseph in the last group, in that order. Jacob then goes to the front to meet Esau and bows to Esau seven times.
Esau approaches and embraces Jacob by the neck and they both weep. All the women and children bow to Esau. Jacob offers his gift but Esau won't take it. Jacob insists and Esau finally accepts the gift.
Jacob travels south and builds a house.
Esau approaches and embraces Jacob by the neck and they both weep. All the women and children bow to Esau. Jacob offers his gift but Esau won't take it. Jacob insists and Esau finally accepts the gift.
Jacob travels south and builds a house.
Genesis 32
Jacob continues and meets angels, who he calls "God's Army". He sends word to Esau who says he is coming to meet Jacob with four hundred men. Jacob divides his company in case Esau is hostile and attacks, so half of the company may flee and survive. Jacob also sends word to Esau offering a generous gift. That way, either Esau accepts the gift or Jacob saves half of his household.
Jacob waits for Esau and wrestles all night with a man. The man wants to be let go but Jacob won't until the man blesses Jacob. The man does, and changes Jacob's name to Israel, which means "God rules". The man tells Jacob he has met God face to face.
Jacob waits for Esau and wrestles all night with a man. The man wants to be let go but Jacob won't until the man blesses Jacob. The man does, and changes Jacob's name to Israel, which means "God rules". The man tells Jacob he has met God face to face.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Genesis 31
Laban's sons are pissed at Jacob's selective breeding of the flock and complain. Jacob tells Leah and Rachel their father cheated him since they are still technically property of their father, so they need to know what's going to happen next. They agree.
Jacob and family flee with their flock and property. On the way out, Rachel steals Laban's household gods, which by tradition confer head of household on the possessor. Laban's not going to like this.
Laban and kinsmen pursue. God comes to Laban and tells him not to say a word to Jacob, either good or bad.
Laban catches up with Jacob and tells him he won't kill him, but only because God cam to him. He is pissed about the household gods and demands them. Jacob does not know Rachel took them. As such, Jacob says to search and take what is his.
Laban searches everyone's tents. Rachel puts them in a camel saddle and sits on it. When Laban is searching her tent, he tells her to get off the saddle so he can search it. Rachel, who as we remember, had to have God "open her womb", says she's menstruating. As such, she cannot rise.
Now it's Jacob's turn to be pissed. He says he gave Laban twenty years of labor and Laban cheated him at every opportunity and would not have been rewarded at all but for God interceding on Jacob's behalf. He refers to God as "God of Abraham and Fear of Isaac". I like that "Fear of Isaac" part, implies a threat.
Having cleared the air, Jacob and Laban agree to peace. They build a pillar, witnessed by God, to this. Jacob agrees to take no more wives and both agree to never pass the pillar with the intention of harming the other.
They celebrate with their entourages into the night. In the morning, Laban kisses his daughters and grandchildren and goes home.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Genesis 31:24 - Laban is not to say a word to Jacob, either good or bad. Since Jacob's dead, this should be an easy one to comply with today.
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
Jacob and family flee with their flock and property. On the way out, Rachel steals Laban's household gods, which by tradition confer head of household on the possessor. Laban's not going to like this.
Laban and kinsmen pursue. God comes to Laban and tells him not to say a word to Jacob, either good or bad.
Laban catches up with Jacob and tells him he won't kill him, but only because God cam to him. He is pissed about the household gods and demands them. Jacob does not know Rachel took them. As such, Jacob says to search and take what is his.
Laban searches everyone's tents. Rachel puts them in a camel saddle and sits on it. When Laban is searching her tent, he tells her to get off the saddle so he can search it. Rachel, who as we remember, had to have God "open her womb", says she's menstruating. As such, she cannot rise.
Now it's Jacob's turn to be pissed. He says he gave Laban twenty years of labor and Laban cheated him at every opportunity and would not have been rewarded at all but for God interceding on Jacob's behalf. He refers to God as "God of Abraham and Fear of Isaac". I like that "Fear of Isaac" part, implies a threat.
Having cleared the air, Jacob and Laban agree to peace. They build a pillar, witnessed by God, to this. Jacob agrees to take no more wives and both agree to never pass the pillar with the intention of harming the other.
They celebrate with their entourages into the night. In the morning, Laban kisses his daughters and grandchildren and goes home.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Genesis 31:24 - Laban is not to say a word to Jacob, either good or bad. Since Jacob's dead, this should be an easy one to comply with today.
