Trekking Genesis

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 33:20 . . He set up an altar there, and called it El-elohe-yisrael.

El-elohe-yisrael is actually 'Eel-'Eloheey-Yisraa'eel which is a compound of three
separate Hebrew words.

'Eel is from 'el (ale) and means strength; as an adjective; viz: mighty.

'Eloheey is from 'elohiym (el-o-heem') and means god(s) in a nondescript sense;
viz: the one true god and all manner of imitation gods.

Yisraa'eel is from Yisra'el (yis-raw-ale') and means: he will rule as God, which,
according to Gen 32:29, was Jacob's new name.

NOTE: Jacob himself was never personally seated on God's throne and ruling as
God; but one of his biological descendants does. (Num 24:17, Col 3:1, Phil 2:8-11)

So, if we put it all together, Jacob's altar was dedicated to The Almighty God of he
who will rule as God; or just simply The God Of Israel. It was the very, very, first
altar to ever be named after the god of the people of Israel. A true milestone in the
nation's history, and Jacob's too.

Just exactly how much time elapsed between Jacob's temporary camp at Succoth
and the events coming up in chapter 34 are unknown.

In the interval, Jacob very likely visited his dad and also traveled down to Seir to
visit his brother Esau too; like he promised in verse 14. Just because the Bible
doesn't say so; doesn't mean he didn't. One of the aspects of the Bible that some
people find very annoying is that it doesn't record every little detail.

For example at Matt 2:22-23 it's reported that the prophets said Jesus would be
called a Nazarene. But you won't find that quote in the Old Testament, so there's
no use in looking for it; and that's because not every word spoken by the prophets
was recorded: same as not every word spoken by Jesus was recorded in the
gospels; and not every detail of the patriarchs' lives are recorded in Genesis.

Scripture's omissions can often lead people into error via a kind of logic called an
Argument From Silence; which is a kind of reasoning that assumes that if
something isn't clearly stated, then it's inferred from the silence that there was
nothing to state.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 34:1 . . Now Dinah, the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob, went out
to visit the daughters of the land.

Even though Dinah was brought up in a God-fearing home, she is going to fall prey
to the morals of a local culture; and that can happen to anybody, so no one should
ever think themselves immune to it.

"Do not be deceived: bad company corrupts good morals." (1Cor 15:33)

Paul's letter to the Corinthians wasn't written to bad people to encourage them to
live like Christians. No, it was written to Christians to discourage them from
hanging out with impious people and thereby becoming one of them.

• Gen 34:2 . . Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, chief of the country, saw her, and
took her and lay with her by force.

The words "by force" aren't in the Hebrew text. By penciling those words into the
text, translators make Dinah appear to be the victim of a rape rather than a willing
partner in a hot affair. Most Bible students are well aware of the oftentimes low
moral character of the people of God, so if Dinah was truly accommodating in this
episode, it shouldn't surprise anyone. After all, young girls are very susceptible to
hero worship, and Shechem was a prince; the son of a sheik. What young girl
doesn't dream of being swept off her feet by a prince? It's pretty common; and it's
all part of being a real girl; for example:

I was amazed at an AeroSmith concert by the numbers of shapely, drop-dead
gorgeous young girls crowded up against the stage trying to get Steven Tyler to
notice them. If you've seen Mr. Tyler, I think you would agree with me he will
never qualify as a hunk. But Tyler is a famous entertainer; and entertainers have a
powerful sensual charisma regardless of their looks.

I observed an even more impressive display at a Rolling Stones concert (now
there's a study in ugly). Women of all ages, sizes, and waistlines, slingshot their
bras and panties up on the stage for the men to keep as love tokens. There were so
many female undergarments cluttering the stage that the situation became a safety
hazard. Keith Richards and the others had to kick them away to avoid tripping and
falling.

• Gen 34:3 . . Being strongly drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and in love with
the maiden, he spoke to the maiden tenderly.

Shechem's feelings for Dinah weren't the typical violent lusts that rapists expend
upon their victims. That boy was truly overwhelmed by Dinah; just like Jack was
overwhelmed by Rose in the movie "Titanic". I wonder if anyone reading this can
remember the last time you felt that way about somebody-- how you had difficulty
catching your breath, and how utterly vulnerable you felt in their presence. No, I
just can't believe Shechem raped Dinah. He really did like her as a person. She
wasn't just a girl toy for Shechem to exploit; no, Dinah was "the one" and to him,
she lit up the room the moment she walked in-- in his eyes; everything around her
was a silver pool of light.

• Gen 34:4 . . So Shechem said to his father Hamor: Get me this girl as a wife.

In modern American culture, Shechem would be regarded as a wimp for not being
man enough to speak with Dinah's parents himself instead of seeking his dad's
assistance. But in that day, a man's parents or relatives did all the negotiating in
nuptial matters; and when it reached that stage, the romance was pretty serious
business.

• Gen 34:5a . . Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah;

From whom Jacob heard the news is not stated. Dinah had been taken into
Shechem's home (Gen 34:2) and remained there until this episode was over (Gen
34:26). So news came probably by some of Dinah's girlfriends from town whose
friendships she sought in Gen 34:1. By now, Dinah must be feeling very alone, and
afraid to come home and face the music.

When guys lose their virginity, it's different. They feel more like a man, they feel
better about themselves, and they feel highly regarded in the eyes of their male
friends. But girls oftentimes feel like cheap goods: soiled and fallen; not to mention
the fear of pregnancy and family disgrace. Not all girls feel the same about pre
marital trysts. Some relish the excitement. But others are scarred for life, and
never really get over it.

The Bible is silent about Dinah's feelings about all this, and after chapter 34, she's
mentioned only one more time at Gen 46:15 and that's it.

• Gen 34:5b . . but since his sons were in the field with his cattle, Jacob kept silent
until they came home.

If Jacob had allowed his passions to overrule his better judgment, he might have
stormed out and confronted Shechem's family all by himself, and they just may
have been annoyed enough to murder him on the spot. No, best to wait for back-up
on this one. And besides, brothers were often key decision makers in a sister's
betrothal (e.g. Gen 24:29-61). So Jacob needed his boys; if not for personal
defense, then at least to take part in the decision concerning whom Dinah would
wed.

• Gen 34:6-7a . .Then Shechem's father Hamor came out to Jacob to speak to him.
Meanwhile Jacob's sons, having heard the news, came in from the field.

Jacob probably sent a runner out to get the boys and have them come home as
soon as possible. By luck, they arrived the same time as Shechem and his dad. So
the key players are present, the stage is set, and they can all get down to business.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 34:7b . .The men were distressed and very angry, because he had
committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter-- a thing not to be
done.

This is the first instance of Jewish tribalism in the Bible. Ironically; the boys were
far more upset for what Shechem did to the family name then what he did to their
sister. However; that's a very common reaction from male siblings. Brothers
typically take it personal when a guy abuses their sister or says something
derogatory about her; even when the brothers themselves don't even like her.

The phrase "a thing not to be done" didn't apply to Shechem and Hamor.
Promiscuity wasn't considered immoral in their culture. Extra-marital activity was a
normal social interaction in many parts of Canaan, and nobody gave it a second
thought. In fact, neither Shechem nor his dad felt any inclination whatsoever to
apologize for what happened and probably would have become indignant if asked
to; but Israel's moral standards were God-influenced, and ran counter to common
mores. (cf. Gen 18:19)

• Gen 34:8-9 . . And Hamor spoke with them, saying: My son Shechem longs for
your daughter. Please give her to him in marriage. Intermarry with us: give your
daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves:

The only problem is: whose religion would be taught to Dinah's children? Would it
be the Canaanites' religion or Jacob's religion? Would they be taught both religions;
and thus create confusion in the children's minds? People for whom religion means
very little; can cross breed all they want and it doesn't make any difference.

However; as a general rule, it is never, ever a good idea to marry outside your own
religion. Marriage is tough enough without dividing the family with differing
religious philosophies. Couples should make every effort to strive for unity in all
things; especially in the area of religion.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what province hath he that
believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come
out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be
my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2Cor 6:14-18)

For Jacob's family, marriage with another culture was not a good idea at all. Their
granddad was called to a very high purpose-- a purpose in which they were all
expected to have a role; and that would be the role of engendering a great nation
whose God would be Yhvh; and thus be a witness to the one True God: and a
nation that would ultimately be a blessing to the whole world. A people like Hamor's
were a serious threat to fulfilling that purpose.

• Gen 34:10 . .You will dwell among us, and the land will be open before you;
settle, move about, and acquire holdings in it.

That must have been a very tempting offer to Jacob. Hamor's people would protect
his family, and let him use choice grazing lands, and sell him property to build a
home on if he joined their clan instead of going off on his own with no one but Yhvh
to rely upon. But then Israel would be assimilated; and that was something Jacob
had to avoid at all costs.

A holy nation has got to remain separated and independent from its unholy
neighbors so God can bless. Just look what assimilation has done to the people of
Israel over the years. Only a measly ten percent of them today are orthodox. Many
of them are secular, worldly, conformed, and totally without their God. That is truly
pitiful; and totally unacceptable.

• Gen 34:11-12 . .Then Shechem said to her father and brothers: Do me this favor,
and I will pay whatever you tell me. Ask of me a bride-price ever so high, as well as
gifts, and I will pay what you tell me; only give me the maiden for a wife.

