FAMILY 15 - Abraham & his family - English Bible Study

FAM 15 - Abraham & his family

Genesis 11:31 Father Terah takes family to Haran

“27 Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran, and Haran was the father of Lot. 28 Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur … 29 Abram and Nahor took wives; the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the wife of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 Now Sarai was barren; she had no child. 31 Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abraham’s wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 The days of Terah were two hundred five year; and Terah died in Haran.”

It seems the calling to leave Ur was originally given to Terah, not Abraham.
He acts on it, leaves Ur with part of his family, but goes only as far as Haran (halfway, up the Euphrates but not down the Levant).
He takes only his oldest son & wife (Abram & Sarai), and his youngest son’s orphaned son and wife (Lot & wife). Nahor & Milcah are not mentioned, though later their son Laban will appear as settled in Haran (Gen 27:43).
Though Terah reaches a good age of 205 years, he doesn’t continue acting on his calling beyond Haran.
Abraham must have been aware of this family dynamic, though he does not presume on picking up his father’s calling till God speaks to him (Gen 12:1-3).
Gen 20:12 Sarai is indeed Abraham’s sister, the daughter of Terah but not by the same mother. Terah therefore has two wives and models polygamy. Sarai is Abram’s step-sister, a marriage later forbidden in the law (Lev 18:9)

Genesis 12:1-5 Abraham’s calling

“Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abraham was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran”

God’s calling is first a leaving, a going away from his country (Ur? Chaldea? Haran?), his kindred, his father’s house. Who is in ‘his father’s house at this time that he leaves behind? It seems Terah is dead, no information on his two wives. Second son Nahor and his wife Milcah live in ‘Aram naharayim’, meaning ‘Aram of the two rivers’, meaning Mesopotamia (Gen 24:10). This could refer to Ur or Haran, so Nahor and Milcah may still be in Ur, though their son Laban is mentioned to be in Haran specifically at a later date. Abram does take his orphaned nephew Lot along, as already Terah did.
Is this in opposition to God’s will (later trouble with Lot)? Or is this simply the oldest brother’s duty as leader of the kindred now that Terah is dead? Or did Lot specifically want to come and feel the same calling? Or is Lot emotionally and practically Abram’s substitute son, since he has no son of his own?
The need to leave to start something new. Abram’s family was likely to be idolatrous as all the area, or – if Terah had some revelation of God – they are not idolatrous themselves but of an idolatrous background.
Unlike his father, Abram acts on the command and leaves with his entire household, servants & possessions, signaling a complete break and total new beginning.

Genesis 12:6-7 Confirmation of calling upon arrival at Moreh

“Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. ”

Abram obeys and arrives in Canaan but the country is by no means empty, making him a nomad among an already present (probably also partially nomadic) people. This would mean issues of space, grazing lands, access to water and wells. They are there as new immigrants, having to find their way and arranging themselves with the inhabitants. Abram would likely have felt insecure with his small tribe.
God responds with and affirmation: he has obeyed, he is called, his tribe will receive the land eventually (though not now) and he will have a son.
Abram’s first altar in Canaan, places of remembrance of God’s appearing, speaking, word, promise. Places to ‘put a stake in the ground’. Little ownerships.

Genesis 12:10-20 Lying about Sarai in Egypt

“Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 … he said to his wife Sarai, “I know well that you are a woman beautiful in appearance; 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, “This is his wife’; then they will kill me but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, so that it may go well with me because of you, and that it may go well with me because of you.”

Abram does not feel a trip to Egypt to save his kindred is in opposition to his calling to Canaan.
Apparent weakness of the immigrant. Beauty can be a ‘curse’ (Example: Bangladesh, a pretty girl in a slum). Fear is not a good counselor. Trust in God’s word and promise would have prevented this story and God’s protection, already proven on the journey and in Canaan would have been evident again.
Abram resorts to half-truths (she is his step-sister) in order to protect himself.
The scheme is selfish (what will happen to her?) and problems appear immediately: she is taken for ‘unmarried’ & brought to Pharaoh. God bails her out.
This is Abraham beginning a lying pattern in his family.

Genesis 13 Back in Canaan – separation from Lot

“8 Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left. … 14 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Raise your eyes now, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Rise up, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent, and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the LORD..”

As a senior there was no precedent in Abram giving first choice to nephew Lot.
Lot chooses by principle of selfishness: what seems like the better part, the green, well-watered plains of the Jordan.
Abraham, in his pursuit of peace and good relations, seems to lose not only his ‘substitute son’, he also seems to loose the best part of the land.
God responds with reaffirming, even enlarging the promise: land as far as he can see (before: Canaan), a tribe that will be uncountable (before: great nation).
There is an enacting aspect to the promise, he has to see, to go see, so walk over the land, to ‘take it in faith’.
How far he actually does that is unclear. What is clear is that he moves his tent to Hebron, quite a bit to the south, though not to the uttermost point that sustained flocks (Gen 20:1). Again he builds an altar for worship & remembrance.

Genesis 14 Abram rescues captive Lot

A coalition of kings attack the Rephaim, Zuzim, Emim, Horites, Seir, Amalekites, Amorites and the plain of the Jordan (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, Bela). This isn’t just a local war, but involves rather large areas. Lot is captured.
Abram proves his continued loyalty (and that he has completely forgiven his impertinence when choosing land) to Lot by engaging in a war with the victorious coalition of kings. Abram up to now was not affected by this war, he is not in the line of attack or retreat, yet he risks his tribe in an attempt to rescue Lot with his 300 men. This fearlessness is in contrast to his fearfulness in Egypt. He learned the lesson about God’s ability to protect well, it seems.
He is joined by the men of Aner, Eshcol and Mamre, Amorite ‘friends’ of his, whose confidence he obviously won, because they neither have a reason to engage the victorious coalition of kings.
This victory puts Abram and his tribe for the first time on the Canaanite map as a force to be reckoned with. Abraham just defeated whom a coalition of 5 city state coalition could not defeat.
Upon return he is ‘thanked’ by the king of Sodom, offering him the entire war spoils including Sodom’s looted possessions. This includes Lot’s possessions as well.
Abram refuses to take them “I have sworn to the LORD, God Most High, maker of heave and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal though or anything that is yours, so that you might not say, ‘I have made Abram rich” (Gen 14:22-23) Abram risks offending a local king rather than being ‘dependent on him’ in any way.
He reacts very differently to the king of Salem, Melchisedek, whom he acknowledges as an authority (Gen 14:17-21).

Genesis 15 Covenant with God & continued revelation

“1 … the LORD came to Abram in a vision “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am you shield, your reward shall be very great. 2 But Abram said “O LORD GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?… 4 But the word of the LORD came to him … “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 And he believed the LORD and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness. … 8 “O LORD GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” … “Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves to them, and they shall be oppressed, for four hundred years, 14 But I will bring judgement on the nation that they serve, and afterwards they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for yourself, you shall go to your ancestors in peace … for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete … 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates”

God reveals himself as ‘shield’ as just proven in the preceding war.
Abraham twice – understandably – voices his doubts. God answers them by further promises. Abram believes God … the quintessential attitude and decision.
He is also given a prophecy: he will die in peace, his descendants will be enslaved and rescued and only then his tribe will possess this land (Genesis to Joshua).

Genesis 16 Ishmael: an heir by human design

Sarai suggests her slave Hagar as ‘surrogate mother’ (but really as 2nd wife) to bring about the needed child (Gen 16:1-2)
Abraham agrees and takes her as 2nd wife at age 85 (Gen 16:13). This scheme doesn’t take into account the fact that Hagar also has a will, personality and rights.
Hagar, pregnant, treats Sarai with contempt (Gen 16:4), which is human, given the circumstances, though neither good nor wise.
Sarai complains to Abram, calling on God’s judgement. Abram hands the matter to her, not exactly defending Hagar’s rights (Gen 16:6).
Sarai then deals harshly with her and Hagar flees (Gen 16:6).
God meets Hagar and commands her to return to Sarai and to submit to her (Gen 16:9). He also gives a promise about the child born: his name will be Ishmael, he will be strong and independent (Gen 16:11-12). Hagar calls God ‘El-roi’, translated ‘the God who sees’ and returns to Abraham’s household (Gen 16:13-14).
This seems to show that there was a definite problem with Hagar’s attitude (God addresses it, things work afterwards). Probably also Sarai, after Hagar’s flight, realizes the complete loss of the scheme and now has second thoughts.
Ishmael is born, Abram is 86 years old (Ge 16:15).

