Total Genesis

[Olde Tymer]

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● Gen 26:14b . . so that the Philistines envied him.

Envy is a powerful, negative feeling that overwhelms us whenever others are doing
better than ourselves.

The Philistine couldn't match Isaac's productivity because he enjoyed an advantage.
The Lord worked his fields along with the men whereas the locals had only their
green thumbs to rely on

● Gen 26:15 . . And the Philistines stopped up all the wells which his father's
servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, filling them with earth.

Abimelech forbade his citizens to harm Isaac; but that didn't preclude harassing
and annoying him. Cutting off his water supplies was very serious because Isaac
needed them to irrigate crops and water the livestock. Without adequate water
supplies, Isaac Enterprises was doomed. He had a right to file a complaint. But
Abimelech felt it best for all concerned to run Isaac out of the country.

I suspect that the rural Philistines had become territorial; which can be roughly
defined as an assumed property right due to long-time occupation; whether legal or
otherwise. In other words; Isaac's rivals probably felt that although they didn't
actually own the countryside, they had been there longer than Isaac so they had a
preemptive right to dictate its use. It's a Neanderthal's way of thinking, but goes on
all the time; commonly in work places where senior employees are inclined to
dominate new hires.

● Gen 26:16 . . And Abimelech said to Isaac: Go away from us, for you have
become far too big for us.

Just exactly what Abimelech meant by "far too big for us" is hard to know for sure.
But it looks suspiciously like a cowardly act of favoritism; pure and simple. Instead
of being fair and equitable with Isaac, Abimelech, like a cheap politician, ignored
the vandalism his citizens had done against Isaac and made it look like this whole
nasty business was his fault; vz: he was just getting too greedy and beginning to
crowd everybody else out. In other words: Abimelech blamed the victims for the
perpetrators' crimes.

● Gen 26:17 . . So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the wadi of Gerar,
where he settled.

Wadis are basins towards which water from higher ground gravitates; both surface
water and underground. Bottom land benefits from seasonal flooding that leaves
behind fresh deposits of silt.

● Gen 26:18 . . Isaac dug anew the wells which had been dug in the days of his
father Abraham and which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham's death;
and he gave them the same names that his father had given them.

Those wells were dug nearly a hundred years prior to this event; and makes one
wonder how Isaac knew where they were and how he knew the names his dad had
named them. The Gerarians probably waited until Abraham was dead to plug them
up because they feared him. He had a reputation as a military leader and he also
had a pact with the king Abimelech of Abraham's period.

● Gen 26:19-20 . . But when Isaac's servants, digging in the wadi, found there a
well of spring water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen,
saying: The water is ours. He named that well Esek, because they contended with
him.

Isaac was much too affable. He didn't have to let those guys buffalo him; after all,
Isaac had a pretty good sized army of his own; left to him by his dad. He could
easily have posted an armed platoon by the well to keep the local cowboys away
from it. But no, he chose rather to condescend and let them have their own way.
Isaac was truly a "turn the other cheek" kind of guy who was willing (maybe a bit
too willing) to bend over backward to accommodate people and prevent violence
and ill will. (cf. Ps 37:10-11)

Esek was a new well; not one of Abraham's. The herdsmen were motivated by envy
so they were reluctant to share the regions resources with the likes of Isaac
because they hated his success. They didn't contest Isaac's access to the water in
Abraham's wells. They probably felt he had a right to use those; but the men would
not tolerate Isaac taking any more water than that; and most especially water of
this quality. It was literally living water-- viz: artesian.

Urban dwellers really don't appreciate their water and typically haven't a clue where
it comes from nor how it gets into their homes. But in Isaac's day, people couldn't
live too far from a natural source of water. Many of the ancient cities and
communities were located adjacent to rivers for that very reason.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Gen 26:21 . . And when they dug another well, they disputed over that one also;
so he named it Sitnah.

The Hebrew word for "Sitnah" basically means opposition (in writing).

Apparently the herdsmen were filing formal complaints against Isaac like the
enemies of Ezra did when he was attempting to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
(Ezr 4:6-7)

Gerar County's Water Board must have ruled in favor of the herdsmen because
Isaac had to keep moving around until they finally left him alone.

● Gen 26:22 . . He moved from there and dug yet another well, and they did not
quarrel over it; so he called it Rehoboth, saying: Now at last the Lord has granted
us ample space to increase in the land.

Rehoboth first appeared in the Bible at Gen 10:11 as the name of an ancient city. It
appears two more times in the Bible after here as the name of a city (Gen 36:37,
1Chrn 1:48) and means pretty much what Isaac said, i.e. lots of room to maneuver
and/or spread out.

The herdsmen had, by this time, probably pushed Isaac way out to land that
nobody wanted. But God was with Isaac. Even the deserts produce when His hands
are in it. (cf. Isa 35:1-4)

With those pesky herdsmen out of the way, the road, or rather, roads ahead were
wide and clear; and Isaac could put the pedal to the metal and go full speed ahead
and not worry about hitting an iceberg; viz: the sky was the limit.

Isaac was a very patient man, and affable too. But push him too far, and he might
show his teeth. In a bit, Abimelech is coming calling and Isaac is going to confront
the obtuse monarch about the way he was treated by the County Water Board.

Yes, Isaac Enterprises was a huge, going concern that spread over many acres of
land. But he didn't obtain his wealth by dishonest means. All of Isaac's business
was conducted legally and above board. And he complied with all of the Gerar
County rulings concerning disputes over the water rights even though their rulings
were undoubtedly biased in favor of Gerar citizens. Isaac didn't deserve to be
treated so unfairly.

● Gen 26:23 . . From there he went up to Beer-sheba.

Exactly where the boys Jacob and Esau were during this era in Isaac's life isn't
stated. They may have remained in the highlands to protect Isaac's interests while
he was out of town, but then again, they may have been with him in Gerar: it's
impossible to tell.

Genesis doesn't say exactly how long Isaac and Rebecca lived around Gaza. Isaac's
usual haunts were Beer-lahai-roi, about 50 miles further south. Beer-sheba was
Abraham's zone on oath between him and an earlier Abimelech. The Gerarians
could be expected to leave Isaac alone there. The first night, God showed up.

● Gen 26:24a . .That night the Lord appeared to him and said: I am the god of your
father Abraham.

In what manner, or by what method, God appeared to Isaac isn't stated. It could
have been in a dream, it could have been as a traveling man, or a close encounter
of a third kind: nobody knows for sure.

● Gen 26:24b . . Fear not, for I am with you,

It's reasonable to assume it was unnecessary for God to reassure Isaac, but
Abimelech is on the way. He won't come alone either. He was a king; and kings
travel with an armed retinue. So when news of this comes to Isaac, he would have
good cause to become alarmed. I think God is just giving him a pep talk to prepare
him for the meeting. Like they say: one with God is a majority; and a man who
fears God, has no man to fear.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Gen 26:24c . . and I will bless you

Isn't that what He promised earlier, when Isaac moved down into Gerar? Yes. And
just in case Isaac thought that was a one time deal, and he would never be blessed
again, God reaffirms his commitment to blessing Abraham's progeny.

NOTE: The Bible's readers aren't all that privy to what went on in the minds of the
patriarchs. It could be-- and this is only a guess --that Isaac was feeling a bit guilty
about his attempt to deceive Abimelech regarding the nature of his relationship with
Rebecca. Because of that; his humanistic sense of justice may have suggested that
his mistake cost him the previous blessing; or possibly future ones.

● Gen 26:24d . . and increase your progeny for the sake of My servant Abraham.