Shechem really did love Dinah, and was willing to go to some pretty extreme
lengths to keep her. Unfortunately, he got off on the wrong foot with Dinah's
brothers; which would prove fatal to every man in his village, including Shechem's
dad.

• Gen 34:13a . . Jacob's sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor

It's uncertain all eleven of Jacob's boys took part in this. Later, only two of them,
Simeon and Levi, would subsequently go into town and murder all the men. Jacob
apparently said nothing in the negotiations; he only witnessed it all, listening to
everything, but letting his sons do all the talking.

• Gen 34:13b-17 . . speaking with guile because he had defiled their sister Dinah--
and said to them: We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is
uncircumcised, for that is a disgrace among us. Only on this condition will we agree
with you; that you will become like us in that every male among you is circumcised.

. . .Then we will give our daughters to you and take your daughters to ourselves;
and we will dwell among you and become as one kindred. But if you will not listen
to us and become circumcised, we will take our daughter and go.

It's difficult to ascertain what the boys were implying by the prerequisite of
circumcision. Were they implying that Shechem's clan could only blend with the
people of Israel via Abraham's covenant of circumcision? Apparently that's the
impression they were giving, and Hamor seems to understand that if the two
families were to become one clan, then Israel's religion has to be in common.

Jacob's silence suggests he was thinking the very same. As for Hamor, being a
covetous man at heart; circumcision surely seemed an insignificant price to become
joint owner of Jacob's possessions.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 34:18-19 . .Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor's son Shechem. And the
youth lost no time in doing the thing, for he wanted Jacob's daughter. Now he was
the most respected in his father's house.

Shechem took the lead and set the example for the rest of the men in his village.
He apparently had quite a bit of influence, and people looked up to him.

• Gen 34:20-24 . . So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the public place of their
town and spoke to their fellow townsmen, saying: These people are our friends; let
them settle in the land and move about in it, for the land is large enough for them;
we will take their daughters to ourselves as wives and give our daughters to them.

. . . But only on this condition will the men agree with us to dwell among us and be
as one kindred: that all our males become circumcised as they are circumcised.
Their cattle and substance and all their beasts will be ours, if we only agree to their
terms, so that they will settle among us. All who went out of the gate of his town
heeded Hamor and his son Shechem, and all males, all those who went out of the
gate of his town, were circumcised

Hamor convinced the men of his village that they would prosper by submitting to
the surgery. His village apparently operated on the commune principle: What you
have is mine, and what I have is yours. So everyone would benefit from
assimilating Jacob's family because they would become co-owners of his
possessions; which, when he departed Laban, was a goodly amount of livestock and
slaves. The arrangement was appealing: it made good business sense, and would
have been very lucrative for Hamor's village if only Jacob's sons had been honest
about it.

• Gen 34:25-26 . . On the third day, when they were in pain, Simeon and Levi, two
of Jacob's sons, brothers of Dinah, took each his sword, came upon the city
unopposed, and slew all the males. They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the
sword, took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went away.

The boys did all that without Jacob's knowledge. Exactly what effect the massacre
of her boyfriend and his dad had upon Dinah is not said. Family rivalries, like the
old hillbilly feuds, are bitter and driven solely by the code of the vendetta. There's
no justice in a vendetta; only pay-back.

Oh, The Martins and the Coys,
They were reckless mountain boys,
And they scarred the mountains up with shot and shell.

There was uncles, brothers, cousins,
Why; they bumped them off by dozens,
Just how many bit the dust is hard to tell.
(Gene Autry)

• Gen 34:27 . .The other sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the
town, because their sister had been defiled.

Only two of the brothers did the killing, but apparently all who were old enough
participated in the pillaging. I tell you, some of the patriarchs were brutal men; and
it was from them that the nation of Israel sprang. Later, they will sell their own kid
brother Joseph into slavery simply because they envied his favorite-son status with
their dad.

• Gen 34:28-29 . .They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys, all that was
inside the town and outside; all their wealth, all their children, and their wives, all
that was in the houses, they took as captives and booty.

What they did was what conquerors legitimately do in war. But Jacob wasn't at war
with Hamor's clan. Those boys were nothing in the world but murderers,
kidnappers, thugs, and thieves. To think Messiah came from that blood line is
beyond belief!

• Gen 34:30-31 . . Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: You have brought trouble on
me, making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the
Perizzites; my men are few in number, so that if they unite against me and attack
me, I and my house will be destroyed. But they answered: Should our sister be
treated like a harlot?

Dinah's brothers were rash and hot headed; placing their own rage above and
beyond their family's safety, and their father Jacob's honor. That is the self
centered attitude of criminals; which is exactly what they were. Without God's
providence, surely all of Canaan would have banded together and justly hanged
every last male in Jacob's camp so that the nation of Israel would have ended right
then and there. There would have been no holocaust and no crucifixion, and the
Palestinians today would have a country to call their own. It's almost impossible to
comprehend how those boys could have ever descended from the world's most
respected religious figure the world has ever known: Abraham ben Terah.

Many years later, Moses' people came to the brink of annihilation again because of
the pride of just one lone Jew in the book of Ruth. Boy! I tell you: God has really
had His hands full keeping those people from destroying themselves. Truth be told:
if it weren't for God's promise to Abraham, the Jews would have been extinct as a
people long ago. (2Kings 13:23)
_

 

[pinacled]

.
• Gen 34:1 . . Now Dinah, the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob, went out
to visit the daughters of the land.

Even though Dinah was brought up in a God-fearing home, she is going to fall prey
to the morals of a local culture; and that can happen to anybody, so no one should
ever think themselves immune to it.

"Do not be deceived: bad company corrupts good morals." (1Cor 15:33)

Paul's letter to the Corinthians wasn't written to bad people to encourage them to
live like Christians. No, it was written to Christians to discourage them from
hanging out with impious people and thereby becoming one of them.

• Gen 34:2 . . Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, chief of the country, saw her, and
took her and lay with her by force.

The words "by force" aren't in the Hebrew text. By penciling those words into the
text, translators make Dinah appear to be the victim of a rape rather than a willing
partner in a hot affair. Most Bible students are well aware of the oftentimes low
moral character of the people of God, so if Dinah was truly accommodating in this
episode, it shouldn't surprise anyone. After all, young girls are very susceptible to
hero worship, and Shechem was a prince; the son of a sheik. What young girl
doesn't dream of being swept off her feet by a prince? It's pretty common; and it's
all part of being a real girl; for example:

I was amazed at an AeroSmith concert by the numbers of shapely, drop-dead
gorgeous young girls crowded up against the stage trying to get Steven Tyler to
notice them. If you've seen Mr. Tyler, I think you would agree with me he will
never qualify as a hunk. But Tyler is a famous entertainer; and entertainers have a
powerful sensual charisma regardless of their looks.

I observed an even more impressive display at a Rolling Stones concert (now
there's a study in ugly). Women of all ages, sizes, and waistlines, slingshot their
bras and panties up on the stage for the men to keep as love tokens. There were so
many female undergarments cluttering the stage that the situation became a safety
hazard. Keith Richards and the others had to kick them away to avoid tripping and
falling.

• Gen 34:3 . . Being strongly drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and in love with
the maiden, he spoke to the maiden tenderly.

Shechem's feelings for Dinah weren't the typical violent lusts that rapists expend
upon their victims. That boy was truly overwhelmed by Dinah; just like Jack was
overwhelmed by Rose in the movie "Titanic". I wonder if anyone reading this can
remember the last time you felt that way about somebody-- how you had difficulty
catching your breath, and how utterly vulnerable you felt in their presence. No, I
just can't believe Shechem raped Dinah. He really did like her as a person. She
wasn't just a girl toy for Shechem to exploit; no, Dinah was "the one" and to him,
she lit up the room the moment she walked in-- in his eyes; everything around her
was a silver pool of light.

• Gen 34:4 . . So Shechem said to his father Hamor: Get me this girl as a wife.

In modern American culture, Shechem would be regarded as a wimp for not being
man enough to speak with Dinah's parents himself instead of seeking his dad's
assistance. But in that day, a man's parents or relatives did all the negotiating in
nuptial matters; and when it reached that stage, the romance was pretty serious
business.

• Gen 34:5a . . Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah;

From whom Jacob heard the news is not stated. Dinah had been taken into
Shechem's home (Gen 34:2) and remained there until this episode was over (Gen
34:26). So news came probably by some of Dinah's girlfriends from town whose
friendships she sought in Gen 34:1. By now, Dinah must be feeling very alone, and
afraid to come home and face the music.

When guys lose their virginity, it's different. They feel more like a man, they feel
better about themselves, and they feel highly regarded in the eyes of their male
friends. But girls oftentimes feel like cheap goods: soiled and fallen; not to mention
the fear of pregnancy and family disgrace. Not all girls feel the same about pre
marital trysts. Some relish the excitement. But others are scarred for life, and
never really get over it.

The Bible is silent about Dinah's feelings about all this, and after chapter 34, she's
mentioned only one more time at Gen 46:15 and that's it.

• Gen 34:5b . . but since his sons were in the field with his cattle, Jacob kept silent
until they came home.

If Jacob had allowed his passions to overrule his better judgment, he might have
stormed out and confronted Shechem's family all by himself, and they just may
have been annoyed enough to murder him on the spot. No, best to wait for back-up
on this one. And besides, brothers were often key decision makers in a sister's
betrothal (e.g. Gen 24:29-61). So Jacob needed his boys; if not for personal
defense, then at least to take part in the decision concerning whom Dinah would
wed.