Genesis 17 Reaffirmation of a child by Sarai

11 years of raising Ishmael pass, Sarai is still barren, Abram now is 99 years old.
God then reaffirms his covenant:

“I am God Almighty, walk before me, and be blameless. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” 3 Then Abraham fell on his face; and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 … everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you … the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding, and I will be their God.”

God keeps pounding the same promises, ever stronger: descendant, influence, land … newly: an everlasting covenant and him being the God of this nation.
“15 As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her.”
The promise is not just to Abraham, it is to Sarah, and by extension to marriage and monogamy: by Sarah the child will come. God is pursuing his original plan, not human schemes put in place.
“17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
By now God’s promises sound ironic. Abraham seems to be even beyond resentment or bitterness against God, he now has a sort of self-ironic humor about this whole story.
“18 And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live in your sight” 19 God said, “No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac, I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant … 20 Ishmael … I will bless … Ishmael”.
This is an all important “No” by God. God will not go by human effort, scheming, manipulation or faithless self-accommodations. He is committed to the original promise, he is committed to Sarah, he is committed to the original marriage, he is committed to monogamy. God will show his power. God will do things his way. God will not put his ‘condoning’ on schemes that have wronged people, taxed emotionally and brought un-peace.
If God had agreed with Abraham and accepted Ishmael the message would have been: self-ordained schemes will do, polygamy will do, any woman will do, human schemes, even if injustice is committed will do. God will have none of it.
Abraham and Sarah now have to step up by using the new names: “father of a multitude of nations” and Sarah (meaning?). And the child will be named Isaac, which means “he laughs”, referring primarily to Abraham at this point.

Genesis 18 One year promise of child by Sarai

God now gives a special visitation and a specific, time-limited promise: within the year the child will be born, by parents 100 and 91 years old. Only another 3 months wait: pregnancy will start, things will begin to fulfill.
This time Sarah laughs (Gen 18:12).
Abraham yet again has a chance to bless Lot, this time in a precarious intercession.
Though he stops at asking for mercy if there are 10 righteous people, his request is actually heard: God goes in and brings out the one righteous man to be found in the city: Lot.

Genesis 19 God’s faithfulness to Lot’s family in Sodom

God proves his faithfulness to Lot’s family by saving them out of Sodom.
Lot’s family’s choice to live there and their hesitation to leave it behind is questionable, yet they seem to have held on the righteousness in that difficult setting (2 Pet 2:7-8). The future son-in-laws have a chance at escape for their association with this family, but they don’t believe the judgement and therefore don’t take the escape option (Gen 19:14).

Genesis 20 Lying again

Abraham moves south into the Negeb. When near Gerar, he again lies about Sarah being his sister for fear of Abimelech, King of Gerar. The story runs exactly parallel to the Egypt one, it seems Abraham has learned nothing and is not trusting God for protection.
God again intervenes by sickness (Gen 20:17-18) and by meeting Abimelech in a dream (Gen 20:3). Abimelech pleads innocence (rightfully so), returns Sarah, apologizes to Abraham, pays restitution (Gen 20:10), and offers them to stay in his land (Gen 20:15).
God very graciously saves Abraham – and Sarah! – from his own stupidity and grants a revelation of himself to Abimelech and Gerar.
Abraham says “I thought there is no fear of God at all in this place” (Gen 20:11) in apology. Actually Abimelech has proven more fear of God than Abraham.
God very graciously, repeatedly, powerfully and miraculously protects Abraham. He is proving to him his ability to protect, to save, to give favor. God keeps his promises and does everything to give evidence for Abraham to build his faith on.

Genesis 21 Promise fulfilled: Isaac born of Sarah

Finally the promise fulfills: Sarah gives birth to a son. Abraham is 100, Sarah is 91 and Ishmael is 14 years old at this time (Gen 21:1-7).
Soon problems appear: When Isaac is weaned (typically 4 to 5 years old), Sarai increasingly resents Ishmael’s presence and requests Abraham to cast out Hagar and Ishmael, so Ishmael will not inherit with Isaac (Gen 21:9-10).
Genesis only mentions Ishmael ‘playing’ (footnote: with her son Isaac) that gives rise to Sarai’s objections. But Gal 4:29 says “But just as at that time the child who was born according to the flesh persecuted the child who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also”. Since Ishmael is 14 years older, it is not unthinkable that a competition works in the heart of Ishmael and he could easily use his age advantage to find ways to provoke or put down a 4 or 5 year old.
Abraham is very distressed, but God tells him to do as Sarai asks “for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you” (Gen 21:12). In Galatians Paul uses this story as a picture about the gospel: human effort in keeping the law (being a child of slavery) will not accomplish God’s righteousness. Only by God’s unilateral grace with no human merit salvation is accomplished (Gal 4:21-5:1).
But Abraham’s concern for Ishmael is also seen by God “As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring” (Gen 21:13). Abraham sends them away, which probably amounts to him divorcing Hagar and disowning (though not rejecting) Ishmael.
They depart. Ishmael is a minimum of 15, most likely 18 to 19 years old. They lose their way in the wilderness, run out of water and somehow Ishmael falls weak (why should he be weak at that age? Diarrhea?).
Hagar lays him under the bush to not see him die and weeps. God answers her, provides her miraculously with a well of water to re-hydrate the child and gives her a promise for Ishmael to become a great nation (Gen 21:17-19).
“God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt” (Ge 21:20-21). God, though making it clear that his promise will not run through Ishmael, takes care of him and fulfills his word and calling for him.

Genesis 22 Sacrificing the promise

God commands Abraham to sacrifice his ‘only son Isaac’. After Ishmael has left, it’s on Isaac that all the promise and hope rests.
After decades of teaching Abraham faith that God’s promise & calling will fulfill, he now tests Abraham’s faith in another way: to give up the fulfillment, to give up the son of promise, to be willing to lose the calling rather than God. Calling can become an idol. Children can become an idol.
It is not mentioned how old Isaac is when this happened, but he is old enough to make a journey, to carry the firewood and to reason about the absence of an animal for slaughter. Possibly he is 7-12 years old. He would have understood.

Genesis 23 Sarah’s death & first land ownership

Sarah dies at 127 years in Hebron, Abraham is 136 years old, Isaac is 36. The death necessitates a burial place. Abraham, nomadic as he has been since he came to Canaan doesn’t own land.
He buys a burial place, the field and cave of Machpelah, from a local Hittite named Ephron at full price, in a public consensus transaction. The Hittites are very respectful to Abraham, he is respectful to them. They grant him a land holding in their midst.

Genesis 24 Isaac & Rebekah’s marriage

Abraham sends his most trusted servant under oath (Eliezer of Damascus it seems) to find a wife for Isaac not from the Canaanites, but from Abraham’s own kindred. Why? Probably because of the deep seated idolatry and immorality of Canaan. Is Abraham’s kindred any better? Not principally, but maybe Terah’s influence was felt on more than just Abraham.
The servant sets out to Aram-Naharayim (= Mesopotamia), ‘the city of Nahor’. Upon arrival the first person to meet him at the well is Rebekah, the daughter of Nahor and Milcah, the sister of Laban. Again God graciously provides and gives favor.
The family (Ge 24:50-51) and Rebekah (Ge 24:58) agree to the proposed marriage and Rebekah travels back with the servant to the Negeb, where Isaac is.