If I were a Hebrew man-- not a pseudo Jew like Gentiles who become Jews by
conversion --but a real Hebrew man by blood, I would make a point of
remembering that God will honor His commitment to Abraham. He hasn't preserved
the people of Israel because they are Jews nor because they are so faithful to God.
No, far from it. It's solely because of His personal commitment to Abraham--
period. (cf. Ex 32:9-14)

● Gen 26:25 . . So he built an altar there and invoked The Lord by name. Isaac
pitched his tent there and his servants started digging a well.

Speaking to God by name is different than addressing Him officially as a deity or a
monarch. Not that there's anything wrong with addressing the Bible's God officially
as a deity or a monarch; but speaking to Him by name implies familiarity; which is
a lots cozier than official protocol. (cf. John 16:27 & Gal 4:6-7)

For example: If I were to meet with current US President Joseph Biden, I would
address him as Sir or Mr. President. It would be very presumptuous and
disrespectful of me to address him by his name Joe because we have never
associated on that level; nor do I expect to.

● Gen 26:26 . . And Abimelech came to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his councilor
and Phicol chief of his troops.

The Army chief of staff likely escorted his boss with a fair-sized contingent of
Gerar's trained fighting men as body guards.

The Hebrew word for "councilor" basically refers to companionship, viz: a friend;
suggesting Ahuzzath may have been Abimelech's boy toy, if you know what I
mean. It really wasn't unusual for ancient monarchs to have male lovers; and
nobody thought too much of it at the time.

● Gen 26:27 . . Isaac said to them: Why have you come to me, seeing that you
have been hostile to me and have driven me away from you?

Normally, kings in that day did not call on people. If they wanted to see somebody,
they sent a summons to appear and dispatched an escort to make sure you didn't
refuse. Isaac knew something was up because 'ol Abimelech was treating him as an
equal; if not a superior. Isaac had by this time become strong enough to crush
Abimilech's community, and the old boy very well knew it too.

I can't help but like a man like Isaac. He was so direct. Not really what one might
call an in-your-face kind of guy; but transparent and unequivocal.

● Gen 26:28a . . And they said: We now see plainly that Yahweh has been with you,

As long as they thought Isaac was a nomadic farmer it was okay to dump on him?
And now that they know he's connected with a supernatural being, they want to be
his friend? But our man is cool. He won't let that get to him. You know what's going
on here? Abimelech is holding his hat in his hand. And he is going to eat that hat
too before it's over.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Gen 26:28b-29a . . and we thought: Let there be a sworn treaty between our two
parties, between you and us. Let us make a pact with you that you will not do us
harm,

You know, it is just amazing how nice people can be when they realize they've
bitten off more than they can chew. The Gerarians had sorely underestimated Isaac
and thought they could push him around because he was an affable immigrant.

As time went by, they perceived that his prosperity could only be explained in a
supernatural way. If it came to a fight, Isaac was allied with a powerful spirit being
whom they all knew for a certainty from their own history and past experiences
could not be defeated. Yes. Isaac was well able to totally clean their clocks and nail
their hides to the barn door. (Isaac was only just recently visited by that Being back
in verse 24 who encouraged Isaac to be brave, and also promised assistance.)

Isaac was holding all the aces and didn't have to make a pact with anybody. He
could have stood right up, lectured them soundly for the way he was treated in
their country, and ordered them out of the house. They really had some chutzpah
coming to him with a proposition like that. But Isaac was indeed a peaceable man;
well in control of his tongue, and of his passions. If those crumbs were ready now
to promise to leave him alone, well, then, okay, he was for it.

● Gen 26:29b . . just as we have not molested you but have always dealt kindly
with you and sent you away in peace.

Was that true? Some of it. It's true the Federales didn't raid Isaac's camps, nor
plunder his goods, nor rough anybody up. He wasn't subjected to unreasonable
searches and seizures. And he wasn't forcibly deported like an undesirable, or
imprisoned as enemy of the state, or a criminal.

But still; they didn't deal fairly with Isaac. He never trespassed on private property,
but dug his wells and settled on open range. Yet the county water commission
always ruled against him even though his men dug those productive water wells fair
and square.

● Gen 26:29c . . From now on, be you blessed of Yhvh!

Haw-Haw-Haw-Haw-Haw! I just love it when the bad guys wish me the best from
my deity. "God bless you" they say. Oh sure; God bless me. As if they really give a
hoot how God feels about anybody.

● Gen 26:30 . .Then he made for them a feast, and they ate and drank.

The wicked often feel they won because their opponents are so civil and so
agreeable. Isaac had plenty of good reason to be indignant. But he held his peace.
That could be construed as weakness.

Isaac was a shrewd diplomat. He picked his battles. Some things merit contention.
But this incident didn't. Those guys were in his home with hat in hand and he took
advantage of it to secure a non-aggression pact that benefited both communities:
Isaac's and Abimelech's. If Isaac were to let his passions dictate the terms, then he
might jeopardize his family and his servants. Isaac had his weak points, but
political strategy wasn't one of them.

There are those in life whom we appropriately label thin skinned, reactive, and
defensive. You know who they are. They sit still for nothing, take nothing lying
down: they're stand up fighters; always ready to give others a piece of their mind
and set them straight.

These contentious folk drain all the enjoyment out of social contact. Everybody has
to walk on egg shells and be careful what's said around them so they don't explode.
Too easily provoked, indignant and quarrelsome, these people will be excluded from
Messiah's kingdom because his domain is characterized as a place of peace rather
than strife.

"Give up anger, abandon fury, do not be vexed; it can only do harm. For evil men
will be cut off, but those who look to the Lord-- they shall inherit the land. A little
longer and there will be no wicked man; you will look at where he was-- he will be
gone. But the lowly shall inherit the land, and delight in abundant well-being." (Ps
37:8-11)
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Gen 26:31-32 . . Early in the morning, they exchanged oaths. Isaac then bade
them farewell, and they departed from him in peace. That same day Isaac's
servants came and told him about the well they had dug, and said to him: We have
found water!

Ah, yes. It is always so pleasant to cap a victory with a good ending. Isaac had a
perfect day.

● Gen 26:33 . . He named it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba
to this day.

The Hebrew word for Shibah basically means seven(th) Seven what? I don't know;
Genesis doesn't say.

But the number 7 is often used in the Bible like we use the number 10 today. If we
want to say something is top of the line, we give it a ten; so I think it's safe to
assume that the water in the new well was really exceptional.

● Gen 26:34 . .When Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith daughter of
Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite;

There seems to be some confusion concerning the names, and the number, of
Esau's wives. Here are their names according to Gen 36:2-3.

"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."

There were two girls named Basemath-- Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, was
also known as Basemath. Adah may have been surnamed to avoid confusing her
with the other Basemath: Ishmael's daughter. The Oholibamah of 36:2 is the Judith
of 26:34. She was the offspring of a mixed marriage between Beeri and Anah. She
too may have been surnamed to avoid confusion.

● Gen 26:35 . . And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebecca.

In other words, those two girls made life miserable for Isaac and Rebecca and
caused them a great deal of mental, and emotional anguish. Some feel that they
were also a source of spiritual friction because they were infidels who worshipped
the gods of the Canaanites. No doubt they did. But how would that come into play?
Well; their religions permitted the practice of some vile social customs.

Canaanite religions didn't forbid such things as wife swapping, promiscuity,
adultery, sex with women in their period, burning children to death in sacrificial
ceremonies, sleeping with close blood relatives, LGBT love, bestiality, nudity,
astrology, divination, voodoo, magic, communication with the spirit world,
witchcraft, drunkenness, and wild parties; including cult prostitution where women
devotees sold themselves to support their "church" (cf. Gen 38:13-23)

As bad as all that stuff was, it doesn't hold a candle to the danger of those women
influencing Isaac's grandchildren. And that is a very real threat in mixed marriages.
Men especially are susceptible to letting their wives guide the home's religious
training. I've seen it often enough to know what I'm saying.