• Gen 34:6-7a . .Then Shechem's father Hamor came out to Jacob to speak to him.
Meanwhile Jacob's sons, having heard the news, came in from the field.

Jacob probably sent a runner out to get the boys and have them come home as
soon as possible. By luck, they arrived the same time as Shechem and his dad. So
the key players are present, the stage is set, and they can all get down to business.
_

You cited a foul version of the account which leads thoughts astray.

Here is an appropriate account.
ב וַיַּרְא אֹתָהּ שְׁכֶם בֶּן-חֲמוֹר, הַחִוִּי--נְשִׂיא הָאָרֶץ; וַיִּקַּח אֹתָהּ וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֹתָהּ, וַיְעַנֶּהָ.

2 And Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her; and he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her.

 

[pinacled]

.
• Gen 34:18-19 . .Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor's son Shechem. And the
youth lost no time in doing the thing, for he wanted Jacob's daughter. Now he was
the most respected in his father's house.

Shechem took the lead and set the example for the rest of the men in his village.
He apparently had quite a bit of influence, and people looked up to him.

• Gen 34:20-24 . . So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the public place of their
town and spoke to their fellow townsmen, saying: These people are our friends; let
them settle in the land and move about in it, for the land is large enough for them;
we will take their daughters to ourselves as wives and give our daughters to them.

. . . But only on this condition will the men agree with us to dwell among us and be
as one kindred: that all our males become circumcised as they are circumcised.
Their cattle and substance and all their beasts will be ours, if we only agree to their
terms, so that they will settle among us. All who went out of the gate of his town
heeded Hamor and his son Shechem, and all males, all those who went out of the
gate of his town, were circumcised

Hamor convinced the men of his village that they would prosper by submitting to
the surgery. His village apparently operated on the commune principle: What you
have is mine, and what I have is yours. So everyone would benefit from
assimilating Jacob's family because they would become co-owners of his
possessions; which, when he departed Laban, was a goodly amount of livestock and
slaves. The arrangement was appealing: it made good business sense, and would
have been very lucrative for Hamor's village if only Jacob's sons had been honest
about it.

• Gen 34:25-26 . . On the third day, when they were in pain, Simeon and Levi, two
of Jacob's sons, brothers of Dinah, took each his sword, came upon the city
unopposed, and slew all the males. They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the
sword, took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went away.

The boys did all that without Jacob's knowledge. Exactly what effect the massacre
of her boyfriend and his dad had upon Dinah is not said. Family rivalries, like the
old hillbilly feuds, are bitter and driven solely by the code of the vendetta. There's
no justice in a vendetta; only pay-back.

Oh, The Martins and the Coys,
They were reckless mountain boys,
And they scarred the mountains up with shot and shell.

There was uncles, brothers, cousins,
Why; they bumped them off by dozens,
Just how many bit the dust is hard to tell.
(Gene Autry)

• Gen 34:27 . .The other sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the
town, because their sister had been defiled.

Only two of the brothers did the killing, but apparently all who were old enough
participated in the pillaging. I tell you, some of the patriarchs were brutal men; and
it was from them that the nation of Israel sprang. Later, they will sell their own kid
brother Joseph into slavery simply because they envied his favorite-son status with
their dad.

• Gen 34:28-29 . .They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys, all that was
inside the town and outside; all their wealth, all their children, and their wives, all
that was in the houses, they took as captives and booty.

What they did was what conquerors legitimately do in war. But Jacob wasn't at war
with Hamor's clan. Those boys were nothing in the world but murderers,
kidnappers, thugs, and thieves. To think Messiah came from that blood line is
beyond belief!

• Gen 34:30-31 . . Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: You have brought trouble on
me, making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the
Perizzites; my men are few in number, so that if they unite against me and attack
me, I and my house will be destroyed. But they answered: Should our sister be
treated like a harlot?

Dinah's brothers were rash and hot headed; placing their own rage above and
beyond their family's safety, and their father Jacob's honor. That is the self
centered attitude of criminals; which is exactly what they were. Without God's
providence, surely all of Canaan would have banded together and justly hanged
every last male in Jacob's camp so that the nation of Israel would have ended right
then and there. There would have been no holocaust and no crucifixion, and the
Palestinians today would have a country to call their own. It's almost impossible to
comprehend how those boys could have ever descended from the world's most
respected religious figure the world has ever known: Abraham ben Terah.

Many years later, Moses' people came to the brink of annihilation again because of
the pride of just one lone Jew in the book of Ruth. Boy! I tell you: God has really
had His hands full keeping those people from destroying themselves. Truth be told:
if it weren't for God's promise to Abraham, the Jews would have been extinct as a
people long ago. (2Kings 13:23)
_

Two sons likened to 2 swords foreshadowing salvation

 

[pinacled]

.
• Gen 34:18-19 . .Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor's son Shechem. And the
youth lost no time in doing the thing, for he wanted Jacob's daughter. Now he was
the most respected in his father's house.

Shechem took the lead and set the example for the rest of the men in his village.
He apparently had quite a bit of influence, and people looked up to him.

• Gen 34:20-24 . . So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the public place of their
town and spoke to their fellow townsmen, saying: These people are our friends; let
them settle in the land and move about in it, for the land is large enough for them;
we will take their daughters to ourselves as wives and give our daughters to them.

. . . But only on this condition will the men agree with us to dwell among us and be
as one kindred: that all our males become circumcised as they are circumcised.
Their cattle and substance and all their beasts will be ours, if we only agree to their
terms, so that they will settle among us. All who went out of the gate of his town
heeded Hamor and his son Shechem, and all males, all those who went out of the
gate of his town, were circumcised

Hamor convinced the men of his village that they would prosper by submitting to
the surgery. His village apparently operated on the commune principle: What you
have is mine, and what I have is yours. So everyone would benefit from
assimilating Jacob's family because they would become co-owners of his
possessions; which, when he departed Laban, was a goodly amount of livestock and
slaves. The arrangement was appealing: it made good business sense, and would
have been very lucrative for Hamor's village if only Jacob's sons had been honest
about it.

• Gen 34:25-26 . . On the third day, when they were in pain, Simeon and Levi, two
of Jacob's sons, brothers of Dinah, took each his sword, came upon the city
unopposed, and slew all the males. They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the
sword, took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went away.

The boys did all that without Jacob's knowledge. Exactly what effect the massacre
of her boyfriend and his dad had upon Dinah is not said. Family rivalries, like the
old hillbilly feuds, are bitter and driven solely by the code of the vendetta. There's
no justice in a vendetta; only pay-back.

Oh, The Martins and the Coys,
They were reckless mountain boys,
And they scarred the mountains up with shot and shell.

There was uncles, brothers, cousins,
Why; they bumped them off by dozens,
Just how many bit the dust is hard to tell.
(Gene Autry)

• Gen 34:27 . .The other sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the
town, because their sister had been defiled.

Only two of the brothers did the killing, but apparently all who were old enough
participated in the pillaging. I tell you, some of the patriarchs were brutal men; and
it was from them that the nation of Israel sprang. Later, they will sell their own kid
brother Joseph into slavery simply because they envied his favorite-son status with
their dad.

• Gen 34:28-29 . .They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys, all that was
inside the town and outside; all their wealth, all their children, and their wives, all
that was in the houses, they took as captives and booty.

What they did was what conquerors legitimately do in war. But Jacob wasn't at war
with Hamor's clan. Those boys were nothing in the world but murderers,
kidnappers, thugs, and thieves. To think Messiah came from that blood line is
beyond belief!

• Gen 34:30-31 . . Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: You have brought trouble on
me, making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the
Perizzites; my men are few in number, so that if they unite against me and attack
me, I and my house will be destroyed. But they answered: Should our sister be
treated like a harlot?

Dinah's brothers were rash and hot headed; placing their own rage above and
beyond their family's safety, and their father Jacob's honor. That is the self
centered attitude of criminals; which is exactly what they were. Without God's
providence, surely all of Canaan would have banded together and justly hanged
every last male in Jacob's camp so that the nation of Israel would have ended right
then and there. There would have been no holocaust and no crucifixion, and the
Palestinians today would have a country to call their own. It's almost impossible to
comprehend how those boys could have ever descended from the world's most
respected religious figure the world has ever known: Abraham ben Terah.

Many years later, Moses' people came to the brink of annihilation again because of
the pride of just one lone Jew in the book of Ruth. Boy! I tell you: God has really
had His hands full keeping those people from destroying themselves. Truth be told:
if it weren't for God's promise to Abraham, the Jews would have been extinct as a
people long ago. (2Kings 13:23)
_

The statement "ought not be done" is referring to an oral contract ie spoken agreement that hamor and shechem obliged to and failed to meet.
Shechem lying with dinah broke(severed) the peace treaty.
Regardless of his love and affection for dinah and hers for him the affair had consequences.
It was an act of warfare to go beyond the fence line of a neighbor.
Hence a mention of the city gate.

41 Bible verses about Boundaries

A topical Bible which shows the most relevant Bible verse for each topic

bible.knowing-jesus.com

Acts 17
[and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,]

Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Boundaries


ז וּבְנֵי יַעֲקֹב בָּאוּ מִן-הַשָּׂדֶה, כְּשָׁמְעָם, וַיִּתְעַצְּבוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים, וַיִּחַר לָהֶם מְאֹד: כִּי-נְבָלָה עָשָׂה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לִשְׁכַּב אֶת-בַּת-יַעֲקֹב, וְכֵן, לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה.