Genesis 25 3rd wife Keturah, Esau & Jacob

Abraham marries his third wife Keturah after the death of Sarah, his age is minimum 136 years. She bears six sons. These sons (when grown up) are given gifts but are not made co-heirs with Isaac. Abraham sends them away East, following the pattern with Ishmael (Gen 25:5-6).
The sons’ names are Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah (Gen 25:2).
The only name that appears further is ‘Midian’, who presumably is the patriarch of the Midianites, more peoples coming from Abraham. Centuries later Moses flees to Midian, lives there and marries into the priestly family of Jethro-Reuel. Midian starts being hostile to Israel by Num 22, and Israel defeats them in Num 31. Midian is an arid land South of Edom, the Western tip of today’s Saudi Arabia.
All offspring of Abraham seem to inherit the ‘I will make you a great nation’ promise, but only on Isaac lies the specific line of promise.
When Abraham dies at age 175, he is buried by his sons Isaac and Ishmael jointly in the cave of Machpelah, where Sarah also was buried (Gen 25:7-11). This shows there was communication and relations between Ishmael and his family and Abraham and Isaac (in hot countries burials are done very quickly, yet Ishmael is informed and comes). Here the sons do their last service to the father in unity.
Ishmael’s genealogy is given, 12 sons and one daughter. They live “from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria”, probably meaning the dry lands of today’s Eastern Saudi Arabia and Jordan (Gen 25:12-18).
Isaac is 40 years old when he marries Rebekah. They have no children, a pattern continuing from Abraham and Sarah (Gen 25:20-21).
Isaac prays to God for children, probably calling on the promise of God to his father Abraham (Gen 25:21). But he doesn’t not fall back on the scheme of taking a 2nd wife or concubine. They suffer childlessness together, till, when he is 60 years old, Rebekah falls pregnant with twins (Gen 25:22)
When the twins struggle in her womb, Rebekah, annoyed, inquires of God and gets a prophecy: “Two nations are in your womb, and two people born of you shall be divided the one shall be stronger than the other; the elder shall serve the younger” (Ge 25:23).
When in labor the struggle continues, Esau comes out first, Jacob second, gripping Esau’s heel.
This conflict will continue, and the prophecy of two nations comes true: Esau is the patriarch of Edom, Jacob of Israel. The nations will have an increasingly hostile relationship over the centuries: Edom refuses Israel passage (Num 20:14-21), David conquers Edom (2 Sam 8:12), Edom later rebels and stands by when finally Jerusalem is destroyed (Obadiah, Psa 137:7). Edom eventually becomes a ‘metaphor’ to mean the proud who oppose God.
Esau becomes a skillful hunter and a man of the field (Gen 25:27), Jacob is a quiet man, living in tents. Esau is preferred by his father ‘because he was fond of game’ (Gen 25:28), Rebekah loves Jacob (Gen 25:28). For the parents to prefer one child over the other is not good, the reasons given are even worse. In a sense the competition between the sons was preexisting, even in the womb, God predicts competition (though he doesn’t want it), and unwise parents further exacerbate the problem. Parental favoritism for children is always devastating. Here it flourishes into outright scheming and deceit.
Esau’s selling of his birthright to Jacob shows their characters and priorities.
Esau seems to be more a man of the moment, strong, intense, running himself to the brink, here famished, not thinking ahead. But he is also is valuing the wrong things: Was there really no food in the entire encampment? How long does it take to cook up some basic thing? … he cannot forego the immediate need, the short-term focus, the current pleasure for something much more valuable (Gen 25:29-34).
Jacob knows his brother well and uses his brother’s weakness and shortsightedness. Yet Jacob is right is what he values: the long-term over the short-term, the important over the immediate. Jacob can forego pleasure. He knows what he wants. He is committed to getting it. He finds legal ways, or at least half-legal ways.

Genesis 26 Isaac’s tribe and water rights

A famine hits Israel. As a rain-dependent nation with no major permanent river famines are ever a threat, one that God promises to keep in check if Israel is faithful (Deu 28).
Isaac moves South into the area of Abimelech of Gerar, where Abraham sojourned before. This is ‘the way to Egypt’, which – with its river based agriculture – was often a refuge to Nomadic tribes. Isaac is going for the common sense solution of the problem.
God then speaks to Isaac not to go to Egypt. This is the first mentioning of God speaking directly to him. God re-affirms his promise to Isaac: God will be with him, give him offspring as numerous as the stars, this land and make him a blessing to all the nations. Condition: obedience, like now: don’t go to Egypt. Isaac obeys.
Isaac sojourns in Gerar, people notice his wife, he says ‘she is my sister’ like Abraham did before him, and for the same reasons: fear (Gen 26:6-7). The pattern of lying and deception continues.
Again God bails Rebekah out, this time by having the King notice them together and realizing she is his wife. Again Abimelech (most likely a kingly title, so not necessarily the same man as with Abraham) responds righteously: blaming Isaac to almost bring guilt on them and ensuring that Rebekah is not touched (Gen 26:8-11). This could be a ‘left-over blessing’ from Abraham, a continued kindred-friendship or it could be a fear of a nomadic tribe as powerful as Isaac’s.
Isaac sows seed in that land and reaps a hundredfold, evidencing God’s blessing. Did he leased land from the locals? buy land in that area? Do this in a remote corner? It is not clear. It’s the first attempt at settling.
He prospers, grows wealthy, has a great household and is envied by the Philistines (Gen 26:14-15).
Also his need of and access to water would have been a sensitive issue during a famine time as a nomad with large possessions.
Abimelech requests him to leave “You have become too powerful for us” (Gen 26:16). This is a godly interaction in contrast with Pharaoh later who won’t let Israel live nor will he let them go (Exo 1:10).
Isaac heeds the request and departs (Gen 26:16-17). On moving away slowly he cleans out the wells that Abraham had dug, which had been stopped up by the Philistines earlier (Gen 26:15, 18). Why would they do that? To discourage nomads to come in or pass through? Fear of losing water in aquifers that they accessed elsewhere?
The Philistines quarrel with Isaac over the unstopped wells, saying “the water is ours” (Gen 26:20). Isaac moves further and further south, basically into the desert (towards Beer-sheba), finally far away enough to no longer be challenged “Now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land” (Gen 26:22). Isaac does obey God and God makes room for him, provides the essentials and protects, though the process is not easy.
God answers Isaac and reaffirms his promise: “I am the God of your father Abraham: do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you and make your offspring numerous … So he built an altar there … Isaac’s servants dug a well” (Gen 26:23-25). Isaac continues the good habits of obedience, a personal devotional life and building memorials.
Abimelech seems to have second thoughts – and fear – as to Isaac’s departure and the state of affairs this leaves things in. He comes with high military leaders and asks for a covenant of peace acknowledging “You are now the blessed of the LORD” (Gen 26:28-31). Why now? It seems they already saw this in Abraham and now recognize it in his son. Isaac puts aside any prior offense and agrees to the covenant, and makes a feast.
Right after this water is found by well-digging (Ge 26:33). God’s faithfulness is proven: He has made space, provided the essentials, cleared their relationships (protection) and counteracts the ‘fugitive’ insecurity. This is a high point in Isaac’s life.

