Chapter 31
As I said recently, Laban has been a real bleep. Jacob spent 20 years with him and he changed his wages 10 times. Jacob tells him that he would have sent him away without anything, that's most certainly accurate. In verse 43 Laban says these daughters are mine, these children are mine, these cattle are mine. Mine, mine, mine. Thankfully, the Lord provided Jacob with much and guided him to leave Laban. And thankfully at the end of the chapter, Jacob and Laban parted in peace.
Verse 43 stood out to me too! I was like this guy😅 Yes, the end made all things well, Amen!
I thought it was good of Jacob to talk to Leah and Rachel before packing up and leaving. He didn't just domineer over them or leave them out of the loop, he discussed it with them. Of course, they too were tired of their own father.
That is a great observation! This is how men of God handle things with care concerning their wives😀
Chapter 32
Jacob is greatly afraid due to Esau, who is on his way with 400 men. Jacob calls on the Lord for protection. A good example to us all. When we need guidance, when we are distressed, when there is much up against us, we do well to call upon the Lord. We do well to call upon him anyway.
Amen!
Look at all the livestock Jacob sent ahead to give to Esau. Clearly, Jacob had a very large amount of livestock to be sending such a gift.
Yes, why Laban was trying to manipulate Jacob into staying with him. Jacob was a great livestock farmer, Laban was not.
This is where we see Jacob wrestle with God. Jacob held onto God and would not let go! Inspiring. This is also where God changed Jacob's name to Israel. And we see that the Lord will not hesitate to wound us if it serves our good and His glory.
Interesting observation, need to study these verses again!
Chapter 33
This chapter shows a touching scene between Jacob and Esau when they meet after not seeing each other for 2 decades.
See it's not too bad to have siblings😅
Chapter 34
This chapter is very interesting. Two people have premarital sex and all sorts of things follow. Their fathers meet and talk. Dinah's brother's plot against Shechem and his people, they make them get circumcised, while the men are sore from circumcision Jacob's sons slew the men and took their livestock and wives and children. Just imagine if we had half of that importance of not having premarital sex in our culture today! lol
Interesting take! I have another perspective based on the language used and how women have become wives in the families of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob up until this point in the Bible. Once a woman sleeps with a man she becomes their wife. That is why I personally wouldn't use the term "premarital" sex when it involves Dinah. When Jacob slept with Leah, she was his wife even though it was not his intention for Leah to be his wife. He did not know he had intercourse with Leah until afterwards. The act of intercourse makes a man your husband (not being a harlot) according to what the Bible is presenting thus far when it comes to the lineage of Abraham. If someone is a harlot, they dress a certain way as we've seen with Judah and Tamar. In the case of Dinah and Shechem. It was said that Shechem defiled Dinah, my initial thought was he r*ped her.
Defile (archaic) meaning - violate the chastity of (a woman)
Violate (literary) meaning - r*pe or sexually assault (someone)
From my understanding, this is why Dinah's family was enraged. The offense was extreme because of the assault on Dinah and the bloodline. Didn't think the brothers would kill every male for what Shechem did. I personally wouldn't use the term "premarital sex" for two reasons 1. It's my understanding that most of society sees "premarital sex" as a consensual act between both people. In my view this seemed like a r*ape, not consensual 2. If the act of intercourse between a man and a woman who is not a harlot (harlots dress a certain way to show that they are a harlot), then this term would not be valid for a woman who is not a harlot.
I did not see that the Bible stated that Dinah was a harlot. She was also of the children of Israel. Tamar dressed like a harlot. Interesting it doesn't state (maybe later, not sure) if Tamar is an Israelite. It only says Gen 38:6 "And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar." Judah had married a Canaanite woman and was not with his brethren (Gen 38:1). If I had to take an educated guess, I would say that Tamar is a Canaanite woman.
This is how I understand the situation involving Dinah from what has been read thus far. If anything is amiss, please shed light on it!😀
Chapter 35
The people are told to get rid of their idols. Interesting that they had idols.
Thought the same!
Rachel has Benjamin and dies during childbirth. She is buried in Bethlehem.
Another interesting note I forgot to add v18 Rachel called her son Benoni, but Israel called him Benjamin
Reuben lays with Bilhah. This was a big mistake that he would regret, the goofball.
I noticed this too! I didn't add it to the notes. I was wondering if they actually had intercourse because that's how I understood it but then doesn't say anything about it afterwards.
Isaac passes away at 180 years old. He lived longer than Abraham!
Yes, thanks again!😅
Chapter 38
Er, Judah's firstborn son, was a real bleep. So, the Lord knocked him off.
Judah's other son Onan, was a disappointment also. So, the Lord knocked him off too.
Judah thinks Tamar is a harlot (as she intended) and he lays with her without knowing it's his daughter in law. What is it with people in those days, they don't seem to know who they are sleeping with!
That's how I felt about Jacob😅 But I thought maybe he was drunk? Remember what the daughters of Lot did to him?
In the case of Judah, Gen 38:14 Tamar took off her widow's garments and covered herself with a vail. Gen 38:15 Tamar had covered her face. Hope this helps!😀
Chapter 39
The Lord is with Joseph and as a result the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored. Unfortunately, his master's wife had the hots for him. What an unfaithful woman! Treacherous.
Yeah, that definitely was a scary woman! Joseph was like you're not going to get me killed or lose God's protection😅
Chapter 40
The chief butler was supposed to have mentioned Joseph to the Pharaoh, as Joseph requested. Unfortunately, in the glee of his freedom from prison, he forgot Joseph!
I wonder if this was symbolism for what people of faith sometimes do to God (forget Him) after God helps them
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