7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought a vile deed in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.

 

[pinacled]

The statement "ought not be done" is referring to an oral contract ie spoken agreement that hamor and shechem obliged to and failed to meet.
Shechem lying with dinah broke(severed) the peace treaty.
Regardless of his love and affection for dinah and hers for him the affair had consequences.
It was an act of warfare to go beyond the fence line of a neighbor.
Hence a mention of the city gate.

41 Bible verses about Boundaries

A topical Bible which shows the most relevant Bible verse for each topic

bible.knowing-jesus.com

Acts 17
[and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,]

Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Boundaries


ז וּבְנֵי יַעֲקֹב בָּאוּ מִן-הַשָּׂדֶה, כְּשָׁמְעָם, וַיִּתְעַצְּבוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים, וַיִּחַר לָהֶם מְאֹד: כִּי-נְבָלָה עָשָׂה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לִשְׁכַּב אֶת-בַּת-יַעֲקֹב, וְכֵן, לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה.

7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought a vile deed in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.

Consider also the number of children leah bore.
2 dealt cruely and all 10 sons of jacob plundered.
The numerical composition is the remez.

Blessings Always

 

[pinacled]

Forgive me sir ode .

Please continue with the terrain of Torah as is fit in your heart.

I'll only intervene when nessecary.

Blessings Always

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 35:1 . . God said to Jacob: Arise, go up to Bethel and remain there; and
build an altar there to the god who appeared to you when you were fleeing from
your brother Esau.

That is some very strange language. Why didn't God say "build an altar to Me; who
appeared to you when, etc". On the surface, it appears that God is speaking of a
god other than Himself. But according to Gen 35:2, Jacob's family had a number of
gods in their possession and I think God just wanted to make sure Jacob
understood that He wanted no truck with them. For example:

"You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or
any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water
under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, Jehovah your.
god, am a jealous god," (Ex 20:3-5)

• Gen 35:2 . . So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him: Rid
yourselves of the alien gods in your midst, purify yourselves, and change your
clothes.

This is embarrassing. To top off the shame of recent events-- Dinah's tryst, the
murders, and the subsequent looting in town-- now it turns out that the one family
on earth who was supposed to be a witness to the one True God., and all that He
stands for, had other gods in their midst! They were also wearing clothing taken
from the dead in town, clothing that more than likely honored the religions-- and
thus the morals-- of the Canaanite gods! No doubt the alien gods themselves were
booty too, collected from Shechem's town after the massacre.

Precisely what Jacob meant for his household, and all who were with him, to do in
order be "purified" is not said. Bathing in water was the usual means of purification
in the Old Testament; and often done in preparation to meet with God; but it's
more likely that he simply regarded the alien gods and the stolen booty as ill gotten
gain; ergo: contamination.

• Gen 35:3 . . Come, let us go up to Bethel, and I will build an altar there to the
God who answered me when I was in distress and who has been with me wherever
I have gone.

Jacob thus made a distinction between the mute gods of the Canaanites, and the
vocal god of Israel. Jacob's god had been extremely active and useful in his life;
whereas the Canaanite gods were only inanimate pieces of superstitious statuary,
like voodoo dolls.

The altar would serve a couple of important purposes, but the one that would really
count in this case is its capacity as an official place of confession and absolution of
sins. The people of God, whether Jew or Christian, have never been sinless. But
sinless-ness is not an indicator that certifies whether or not someone is in God's
family. Confession and absolution are far better indicators, e.g. Ps 32:5-7.

The advantage of being in the family of Israel's God is the latitude His own have for
being themselves. Jacob's household sinned big time, yes, but their sins will effect
neither their divine purpose, nor their eternal destiny.

• Gen 35:4 . .They gave to Jacob all the alien gods that they had, and the rings
that were in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the terebinth that was near
Shechem.

According to Webster's, a terebinth is a small European tree (Pistacia terebinthus)
of the cashew family yielding turpentine. The Hebrew word for "terebinth" is 'elah
(ay-law') which just means an oak or other strong tree.

The religious items Jacob collected, were not only in the possession of his kin, but
also in the possession of "all who were with him" (Gen 35:2) which would have
included servants, his slaves; and the recent captives. Some of the items would
have come from looting the town of Shechem, but many would have been acquired
in the area up and around Laban's vicinity in Mesopotamia; which is where Jacob
acquired the bulk of his labor force (Gen 30:43). Jacob lived for many years in close
proximity to religions centered upon gods other than Israel's God, and the influence
of those religions had a heavy impact upon the most holy community existing on
the entire planet at that time.

Exactly why Jacob chose to bury those items under a terebinth, instead of just
burying them in a hole out in pasture, is not said. He could have incinerated them
too, but, for some undisclosed reason, didn't. Some have tried to find symbolism in
that, but his decision may have been motivated by something as simple as a hot
day, and Jacob would rather work in the shade than out in the open.

• Gen 35:5 . . As they set out, a terror from God fell on the cities round about, so
that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.

The patriarchs had some very interesting advantages. Even when they deserved to
die, or at least assaulted and battered, the Bible's God was often on hand to
prevent it. Think about it though. If you knew that a small force of Jews were able
to overpower a whole town, would you want to lock horns with them? I don't think
so. Jacob's boys no doubt had a reputation in those parts now, and made their
neighbors nervous.

People were very superstitious in those days and often gave the credit for military
victories to their own personal gods; or to the gods of their conquerors, if that's the
way things went in battle. So that the god of the people of Israel now became the
one to be feared in those parts.

However, it's far better-- if at all possible --for the people of God to give a
testimony to the love of God rather than to the terror of God. But because of the
patriarchs' recent violent behavior, the love of God was far from the minds of the
people in Jacob's vicinity. They saw the people of Israel and their god as a serious
threat to the safety and well being of their communities rather than seeing Israel's
God as a potential source of blessing and providence.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 35:6-7 . .Thus Jacob came to Luz-- that is, Bethel --in the land of Canaan,
he and all the people who were with him. There he built an altar and named the site
El-bethel, for it was there that God had revealed Himself to him when he was
fleeing from his brother.

Bethel is located approximately 11 miles directly north of Jerusalem. Jacob erected
a stone cairn there when he left home; and gave the site its name: Bethel (House
Of God). At least thirty years have gone by since then. He stayed twenty years with
Laban, and had lived for an undisclosed number of years in the vicinity of
Schechem. Jacob was 75 when he left home, and was now easily over 100. He is
not only older now, but he's a lot wiser too. The experience at Shechem changed
Jacob in a remarkable way.

This time he builds an altar instead of a cairn, and names the site El-bethel (the
god of the House Of God). So Jacob's focus has shifted. Previously his emphasis
was upon a special site to worship God. This time, Jacob puts the emphasis where it
should have been in the first place: upon the object of his worship. Because, unless
God is actually present during worship, then designating a special place for worship
is futile.

In Rev 3:14-22, the church of the Laodicians is depicted as so entirely christless
that Jesus isn't even a member, no, he's on the outside of the building banging on
the door trying to get someone's attention to let him in. That was a solid Christian
church at one time; but as time went by; it somehow became quite christless.

• Gen 35:8a . . Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, died, and was buried under the oak
below Bethel;

By now, Deborah was very aged; older than Rebecca, and had come south with her
to Canaan twenty years prior to Jacob's birth (Gen 24:59, 25:20, 25:26). Deborah
was already a mature woman when she came south with Rebecca because the word
for nurse-- yanaq (yaw-nak') --indicates a wet nurse. So Deborah did the surrogate
task of breast feeding the infant Rebecca, whose biological mom, for reasons
unknown, couldn't do it herself. Jacob knew Deborah quite well, having grown up
with her in his own home, and remained with her a good number of years before
leaving home himself at 75.

There's pretty good reason to believe that Rebecca had died prior to Gen 35:8
because it's extremely doubtful Deborah would leave her to join Jacob's troupe
otherwise.

• Gen 35:8b . . so it was named Allon-bacuth.

Allon-bacuth means: oak of weeping. Deborah's passing was surely as emotionally
painful a loss to Jacob as the loss of his own mother.

• Gen 35:9a . . God appeared again to Jacob on his arrival from Paddan-aram,

Paddam-aram was the region up north, in and around where Laban lived, and from
whence Jacob fled a number of years prior to Gen 35:9. But God reckoned Jacob
still on-route for the simple reason that he had yet to strictly comply with the order
to "Return to the land of your fathers where you were born" and "arise and leave
this land and return to your native land." (Gen 31:3, 31:13).

Instead of going directly to Bethel, as God apparently expected Jacob to do, he
settled in the region around Shechem-- where his daughter became promiscuous,
his sons became murderers and thieves, and Jacob alienated his neighbors: thus;
he, and his whole family, had become quite useless as a witness to the knowledge
of the one true God in that region.

• Gen 35:9b-10 . . and He blessed him. God said to him: You whose name is Jacob,
you shall be called Jacob no more, but Israel shall be your name. Thus He named
him Israel.

This wasn't news to Jacob. He was renamed Israel by the angel (Gen 32:29). But
Jacob wasn't living up to his new identity. He needed urging to live as who he now
is, not live as who he once was before meeting God face to face.

• Gen 35:11a . . And God said to him: I am El Shaddai.

The patriarchs were aware of God's other name Yhvh, and often referred to Him by
it; but El Shaddai is a name of God that they knew Him by in a personal way. It
means: God of all might; viz; the all-power god; or the god who invented, created,
and controls all natural and supernatural powers.