Genesis 27 Isaac’s competition blessing and brotherly strife

Jacob, in anticipation of his death, calls Esau to go out, hunt game, cook him a meal and receive the fatherly blessing (Gen 27:1-4).
Rebekah overhears the conversation and quickly commands Jacob to play his part in an attempt to receive that blessing (wearing Esau’s clothes, using furs, cooking). Jacob fears a curse instead, but Rebekah takes the curse on herself (Gen 27:5-17).
Clearly a father’s blessing and curse are seen with utmost importance here.
The lying and deception running in the family is now not used against a heathen king, but against own family. Rebekah is the main mover of the scheme.
Though having doubts about the identity of the son, blind Jacob pronounces a blessing on Jacob, thinking him Esau (Gen 27:18-27).
“May God give you the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. 29 let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” (Gen 27:27-29).
Why is the blessing so one-sided? Why does Jacob think that blessing can only be on one son? Why does he speak a competition blessing, even a subjugation blessing? Does he feel he has to counteract the lost birth right, that he surely must have come to hear about? Or is this simply a decades-of-favoritism induced blindness? Is this a left-over misunderstanding from the Ishmael-Isaac story, that one has to be favored? Or does he feel he needs to counteract the prediction of God “the elder shall serve the younger” (Gen 25:23). How does he see Jacob so that he would subject him to Esau? Is he revengeful on behalf of Esau?
Maybe part of why Rebekah is so pushy about her project is precisely that she anticipated and feared something like that. Maybe this has been a long tug-of-war between her and Isaac. The climax of an old tension and conflict. And she is not about to lose this war.
Gen 27:34 shows Esau’s reaction “he cried out with and exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, me also father!” He rightly feels cheated and his bitterness is justified. Yet again he may have for years told himself how easy it would be to overcome Jacob in spite of his wrong choice about the birthright, just enjoying being the father’s favorite and relying on that. He might have been careless thinking that he is the favored anyway.
The unnecessarily (I think) one-sided blessing backfires badly: Esau can only plead for a ‘left-over blessing’. Jacob says “I have already made him your lord, and I have given him all his brothers as servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him.”
Esau’s haunting question “Have you only one blessing, father?” is understandable, yet that wouldn’t have worried him if he had gotten it. Esau showed no concern over the uneven start of this event: Him and him only sent out to get game to be blessed. The question is justified. Possibly this is even God’s question. This is what Rebekah feared, this is what Esau assumed on, this is what Jacob schemed against in the first place.
Isaac’s 2nd blessing “See, away from the fatness of the earth shall your home be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. 40 By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you break loose, you shall break his yoke from your neck” (Gen 27:39-40).
Again the blessing operates off a scarcity mentality: giving Jacob the fatness of the earth does no necessitate that Esau won’t have it, but this is how Jacob sees it. Is this a left-over-fear from the Ishmael conflict (though Isaac was young). This mindset will surface again when Jacob will try to out-cheat Laban later. This will fulfill: Edom is a very dry area living mostly of trade and its impregnable security.
Isaac limits the subjugation he pronounced by predicting a violent and eventually successful rebellious life. This will also fulfill: eventually Edom will shake off Israel’s yoke and rebel.
Esau is angry, hates Jacob and starts plotting to kill him after his father Isaac’s death. Again Rebekah hears and takes action, having started it, she needs to finish it. She instructs Jacob to go to her brother Laban until Esau’s anger abates and then she’ll send word.
The way Rebekah presents it to Jacob is differently, maybe to spare him the fear and soul-searching of a murder between the sons. She complains about Esau’s Hittite wives and insists Jacob take somebody from their kindred in marriage (Gen 27:46). This shows another issue of conflict: Esau’s marriages, two not one, to locals (not like the 2 generations before him). There seems to be conflict but that doesn’t seem to bother Esau. Again a certain ‘carelessness’, a ‘what’s your problem?’ sort of attitude shows. Maybe Rebekah did have a lot more to deal with it on the domestic front than Isaac.
“Why should I lose both of you in one day?” (Gen 27:45) is Rebekah’s sentence to Jacob. If Esau murders Jacob she will lose both, one physically and the other in estrangement.
Even with the current arrangement she will lose out significantly: when she is fearing to soon be widowed, she’ll also lose her favorite son for 20 years and will probably be dead before she sees him again. She is left with Esau only, and his not-pleasant wives, and Esau likely resents her for her scheming. What she accomplished is robbing herself of a fulfilling end of her life.

Genesis 28 Jacob sent off to Haran

Isaac calls Jacob, blesses him, and sends him off to marry one of his own kindred. The blessing is the full deal: numerous people, blessing of Abraham and possession of the land (Gen 28:1-4).
Is Isaac reconciled to what happened? Does he see the hand of God in it as it was predicted so (Gen 25:23)? Or is this simply the power of spoken blessing: it creates a new reality and that’s it? Could all descendants of Isaac have been “the chosen nation” if only there hadn’t been this competition blessing? Was it the will of God that only from the third generation (Jacob) the chosen nation will be counted?
Gen 28:6-9 records Esau trying to please his father (it says) or parents by taking an additional wife that is ‘kindred’, the daughter of Ishmael. Has Esau changed a bit from his causal ‘got it’ attitude? Whatever it is, unlike his father he goes for polygamy.
Jacob must also feel very alone: he thinks he won’t see his father any more, he has to depart from his adoring mother with no guarantee he will see her alive again and has to fear his brother. He is a tent-dweller thrown out into the world.
At this moment God meets him in a dream of ladder reaching to heaven (Gen 28:10-22). God reaffirms to him what he had said to Abraham and Isaac: that he would be with him, that this land will belong to his tribe, that all the families of the earth shall be blessed in him, that he will protect him and bring him back. The line of blessing and chosenness is on him, indeed.
He follows in his fathers’ tradition and sets up a stone or more a pillar-memorial.
Even after God’s gracious and sweeping affirmation he is on his guard and in bargaining mode: if God does all this, Jacob promises to give God the tithe. Very generous :-).
He still operates off the competition-scarcity-schemer-fighter thinking and not off trusting son-ship: All his life he feels he had to make sure that he gets what he needs and wants, things won’t come to him on their own, and so far this method seemed to be successful, he got the birthright, he got the blessing. He probably is grateful to God but can’t shake off his mindset so easily.

Genesis 29 Deceived into a polygamy: Leah and Rache

Like Eliezer looking for a wife for Isaac a generation earlier, the first people Jacob meets at the well of Haran are Laban’s shepherds & daughter Rachel (Gen 29:14).
He is welcomed into the family. This time Laban sees no expensive gifts brought (Gen 24:30) but he can deduce that Jacob as the prime heir of Isaac will not be poor.
Jacob stays for a month and obviously picks up the family’s shepherding work for Laban says: “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing?” (Gen 29:15). Laban here displays fairness and open communication. This is also interesting from a hospitality perspective: Though a welcomed guest, Jacob does not think his stay ‘a holiday’ for long. Within the month he quickly picks up work, responsibilities and freely contributes labor to the family.
Jacob agrees to serve for being able to marry Rachel. He loves her and willingly serves the 7 years (Gen 29:20). This is a long engagement, obviously they thought it possible.
After completing the seven years he asks for the marriage to take place. He is cheated by Laban and given the older sister Leah instead. Why does Laban do this? He seems to want to keep Jacob (and Rachel), who now will not depart with his new wife Rachel as he probably had hoped. Maybe Laban doesn’t get offers for Leah and is worried for her. Yet the act is highly deceptive (Gen 29:21-31), and it’s deception of a very close family member. He suggests Jacob marry Rachel also in a week’s time and serve him another 7 years. Jacob agrees, probably feeling he has little choice.
The deceiver and schemer has met his match: Uncle Laban. God has Jacob suffer through some deception and betrayal and injustice. Jacob would definitely see the parallel with Esau.
What is Leah’s role in this? Was she pushed into this? Has she been envying her sister for the last 7 years? Is she afraid there will be no offers for her? She must dread the marriage also to some degree, knowing that Jacob’s eyes have been set on Rachel ever since he met her. Either she feels forced or she feels this is still her better option.
Rachel probably was simply forced, it is likely they deceived her also about this. As in some Bangladesh marriage ceremonies there is little direct communication of groom and bride: grooms can be switched, no vows directly to each other, a highly others-controlled event, great societal pressure.
In Lev 18:18 God prohibits to “take a woman as a rival to her sister”, pointing out the impossible situation this puts the two women (and the family) in. Jacob, cheated into this double marriage or polygamy, goes with it but finds it hard not to prefer Rachel (Gen 29:30).
God has grace on Leah’s situation as the unloved, forced-on second wife and grants her to have four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah (Gen 29:31-35).
The names of the children show a progression: Reuben (the LORD has looked on my affliction, now my husband will love me), Simeon (the LORD heard that I was hated), Levi (now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons), Judah (this time I will praise the LORD).
The sons will bear these names and be a reminder and be reminded about these conflicts all their life.
The names reveal her rejection, suffering, but also competition and strife. She has to fight for recognition, love, affection. The children become tools in that. What effect would this have on the children?