And with a man like Esau, a secular man who had no interest in religion to begin
with, his kids had no hope at all of turning out right. They will grow up to scorn and
ridicule Abraham's religion; and his deity too; plus pick up the most abominable
habits and see nothing wrong in them.

● 1Cor 15:33 . . Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Gen 27:1a . .When Isaac was old

Just precisely how old Isaac was at this time, is difficult to tell. But I think we can
come close enough for government work.

Jacob spent 20 years with Laban. (Gen 31:41a)

Joseph was born during that time. (Gen 30:22-24)

At just about the time Joseph was born, Jacob and Laban worked out an
arrangement concerning shares of the livestock to compensate Jacob's labors. (Gen
30:25-34)

That deal with the livestock went on for six of the twenty years Jacob served Laban.
(Gen 31:41b)

Joseph was 30 when he became prime minister of Egypt. (Gen 41:46a)

When Joseph went to work for Pharaoh; a 14 year period began, consisting of two
divisions-- seven years of plenty, and seven years of famine. After the seven years
of plenty, and two of the years of famine, when he was about 39, Joseph brought
his dad down into Egypt. (Gen 45:6-9)

When Jacob arrived, he stood before Pharaoh and told him he was 130 years old.
(Gen 47:7-9a)

Now we can do some arithmetic.

Jacob arrived in Egypt at 130. Subtracting Joseph's age of 39, we get 91; which
was Jacob's age when Joseph was born. After subtracting 14-- the years Jacob
worked for Laban up to the deal they made concerning the livestock --we're left
with 77; which is Jacob's approximate age when he indentured himself to Laban.

Allowing for a generous intermission of 2 years-- encompassing Rebecca's scheme,
Jacob's flight to Haran, and his eventual indenture to Laban --Jacob's age in the
section of Genesis we're in today, can very reasonably be put at 75.

Isaac was 60 when Jacob was born. (Gen 25:26)

So adding 75 to 60, puts Isaac somewhere in the neighborhood of 135 years old at
the beginning of chapter 27.

Everyone involved in this next episode was getting up in years and thus quite
mature. Jacob and Esau, though 75 years old, were, nonetheless, vigorous men
and, gerontologically speaking, relatively young in terms of the aging process as it
existed in those days. Even Isaac wasn't as near death as he feared since he lived
another 45 years to be 180 when he died. (Gen 35:28)

● Gen 27:1b . . and his eyes were too dim to see,

The Hebrew word for "dim" basically means to be weak; viz: to despond and/or
grow dull.

So Isaac wasn't actually blind, as some have proposed. It's far more likely he was
stricken with cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and/or some other vision
condition very common among people his age even today.

● Gen 27:1c-2 . . he called his older son Esau and said to him: My son. He
answered: Here I am. And he said: I am old now, and I do not know how soon I
may die.

It's common for older men to feel that not only is their time running out, but also
their luck. I've dodged several bullets in my 80+ years; two of them literal; and
can't reasonably expect to live too much longer before the law of averages catches
up to me either by accident, crime, or natural causes.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Gen 27:3-4 . . Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and
go out to the field and hunt game for me; and prepare a savory dish for me such as
I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that my soul may bless you before I
die.

The Hebrew translated soul is a very common word for all creatures great and small
in the Old Testament beginning at Gen 1:20.

Man is not only a soul (Gen 2:7) but according to Gen 27:4, Gen 34:2, and a host
of other passages, man also has a soul; so it turns out that nephesh is a bit
ambiguous.

A pretty good paraphrase for a portion of the passage above would be "that I may
bless you from the core of my being". (viz: the bottom of his heart)

The episode that takes place next in chapter 27 is an incredibly clownish deception.
It is difficult to understand how supposedly mature adults like Rebecca and Jacob
could ever seriously ponder such a silly scheme.

It was customary in Jacob's day to mark solemn occasions with a feast; like the one
Isaac prepared for Abimelech when they swore an oath together in chapter 26. And
since the blessing Isaac resolved to bestow upon Esau was such an important one,
it seemed appropriate that the solemnities should be marked by a feast of wild
meat provided by Esau's own personal hunting skills.

However, father and son didn't reckon on the God factor, and they surely didn't
reckon on Rebecca's wiles. Their little party is not going to happen because this
sharp gal from up north anticipated this very day and is all set to implement a little
fiesta of her own.

● Gen 27:5a . . Rebecca had been listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau.

We might ask: Why was Rebecca so concerned anyway? Didn't God decree the
firstborn's rights to Jacob? Then Jacob will get them anyway; won't he?

Yes. Jacob would eventually end up with the firstborn's rights anyway; but the
problem was: the outgoing patriarch had to impart the blessing and obviously Mr.
Isaac wasn't inclined to do so. It appears to me that Isaac was actually going to
attempt to circumvent God's wishes and I honestly think it was because he was
afraid of alienating his favorite son.

Rebecca wasn't stupid, nor inclined to superstition. I seriously doubt she was silly
enough to believe the words of the blessing themselves held sufficient magic to
confer the firstborn's rights upon Jacob just because he happened to be in the room
and hear them as they were spoken in his direction. After all, it was all done under
false pretenses and a fake ID. No court in the land would uphold anything obtained
by a fraud like that. But her scheme was designed to do something else entirely.

I believe her intent was to wake Isaac up and make him return to his senses. The
man did fear God. That much is beyond question. But he was lax in his patriarchal
duties. Before this is over, he will regret his laxity very, very much.

● Gen 27:5b-7 . .When Esau had gone out into the open to hunt game to bring
home, Rebecca said to her son Jacob: I overheard your father speaking to your
brother Esau, saying: Bring me some game and prepare a dish for me to eat, that I
may bless you, with the Lord's approval, before I die.

That's not really what Isaac said. It appears that Rebecca embellished a little and
added "with the Lord's approval." Compare Gen 3:3 where Eve embellished God's
instructions in Gen 2:17 where He didn't forbid them to "touch" the fruit; no, only
to eat it.

● Gen 27:8 . . Now, my son, listen carefully as I instruct you.

Cool as a vice cop, Rebecca executes Plan A with the step by step precision of a
well arranged sting. I can just visualize her grip upon Jacob's arm, gazing up into
his face with a most intense look, as she gears him up to get started on his part of
the scheme to trick his father into mistaking Jacob for Esau.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Gen 27:9a . . Go to the flock and fetch me two choice kids,

Why two? Well, for one thing: deer produce a much larger quantity of meat than a
little bitty kid. It's true Isaac couldn't possibly eat a whole deer at one sitting, but
Rebecca can only use parts of the kids that best resemble the venison cuts Isaac
prefers. And Esau more than likely cooked up a whole lot more than just one
serving. I think he typically brought his dad a heaping buffet and let him pick out
what he wanted; and anything left over was kept as victuals for the rest of the
house; which of course included Esau himself.

Rebecca is going to have to duplicate that setting as best as she can. And she will
too. After all, who was it taught those two boys how to cook in the first place? None
other than Becky Crocker.

● Gen 27:9b . . and I will make of them a dish for your father, such as he likes.

This is additional evidence that it wasn't merely the flavor of Esau's cooking that
made Isaac love him. Rebecca could duplicate the taste of venison with goat meat
so that you couldn't tell the one from the other.

● Gen 27:10a-11a . .Then take it to your father to eat, in order that he may bless
you before he dies. Jacob answered his mother Rebecca: But . . .

Jacob straight away sees where his mom is going with this and likes it. However . .
there's just one problem: Rebecca can duplicate Esau's cooking; but how will Jacob
duplicate Esau? They didn't have the benefit of slick Hollywood make-up artists in
those days so how are they going to make Jacob look (or rather, feel) like his
brother?

Well, they have Isaac's poor eyesight to their advantage; so Jacob's appearance
won't have to be all that accurate. But they will need at least one prosthetic: body
hair.