El Shaddai is the god who can make things happen, even things that are impossible
by natural means, and things that are above and beyond Man's mortal imagination;
so that El Shaddai is "the" god of providence who is easily strong enough to meet
any, and all, human need.

The name El Shaddai relates to Jacob's vow in Gen 28:20-21 where he said: If God
remains with me, if He protects me on this journey that I am making, and gives me
bread to eat and clothing to wear, and if I return safe to my father's house-- Yhvh
shall be my God.

God did remain with Jacob, protected him, provided for him, and got him back
home. Time now to make good on that vow.

• Gen 35:11b . . Be fertile and increase;

At this point in his life, Jacob was just about done reproducing. He had one more to
go: Joseph. But Jacob's increase went way beyond his twelve sons were just the
beginning.

• Gen 35:11c . . A nation, yea an assembly of nations, shall descend from you.
Kings shall issue from your loins.

That's pretty much what God promised Abraham back in chapter 17. The most
important kings were those of Israel, and in particular, the ones in David's line who
preceded Messiah.

• Gen 35:12 . .The land that I assigned to Abraham and Isaac I assign to you; and
to your offspring to come will I assign the land.

Ownership of the land didn't pass from Abraham down to Isaac, and then to Jacob
as if it were an heirloom. God promised each patriarch full ownership along with
their progeny. We might call that kind of ownership tenancy in common, community
property, or joint-heirship. However, there's yet a fourth tenant in common: Christ.
(Gal 3:16)
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 35:13-14 . . God parted from him at the spot where He had spoken to him;
and Jacob set up a pillar at the site where He had spoken to him, a pillar of stone,
and he offered a libation on it and poured oil upon it.

The pillar that Jacob erected on this same site back in Gen 28:18 received a
somewhat different treatment. In that instance, Jacob poured only oil on it. In this
instance, he added a libation. The precise recipe is unknown, but could have been a
forerunner of the libation rituals that would come later in Israel's history— typically
an alcoholic beverage made from grapes. (e.g. Ex 29:40, Lev 23:13)

Wine is an ingredient in a formal Temple offering called the daily burnt offering (Ex
29:38-46) whose recipe lists a lamb, a paste made of flour and oil, and some wine.
The entire offering is totally destroyed; incinerated by fire. The residing priests,
serving at the Temple, arranged this offering every day during the course of their
duties; including the Sabbath day; which normally would be illegal since it's against
the law to kindle a fire on the Sabbath. (cf. Ex 36:3, Mtt 12:5)

Some have interpreted the libation as representing the offerer's life's work; which
in the case of the daily burnt offering, would be the life's work of the entire nation
of the people of Israel; and of course including the priests themselves. So that
every twenty-four hours, the whole nation's every-day activities went up in smoke.

We could interpret Jacob's libation as a formal act of dedication— not of the pillar;
but of Jacob himself. Right after his first encounter, on this very spot, with the God
of his fathers Abraham and Isaac, a good thirty years ago; Jacob vowed to dedicate
himself to Yhvh if only He would fulfill certain stipulations.

Jacob's vow at that time included a promise to make Yhvh his god— implying his
only god —and to give God a tithe of "all that You give me". Jacob's libation implies
that, from here on in, it's his sincere intent to start living up to his new name, and
to make good on those promises.

This is a really huge event, and marks a serious milestone in Jacob's spiritual life.
And I believe it's important to point out that Jacob didn't take this turning point
when he was living at home with ma and pa. Too many people are in their parents'
religion just because they were born into it. Jacob chose a spiritual path for himself
long after he became an adult.

• Gen 35:15 . . Jacob gave the site, where God had spoken to him, the name of
Bethel.

That could look back in time to Gen 28:10-22; or it could just simply mean that
Jacob decided that the name Bethel would not just be a pet name of his own: but
knowing (and believing) that this land would one day be inhabited by his progeny,
Jacob willed it to be on the map as the town of Bethel when such a time as his
progeny took actual physical possession of Canaan later on in the book of Joshua.

• Gen 35:16a . .They set out from Bethel; but when they were still some distance
short of Ephrath,

This is the very first mention of Ephrath; which is actually Bethlehem (Gen 35:19,
Gen 48:7). Apparently this area wasn't yet on the map as either Ephrath or
Bethlehem in Jacob's day, but later during the author's day. It's not uncommon for
Bible authors (or later scribes and/or editors) to give the contemporary name as
well as the ancient name of a city or town so that his readers knew where to look in
their own day for those old-time places.

Ephrath can also be spelled Ephratah. The founder of Bethlehem was a Jewish man
named Ephratah, and his name became attached to Bethlehem so that you could
refer to it in compound form as Bethlehem Ephratah; or Bethlehem of Ephratah
(e.g. 1Chrn 4:4, Mic 5:2). Ephrath is apparently the female spelling (1Chrn 2:19)
and Ephratah is the male version.

The next incident didn't actually occur in Bethlehem, but "some distance" from it.
Other than Gen 48:7 (which is a citation of the section we're in now), the only other
place the phrase "some distance" is used again in the entire Old Testament is 2Kgs
5:19; where some feel it indicates a distance about equal to that required for a
runner on foot to catch up with a chariot on the move; but the true meaning is lost
in antiquity.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 35:16b . . Rachel was in childbirth, and she had hard labor.

Rachel was no longer a spring chicken. Rueben, Jacob's firstborn, is now old enough
to fool around with grown women. It's probably been in the neighborhood of 40+
years since Rachel's first meeting with Jacob back in chapter 29; when she was just
a youngster of perhaps 15-20 years old at the time.

• Gen 35:17 . .When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her: Have no
fear, for it is another boy for you.

Rachel, no doubt remembered why she named her other son Joseph, back in
chapter 30, while they were all yet still living up north with Laban. Joseph's Hebrew
name is Yowceph (yo-safe') which is a mini prayer that says: May the Lord add
another son for me. (Gen 30:24)

• Gen 35:18 . . But as she breathed her last-- for she was dying --she named him
Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.

A complicated delivery in those days typically ended in tragedy. People had no
surgical skills nor tools and procedures to save either the mother or her child. The
exact nature of Rachel's problem isn't stated. She could have experienced severe
hemorrhaging, eclampsia, or maybe her heart just couldn't take the stress, and
gave out.

Ben-oni possibly means: "A Son Born In Grief". But Jacob changed it to Binyamiyn
(bin-yaw-mene') which possibly means: "The Son At My Right Hand".

Joseph, rather than Benjamin, became Jacob's favorite; and the only one of the
twelve upon whom he could rely. (cf. Ps 16:8, Ps 110:1)

BTW: Benjamin holds the distinction of being the only one of Jacob's children born
in the land of Canaan, i.e. he was a native son while the other boys were
immigrants. Abraham was an immigrant too, having migrated from the area in and
around what we know today as Iraq.

• Gen 35:19 . .Thus Rachel died. She was buried on the road to Ephrath-- now
Bethlehem.

The postscript "now Bethlehem" indicates an editorial insertion by someone later;
possibly a scribe or someone assigned the task of making copies; which was a
perpetual task in the ages prior to the existence of modern papers, printing
presses, and electronic storage media.

• Gen 35:20 . . Over her grave Jacob set up a pillar; it is the pillar at Rachel's grave
to this day.

The pillar was probably just a pile of rocks, like a cairn. The phrase "to this day"
indicates the day of the writer rather than the day upon which somebody in our
own day might read this passage.

By the time of 1Sam 10:2-- roughly 1020 BC --Rachel's Tomb was a famous
landmark. The traditional site, presently so-called, lies about four miles south of
Jerusalem, and one mile north of Bethlehem. The current small, square shaped,
domed structure isn't the original, but a relatively late monument. In 1841, the
"tomb" was renovated, and in 1948 taken over by Jordanian invaders. Jews were
barred from visiting it, and the area was converted into a Muslim cemetery; which
was eventually liberated by Israelis in 1967.

NOTE: Loss of access to an important ancestor's grave site isn't just an
archeological loss; it's a family loss.

When my father-in-law passed away in 2012 a step-daughter tried to commandeer
his body from the hospital so she could get him cremated and spread his ashes
somewhere over the landscape in Arizona without the slightest consideration for the
feelings of his blood kin who, except for my wife, all live on the East coast.

Well; thank God my wife and her sister intervened with the appropriate legal
documents in the nick of time to take custody of their father's body before the step
daughter got away with her nefarious scheme. My father-in-law certainly deserved
better than just discarding his ashes somewhere out in the desert. He was a
pipeline engineer with the US Army on the Ledo Road (a.k.a. Stilwell Road) in the
China/Burma/India theater in the second world war. His remains are now safely
buried back East in the family's cemetery; where his real kin can come and visit
him on occasion.
_

 

[pinacled]

.
• Gen 35:6-7 . .Thus Jacob came to Luz-- that is, Bethel --in the land of Canaan,
he and all the people who were with him. There he built an altar and named the site
El-bethel, for it was there that God had revealed Himself to him when he was
fleeing from his brother.

Bethel is located approximately 11 miles directly north of Jerusalem. Jacob erected
a stone cairn there when he left home; and gave the site its name: Bethel (House
Of God). At least thirty years have gone by since then. He stayed twenty years with
Laban, and had lived for an undisclosed number of years in the vicinity of
Schechem. Jacob was 75 when he left home, and was now easily over 100. He is
not only older now, but he's a lot wiser too. The experience at Shechem changed
Jacob in a remarkable way.