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Genesis 30
Rachel is barren, so she gives her servant to Jacob. The servant, after being raped by Jacob, conceives a son. Bonus points for her being on Rachel's knees as Jacob rapes her, so that makes her just as guilty of rape under today's laws. Nothing like the good ol' days!
Anyway, Rachel's servant bears Jacob two sons.
Now Leah appears to be post-menopausal and can't conceive. Those twenty years Jacob spent laboring for Laban didn't stop the clock. So she gives her maid to Jacob for more rape and Leah has two more sons through her maid.
One of Leah's sons gathers some mandrake and Rachel would like some. She makes a deal with Leah that she'll allow Leah to lie with Jacob for some of the mandrake. Pimpin' ain't easy. This appears to be a good deal because Leah bears two more sons and a daughter.
God "remembers" (again, a weird way to describe something that shouldn't happen to an omnipotent being) Rachel and "opens her womb". So Rachel appears to be getting up there, too. She bears Joseph.
Joseph will be important later. Stay tuned.
Jacob wants to leave and Laban asks his price for his years of labor. Jacob says he'll take the speckled and striped, which are less valuable than the solid colored, from Laban's flock. Laban then takes all of those out and sends them away with his other son's with a three day headstart.
It is not explained why Jacob didn't question what was going on for three days when all the speckled and striped disappeared.
Jacob responds by selectively breeding the remaining stock, ensuring the strongest are born speckled and striped and the solid colored are less healthy. Jacob's flock is better and he becomes rich.
Anyway, Rachel's servant bears Jacob two sons.
Now Leah appears to be post-menopausal and can't conceive. Those twenty years Jacob spent laboring for Laban didn't stop the clock. So she gives her maid to Jacob for more rape and Leah has two more sons through her maid.
One of Leah's sons gathers some mandrake and Rachel would like some. She makes a deal with Leah that she'll allow Leah to lie with Jacob for some of the mandrake. Pimpin' ain't easy. This appears to be a good deal because Leah bears two more sons and a daughter.
God "remembers" (again, a weird way to describe something that shouldn't happen to an omnipotent being) Rachel and "opens her womb". So Rachel appears to be getting up there, too. She bears Joseph.
Joseph will be important later. Stay tuned.
Jacob wants to leave and Laban asks his price for his years of labor. Jacob says he'll take the speckled and striped, which are less valuable than the solid colored, from Laban's flock. Laban then takes all of those out and sends them away with his other son's with a three day headstart.
It is not explained why Jacob didn't question what was going on for three days when all the speckled and striped disappeared.
Jacob responds by selectively breeding the remaining stock, ensuring the strongest are born speckled and striped and the solid colored are less healthy. Jacob's flock is better and he becomes rich.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Genesis 29
Jacob falls for Rachel, his cousin, who is tending the sheep of Laban, Jacob's uncle. Jacob kisses her after watering the sheep she is tending and tells her he's her cousing.
Laban wants Jacob to work for him. Jacob agrees to seven years of labor if he can marry the beautiful Rachel. Leah, Rachel's older sister, had "weak" eyes. Not sure what that tidbit means, though the commentary says it means they lacked "luster". Doesn't mean she wasn't attractive.
Anyway, at the end of Jacob's seven years of service to Laban, Laban gives Leah (and her servant) to Jacob as a bride. He explains it is the custom among his people to marry off the oldest first. However, he will also give Rachel to Jacob for another seven years of service.
Jacob agrees. Laban must have some smokin' hot daughters if Jacob will work fourteen years for them, even after he's been lied to and cheated. Anyway, he does so, and Laban gives Rachel and her servant to Jacob for a wife. Success, 100%!
For some weird reason, Leah feels hated, so calls to God to give her a son, which God does X3. Let's see if that works in chapter 30!
Laban wants Jacob to work for him. Jacob agrees to seven years of labor if he can marry the beautiful Rachel. Leah, Rachel's older sister, had "weak" eyes. Not sure what that tidbit means, though the commentary says it means they lacked "luster". Doesn't mean she wasn't attractive.
Anyway, at the end of Jacob's seven years of service to Laban, Laban gives Leah (and her servant) to Jacob as a bride. He explains it is the custom among his people to marry off the oldest first. However, he will also give Rachel to Jacob for another seven years of service.
Jacob agrees. Laban must have some smokin' hot daughters if Jacob will work fourteen years for them, even after he's been lied to and cheated. Anyway, he does so, and Laban gives Rachel and her servant to Jacob for a wife. Success, 100%!
For some weird reason, Leah feels hated, so calls to God to give her a son, which God does X3. Let's see if that works in chapter 30!
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