● Gen 27:11b-12 . . my brother Esau is a hairy man and I am smooth-skinned. If
my father touches me, I shall appear to him as a trickster and bring upon myself a
curse, not a blessing.

Isaac might get the wrong idea and think that Jacob is poking fun at his bad
eyesight by playing a dumb trick on him. That would hurt the old boy's feelings a
great deal to think that his 75 year-old son thought so little of him as to perpetrate
such a cruel prank; which of course would warrant a curse; because it is not only
cruel to play tricks on the blind, but, even worse, to be cruel to one's parents.

● Gen 27:13 . . But his mother said to him: Your curse, my son, be upon me! Just
do as I say and go fetch them for me.

That's the oldest ploy in the book. It's the very same reasoning the German military
guards used to justify their duties at Auschwitz and Dachau. "You can't blame us"
they said; "We only did what we were told." That seems reasonable enough. After
all, the ones in charge are really responsible; right?

Wrong. The midwives of Ex 1:15-17 could have used the very same excuse; but
didn't. And God commended them for fearing Him. If they had obeyed Pharaoh,
they would have received condemnation instead. Everyone bears their own personal
responsibility and has a duty to raise conscientious objections.

In other words: it is a sin to violate your conscience. Yes, soldiers and minor
children are to obey their superiors-- but to the point of compromising their
integrity? I should think not.

"Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves." (Rom
14:22)

But Rebecca needed some leverage to keep Jacob in the game. By playing the "filial
authority" card, she persuaded Jacob to stay on track. However; I think Jacob the
supplanter really wanted to pull this thing off and just needed a way to appease his
own misgivings about it; so it wasn't too difficult to win him over.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 27:14-15 . . He got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother
prepared a dish such as his father liked. Rebecca then took the best clothes of her
older son Esau, which were there in the house, and had her younger son Jacob put
them on;

The Hebrew word for "house" basically means a dwelling (in the greatest variation
of applications), including family.

Does that mean Rebecca lived in a permanent structure? I don't think so. In Gen
6:14 it implicates the interior of the ark. At Gen 7:1 it implicates Noah's family, and
quite possibly even all their belongings-- a regular Noah's Family Robinson. At Gen
15:2, it implicates Abraham's entire estate: his tents, his livestock, and his
servants.

Some have proposed that Esau's best clothes were special-- for religious
observances --like the garments that priests might wear. But that certainly doesn't
fit Esau's character. I think it was just a nice outfit of some sort, maybe even the
one he got married in. But anyway, they sure didn't get washed often because his
clothes usually smelled like the outdoors-- and that could mean anything from plain
old dirt to wild flowers and meadow grass.

But why were those clothes (viz: his cleanest dirty shirts) in Rebecca's home? I
believe it was because Rebecca anticipated this very day and kept them right there
handy so she could put them on Jacob when the time came. And that is why she
never washed the smell out of them. Jacob of course was very likely a tidy sort of
guy and kept his clothes clean. But Esau was a rugged outdoor type whose clothes
you would expect to have an odor.

● Gen 27:16 . . and she covered his hands and the hairless part of his neck with the
skins of the kids.

Those hides would still be raw and untreated. So Rebecca had to scrub and scrape
to get all the fat and blood off so they wouldn't have a visceral smell to them. Yuck!
That's reminiscent of scenes from Silence Of The Lambs.

● Gen 27:17 . .Then she put in the hands of her son Jacob the dish and the bread
that she had prepared.

Yummy. From the kitchen of Becky Crocker; with biscuits and gravy too. Well, this
is as far as Rebecca can go. Now it's all up to Mr. Jacob to pull this off. Good luck
dude. Don't chicken out now. HWUAH! (Navy SEAL cheer)

● Gen 27:18-19a . . He went to his father and said: Father. And he said: Yes, which
of my sons are you? Jacob said to his father: I am Esau, your first-born; I have
done as you told me.

That man makes me proud. No mumbling, no stuttering, no hesitation-- right to it.
Yes; he is a big fat liar. But I love it. You watch. Any day now he'll get a letter in
the mail from CIA recruiters praising his moral flexibility.

NOTE: When Jacob called out to his dad; he used what is known as a "vocative"
which Webster's defines as: of, relating to, or being a grammatical case marking
out the one addressed. In other words: a vocative is intended to get the attention
of a specific person in a room rather than everybody in the room.

This may seem superfluous, and I guess it isn't germane to the study of Genesis;
but the principle has an important application in Christianity. Compare Rom 8:15
and Gal 4:6 where the Aramaic vocative Abba indicates that the Father's children
don't call out to Him as merely a clan's paterfamilias, but rather, like Jacob did with
Isaac: as one's very own dad.

● Gen 27:19b-20 . . Pray sit up and eat of my game, that you may give me your
innermost blessing. Isaac said to his son: How did you succeed so quickly, my son?
And he said: Because The Lord your God granted me good fortune.

What did he say!? My golly that man had chutzpah! He actually dragged the name
of God into the lie. Now Jacob will be condemned to the lower regions for sure; or
will he? No.

"I say unto you: that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down
with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 8:11)
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 27:21-23 . . Isaac said to Jacob: Come closer that I may feel you, my son--
whether you are really my son Esau or not. So Jacob drew close to his father Isaac,
who felt him and wondered: The voice is the voice of Jacob, yet the hands are the
hands of Esau. He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like those of
his brother Esau; and so he blessed him.

So then, in spite of their twin-ness, there was enough of a difference in the
brothers' voices to be discernable. However, Rebecca somehow attached size-cut
pieces of young goat skin on the backs of Jacob's hands and fingers with some sort
of toupee adhesive so it would feel to Isaac as if it were a man's natural hairs. That
was a pretty good trick; and would probably land her a job as a Hollywood make-up
artist.

● Gen 27:24 . . He asked: Are you truly my son Esau? And when he said: I am,

Some people are of the opinion that Jacob was a mama's boy. Well, maybe he was.
But one thing he had that most mama's boys don't; and it's a level head under
stress. Jacob was as calm and calculating as a test pilot all during this incident.

I tell you, that man amazes me. I bet Rebecca was just outside the door sweating
bullets while all this was going on; hoping and praying that Jacob not lose his cool
and bolt out of the room in a panic. This is just the kind of cool under fire that the
Secret Service looks for; but then, you need a pretty high IQ to work with those
guys.

● Gen 27:25 . . he said: Serve me and let me eat of my son's game that I may give
you my innermost blessing. So he served him and he ate, and he brought him wine
and he drank.

The wine was probably out in the kitchen. When Jacob went back to get it, don't
you think Rebecca hugged him and gave him a great big thumbs up? I do. Those
two were a team! The original Mission Impossible task force.

While Isaac was eating, he and Jacob probably chatted. About what; I don't have a
clue. But Jacob managed to pull it off like a pro. Isaac really thought he was talking
with Esau.

● Gen 27:26-27 . .Then his father Isaac said to him: Come close and kiss me, my
son. And he went up and kissed him. And he smelled his clothes and he blessed
him, saying, Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of the fields that the Lord has
blessed.

Esau probably always smelled like that and Rebecca took full advantage of it.

● Gen 27:28 . . May God give you of the dew of heaven and the fat of the earth,
abundance of new grain and wine.

The benediction, first of all, regards things in nature necessary for prosperity in an
agrarian economy-- rain, fertile soil, and abundant yields.

● Gen 27:29a . . Let peoples serve you, And nations bow to you;

Jacob's progeny has exercised dominance over many nations in the past, most
especially during Solomon's period. Today they're in a slump. But that benediction
isn't dead yet; no, not by a long sea mile. In the future, Israel will be the seat of
world power and the center for religious studies. You'd never know it to look at
Jacob's condition today; but it's going to happen.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

● Gen 27:29b . . Be master over your brothers, and let your mother's sons bow to
you.