This time he builds an altar instead of a cairn, and names the site El-bethel (the
god of the House Of God). So Jacob's focus has shifted. Previously his emphasis
was upon a special site to worship God. This time, Jacob puts the emphasis where it
should have been in the first place: upon the object of his worship. Because, unless
God is actually present during worship, then designating a special place for worship
is futile.

In Rev 3:14-22, the church of the Laodicians is depicted as so entirely christless
that Jesus isn't even a member, no, he's on the outside of the building banging on
the door trying to get someone's attention to let him in. That was a solid Christian
church at one time; but as time went by; it somehow became quite christless.

• Gen 35:8a . . Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, died, and was buried under the oak
below Bethel;

By now, Deborah was very aged; older than Rebecca, and had come south with her
to Canaan twenty years prior to Jacob's birth (Gen 24:59, 25:20, 25:26). Deborah
was already a mature woman when she came south with Rebecca because the word
for nurse-- yanaq (yaw-nak') --indicates a wet nurse. So Deborah did the surrogate
task of breast feeding the infant Rebecca, whose biological mom, for reasons
unknown, couldn't do it herself. Jacob knew Deborah quite well, having grown up
with her in his own home, and remained with her a good number of years before
leaving home himself at 75.

There's pretty good reason to believe that Rebecca had died prior to Gen 35:8
because it's extremely doubtful Deborah would leave her to join Jacob's troupe
otherwise.

• Gen 35:8b . . so it was named Allon-bacuth.

Allon-bacuth means: oak of weeping. Deborah's passing was surely as emotionally
painful a loss to Jacob as the loss of his own mother.

• Gen 35:9a . . God appeared again to Jacob on his arrival from Paddan-aram,

Paddam-aram was the region up north, in and around where Laban lived, and from
whence Jacob fled a number of years prior to Gen 35:9. But God reckoned Jacob
still on-route for the simple reason that he had yet to strictly comply with the order
to "Return to the land of your fathers where you were born" and "arise and leave
this land and return to your native land." (Gen 31:3, 31:13).

Instead of going directly to Bethel, as God apparently expected Jacob to do, he
settled in the region around Shechem-- where his daughter became promiscuous,
his sons became murderers and thieves, and Jacob alienated his neighbors: thus;
he, and his whole family, had become quite useless as a witness to the knowledge
of the one true God in that region.

• Gen 35:9b-10 . . and He blessed him. God said to him: You whose name is Jacob,
you shall be called Jacob no more, but Israel shall be your name. Thus He named
him Israel.

This wasn't news to Jacob. He was renamed Israel by the angel (Gen 32:29). But
Jacob wasn't living up to his new identity. He needed urging to live as who he now
is, not live as who he once was before meeting God face to face.

• Gen 35:11a . . And God said to him: I am El Shaddai.

The patriarchs were aware of God's other name Yhvh, and often referred to Him by
it; but El Shaddai is a name of God that they knew Him by in a personal way. It
means: God of all might; viz; the all-power god; or the god who invented, created,
and controls all natural and supernatural powers.

El Shaddai is the god who can make things happen, even things that are impossible
by natural means, and things that are above and beyond Man's mortal imagination;
so that El Shaddai is "the" god of providence who is easily strong enough to meet
any, and all, human need.

The name El Shaddai relates to Jacob's vow in Gen 28:20-21 where he said: If God
remains with me, if He protects me on this journey that I am making, and gives me
bread to eat and clothing to wear, and if I return safe to my father's house-- Yhvh
shall be my God.

God did remain with Jacob, protected him, provided for him, and got him back
home. Time now to make good on that vow.

• Gen 35:11b . . Be fertile and increase;

At this point in his life, Jacob was just about done reproducing. He had one more to
go: Joseph. But Jacob's increase went way beyond his twelve sons were just the
beginning.

• Gen 35:11c . . A nation, yea an assembly of nations, shall descend from you.
Kings shall issue from your loins.

That's pretty much what God promised Abraham back in chapter 17. The most
important kings were those of Israel, and in particular, the ones in David's line who
preceded Messiah.

• Gen 35:12 . .The land that I assigned to Abraham and Isaac I assign to you; and
to your offspring to come will I assign the land.

Ownership of the land didn't pass from Abraham down to Isaac, and then to Jacob
as if it were an heirloom. God promised each patriarch full ownership along with
their progeny. We might call that kind of ownership tenancy in common, community
property, or joint-heirship. However, there's yet a fourth tenant in common: Christ.
(Gal 3:16)
_

[ where his daughter became promiscuous ]

Seems as if you cant help but curse israel.
Calling the daughter a harlot is factually incorrect.
She was a widow after the death of shechem.
Which was the cruel intention of two certain brothers so that she would be free to properly marry a hebrew.

Deuteronomy 7

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 35:21 . . Israel journeyed on, and pitched his tent beyond Migdal-eder.

Although Israel is Jacob's spiritual name, it's also the name of his whole household
(e.g. Gen 34:7) so that when Genesis says "Israel journeyed" it means everybody
associated with Jacob was on the move.

An important technicality to note is that Abraham and Isaac were no more Israelites
than Noah was. The name Israel began with Jacob, and was carried forward by his
sons. In its infancy, Israel was a family name rather than the name of a nation that
it is now. It might sound ridiculous, but in order for Abraham and Isaac to become
Israelites, it would be necessary for Jacob to legally adopt them.

Migdal-eder is a compound word. Migdal can mean a tower, a rostrum, or a
pyramidal bed of flowers. 'Eder is a proper name, of either a man or a place-name
in Palestine. So Migdal-eder could be 'Eder's tower, which may not have even
existed in Jacob's day but was a well known landmark in the author's.

Migdal appears only three times in Genesis: once here, and twice in chapter 11 in
reference to the Tower of Babel. The tower in Babel was probably an elaborate
ziggurat, but 'Eder's tower may have been something very rudimentary, quite
simple to construct, and used for agrarian purposes-- e.g. tending herds; and
watching for rustlers and predators --rather than especially for religious purposes.

• Gen 35:22a . .While Israel stayed in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah,
his father's concubine; and Jacob found out.

Bilhah was Rachel's maid, and quite a bit older than Reuben. She was also the
mother of two of Reuben's half-brothers: Dan and Naphtali. Exactly why Reuben
took an interest in Bilhah isn't stated. But, it's not like there was a shortage of girls
his own age among the women in Jacob's camp. Jacob had a lot of hired help, and
plenty of slaves too. If Reuben just wanted to sow some wild oats, it would have
been very easy.

Reuben may have been interested in Bilhah for quite a while prior to this recorded
incident; but was kept at bay by Rachel's oversight. Now, with her dead, and out of
the way, the coast was clear for a carnal liaison. Exactly how Bilhah felt about the
affair is not said; but may have been quite flattered by a younger man's interest;
and who's to say she wasn't a cougar at heart.

One possibility, that seems quite reasonable, and actually makes much better
business sense than the motions of a young man's passions, is that Reuben took a
bold step to insure Rachel's maid Bilhah would not ascend to the position of favored
wife over his own mom Leah. He was surely aware of the sisterly rivalry between
Rachel and Leah, since he was in the middle of a conjugal struggle between the two
back in Gen 30:14-16; and he must have been fully aware of his mom's feelings
over being switched on Rachel's wedding night.

By sleeping with Bilhah, and thus "defiling" her, Reuben may have hoped Jacob
would be sufficiently revolted enough by the affair so that he'd be inclined to avoid
Bilhah from then on and turn his full attention upon Leah.

If the above is true, then it only goes to show just how heartless Reuben could be.
His plan, if successful, would leave Bilhah in living widowhood, and the clutches of
loneliness and sexual frustration for the remainder of her life. That very scenario
was a reality in the case of David and his son Absalom. (2Sam 15:16, 16:20-22,
and 20:2-3)

An additional possibility is that in ancient times, firstborn sons commonly inherited
not only their father's estate, but also his wives and concubines. Reuben may thus
have been claiming his future inheritance. But in so doing, he was, in reality,
whether intentional or not, taking steps to depose Jacob; and thus gain immediate
headship in the clan. This seems likely because the boys really didn't think much of
Jacob's competency. They went over his head in the incident at Shechem, and were
disgusted with Jacob's lack of strong response to their sister's escapades: an
episode which in reality disgraced the family of Israel. (Gen 34:30-31)

Whatever the true circumstances, and the motives, the thing Reuben did earned
him Jacob's reprimand, and cost him the loss of his privileged position in the family
(Gen 49:3-4). Reuben's birthright was transferred to Joseph. (1Chro 5:1)
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 35:22b-26 . . Now the sons of Jacob were twelve in number. The sons of
Leah: Reuben-- Jacob's first-born --Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid: Dan
and Naphtali. And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's maid: Gad and Asher. These are the
sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

By the customs of that day, a maid's children sired by her mistress's husband,
belonged to the mistress. So that Leah's children, counting Dinah, totaled nine; and
those of Rachel: four.

Of the four mothers, only two can be proven biologically related to Abraham. The
genealogies of the maids Bilhah and Zilpah are currently unknown and wouldn't
matter anyway seeing as how in the Bible, it's the father who determines a child's
tribal affiliation rather than the mother.