Genesis 30 Polygamy and child war

Rachel is barren, the theme of barrenness continues to the 3rd generation.
Rachel envies her sister for bearing children, and over the years sees – to her dismay – an ever growing family that is not hers.
She says to Jacob “Give me children, or I shall die!” (Gen 30:1). This is an unwise statement, if not downright idolatrous. It shows that Rachel, as the favored, is still competing, rather than being able to appreciate Leah’s difficult situation, and is fighting over this perceived advantage of Leah. Maybe she felt her sister agreed too readily or even engineered the deceptive marriage and is resentful. Maybe it’s just the pain of polygamy and of childlessness born alone, like Samuel’s mother Hannah later (1 Sam 1).
Again: the Bible has no example of a peaceful polygamy. Wherever details are given, it is of suffering, torment, competition, scheming and controlling of those stuck in polygamy.
Jacob gets ‘very angry’ and says “Am I in the place of God who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” (Gen 30:2) He rightly challenges her idolatry and his anger is understandable, for nobody likes impossible demands. But in a monogamy like his father’s, Isaac then prayed for his wife, and though it took 20 years, they suffered through it together and finally were granted children. Jacob is not recorded to pray, he has four children, so he cannot be said to be suffering with Rachel in this point at all (similar to Elkanah later).
Rachel then goes back to the scheme of Sarah: bringing in a concubine to achieve her goal of getting children through a surrogate mother – Bilhah (Gen 30:1-4). As with Sarah, Rachel does this in disregard to the rights of a mother, not foreseeing that this will not have the desired results. She has only introduced one more wife into the polygamy, one more competitor for herself.
Why does Jacob not refuse? Is this resignation, since his household is in any case not what he imagined it? Is it ‘getting used to the system’ and no longer seeing its damage? Is he nagged into this by his favorite wife ‘pulling all strings’?
Two children are born of Bilhah (Gen 30:9-13): Dan (God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son) and Naphtali (With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed).
Leah, now no longer conceiving, resorts to the same strategy and gives Jacob her maid Zilpah as another concubine (Gen 30:14-21). Now there are four wives, polygamy is cemented further, no improvement of relationships is in sight.
Zilpah bears Gad (Good fortune) and Asher (Happy am I! For the women will call me happy) in Gen 30:9-13. All this reveals the never ceasing strife and un-peace in the family.
Leah’s first born Reuben finds mandrakes (believed to enhance fertility). Rachel asks them off Leah. She responds “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my sons’ mandrakes also?” (Gen 30:15). this reveals a denial of what really happened (she took away Rachel’s husband, if at all, not the other way round). It shows that for all her ‘successful children-warfare’ she feels she has ‘no husband’. The impossible situation created by Laban has in no way improved or be overcome with time, the wounds are continually reopened, the resentment is fresh, the underlying conflict makes every day interaction a warfare. Laban has ordained prolonged and intense suffering for both his daughters.
Finally Rachel buys the mandrakes from her sister for Jacob spending the night
with Leah (Gen 30:15). This shows that Rachel, though the younger sister and the 2nd wife has in fact most control over Jacob.
Leah acknowledges that by saying to Jacob ”You must come in to me; for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes” (Gen 30:16). What a sentence from a legally married wife! It shows how little power she feels she has in this family even after all the children. Is she wistful? Ironic? Bitter? Accusing? Letting Jacob know what she finds herself in? How does Jacob feel? Tired of hearing it? Suffering with her but not knowing what to do about it? Distancing himself inwardly from all this?
God reopens Leah’s womb and she bears Issachar (God has given me my hire because I gave my maid to my husband) and later Zebulun (God has endowed me with a good dowry; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons) and a daughter Dinah. (Gen 30:18-21).
Then God remembers Rachel and heeds her (Gen 30:22-24), that is: she has been praying, however desperate, miserable, resentful, demanding. She bears Joseph (God has taken away my reproach).
After Joseph is born Jacob asks leave of Laban, having completed the second 7 years. This also means that Jacob’s twelve children are born in about 7 years! “I have served you … for your know very well the service I have given you” (Gen 30:26) and “you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly; and the LORD has blessed you wherever I turned” (Gen 30:30).
Laban says “I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you; name your wages, and I will give it.” (Ge 30:28). God’s blessing on Jacob is a real and visible thing, acknowledged by Jacob and Laban. God is showing Jacob that it doesn’t depend on him, but on God. The lesson is not yet learned, though:
Again Laban is friendly and fair upfront, but it shows that as with the marriage he is dealing underhandedly (Gen 30:35). Jacob sees this coming (having been around him for many years) and suggests another strategy: a way of dividing the flocks by their appearance: spotted & speckled to Jacob. “So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages” (Gen 30:33).
Jacob takes to a scheme thinking ‘same breeds same’ and uses spotted and speckled rods when the stronger animals are breeding in order to obtain spotted and speckled animals. Again Jacob is in his mindset of competition-scarcity-schemer-deceiver and he will beat Uncle Laban at it this time. By modern science this scheme has no effect whatsoever.
But God speaks to him in a dream about God acknowledging the mistreatment by Laban “See … the striped, speckled and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you … made a vow to me” (Gen 31:12-13). God shows Jacob that this is not his own doing or smartness (like the blessing isn’t either) but rather that God himself will defend him and see to a just payment. No false trust in schemes, but trust in God.
It seems God uses recessive genes in the single color animals to have many spotted and speckled offspring being born. Over several years Jacob grows exceedingly rich in livestock (Gen 30:43).

Genesis 31 Leaving Laban

Laban’s sons start complaining that Jacob took away all their father’s possessions
(Gen 31:1) and also Laban is no longer ‘displaying’ being favorable (Gen 31:2).
God gives the word to return to Canaan and again promises his presence with Jacob (Gen 31:3).
Jacob then prepares his family & herds for a quick, even secret exit. He says to Leah and Rachel: “You know that I have served you father with all my strength; yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me … God said to me … leave this land at once and return to the land of your birth” (Gen 31:6-13).
Rachel and Leah answer “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has been using up the money give for us. 16 All the property that God has taken way from our father belongs to us and to our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you” (Gen 31:14-16).
Here, finally, further rifts in the family show: Rachel and Leah are – for once – in total unity: Their father has dealt unjustly, they both resent him for that marriage scheme and feel that money has been their father’s wrong motivation. The implication is that the bride price for both daughters should have been kept safe by Laban to be given to them, not to speak of them actually inheriting of their father’s original inheritance. They feel cheated, even disowned. They have no pity for their father seemingly ‘losing a good part of the herds’ as their brothers do. They are ready to leave with Jacob and see no future in Haran.
This shows Jacob – with his hard work, integrity and faith in God – has really earned their respect. It also shows that schemer-deceivers like Laban are finally loved not even by their own or those favored.
Jacob flees with his entire household and possessions when Laban is out shearing sheep (Gen 31:17-21). They cross the Euphrates and come as far as the hill country of Gilead in the time so gained (Gen 31:19-21). When the flight is knows Laban pursues Jacob for seven days (Gen 31:22-23) overtaking him in the hill country of Gilead.
God intervenes and warns Laban in a dream “Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, neither good nor bad” (Gen 31:24). God ensures Jacob’s protection.
Laban doesn’t exactly ‘say not a word’, he accuses Jacob of deceiving and fleeing without a chance at a feast and farewell, but also mentions that God warned him (Gen 31:25-32). He brings us the issue of stolen household gods, which – it turns out – Rachel stole. Jacob allows Laban to search for them and pronounces a death penalty on the thief. Rachel hides the gods, sits on them, and uses menstruation as reason she is not rising before her father (Gen 31:35). Rachel has learned successfully adopted the lying & deception of both father and husband.
Jacob then becomes angry and speaks more directly then ever to Laban: Jacob defends himself as a person of integrity, hard work, good stewardship over Laban’s property “by the day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night … these twenty years I have served you … you have changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
This probably indicates that Laban had been quite happy to delegate hard jobs.
More importantly: here Jacob for the first time clearly acknowledges that all lying & deceiving did exactly nothing, only by God’s intervention and grace was he saved.
Laban’s answer is now direct, with no pretense of fairness any more: “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do today … Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me” (Gen 31:43-45).
Laban now denies the 14 years of labor for the daughters, the 6 years of labor for the flocks, the visible blessing & increase even on his own property. Liars and deceivers, with no commitment to truth, end up believing what they want to be true.
If Laban really thinks this true, why then would he agree to a covenant? In that sense he is self-contradictory. Or: as a schemer-manipulator he knows he has to bow to true power. He probably thinks God both powerful and unjust.
It seems Jacob was right: ‘you would have sent me away empty-handed’ and so were Rachel & Leah about their rights being disregarded (Gen 31:14-16).
Yet the ‘finally honest though unpleasant communication’ has good fruits: it resolves some issues, it brings about a covenant between the two sides, commemorated by a feast. Laban ensures that Jacob takes no more wives besides his daughters (is this showing his care for them? Or gaining back some dignity after the ‘straight language’ of Jacob? Or a fruit of having found his superior in a power struggle in God?
Laban blesses his daughters and grand-children and departs peacefully (Ge 31:55). God has proven himself as powerful to save and protect, powerful to work for Jacob, not by Jacob’s scheming. God builds his trust. And God has resolved and put to peace things at Jacob’s back, which is very assuring since there are issues at his front as well:

Genesis 32-33 Reconciliation with Esau

God continues assuring Jacob: he sends angels to meet him (Gen 32:1-2).
Jacob sends messengers ahead to Esau. This shows a new side: Jacob seems to have found enough trust to engage upfront, to communicate directly and to address past issues. He is not ‘sneaking in the back door’ of Canaan, which he could, as Esau has moved on to Seir, also called Edom (Gen 32:3).
The message to Esau is: “I have lived with Laban as an alien, and stayed until now; 5 and I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male and female slaves; and I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight” (Gen 32:4-5). He identifies himself, gives an account of the time gone, states that he has not come empty, calls Esau ‘lord’ and asks for favor. This is direct, honest and humble communication, even on the issue of possessions, which is potentially divisive, for it is evidence for that blessing he stole from Esau. It is acknowledging that he needs favor, taking responsibility for past action, allowing that Esau has a right to be resentful.
The messengers return with the news that Esau himself is coming with 400 men. Jacob is ‘greatly afraid and distressed’ and divides his people in the hope that some escape (Gen 32:6-8).
He thinks his trust-in-God-direct-communication-scheme is backfiring and cries out to God (Gen 32:9-12), reminding God that it was his command for him to return, recalling God’s faithfulness to him and blessing and the promises of God to him at Bethel.
They cross the river Jabbok and Jacob sets up a lavish gift of livestock for Esau to
go before him, hoping that will appease Esau (Gen 32:13-16). Again this is humble and vulnerable, the river is about the only barrier that protects them at least a little from Esau approaching.
Left alone on this side of the river, a man comes to wrestle with Jacob all night. Not being ‘able’ to defeat him, he dislocates Jacob’s hip socket. Jacob holds on to him “I will not let you go unless you bless me”. The man asks for his name, Jacob, meaning supplanter, deceiver, heel-grabber. “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed”. Upon asking for his name he replies “Why is it that you ask for my name?” The man blesses him and departs. Jacob then calls the place Peniel (meaning face of God) and says “I have seen God face to face and yet my life is preserved” (Gen 31:22-32).
Jacob, feeling weak, isolated and fearful already is attacked by a man, he might first have thought it is Esau. But as the fight goes on he seems to understand the special nature of this man. The fight wasn’t really even, Jacob’s persistence is noted but not really sufficient. A quick dislocation of the hip socket takes care of that. He asks to be blessed, having recognized the blessing of God as the strongest force in his life. God graciously affirms and transforms Jacob’s struggling, fighting, perseverance, desire and pursuit of the right thing, even if through wrong means. He also give him the life-answer: Israel, “He will rule as God”. God will see to things, Jacob doesn’t have to.
Realizing he has met God, he is in awe, probably exhausted, but strengthened and prepared for the day ahead … which starts immediately: Esau and his 400 men have arrived (Gen 33:1).
Esau, being passed by the prepared gift, runs to meet Jacob, embracing and kissing him. They both weep. Jacob says “to see your face is like seeing the face of God – since you have received me with such favor”. Esau acknowledges having enough himself (God has blessed him also, even though the blessing seemed to be so ‘limited’), but Jacob insists on him accepting the gift (Gen 33:1-11). Esau seems strong, has people, enough possessions, a place he calls his own … he is no starving fugitive. Maybe it’s seeing that blessing and grace of God on his life that helps him to let go of his resentment against Jacob.
A picture of the beauty and power of forgiveness, of peace resulting from reconciliation.
Esau wants to accompany and give protection to Jacob for further travel, but Jacob refuses and their ways part, this time in peace (Gen 33:12-17).
Esau would have given Jacob news about Isaac and Rebekah and their whereabouts, which turns out to be Hebron (Gen 35:27). Jacob moves that direction, though definitely not rushing to meet them.
Jacob moves to Shechem, where he buys a plot of land and builds an altar, probably in remembrance of having returned safely. Jacob calls the altar El Elohe Israel, ‘God, the God of Israel’, in response to his new name and new assurance given by God at Peniel (Gen 33:18-20). This is the first time land is bought for an altar, maybe because land is getting more densely populated? It’s interesting that Jacob doesn’t move on to Bethel, a bit further South, which would have been an important place to him and an obvious choice for an altar (pillar already there).

Genesis 34 Rape and Genocide at Shechem

While camping near Shechem Dinah goes out to visit the women of the region.
This suggest both that she is moral (visiting women), allowed to move freely and interrelating with the locals. Again and again there is evidence of interaction and friendship between the tribe of Abraham and local people.
The son of the prince of the region, Shechem son of Hamor, saw Dinah “seized her and lay with her by force”. KJV “he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her”. The word defile H6031 can be translated as “depress, abase, afflict, answer, chasten, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble oneself, ravish, hurt, sing.”
Verse 7 says “he had committed and outrage in Israel … such a thing ought not to be done” KJV “he had wrought folly in Israel”. H5039 ‘nebalah’, also occurring in Deu 22:21 of a whore, in Jos 7:15 of Achan, in Jdg 19:23-24 and 20:6, 10 for the Gibeonite rapists, in 1 Sam 25:25 of Nabal by Abigail, in 2 Sam 13:12 of Amnon by Tamar, in Job 42:8 of the friends of Job, in Isa 9:17, 32:6 of evil people in general, in Jer 29:23 about false prophets.

Clearly Shechem’s act is immoral, and wrong. But whether it is entirely a rape is not so clear. Yet father Hamor and his son Shechem are upfront about it, seek communication and try seriously to redress the problem: “And his soul was drawn to Dinah … he loved the girl, and spoke tenderly to her … “Get me this girl to be my wife” … “the heart of my son Shechem longs for your daughter, please give her to him in marriage … Let me find favor with you, and whatever you say to me I will give” … “Put the marriage present and gift as high as you like, and I will give whatever you ask me; only give me the girl to be my wife … And the young man did not delay to do the thing because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter” (Gen 24:3-12).
They are humble, acknowledge the wrong done, are willing to make the relationship a lawful marriage to a leader of their society (he was the most honored of all that family (Gen 34:19), are willing to make financial restitution however high and follow through on the stipulations.
The law of Moses will allow positively for this case, the only additional stipulation is that he can’t divorce her all his life (Deu 22:28-29).
It seems that Jacob is willing to negotiate, but his sons are “indignant and very angry” (Gen 34:7) and “The sons of Jacob answered … deceitfully” (Gen 34:13-17), demanding the circumcision of all males of Shechem as condition to intermarriage. They threaten “we will take our daughter and begone” (Gen 34:17), an interesting threat after a rape, if it was one. Why would the rapist care that the problem is ‘gone’? He had his rape, no consequences follow, not a bad deal for somebody who doesn’t care. Yet Shechem will do anything to prevent that, showing that he is sincere in this regard. Dinah is never asked.
The Shechemites agree. On the third day, when they are still in pain, Simeon and Levi go against Shechem killing all males, the other sons of Jacob join in to loot the entire city of Shechem, possessions livestock, women and children (Gen 34:25-29).
It seems that Simeon and Levi know that if they make known their plan they’ll get opposition, so they just barge ahead and put others before accomplished facts.
Then – damage already done –, greed makes the others cooperate.
The law of Moses would not agree with the death penalty even of a rapist here, far less with an escalation of revenge-murder.
Jacob’s clan here commits the following offenses: false witness, a breech of oath, an overly harsh punishment, an escalation of violence, unjust gain and a genocide.
Jacob rebukes Simeon and Levi “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious to the inhabitants in the land … my numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household” (Gen 34:30). This is of course sound wisdom and appropriate fear, they are a small nomadic tribe relying on the goodwill of local residents for space, grazing grounds and water access.
Jacob doesn’t seem to discipline his sons other than this, but in the final blessing by Jacob this will come up: “Simeon and Levi are brothers weapons of violence are their swords. May I never come into their council; may I not be joined to their company – for in their anger they killed men, and at their whim they hamstrung oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel” (Gen 49:5-7). This seems more like a curse than a blessing.
The prophecy of division will come true, though less negatively than is sounds: Simeon > his tribe is assimilated into Judah and has no ‘separate existence’ any more. Levi will become the Levitical tribe in 48 Levitical cities spread out in Israel.
Maybe Jacob’s family weaknesses start showing here: polygamy has lead to a wife-war, and a child-war, with 12 children born in 7 years. Leah has to ‘pay mandrakes’ to get a night with her husband. How much time did each of her sons get? How much can Jacob invest in each one of his children? Lying, deception, idolatry, competition, fierceness persists.
Was one reason that Simeon and Levi acted unilaterally precisely that they thought nobody would stand up for a daughter of unloved Leah? That they perceived in Jacob’s negotiation a disregard for Leah’s children, including themselves?
Landa Cope: The slavery of Israel in Egypt is God’s ‘life sentence’ for the genocide in Shechem.