The magic words! --and the very ones I'm sure Rebecca was anxiously waiting to
hear. His "mother's sons" right then only amounted to (in Isaac's mind) just one:
Mr. Jacob. But Rebecca became a grandma and today her sons can't even be
numbered. Every one of them are supposed to honor Jacob and bow in respect
because he, along with Isaac and Abraham, is a member of the elite league of
senior patriarchs.

* The Hebrew word translated "brothers" isn't limited to siblings. It also refers to
one's male kindred just as the word for sisters refers to any and all female kin, e.g.
Gen 24:60.

The bestowal of the patriarchy upon Jacob was done with God as a witness, who
had, so far, neither interfered nor intervened; nor had seen fit to alert Isaac to
Jacob's deception, nor said a single word about the whole fraudulent business.

In short, the Almighty God, of all people, is apparently condoning Jacob's funny
business. It seems to me, that the only way to understand this situation is to
conclude that, whatever may be wrong with the stratagem and deception of Jacob
and Rebecca, the sin of Esau and Isaac was infinitely more grievous.

Yes, it's true that God doesn't usually condone lies; and I'm sure Jacob and his
mom well knew it. They were spiritual people; both of them. But I really think that
as bad as deception might be in God's sight, it had become a desperate necessity in
this case to prevent a much worse sin: that of blasphemously presuming to impart
the most holy of God's offices to a man who neither appreciated its depth, nor
would honor it-- and to do so directly in the face of God's commandment against it.

Such an eventuality surely would have incurred God's most severe discipline upon
both Isaac and Esau; and I am convinced that Rebecca felt she must prevent that
occurrence at all costs, even if it meant alienating her husband and infuriating Esau
to the point of seeking Jacob's death.

Isaac, because of the solemn nature of what he was doing, (conveying holy
covenant promises and blessings to a son, who in turn would be responsible for
their transmission and implementation in his own family) was no doubt under the
influence of the power of God that day and was carried along in the scheme even
though he half suspected the son in the room with him wasn't Esau. No. Jacob was
getting that blessing, and there was nothing short of Heaven and Hell themselves
that could prevent it.

The Almighty Himself, who had made His solemn covenant with Abraham, and
renewed it with Isaac, certainly was present in that room during the whole affair.
What would have happened if Esau was instead standing there that day we can only
surmise.

But it seems highly probable that the consequences would have been tragic for both
father and son. The Almighty God's holy promises and covenants are never to be
dispensed as trifles, subject to the whim and preference of self-centered mortals
who are swayed to make important decisions simply upon the taste of their favorite
foods.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

● Gen 27:29c . . Cursed be they who curse you, blessed they who bless you.

That the blessing upon Jacob was definitely the same as the blessing given to
Abraham and Isaac is clear from the words spoken here in the final part.

First, Isaac conferred the material aspects of patriarchal life: prosperity. I am sure
that Esau would have loved that part of it. However, there is nothing in the wording
of the blessing to suggest that it included an actual bequeathal of Isaac's assets.
Isaac's closing statement echoes God's own words to Abraham in Gen 12:3

Some have wondered why Isaac didn't include the balance of the Gen 12:2-3
blessing at this time; which goes like this:

"I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name
great, and you shall be a blessing . . and all the families of the earth shall bless
themselves by you."

Sad to say, I think Isaac knew very well it would be like blessing a beast. Though
Esau might become a great nation, he would never become a blessing to all the
families of the Earth; nor that they would bless themselves by him.

Yet even knowing that, Isaac was, for all intents and purposes, still determined to
confer his patriarchy upon the secular son. I hate to say it, but I strongly suspect
Isaac was becoming somewhat deranged; especially because of the negative
feelings he entertained about his supposedly imminent death.

Anyway, he did pronounce the blessing upon Jacob; and did so under the very
inspiration of God, though Isaac himself was trying to thwart the will of God all the
while he was speaking.

Just so; many years later the infamous prophet for profit Balaam was compelled to
bless Israel against his preference to do otherwise. (Num 22, 23, & 24)

And in the days of Jesus of Nazareth (John 11:49-52) the high priest spoke
prophetically of the meaning of Jesus' death; though the priest himself did not
understand the real import of what he was saying; nor even put any stock at all in
his own words.

The blessing which, by God's edict, should have gone to Jacob in the first place,
was indeed finally pronounced upon him by his father in spite of Isaac's lack of
willingness to do so. He was tricked into it, yes; but by thunder that shouldn't have
been necessary.

● Gen 27:30-33a . . No sooner had Jacob left the presence of his father Isaac--
after Isaac had finished blessing Jacob --than his brother Esau came back from his
hunt. He too prepared a dish and brought it to his father. And he said to his father:
Let my father sit up and eat of his son's game, so that you may give me your
innermost blessing. His father Isaac said to him: Who are you? And he said: I am
your son, Esau, your first-born! Isaac was seized with very violent trembling.

According to Jewish folklore, Isaac's first impulse, upon realizing he blessed the
wrong son, was to retract the benediction from Jacob and give it to the son for
whom he intended; and would have except at that moment he saw Hell open
beneath his feet, thus signifying that God was very displeased with his intentions;
and if he persisted any longer to bless the wrong boy, he would suffer dire
consequences. I would not be one bit surprised if that were true.

It began to dawn on Isaac what had happened. The truth suddenly came home to
him like a frigid blast of icy wind. In spite of all his intentions, God overruled Isaac,
and he blessed the younger instead of the elder; like he was supposed to do in the.
first place.

Furthermore, he realized he had been deceived by his true love Rebecca, and by his
faithful son Jacob, whom he really hadn't appreciated very much up until now. I
think he realized, that they, level-headed and sensible people that they were,
deceived him in order to prevent the head of the house from doing what he very
well knew he had no right to do. And God was in on the whole scheme, and had
blessed Jacob through Isaac in spite of himself to the contrary. Jacob would indeed
be blessed, just as he should have been all along.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 27:33b . .Who was it then-- he demanded --that hunted game and brought it
to me? Moreover, I ate of it before you came, and I blessed him; now he must
remain blessed!

This was clearly the will of God and there was nothing Isaac could do to change it.
He had tried to, but God stopped him. As the impact of these thoughts came over
him, Isaac became very shaken. Emotions of all sorts must have overwhelmed him
- anger with Jacob, concern for Esau's future, heartbreak over Rebecca's treachery,
resentment at having his own plans thwarted, and shame for having played the fool
in such an important spiritual matter. All those feelings surely contributed to his
trembling.

Isaac quickly realized God had spoken to him in judgment, and that he had incurred
great peril to himself in so ignoring the will of God. He had betrayed the trust of his
father Abraham and had practically destroyed his own home; all because of a carnal
appetite and parental adulation of a favorite son's physical exploits. No wonder the
poor man was shaking so badly.

● Gen 27:34a . .When Esau heard his father's words, he burst into wild and bitter
sobbing,

The Hebrew word translated "sobbing" basically means to shriek, i.e. scream.

I have a feeling the shriek that wrenched up out of Esau's lungs is the very same
hysterical emotion that millions of damned will feel at The Great White Throne
judgment of Rev 20:11-15 when the grim reality of their fate finally sinks in that
they have lost Heaven forever. It's beyond words.

At the first, Esau entered his dad's room with cheerful anticipation. Then quite
bluntly, Isaac blurts out that someone beat him to it. Watching his dad shivering,
and seeing the look of fear wash over the patriarch's face, the awful truth became
only too apparent and Esau gave vent to his disappointment with a dreadful
scream.

● Gen 27:34b . . and said to his father: Bless me too, Father!