NOTE: It's sometimes assumed that Jesus' mom Mary, and Zacharias' wife
Elizabeth, were members of the same tribe seeing as how the New Testament says
they were cousins (Luke 1:36). However, Elizabeth was related to Aaron, who
himself was related to Leah's son Levi, while Mary was related to David, who
himself was related to Leah's son Judah. So Mary and Elizabeth were cousins due to
the same grandmother rather than the same tribe.

• Gen 35:27 . . And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, at Kiriath-arba-- now
Hebron --where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.

Modern Hebron is located about 33 kilometers (20½ miles) south of Jerusalem as
the crow flies.

Although this is the first mention of a visit from Jacob since returning from up.
north, it probably wasn't the first instance: just the first one mentioned when his
whole family, and the entire troupe-- servants and animals --came with him.

Isaac was around 135 when Jacob left home to escape his sibling's wrath in chapter
28. His eyes were going bad even then, and by now, many years later, Isaac was
probably quite blind. Since there is neither a record of his reactions, nor of a cordial
response to his son's visit; it's possible Isaac had gone senile as well as blind.

• Gen 35:28 . . Isaac was a hundred and eighty years old

At the time of Isaac's death, Jacob was 120 years old, having been born when his
dad was 60 (Gen 25:26). When Jacob was 130, Joseph was 39 (cf. Gen 41:46, 53,
54; 45:6, 47:9). So that when Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery at 17 (Gen
37:2), Jacob's age was 108; which was 12 years prior to Isaac's death. The
insertion of Isaac's passing in the Bible record at this point, is sort of like a
parenthesis because, chronologically, it's too soon.

• Gen 35:29a . . So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his
people, being old and full of days.

Christ said the very hairs of our head are numbered. Well . . so's our breaths.
Finally, one day, after countless thousands, we inhale that very last one, and it
oozes back out as a ghastly rasp.

While some people see a glass as half full, and others see as half empty; engineers
see as overkill: viz: the glass is too big. Well . . in Isaac's case, the glass was full
up to the top. On Sept 11, 2003, the actor John Ritter died of a torn aorta just one
week shy of his 55th birthday. That is way too young to take your last breath. His
glass wasn't full yet. With adequate health care, John Ritter may have lived another
25 years.

• Gen 35:29b . . And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

A death in the family often brings its members closer together than a birth. By this
time, Jacob and his brother were older and wiser, had mended their fences, and
were getting on with their lives; refusing to hold any grudges. Esau, I believe, by
this time fully understood what happened concerning the stolen birthright-- that it
was God's intention for Jacob to have it in the first place --and he was peaceably
resigned to accept it.

After the funeral, Esau will begin planning to move away from the region; no longer
having a paternal tie to the land wherein his father lived. It's not uncommon for
children to settle within driving distance while their parents are living. But when
your parents are dead, there's not much reason to stay in the neighborhood
anymore-- and for some, it might be just the excuse they need to finally move
away and start a new life elsewhere.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
Chapter 36 is mostly genealogy, so I'm only going to do just twelve of its forty
three verses.

• Gen 36:1 . .This is the line of Esau-- that is, Edom.

Edom is from the Hebrew word 'edom (ed-ome') which is the color red; and was
the tag hung on him back in Gen 25:30.

• Gen 36:2-7 . . Esau took his wives from among the Canaanite women-- Adah
daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of Anah daughter of Zibeon
the Hivite-- and also Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth. Adah
bore to Esau Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam,
and Korah. Those were the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of
Canaan.

. . . Esau took his wives, his sons and daughters, and all the members of his
household, his cattle and all his livestock, and all the property that he had acquired
in the land of Canaan, and went to another land because of his brother Jacob. For
their possessions were too many for them to dwell together, and the land where
they sojourned could not support them because of their livestock.

Just as Lot had done, Esau chose to migrate rather than remain and cause
problems for Jacob. Some say Esau did this out of respect for Jacob's patriarchal
position; but no one really knows why. Maybe Esau just thought the grass was
greener elsewhere.

Esau had done well for himself in spite of his loss of the birthright: which would
have given him the lion's share of Isaac's estate-- and with no tax complications;
heirs in those days made out pretty good.

• Gen 36:8 . . So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir-- Esau being Edom.

Seir was the name of an oblong-shaped region extending south from the Dead Sea
to the Gulf of Aqaba-- a.k.a. Idumaea. Seir includes the ruins of Petra, which were
used as a movie set in a portion of the Indiana Jones trilogy.

• Gen 36:9-12 . .These are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esau's
wife Adah; Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath. The sons of Eliphaz were
Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. Timna was a concubine of Esau's son
Eliphaz; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz.

Of all Esau's progeny, Mr. Amalek really stands out in the Bible as the father of a
very disagreeable people. Keep in mind that all of Esau's clan, including Amalek,
are just as much Abraham's biological kin as Jacob's family. (Deut 23:8)

During his journey with the people of Israel, after their liberation from Egyptian
slavery, Moses was attacked by Amalek's clan. (Ex 17:8-16, Deut 25:17-19) Thus
resulting in a perpetual curse upon the Amalekites as a people. An Agagite
(descendant of Amalek, 1Sam 15:2-8) named Haman initiated a large-scale
genocide against Israel in the book of Esther.

Haman's infamy is memorialized every year during the Jewish holiday of Purim. It's
customary to boo, hiss, stamp feet and rattle noisemakers whenever the name of
Haman is spoken in the Purim service.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 37:1-2a . . Now Jacob was settled in the land where his father had
sojourned, the land of Canaan. This, then, is the line of Jacob:

Genesis doesn't list a big genealogy right here like the one for Esau in chapter 36,
but rather, it's going to "follow" the line of Jacob from here on in to the end of
Genesis.

• Gen 37:2b . . At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended the flocks with his
brothers, as a helper to the sons of his father's wives Bilhah and Zilpah.

Although "his . . .wives" is vernacularly correct; there's no record of Jacob actually
marrying either of the two maids. They were his concubines in the same manner as
Hagar when Sarah pushed her handmaid off on Abraham as a "wife" (Gen 16:4).

NOTE: Jacob was pretty much stuck with Bilhah and Zilpah because were he ever to
emancipate them, he would forfeit any and all children the two servant women bore
for him; which is exactly how Abraham disinherited his eldest son Ishmael. We
talked about that back in chapter 21.

The words "as a helper to" aren't in the actual Hebrew of that passage. They're
what is known as inserted words that translators sometimes employ to smooth out
texts so they'll clearly say what the translators think the author meant to convey.
Some translators insert the preposition "with" at that point, so the passage reads;
"Joseph tended the flocks with his brothers"

Actually, Joseph was in charge of his brothers Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher; who
were all older than him. And it was he who was responsible to manage the flocks
because the phrase; "tended the flocks" actually connotes he was shepherding the
flock; i.e. Joseph was the trail boss.

Joseph's authority was also indicated by the "coat of many colors" that his dad
made for him. The Hebrew word for "colors" is of uncertain meaning and some
translators prefer to render it "long sleeves" rather than colors.

It seems clear that the intent of this special garment was as a badge of Joseph's
authority-- sort of like a military man's uniform --and of his favored position in the
family. Joseph may well have been the only one of Jacob's twelve sons that he
could fully trust since, for the most part, the older men had proved themselves
beyond control in the past.

The sons of Bilhah and Zilpah weren't really Joseph's full brothers, but half. The
only full brother was Benjamin, and at this time, he was too young to go out on
trail drives.

Genesis displayed a pretty bad case of sibling rivalry back in chapter 4, which led to
a younger brother's untimely death. This case of sibling rivalry would surely have
resulted in Joseph's untimely demise if God hadn't intervened to prevent it. It's
really sad that the majority of Jacob's sons were dishonorable men; the kind you
definitely don't want your own daughter bringing home to meet the folks.

Although Joseph was an intelligent boy, and a responsible person, he certainly
lacked tact. His social skills were immature, and needed some serious refinement
because he really had a way of boasting, and chafing his older brothers.

• Gen 37:2b . . And Joseph brought bad reports of them to their father.

Whether or not the "reports" could be construed as tattling is debatable. After all,
Joseph, as trail boss, was directly responsible to Jacob.

It's been my experience that upper management doesn't want to hear those kinds
of reports. All they want to know is whether or not the company is meeting its
deadlines and operating at a profit. It's lower management's responsibility to
manage the work force so that upper management can remain undistracted to do
other things that are far more worthy of their time, their talents, and their
attention. A lower manager who can't rectify personnel problems in their own
department usually gets fired and replaced by somebody who can.

• Gen 37:3a . . Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons

Uh-oh! Doesn't that sound familiar? Isaac had his favorite too: Mr. Esau. There's
nothing like favoritism to divide a family and guarantee it becoming an ugly
environment festering with sibling rivalry, yet that is so human a thing to do. Put
grown-ups in a group of kids and in no time at all, the grown-ups will gravitate
towards favorites, and become merely tolerant of the others.

• Gen 37:3b . . for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him an
ornamented tunic.

The "ornamented tunic" is all the same as what's usually known as the coat of
many colors.

One might be tempted to think Joseph was Jacob's favorite son because of his love
for Rachel; but Genesis says it was because Joseph was "the child of his old age".
Well, Benjamin was a child of Jacob's old age too but not nearly as favored. So the
real meaning may be that Joseph was a child of wisdom, i.e. the intelligence of an
older man; viz: Joseph was smart beyond his years and thus more a peer to Jacob
rather than just another mouth to feed.

• Gen 37:4 . . And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any
of his brothers, they hated him so that they could not speak a friendly word to him.