Genesis 35 Jacob at Bethel again

While still in Shechem, so immediately following the genocide, God speaks to Jacob to move away to Bethel, to make an altar there, to put away the foreign gods and to purify themselves (Gen 35:1-4). They collect the idols (for example Rachel’s) and ear rings and hide them under the oak near Shechem.
Jacob needs an immediate word of God, and God grants it. God seems to make a link made between the unjustified violence they just committed and their brought-along idolatry. The tribe responds and they get rid of the idolatrous objects immediately, still at Shechem (where they wouldn’t have dared to linger).
“As they journeyed, a terror form God fell upon the cities all around them, so that no one pursued them” (Gen 35:5-6). God protects them supernaturally in spite of their evil, and they need it. This was an almost self-destruction.
Back in Bethel (not really that far from Shechem), Jacob obeys and builds an altar ‘El Bethel’, meaning God of Bethel. God reveals himself again to Jacob, reaffirming earlier promises: “I am God Almighty, be fruitful and multiply, a nation and a company of nations shall come from you … the land … I will give you” (Gen 35:11-12). God in his grace, faced with the evil in his chosen tribe, affirms the original call, as well as his power to save them.
The clan moves on towards Bethlehem. Rachel gives birth to Benjamin but dies in child-labor. Now the 12 sons or patriarchs of Israel are complete. In a sense the absence of Rachel might have relaxed some things in the household. But the problems have not been solved, just passed down to the next generation.
Reuben, Leah’s oldest, commits adultery with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine and maid of Rachel. Jacob hears it but doesn’t address it. In the final blessings spoken it will come up as a bitter root: “Reuben, you are my first born … excelling in rank and excelling in power. Unstable as water, you shall no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, then you defiled it, you went up onto my couch!” (Gen 49:3-4). Maybe polygamy has also had the effect of reducing marriage in the eyes of the sons of Jacob. If ‘a concubine or two will do’ for the father, a son might think himself free, too. It seems Jacob has basically ‘written off’ his oldest 3 sons, all by Leah.
Finally Jacob arrives at his father Isaac at Mamre near Hebron. It seems that Isaac has still lived 20 years though he thought he was dying, but Rebekah is no longer mentioned. Here it seems the two household, possessions and livestock are merged, Jacob himself has become big, but Isaac also was wealthy (Gen 35:27-28).
When Isaac died at 180 years, both his sons, Esau and Isaac together bury him together in unity (Gen 35:29). When Isaac dies at 180, Esau and Jacob are 120, so this might be a summary statement from quite a bit later.

Genesis 36 Esau’s descendants

Esau’s descendants get a whole chapter. He has two Canaanite wives, one Hittite wife, Adah, one Hittite wife, Oholibamah. He also married a 3rd wife, the daughter of Ishmael (Gen 36:1-5).
Esau and Jacob’s livestock and possessions were so great, that they move apart, Esau settles in the hill country of Seir (Gen 3:6-8). What time does this refer to? After Jacob’s return? But upon their meeting Esau was already in Seir? Was this a continual nomadic back and forth and eventually a more permanent move. The passage seems to speak of a peaceful co-existence and agreement of two blessed and rich households.
Esau also becomes a strong nation, Edom. It seems Edom has kings quite early on (Gen 36:15-43). Though the focus remains on Jacob’s family, Esau’s family gets quite a bit of space in Genesis.

Genesis 37 Joseph’s dreams and preferential treatment

Jacob’s clan is not settled in Canaan (Gen 37:1). Joseph’s story picks up when Joseph is 17; so about 17 years after Jacob’s departure from Haran.
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him”. Jacob now continues the pattern of favoritism, which he himself suffered with when younger. He prefers Joseph, who – of course – is the first born of his favorite wife Rachel, and the second last son. The old competition between Leah and Rachel is now resurfacing in the new generation.
Jacob is quite obvious in his preference, a special robe is very visible, and easily turns into an object of pride or resentment. Jacob seems to be quite unconcerned about the tension he creates or worsens.
Joseph seems to be free about the robe, or feels the tension but has no freedom not to wear it. Joseph is open in communication, including sensitive communication:
When he helps his older brothers Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher (Bilhah and Zilpah’s sons) and sees them do wrong things, he reports to Jacob (Gen 37:3). Does he do this with joy? Glee? Simplicity? Out of a sense of duty? With fear? We don’t know. But Joseph seems to rather play with open cards than being drawn into the inner-family politics. It would be easy as the younger to ‘play along’, ‘join in’ and then blame the older brother, than to actually take a stand, disrupting the power-structures, offending a whole array of older brothers. They will know who told on them. Joseph knows they will know who told on them and that he will face repercussions, yet still he does it.
The older brothers are not ‘searching their hearts’ either, or trying to understand Joseph’s situation. They have inherited resentment, a sense of competition, a conviction of being neglected, it’s easy to add hatred for a very upright favored younger brother on top of that.
Already the older brothers have proven to be hardened, Reuben committed adultery with his father’s concubine, Simeon and Levi initiated a genocide, Judah will be unjust to a daughter in law and visit prostitutes. Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher do bad things (whatever that was). That leaves only Issachar and Zebulun, the youngest two sons of Leah. In the following story their hardening becomes even more visible.
Then Joseph starts dreaming, basically dreams of greatness, of him being honored over his brothers (his sheathe being bowed to, eleven stars and sun and moon bowing to him).
Everybody feels they can interpret the dream: the brothers respond “Are you indeed to have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more because of his dreams and his words”. But also Jacob is worried an interprets similarly: “his father rebuked him … “What kind of dream is this … Shall we indeed come, I and your mother and your brothers, and bow to the ground before you? So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind” (Gen 37:5-11).
It seems Jacob is alarmed, maybe has flashbacks of Esau’s hatred for him, maybe he is getting checks about his favoritism, but at the same time he might see it as of God, and is possibly thinking future implications like leadership of the tribe and handover of inheritance. He may see is as God’s confirmation for him to put Joseph in leadership.
Joseph is sent by his father from roughly Hebron to his brothers pasturing flocks near Shechem, the place of the genocide. Why there? Are they revisiting old haunts? Are they so sure of their protection? Due to a morbid conscience? They have moved on to Dothan, where Joseph finds them (Gen 37:12-17).
Upon seeing him approach the brothers talk big plotting the murder of Joseph. We are back to Cain and Abel, this time in the chosen nation. It seems the Shechem story has seared consciences further. This is a link between the Shechem genocide and the Joseph story, which will land Israel in Egypt and in slavery.
Reuben counteracts “Let us not take his life … shed no blood; throw him into this pit here“ planning to rescue him and set him free later (Gen 37:18-24). Reuben seems to have a fear of God, either as first born and the one that will be primarily held responsible, or as one who was against his will drawn into the Shechem genocide (it’s interesting that Simeon and Levi didn’t enlist him). But he isn’t fully open, he doesn’t just rebuke them, he plans to rescue him stealthily. He plays along with the cruelty (the pit) because he feels he has to or because he also is resentful, though he has more self-control.
When a caravan of Ishmaelites on their way to Egypt comes through, they sell Joseph as a slave. Judah suggests so “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay hands on hi, for he is our brother, our own flesh” (Gen 37:26-27). He tries to prevent a fratricide, and uses greed to make his proposal more attractive. He communicates somewhat more openly than Reuben. It seems the brothers partially support and partially fear each other, ever wary of what the other will think or do.
Reuben returns and finds Joseph sold. He tears his clothes and says “Where can I turn?” (Gen 37:30).
All agree that a cover-up is indeed the best option now and slaughter a goat and stain Joseph’s robe to make it look like wild animal got him. They present it to Jacob, who is inconsolable (Gen 37:31-35).