In Esau's mind, his dad really hadn't intended to bless Jacob; and was actually
hoodwinked into it; so surely God couldn't possibly honor the fraudulent blessing.
Isaac could just simply retract his words and bless the older son like he wanted to.
But no. It was far more serious than either Esau or his dad imagined; which by
now, via God's Spirit, Isaac was fully aware.

● Gen 27:34c . . But he answered: Your brother came with guile and took away
your blessing.

That was really only a half truth; no doubt told with the intent to prevent alienating
his eldest son. The fact of the matter is: Isaac couldn't change anything now even if
he wanted to; and he knew it too because by now he was fully reminded of God's
original edict regarding the two boys even before they were born. Hardly knowing
how to explain his wanton error to Esau, he simply blamed Jacob for it. But it was
Isaac's fault all along. He should never have led Esau to believe he would get the
blessing. So many dads cannot admit they made a mistake in the way they raised
their kids. Isaac was certainly no better.

● Gen 27:36a . . [Esau] said: Was he, then, named Jacob that he might supplant
me these two times? First he took away my birthright and now he has taken away
my blessing!

Esau bitterly recalled that Jacob had taken away his birthright-- of course
conveniently forgetting that he saw no value in it and traded his privilege for a
measly bowl of porridge.

● Gen 27:36b-38 . . And he added: Have you not reserved a blessing for me? Isaac
answered, saying to Esau: But I have made him master over you: I have given him
all his brothers for servants, and sustained him with grain and wine. What, then,
can I still do for you, my son? And Esau said to his father: Have you but one
blessing, Father? Bless me too, Father! And Esau wept aloud.

It must have been a strange sight to see such a virile, strong, athletic he-man
screaming like a woman and bawling like a little girl. Agonizingly, he begged his
dad for a blessing of some kind for himself, probably hoping that somehow God,
through his father's intercession, could be persuaded to change His mind. The
portion of the blessing, which no doubt appealed to Esau the most-- that of political
superiority and material security-- had been irrevocably given to Jacob; and all the
blubbering in the world couldn't change the situation now.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 27:39-40 . . And his father Isaac answered, saying to him: See, your abode
shall be [away from] the fat of the earth and [from] the dew of heaven above. Yet
by your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow
restive, you shall break his yoke from your neck.

The words in the brackets don't actually appear in the Hebrew text. But according
to a foot note in the 1985 JPS Tanakh; the meaning of the Hebrew is just what you
see. Jacob's side of the family was granted the best water, fertile soils, and
abundant yields. In contrast, Esau's side of the family would live in regions plagued
with conflict, and with geological shortages of water, arable land, and natural
pastures.

Isaac's prediction was fulfilled by the very nature of the rugged region that came to
be known as the land of Edom. The Edomites, in general, lived in violence and
subjection to Israel; remaining essentially independent until David's time, but then
were subjugated permanently after that in spite of frequent rebellions and
temporary partial freedom. Finally, Edom disappeared as a nation by that name:
the little prophecy of Obadiah explains why.

Esau's life of indifference to spiritual matters-- in spite of being born to one of the
most privileged heritages possible --had finally caught up with him and it was too
late even for regrets.

● Gen 27:41 . . Now Esau harbored a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing
which his father had given him, and Esau said to himself: Let but the mourning
period of my father come, and I will kill my brother Jacob.

Well, he had a long wait ahead of him. Isaac lived another 45 years.

But isn't it odd how the human spirit desires to kill-- not just desire for harm and3
misfortune; but to the gravest extreme?

A few years ago, out here on a highway in Oregon, traffic was slowed. So a man
tried to get ahead of it by driving on the shoulder to pass everyone up. As he went
by a pick-up truck with some men in it, one of them threw a paper cup at him. He
dropped back and fired a gun into the pick-up, killing one of the passengers.

That is so typical of the feelings that overwhelm human beings when they're angry.
They want blood, and no other form of revenge will satisfy. Is it possible that there
is anybody out there who has never wished that somebody would die?

Esau's personality changed dramatically. He went from an indifferent, carefree
outdoor sportsman to a bitter, vindictive neurotic. The thought of his sissy brother
ruling over him-- the superior son who was always admired and idolized for his
strength and prowess --was just too much for Esau to bear.

● Gen 27:42a . . When the words of her older son Esau were reported to Rebecca,

You know, if criminals would just keep their mouths shut they might get away with
a whole lot more crimes. But no, they just have to tell somebody about it. Esau
must have vented his bitterness to some of the servants who, in turn, leaked it to
Rebecca.

● Gen 27:42b-43a . . she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him: Your
brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you. Now, my son, listen to me.

Again showing herself to be a woman of quick decision, Rebecca called Jacob and
told him exactly what to do. Not wishing for a war between her sons, she thought it
best to send Jacob away for a while.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 27:43b-45 . . Flee immediately to Haran, to my brother Laban. Stay with him
a while, until your brother's fury subsides and he forgets what you have done to him.
Then I will fetch you from there. Let me not lose you both in one day!

The Hebrew word for "fury" basically means heat, as in hot under the collar. The
word for "anger" basically pertains to huffing and puffing thru one's nose and/or
nostril, i,e. steamed up like a boiling tea kettle.

(chuckle) Ol' Esau was indeed a passionate man. But his was not the lingering
passion of a scented candle, or of Yule logs, which smolder for a long time. His rage
burned more like a tumbleweed: a flashing, momentary flame that's warm and
bright for a little bit but soon passes.

Moody, introspective people, often stay upset for long periods of time; which really
exasperates the Esau types who usually get over things quickly. The Esau types are
happy to let personal conflicts blow over and then move on. But the moody types
are always wanting to dredge up unresolved hurts and argue about them again and
again for the Nth time until someone finally listens.

Some lawsuits, like the one between President Clinton and Paula Jones, often
cannot be settled out of court because personalities like hers want an admission of
guilt and an apology. Money is out of the question, and an insult to boot, because
people like Paula Jones are never satisfied with anything less than a public hanging.

Knowing Esau's nature, Rebecca figured his rage would pass away quickly and he
would soon return to his typical carefree ways. Unfortunately, it was past twenty
years before Jacob came back home, and there is no record that he ever saw his
mom again.

Rebecca's stratagem was indeed costly, but it could have gone much worse if Jacob
had stayed home. Surely any attempt by Esau to kill Jacob would have resulted in
Esau's death; the Lord protecting Jacob for future use. But I think Rebecca feared
Esau might succeed and then become permanently alienated from the family like
Cain was after killing his brother Abel. So she would, in effect, lose both boys in one
day just as grandma Eve did.

Rebecca-- the bright, discreet lass that she was --no doubt had counted all the
costs of her scheme; and believed the issue was vital enough to require her to do
what she did. As a matter of fact, later events proved that she was correct. Esau
did soon get over his rage, and he prospered quite adequately in a material sense.
Jacob never did really lord it over him, which was probably all Esau really cared
about anyway.

Both boys survived this calamitous event: hubby Isaac too. And Jacob went on to
spawn the people of Israel, thus making a line to Messiah; by whom the Serpent's
head would be crushed, and the entire world blessed beyond measure.

They say all's well that ends well. Maybe. Rebecca's family was fractured, and she
lost the companionship of a really good son. Hers was a sacrifice of the heart. I
would really like to see Rebecca compensated for that some day.

● Gen 27:46 . . And Rebecca said to Isaac: I am weary of living because of the
daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these
which are of the daughters of the land, I might as well die.

Abraham purchased a cemetery plot from Heth's clan back in chapter 23.

I think Rebecca was becoming very lonely for the company of daughters-in-law of a
kindred spirit. Christians considering marriage should really give some serious
thought to how their parents feel about a prospective spouse. It's just not fair to
force your choice down their throat with the haughty protest: It's my life and I'll
live it on my own terms . . . thank you!