Genesis doesn't say the brothers wouldn't speak a friendly word; it says they
"couldn't".

Hatred does that to people. It just kills a person overcome with malice to be nice to
the people they hate. They just can't do it. Their eyes narrow, their lips tighten,
they look away, they become thin-skinned, their minds fill with epithets, they
constantly take offense and can barely keep a civil tongue in their head, if at all,
because deep in their hearts, they want the object of their hatred either dead or
thoroughly disfigured and/or smitten with some sort of terrible misfortune.
_

 

[pinacled]

.
• Gen 37:1-2a . . Now Jacob was settled in the land where his father had
sojourned, the land of Canaan. This, then, is the line of Jacob:

Genesis doesn't list a big genealogy right here like the one for Esau in chapter 36,
but rather, it's going to "follow" the line of Jacob from here on in to the end of
Genesis.

• Gen 37:2b . . At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended the flocks with his
brothers, as a helper to the sons of his father's wives Bilhah and Zilpah.

Although "his . . .wives" is vernacularly correct; there's no record of Jacob actually
marrying either of the two maids. They were his concubines in the same manner as
Hagar when Sarah pushed her handmaid off on Abraham as a "wife" (Gen 16:4).

NOTE: Jacob was pretty much stuck with Bilhah and Zilpah because were he ever to
emancipate them, he would forfeit any and all children the two servant women bore
for him; which is exactly how Abraham disinherited his eldest son Ishmael. We
talked about that back in chapter 21.

The words "as a helper to" aren't in the actual Hebrew of that passage. They're
what is known as inserted words that translators sometimes employ to smooth out
texts so they'll clearly say what the translators think the author meant to convey.
Some translators insert the preposition "with" at that point, so the passage reads;
"Joseph tended the flocks with his brothers"

Actually, Joseph was in charge of his brothers Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher; who
were all older than him. And it was he who was responsible to manage the flocks
because the phrase; "tended the flocks" actually connotes he was shepherding the
flock; i.e. Joseph was the trail boss.

Joseph's authority was also indicated by the "coat of many colors" that his dad
made for him. The Hebrew word for "colors" is of uncertain meaning and some
translators prefer to render it "long sleeves" rather than colors.

It seems clear that the intent of this special garment was as a badge of Joseph's
authority-- sort of like a military man's uniform --and of his favored position in the
family. Joseph may well have been the only one of Jacob's twelve sons that he
could fully trust since, for the most part, the older men had proved themselves
beyond control in the past.

The sons of Bilhah and Zilpah weren't really Joseph's full brothers, but half. The
only full brother was Benjamin, and at this time, he was too young to go out on
trail drives.

Genesis displayed a pretty bad case of sibling rivalry back in chapter 4, which led to
a younger brother's untimely death. This case of sibling rivalry would surely have
resulted in Joseph's untimely demise if God hadn't intervened to prevent it. It's
really sad that the majority of Jacob's sons were dishonorable men; the kind you
definitely don't want your own daughter bringing home to meet the folks.

Although Joseph was an intelligent boy, and a responsible person, he certainly
lacked tact. His social skills were immature, and needed some serious refinement
because he really had a way of boasting, and chafing his older brothers.

• Gen 37:2b . . And Joseph brought bad reports of them to their father.

Whether or not the "reports" could be construed as tattling is debatable. After all,
Joseph, as trail boss, was directly responsible to Jacob.

It's been my experience that upper management doesn't want to hear those kinds
of reports. All they want to know is whether or not the company is meeting its
deadlines and operating at a profit. It's lower management's responsibility to
manage the work force so that upper management can remain undistracted to do
other things that are far more worthy of their time, their talents, and their
attention. A lower manager who can't rectify personnel problems in their own
department usually gets fired and replaced by somebody who can.

• Gen 37:3a . . Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons

Uh-oh! Doesn't that sound familiar? Isaac had his favorite too: Mr. Esau. There's
nothing like favoritism to divide a family and guarantee it becoming an ugly
environment festering with sibling rivalry, yet that is so human a thing to do. Put
grown-ups in a group of kids and in no time at all, the grown-ups will gravitate
towards favorites, and become merely tolerant of the others.

• Gen 37:3b . . for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him an
ornamented tunic.

The "ornamented tunic" is all the same as what's usually known as the coat of
many colors.

One might be tempted to think Joseph was Jacob's favorite son because of his love
for Rachel; but Genesis says it was because Joseph was "the child of his old age".
Well, Benjamin was a child of Jacob's old age too but not nearly as favored. So the
real meaning may be that Joseph was a child of wisdom, i.e. the intelligence of an
older man; viz: Joseph was smart beyond his years and thus more a peer to Jacob
rather than just another mouth to feed.

• Gen 37:4 . . And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any
of his brothers, they hated him so that they could not speak a friendly word to him.

Genesis doesn't say the brothers wouldn't speak a friendly word; it says they
"couldn't".

Hatred does that to people. It just kills a person overcome with malice to be nice to
the people they hate. They just can't do it. Their eyes narrow, their lips tighten,
they look away, they become thin-skinned, their minds fill with epithets, they
constantly take offense and can barely keep a civil tongue in their head, if at all,
because deep in their hearts, they want the object of their hatred either dead or
thoroughly disfigured and/or smitten with some sort of terrible misfortune.
_

Yosef inherited a garment of promise that reflected the rainbow.

Blessed be The Holy One

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
• Gen 37:5-8 . . Once Joseph had a dream which he told to his brothers; and they
hated him even more.

. . . He said to them: Hear this dream which I have dreamed. There we were
binding sheaves in the field, when suddenly my sheaf stood up and remained
upright; then your sheaves gathered around and bowed low to my sheaf.

. . . His brothers answered: Do you mean to reign over us? Do you mean to rule
over us? And they hated him even more for his talk about his dreams.

Considering the already hostile mood fomenting among his brothers, Joseph really
should have kept the dream to himself. There wasn't any real need for the others to
know about it anyway. It's said that silence is golden. Well, sometimes silence is
diplomatic too.

• Gen 37:9-11 . . He dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers, saying;
Look, I have had another dream: And this time, the sun, the moon, and eleven
stars were bowing down to me.

. . . And when he told it to his father and brothers, his father berated him. What; he
said to him; is this dream you have dreamed? Are we to come, I and your mother
and your brothers, and bow low to you to the ground? So his brothers were
wrought up at him, and his father kept the matter in mind.

As the family's prophet, Jacob's inspired intuition instantly caught the dream's
message; though he was a bit indignant. However, Jacob didn't brush the dream off
because his prophetic insight told him there just might be something to it.

Jacob interpreted the moon in Joseph's dream sequence to be Rachel; so one might
ask: How could she be subject to Joseph while deceased?

Well; the mother element of the family of Israel at that time was a composite unity
consisting of four biological moms-- Rachel and Leah, and Bilhah and Zilpah --not
just the one. So the logical conclusion is that the moon's identity wasn't restricted
to Rachel; there were still three moms remaining alive to represent the moon and
thus fulfill Joseph's dream.

• Gen 37:12-14a . . One time, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father's
flock at Shechem, Israel said to Joseph: Your brothers are pasturing at Shechem.
Come, I will send you to them. He answered: I am ready. And he said to him: Go
and see how your brothers are and how the flocks are faring, and bring me back
word. So he sent him from the valley of Hebron.

A guy like Joseph is every supervisor's dream. When asked to do something, his
response was; "I am ready."

Hebron (a.k.a. Hevron, a.k.a. Al Khalil) is still on the map. It's about 18½ miles
west of the Dead Sea, as the crow flies, and about 20½ miles south of Jerusalem.

Shechem (a.k.a. Nablus) is still on the map too. It's about 48 miles north of
Jerusalem; ergo: 68½ miles north of Hebron.

So Joseph had a long ways to go. It's amazing that people pastured their herds so
far from home in those days; but then it wasn't unusual for out-west cattle barons
during America's 1800's to pasture cows that far; and even farther.

The Prairie Cattle Company once ranged 156,000 cows on five million acres of land.
At 640 acres per square mile; that factors out to something like 7,812 square
miles; viz: an 88⅜ mile square; which really isn't all that big when you think about
it. It's a lot of area; but 88⅜ miles is really not all that great a distance for an
automobile; though the distance around the perimeter would be something like
353½ miles. At 55 mph it would take roughly 6½ hours start to finish-- quite a bit
longer on a camel and/or a donkey's back.

Personally, I would have been concerned about Joseph's safety more than anything
else; but apparently nobody interfered with Jacob's family in those days (Gen 35:5)
so they pretty much had carte blanche to graze wherever they liked in those
parts.

• Gen 37:14b-17 . .When he reached Shechem, a man came upon him wandering
in the fields. The man asked him: What are you looking for? He answered: I am
looking for my brothers. Could you tell me where they are pasturing? The man
said: They have gone from here, for I heard them say "Let us go to Dothan". So
Joseph followed his brothers and found them at Dothan.

It's interesting that the man isn't on record asking Joseph who he was nor who his
brothers might be. Probably everybody around Shechem knew Jacob's family
personally because they had all lived around there for some time before moving
south. In America's olde West, people knew each other for miles around because,
quite simply, there just wasn't all that many people to know.

Dothan has yet to be precisely located. Some say it was about 12 miles north of
Shechem; but that's really only an educated guess. Years later, Dothan became the
stage for a pretty exciting event. (2Kgs 6:8-23)
_