Genesis 38 Judah and Tamar

Judah, Abraham’s 4th son by Leah, befriends locals and marries a Canaanite woman, daughter of Shua. They have three sons, Er, Onan and Shelah.
Judah marries Er to a girl named Tamar but before they have a child “Er…was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death” (Gen 38:7).
God rarely intervenes with a death sentence like that, he didn’t do it for Cain, neither for the Shechem genocide, but he does it on Er.
We don’t know what the nature and measure of sin was, but it seems Judah’s local marriage has not exactly strengthened the family values or the pass down to his children, not for Er, but also not for Onan:
Judah requires his second son Onan to perform the duty of a brother-in-law: that it have relations with Tamar so she would have a son, who then can take care of her. Later this will be in the Law of Moses, the Levirate marriage (Deu 25:5-10). “Since Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, he spilled his semen on the ground whenever he went in to his brother’s wife” (Gen 38:9). He wants sexual pleasure, repeatedly, but is not willing for her to have a child.
“What he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also” (Gen 38:10). Again not an encouraging record for the blessed and covenanted with family of Jacob.
Tamar is told to return to her father’s house and wait for the third son to grow up. But she is not given to the third son Shelah, maybe for negligence, maybe for resentment or superstition (Gen 38:11, 14).
She poses as a prostitute on the roadside. Judah hires her as prostitute and she conceives by him. She takes his signet, cord and staff in pledge of payment, then disappears (Gen 38:12-23).
When found pregnant there is an outcry and Judah plans to have her executed.
Judah is willing to execute his neglected daughter-in-law, that is not even in his household any more for adultery, but he himself visits prostitutes. The double standard is obvious.
By showing the tokens Tamar reveals the identity of the father: Judah himself. He acknowledges her more in the right than himself (Gen 38:24-28).
She gives birth to twins, Perez and Zerah (Gen 38:27-30). The messianic line will go through Perez (Mth 1:3).

Genesis 39 Joseph and Potiphar

Joseph is sold as a slave in Egypt to Potiphar, the captain of the guard (Gen 39:1). God’s presence and blessing is with Joseph, and all around him acknowledge it.
He wins the favor and trust of Potiphar, who makes him overseer of his house and puts him in charge of all that he has (Gen 39:2-6).
He must have struggled with abandonment, resentment, even bitterness against his brothers who treated him mercilessly and against Jacob who by his favoritism set him up for jealousy. He must have felt cheated or almost mocked by God who got him into trouble with the dreams of greatness, that must seem ironic now.
And the injustices keep happening: Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce him and – when continually slighted – deceitfully accuses him of attacking her. Potiphar unjustly has him imprisoned. The prisoner whose dream he interpreted forgets him in breech of his word (Gen 39-40).
Everybody is lying, deceiving or breaking word, but Joseph keeps serving, working excellently, refusing to sin. His trustworthiness and integrity is such that it is readily seen and acknowledged by all and he is continually put in positions of trust and leadership, even in prison.
In refusing to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife he acknowledges Potiphar’s trust in him and also “How then could I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Ge 39:9). He displays a fear of God, an understanding of God’s holiness and character, a devotional life. He also shows a sense of fairness and loyalty to Potiphar and practical wisdom in refusing to even be with this woman (Gen 39:10). As a person that was mistreated he could easily kick into a victim mentality that entitles him to a bit of license now. He doesn’t.

Genesis 40 Joseph in prison

This and his continued good attitude in the prison shows he has released all resentment against God. He has found through to trust in God. In this his father would have been his example: Jacob over time schemes less and trusts more.
God seems to test him sorely in the area of dreams: Dreams is what seems to have gotten Joseph into trouble, dreams of greatness that mock him now as slave and prisoner. If he still resented God or resented dreams or rejected dreams as not from God, he could not now interpret them for other prisoners. And it is precisely through dream interpreting that he finally gets exalted.
Unless he found through to a peace with God, his word and his plans, he couldn’t have done what he did for the prisoners, also not for Pharaoh (Ge 40:8, 41:16).

Genesis 41 Joseph exalted

Joseph before Pharaoh seems as he always is: frank, reasonable, serving the cause at hand. He is humble and witnessing to God “It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer…God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do“ (Gen 41:16, 25).
His exaltation is as sudden as thorough: within an hour he goes from forgotten prisoner to prime minister of the most powerful nation on earth (Gen 41:37-45).
In a sense, being in power starts a different kind of testing of Joseph’s character and motives. He now has the power to get back at people if he still held resentment, at Potiphar’s wife, at Potiphar, at the jailer, at the cup bearer for every unkindness. There is no record of any revenge or legal action. Maybe they were afraid. Maybe the fact that he didn’t was a greater testimony still to them.

Genesis 42-45 Joseph is testing his brothers

There is one more group of people to forgive and not to take revenge on: his brothers. And that test also comes with a few years of being in power in Egypt.
When his brothers come to Egypt he treats them harshly, imprisons them and charges them with being spies. They show conviction by linking the troubles in Egypt with their mercilessness to Joseph: “They said to one another: “Alas!, we are paying the penalty for what we did to our other; we saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this anguish has come upon us. … So now there comes a reckoning for his blood” (Gen 42:21-22). Remorse is one thing, repentance and changed behavior another. So Joseph continues:
He tests their motives further and their loyalty to a brother, this time Benjamin by an elaborate set up. The set up is such that they all can save their skin if only they leave Benjamin behind to rot in an Egyptian prison. At the climax Judah earnestly pleads to substitute for Benjamin and Benjamin is released (Gen 44:18-34).
Joseph then starts weeping and reveals himself (Gen 45:1-3), his brothers are dismayed. He assures them “And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Gen 45:5). Joseph now sees the bigger picture, which doesn’t just include him being in honor and comfort now in Egypt, but a total redemption of relationships and a preservation of life by the wisdom of God.
If he was still controlled by unforgiveness, resentment or revenge, he could not see nor say this. He couldn’t have release them nor comforted them.
But now the even bigger questions are being answered, why the dreams were what they were and why is spite of all the sin, injustice and suffering it was still after all a scheme of God’s grace. The dreams were not ironic, nor were they false, they were accurate and needed pictures.
The grace extended by God to the brothers would have humbled them further.
They and their father have suffered for years the consequences of their choices, but now redemption and freedom come.
Joseph then commands to urgently bring down the entire tribe to live in Goshen to be provided for, as the famine will continue for another 5 years (Gen 45:6-12).

Genesis 46-48 Jacob’s family in Egypt

God confirms the move to Egypt to Jacob. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph’s own hand shall close your eyes” (Gen 46:3-4). This will mean more than Jacob understands, but when slavery will set in, this affirmation will be doubly important and assuring to Israel.
Pharaoh personally meets some of Joseph’s family, asks for their profession and requests for skilled people among them to be put in charge of his livestock (Gen 47:1-6). Joseph brings his father Jacob to Pharaoh, who promptly blesses Pharaoh. He is 130 years old (Gen 47:7-12).
Jacob, in holding on to the promise of God, requires an oath of Joseph to bury him in Canaan, not Egypt (Gen 47:29-31). Joseph does so after embalming him Egyptian style and bringing the body back in great honor. Jacob is buried at the cave in Machpelah like his ancestors (Gen 50:1-14).

Genesis 49 Jacob’s blessing on twelve sons

Blessing is what Jacob received from God. Blessing is what he dispenses most now it seems :-). He has a specific blessing-prediction-prayer for each of the sons.
Reuben (see notes on Gen 35), Simeon and Levi’s (see notes on Gen 34) blessing are mostly negative, almost curses.
Judah’s leadership and scepter is predicted, fulfilled in Judah’s later prominence and the house of David. Zebulun’s later location at the sea of Galilee is predicted (Gen 49:13), also Benjamin’s strength (Gen 49:17).
Jacob seems to bless a lot more evenly than his father did. The negatives are in connection with real offenses, not based on favoritism.

Genesis 50 Cleaning up the past

After Jacob’s death, the brothers of Joseph again get afraid of a late retaliation. They go to Joseph and ask for forgiveness for their crime (Gen 50:15-17). They go for direct, open communication, taking responsibility and owning their wrong.
Joseph weeps, probably because they still don’t believe it’s all forgiven, and says “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today” (Gen 50:17-21).
Joseph acknowledges, even admires the greater design of God. He calls evil evil, but he views it though God’s amazing redemptive plan.
Joseph, and also humility, honesty, frankness, integrity, faithfulness, loyalty, forgiveness are more than vindicated over against lying, deceiving, scheming, power-struggles, injustice and violence.
Joseph breaks a three generation pattern of lying, deceiving, competing, scheming and violence in Abraham’s tribe.