However:

No man is an island, entire of itself;
Every man is a piece of the continent:
A part of the main.
(John Donne, 1624)

Everything that people do, everything they say, every decision they make; has a
ripple effect, i.e. repercussions. (cf. 1Cor 10:24)
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 28:1a . . So Isaac sent for Jacob and blessed him. He instructed him:

This is the first time, at least on record, that Isaac has shown any real interest in
Jacob's spiritual condition. You just have to wonder if Jacob received any religious
instruction at all from his dad. I would not be surprised if Rebecca has been Jacob's
only tutor up to this point.

Isaac went through a very traumatic experience. I think he was shaken, and it
appears to have succeeded in bringing him back to his senses. Now he renders
upon Jacob the full extent of Abraham's blessing; which he really should have done
a long time ago.

● Gen 28:1b-4 . .You shall not take a wife from among the Canaanite women.
Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father, and take
a wife there from among the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. May El
Shaddai bless you, make you fertile and numerous, so that you become an
assembly of peoples. May He grant the blessing of Abraham to you and your
offspring, that you may possess the land where you are sojourning, which God
assigned to Abraham.

It would have been much wiser of course, if circumstances had permitted, to keep
Jacob at home and dispatch a trusted servant up to Haran to fetch a wife back
down to Canaan like Abraham did for Isaac. But at this point, I guess that option
was out of the question. Isaac's patriarchal laxity is having quite a domino effect
upon Jacob's future. He's going to be tricked into taking two wives, sisters at that,
and squander twenty years of his life indentured to a very crafty, dishonest man.

● Gen 28:5 . .Then Isaac sent Jacob off, and he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban the
son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebecca, mother of Jacob and Esau.

I just have to wonder if Isaac would have thought of Laban at all if not for Rebecca
putting a bug in his ear.

Not only was Laban an Aramean, but so were Abraham, Lot, Sarah, and Rebecca.
The boys (Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and Esau) were born in Canaan. So of what
country were they? Canaan wasn't a united sovereignty like the USA. It was a
frontier territory. Along the coast were Philistine colonies; the remainder populated
by many communities scattered all over the place much like Native American
peoples were in America's early days.

I don't know about Ishmael and Esau, but Isaac and Jacob looked ahead to a future
country that they would call home. That country didn't exist just yet in Jacob's day,
but it would eventually, and he would be a somebody there-- Abraham's covenant
guarantees it. Those men haven't missed out on anything. According to Christ, they
will all return some day and live in that land as citizens in land promised to
Abraham.

"I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their
places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt
8:11)

The writer of Hebrews said, that although those three men were pilgrims in Canaan,
they will one day live inside it as citizens in a town of their own.

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his
inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign
country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the
same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose
architect and builder is God." (Heb 11:8-10)

I don't know exactly how much detail those men knew in their day; but that "city
with foundations" is going to be some piece of work. (cf. Rev 21:2-27)
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 28:6-7 . .When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him off to
Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, charging him, as he blessed him "You shall
not take a wife from among the Canaanite women" and that Jacob had listened to
his father and mother and gone to Paddan-aram,

That had to shake Esau up even more. Up to this point, for many, many years, he
had been daddy's little boy. Now, practically overnight, Jacob takes center stage. It
must have been very disturbing and I have no doubt it made Esau feel extremely
insecure; probably for the first time in his life.

Jacob listened to his parents. The difference between Jacob and Esau really shows
in that respect. Esau did pretty much whatever he pleased. But Jacob wasn't like
that. Even at 75 years old he took his parents advice. American kids today are
famous for ignoring their parents guidance; and they usually end up regretting it
too.

His dad was smart all along, but the boy was too immature at the time to see it. He
thought smartness came packaged with youth. In his mind; older people were
expendable, obsolete, and out of touch with reality. But education doesn't
necessarily make one wise: just conceited.

Although Esau was Isaac's favorite, I really don't think he ever disciplined, scolded,
nor lectured his eldest son for anything. I think he let Esau run wild so as to avoid
stressing their relationship. Even though Esau's wives were a misery to Isaac and
Rebecca, apparently no one ever spoke up and said anything about it till now; and
as a result; Esau fell for one of the oldest ruses in the book:

A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong;
Gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
( Thomas Paine )

● Gen 28:8 . . Esau realized that the Canaanite women displeased his father Isaac.

Now that Esau no longer enjoyed the status of a pampered athlete, he's a little
more attuned to the opinions of others around him; most especially to the dad who
at one time gave the impression his eldest was so wonderful.

● Gen 28:9a . . So Esau went to Ishmael and took to wife, in addition to the wives
he had,

Some feel that Esau did that to create an alliance with Ishmael; since he too was a
disfavored son. But Ishmael was already deceased by this time. He was at least
fourteen years older than Isaac, who was by this time around 135. Ishmael died at
137; twelve years prior to this chapter. It is much more likely that Esau betrothed a
woman from Ishmael's family in an attempt to redeem his marriages to the Hittite
girls. Ishmael's girls, at least, were kin.

● Gen 28:9b . . Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, sister of
Nebaioth.

Ishmael being long dead; his son Nebaioth made the arrangements for marriage.

You know, life sometimes dealt cruelly with girls in that day. Romance was out of
the question. Even if there was a boy in the neighborhood that took their breath
away, the girls weren't allowed to even date, let alone marry him. They had to
marry a man their dads or their brothers selected-- oftentimes a total stranger and
often someone quite a bit older than themselves. You'll often see it said in the Bible
that so and so loved a particular girl; but hardly ever will you see where the girl
loved him back.

I believe that Abraham was a conscientious parent and made certain Ishmael
received religious training. By the time Ishmael was evicted at fifteen or so, he had
a pretty good basic knowledge regarding Abraham's god. And his mom Hagar was
familiar with Him too. So it would not surprise me if Mahalath was pretty sound in
the correct beliefs. She was a much better choice than the Hittite girls, and she is
never once said to be a heartbreak to either Isaac or Rebecca. I would like to think
Mahalath was very good company for Rebecca; which would have been a real
comfort to her now that Jacob was gone.

● Gen 28:10 . . Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran.

It's difficult for me to believe that Jacob made the 450 miles trip to Haran all by
himself. He may have, I don't know. I'm not saying he didn't. After all, Hagar was
apparently traveling alone when she ran away from Sarah back in chapter 16. But
that was a very dangerous, foolish thing to do. A lone person in wild country is just
asking for trouble. What if they were to fall and break a leg? Or were attacked by
brigands and/or wild animals?

The route to Haran was used by caravans so Jacob may have traveled along with
one for safety's sake; and if not, then maybe with travelers on foot like himself sort
of like the pilgrims who trek the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 28:11a . . He came upon a certain place

According to Gen 28:19, the "certain place" was Bethel. The site started out as Luz;
but later came to be known by the name Jacob gave it. Today it's commonly
believed Bethel was somewhere around Beitin, about twelve miles north of
Jerusalem and maybe two and a half miles northeast of Ramallah. At this point,
Jacob was maybe sixty miles from Beer-sheba-- probably the second or third day of
his journey.

● Gen 28:11b . . and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set.

Travel at night without a car with good electric headlights was not a good idea in
those days. Palestine was once the habitat of bears and lions; and the odds were
against you of getting lost and losing your way in the dark.

● Gen 28:11c . .Taking one of the stones of that place, he put it under his head and
lay down in that place.

I doubt the stone was very large. Probably just enough to elevate his head a little
so he wouldn't lie with his cheek right down flat on the ground. That is so
uncomfortable. Try it. Put a towel or something down on the floor and lie down on
the side of your head. It's much more comfortable to stack a few books first and
then put the towel down. He probably did it like that and cushioned the stone with a
bag or a coat.

● Gen 28:12a . . He had a dream;

In the book of Genesis, dreams are a common means of communication between
God and humans. Is that still going on? I really don't know. But if it ever happened
to me, I would consider it a nightmare.

● Gen 28:12b . . a ladder was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and
angels of God were going up and down on it.

The Hebrew word for "ladder" basically means a staircase. This is the one and only
place in the entire Old Testament where that specific word is located so we can't
compare it's application in other contexts.

* One of the problems associated with translating Old Testament Hebrew is that
scholars are not always quite sure what some of the ancient words really mean.
Cullam could just as easily pertain to an elevator or an escalator.

There's something very conspicuous about the staircase in Jacob's dream: there
were no humans on it. So what does that mean? Well . . the staircase was, after all,
merely a figment rather than a physical object. But it has to signify something real
in order to be useful. I would say the dream indicates, at the very least, that
there's an avenue-- a connection --between Heaven and Earth so that mankind isn't
totally isolated from God.

But why show Jacob a stairway to heaven if human beings weren't using it in his
day? I think that the very existence of a pathway to God meant that one day not
only angels, but human beings too would be using it-- because, in reality, that
stairway represents Christ; Jacob's descendant. (cf. John 1:45-51)

● Gen 28:13a . . And behold, The Lord stood above it and said: I am Jehovah; god
of Abraham your father, and the god of Isaac;

On the page of Scripture, this is Jacob's very first close encounter with his father's
god. Till now, The Lord had been merely data in Jacob's head; something he picked
up in home-school yeshiva.

Exactly why God chose to become personal with Jacob at just that moment in his
life is a mystery. But the moment came not around the dinner table at home with
family; but actually when Jacob stepped away from his family.

It was as if Jacob's own family-- the holiest family on earth at the time; the keepers
of the knowledge of the one true god --was actually hindering Jacob's spiritual
progress; and if anything is to be learned at all from his experience, it's that his
own father, the spiritual head of the house, was the one to blame for it. It certainly
wasn't Rebecca; no, not when it was to her that God revealed the eldest of the two
lads would serve the younger: and I'm really curious why God didn't repeat His
edict to Isaac.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 28:13b-14 . . the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to
your offspring. Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread
out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the
earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants.

Those are essentially the very same promises that God originally made to Abraham.
The most important one, that of blessing to all nations, has been passed on down,
not to all the descendants of Abraham, but only to special ones; beginning with
Isaac, then Jacob, and eventually to Christ. (Gal 3:16)

Not all Hebrews are a blessing to all the families of the earth. Only those Hebrews
who inherited the patriarchy are a blessing because it is through them that
Messiah's line has existed. The other Hebrews really don't count for much in that
respect except that the nation, as a whole, is credited with safe-keeping the Old
Testament. (Rom 3:1-2)

● Gen 28:15 . . Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and
will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have
promised you.

Hardly any of those promises were fulfilled in Jacob's lifetime. So how could God
say: "I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you"

Well; I think it best to take it that God remained Jacob's provider even in the grave,
i.e. when God's people pass away, they don't become dead to Him; whereas when
the wicked die, they no longer make any difference; for example:

"As to whether the dead will be raised-- Moses proved this when he wrote about the
burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, Moses wrote of The
Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. So he is the
God of the living, not the dead. They are all alive to him." (Luke 20:37-38)

God has always been with Jacob, and never left him even once-- all these many
years; better than three-thousand of them by now. And all this whole time Jacob
has lived under God's protection because God promised He would protect Jacob
wherever he went; and in order for that promise to be meaningful, it has to include
the afterlife. (cf. Ps 139:7-10, Matt 16:18)

● Gen 28:16-17a . . Jacob awoke from his sleep and said: Surely The Lord is
present in this place, and I did not know it! Shaken, he said: How awesome is this
place!

Actually Jacob was very frightened. I believe that place gave him the creeps. It isn't
unusual for an encounter with God to unnerve people. Even the very best saints get
shook up by it. Daniel just about fainted when God talked with him (Dan 10:17.
And Moses was very frightened when God descended upon Mt. Sinai. (Heb 12:18
21)

● Gen 28:17b . .This is none other than the house of God, and that is the gateway
to heaven.

The Hebrew word for "house" is somewhat ambiguous. It can indicate one's
dwelling, and it can indicate one's entire estate. For example; Pharaoh's house at
Gen 12:15 consisted of a palace while Abraham's house at Gen 14:14 consisted of
all that he owned and possessed. Jacob apparently assumed (probably correctly)
that the real estate where he met with God was a favorite of His in Canaan; i.e. He
had it staked out for Himself: and who's to argue with that?

● Gen 28:18a . . Early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under
his head and set it up as a pillar

The Hebrew word for "pillar" basically means something stationed; viz: a column or
(memorial stone)by analogy, an idol. All over the Mojave Desert in California are
man-made stone monuments that mark the location of historical events and/or
sites. One of my favorites is the Foot And Walker pass where Butterfield stagecoach
passengers had to disembark and walk because the slope was too steep for horses
to pull the coach with them inside it.

Jacob's pillow stone became a souvenir of his very first close encounter with the
Bible's God. To set it up, he would need something to elevate it and make it
prominent. So he probably gathered more stones into a pile, like a cairn, and then
put his pillow block on the very top as the cap stone.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
● Gen 28:18b . . and poured oil on the top of it.

The Bible doesn't say where Jacob got the idea to pour oil on his historical marker;
so we'll just have to take an educated guess at it. It's very likely, considering the
situation, that anointing the pillow stone with oil (probably an essential oil rather
than a petroleum based lubricant) dedicated it as a memorial to Jacob's contractual
bond between himself and God.

There's reported to be widespread evidence (I haven't seen it for myself) from the
ancient Near East, for the use of oil in international treaty relationships, and in
effectuating business contracts. The practice seems to have been a token of peace,
friendship, and assumed obligation. In Jacob's case, the anointing is connected with
the making of a vow that bound him to specific commitments.

● Gen 28:19 . . He named that site Bethel; but previously the name of the city had
been Luz.

Luz retained it's original name for a long time afterwards. On his way back home
after twenty years with Laban, the name hadn't yet been changed to Bethel (Gen
36:6). Precisely when the site's name was officially changed to Bethel is difficult to
ascertain.

The Hebrew word for "Bethel" basically means (what else?) house of God, i.e. His
abode.

● Gen 28:20-21 . . Jacob then made a vow, saying: 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-- The Lord shall be my
God.

What's he saying? That Jehovah hadn't been his deity up to this point? Not
necessarily. It wasn't uncommon in those days for people to worship other celestial
beings right along with the supreme one.

For example: Jacob's uncle Laban (the very father of his beloved Rachel) was
notorious for polytheism. On the one hand, he recognized Jehovah's divinity (Gen
24:50 & 31:29) while on the other hand he harbored a collection of patron gods in
his home (Gen 31:19 and 31:30). In the ancient Semitic world; patron gods were
equivalent to Catholicism's patron saints-- objects of devotion venerated as special
guardians, protectors, and/or supporters; viz: alternative sources of providence.

Jacob knew about Abraham's god and believed that He existed (Gen 27:20). But
that's merely an educated consent, and nothing personal. It's like knowing and
believing who the current President of the United States is. But so what? Has the
President ever come to your home for coffee or dinner? Have the two of you been
to a movie together or to a picnic? Where was he when you were sick, down and
out, and/or feeling helpless, hopeless, despondent and depressed? See what I'm
saying?

Lots of people glibly venerate the Bible's God. But very, very few can honestly say:
The Lord is my friend, He cares about me, He cares about my life, He protects me
and provides for me wherever I go. I am His, and He is mine. We are one; we are
together.

Jacob's vow reflects a personal decision of his own volition to make Jehovah the
sole object of his religious devotion to the exclusion of all the other options that
people commonly venerated in his day. So we could paraphrase Gen 28:20-21 to
read like this:

"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-- then Yahweh shall be my only patron."
_