| Chapter 23 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Summary: | Balaam now asks King Balaak to build him seven* altars, and to prepare him seven* oxen and seven* rams for animal sacrifices. The king did as Balaam requested, and King Balak and Balaam sacrificed animals on all seven altars they had built. Balaam tells the king to stand by the "burnt offering" while he goes to speak with God. He tells King Balak that he will return and tell the king whatever God decides to show him. Balaam then goes to a "high place", and God met Balaam there. Balaam tells God that he has prepared seven* altars, and that he has slaughtered a bull and a ram on each one. God then "put a word in Balaam's mouth" and tells him to return to King Balak and deliver the message. When Balaam returned, he found King Balak standing by the burnt sacrifices with all the princes of Moab. Balaam then relayed the message he was given by God: 23:7 ..."Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.King Balak admonished Balaam, exclaiming that he had brought him to Moab to curse the Israelites, and not to have Balaam bless them. Balaam replied that he must heed to what God has instructed him to say. King Balak decides to bring Balaam to another location where he would see more clearly the people of Israel. Again, they set up seven* altars, sacrificing a bull and a ram on each, this time upon the top of Mount Pisgah located in the field of Zophim. Like before, Balaam tells King Balak to wait by the "burnt offerings" while he goes off to convene with God. God meets with Balaam and again "puts a word in his mouth" to say to King Balak. When Balaam returned, the king - standing by his "burnt offering" with the princes of Moab - asked Balaam what God had said. Balaam replied with the following message: 23:18 ..."Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:King Balak tried to compromise with Balaam, telling him that if he's not going to curse the Israelites, at least don't bless them. But Balaam argued that whatever God had spoken, he was obliged to follow. King Balak decides to give it one more shot to try to convince Balaam (and God) to curse the Israelites, bringing him to the top of Mount Peor overlooking the desert of Jeshimon. Again, Balaam requested King Balak to build seven* altars to sacrifice animals upon, and King Balak once again did so and sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Notes: | 1.) Yet more mystical significance of the number seven in the bible. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Thoughts: | Our adventures with King Balak and his prophet friend Balaam (who also happens to have a talking donkey) continue with the king's desire to have Balaam (and by proxy, God) curse the Israelites, whom he fears are poised to invade his land. In order to consult with God over the matter, Balaam asks the king to build him seven (again, with that mystical number) altars, and to prepare seven bulls and rams for animal sacrificing - one of each animal is to be sacrificed on each of the seven altars. (I can't help but imagine in a humorous way that this must somehow be the bronze age equivalent of using a payphone to dial up "God's hotline".) After King Balak and the princes of Moab slaughter up some animals to place the call, Balaam tells them to wait where they are while Balaam goes to speak with God in private in a "high place" (which seems to indicate that our story is taking place in mountainous terrain). Although it isn't specified whether God speaks to Balaam face to face as he does with Moses (my guess would be that he doesn't), it appears rather strange and suspicious that Balaam follows a similar methodology of climbing a mountain (or a similar "high place") in order to speak with God. I find this methodology suspicious due to the following factors: if Balaam, like Moses and Aaron, were to deceive people into believing that they were speaking to God when in fact they weren't, the "need for privacy" by climbing a mountain would seem to serve to reduce the risk of being observed, more so than perhaps simply taking a walk in the desert. It would therefore appear that "climbing a mountain" or "going to a high place" would serve to benefit Balaam (as well as Moses and Aaron) in keeping such a deception without being observed, considering that God does not require a person to be on top of a mountain in order to speak with him. God also does not require a person to be secluded away from others when speaking to people directly (God speaks to Moses and Aaron numerous times while they are in the midst of the congregation of Israelites). Anyways, on top of the "high place" God "put[s] a word into Balaam's mouth" which he repeats to King Balak upon his return. Balaam's message explains that he cannot justify cursing a people that God has not cursed himself (which - considering all of the plagues, leprosy, and immolation God has bestowed upon the Israelites - is quite arguable to the contrary), and that he cannot defy whom God has not defied (again, quite arguable, considering that God has to be talked out of utterly annihilating them time and time again, not to mention that he won't let any of the current generation of Israelites - save Joshua and Caleb - inherit the "promised land", instead having them march around in the desert for forty years until they all die off). Balaam continues, telling the king that he has seen the Israelites from high upon this mountain, and that they dwell alone and shall be distinct among the nations of the world. He tells the king that the people of Jacob (Israel) are as numerous as particles of dust, and that he would like to die a righteous death like Jacob. I find this rather odd the mention of Israel's former name of Jacob, and the loose interchangeable usage of both names between Balaam and King Balak. Perhaps we are supposed to assume that the details of Israel's life were so legendary that they were known widely to other civilizations 400 years after his death, but I find this very difficult to accept. Our modern leaders probably have very little knowledge about the history of other countries from 400 years ago, especially a trivial bit of information like the former name of a historical figure. Almost as of it were a Monty Python sketch, upon hearing this message, the king exclaimed that he had summoned Balaam to Moab to curse the Israelites, not to have Balaam bless them. Balaam offers up a response asking if he's supposed to not take heed to the message God has sent him. King Balak then seems to think that if Balaam gets a better view of the Israelites from a new and different location, then perhaps he might change his mind and agree to curse them. King Balak also might not be the bible's best example of brilliance either, but that's to be expected from "bad guy" characters in the bible. The king now drags Balaam through the field of Zophim and atop Mount Pisgah, and again sets up seven altars to sacrifice seven bulls and rams upon - again, one bull and one ram per each altar. Balaam tells King Balak to wait by the smoldering animal carcasses while he ascends the mountain to get his instructions from God. Once again, God "puts a word in [Balaam's] mouth", and Balaam returns to deliver his message to the king. Balaam's new message says the following, which is riddled with questionable claims:
Upon hearing the message, King Balak pleads that if Balaam will not curse the Israelites, at least don't bless them! Balaam however, insists that he is bound to do whatever God commands him to do. The king again shows his stupidity by not being convinced that this is an unwinnable situation, and gets Balaam to try again - this time on top of Mount Peor. Balaam again has the king construct seven altars and to sacrifice a bull and a ram on each of them. | ||||||||||||||||||
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Saturday, September 26, 2009
NUMBERS: Chapter 23
Monday, March 16, 2009
GENESIS: Chapters 49 & 50
| Chapter 49 | ||
| Summary: | Jacob/Israel called together all of his sons, explaining what would happen to them in the days to come. To Reuben, Jacob says that although he is the oldest son, and at the head of the list in rank and honor, he is unruly and will therefore be demoted in rank due to Reuben having slept with Bilhah*. He then speaks of Simeon and Levi, stating that they are two of a kind and are both evil men. He states that they are men of violence, citing their murdering and animal cruelty. Therefore, Jacob curses that their descendants will be scattered throughout the land of Israel, that they will not receive land as their brothers so. To Judah, he tells that his brothers will praise him, he will destroy his enemies, and that his father's sons shall bow before him. To Zebelun, he says he will dwell on the shore and will be a harbor with borders extending to Sidon. To Issachar, he calls a strong beast of burden. He appreciates the countryside and willingly goes to task, serving his masters with vigor. To Dan, he claims he shall govern like the other tribes of Israel, but compares him to a snake biting at the heels of horses to dismount a rider. He then predicts that a marauding group will stomp Gad, but that he shall rob and pursue them. He says of Asher, that he shall produce rich foods, fit for a king. He compares Naphtali to a deer on the loose, producing offspring. About Joseph, he states that despite having been severely injured by those who have persecuted him, their weapons were shattered by God. He then blesses Joseph again in the name of God. He compares Benjamin to a wolf that prowls and hunts in the morning, dividing his spoils by nightfall. Finishing his blessings to his twelve sons, he informs them that his death is at hand. He insists that he must be buried in Canaan, in the cave in the field of Mach-Pelah. Stating that Abraham and Sarah; Isaac and Rebekah; as well as his own wife Leah are all buried there. Jacob/Israel laid back in bed and took his final breath and died. | |
| Notes: | 1.) This occurs at the end of Chapter 35. | |
| Thoughts: | There's not really much to comment on in Jacob's/Israel's deathbed vigil to his sons. He condemns Reuben, Simeon, and Levi for their acts and makes vague and often strange prophecies about the rest, barring Joseph - who gets his utmost blessing. One interesting note however, is that we find out that Leah was buried in the family cave in Canaan, as opposed to Rachel who got buried near the side of the road going to Bethlehem. It would appear that although you could have many wives, you could only take one (possibly only your first) into the family cemetery. It's rather interesting that Rachel, being the one that Jacob/Israel was truly in love with gets buried by the side of the road, while Leah got the honor of being interred in the family plot. | |
| Chapter 50 | ||
| Summary: | Joseph threw himself over his father's body, wept, and kissed him. He then had his palace morticians embalm his father's body, which took forty days to complete. A period of national mourning commenced for seventy days after. When the period of mourning was over, Joseph requested to speak to the Pharaoh, asking for permission to go bury his father in Canaan, assuring the Pharaoh that he would return promptly to Egypt afterward. The Pharaoh agreed, and sent along a great number of his staff to accompany Joseph and his family, with the exception of the younger children, to Canaan. When they arrived at Atad (meaning "Threshing Place of Brambles"), beyond the Jordan River, they held a great yet somber funeral service, with a seven day period of lamentation for Joseph's father. The local Canaanite residents named the place Abel-mizraim (meaning "Egyptian Mourners"). His sons now did as Israel/Jacob had commanded them, and carried his body into the land of Canaan burying him in the cave of Mach-pelah. Joseph then returned to Egypt with his brothers, who now became frightened that with their father now gone, that Joseph would seek vengeance upon them for all the evil they had done to him long ago. The brothers decided to send Joseph a message claiming that their father had requested that he forgive his brothers for all the evil they had done to him. When Joseph read the message, he broke down in tears. His brothers then came and bowed low before him informing him that they were slaves to Joseph. Joseph, however, told them not to fear him, and explained again that God had turned what they had meant as an act of evil into an act of good. He continued by saying that God had given him this high position to save the lives of many people, and reassured them that he would in turn take care of his brothers and their families. So Joseph, his brothers, and their families continued to live in Egypt. Joseph lived to the age of 110, surviving to see the children of his son Ephraim, and the children of Machir, the son of Manasseh. Before his death, he told his brothers that he was near the end of his life, but that God would surely come and bring them out of Egypt and back to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He then made his brothers promise that they would take his body with them when they returned to Canaan. Joseph died at the age of 110, was embalmed, and his body laid to rest in a coffin in Egypt. | |
| Thoughts: | Just as we wrapped up the story of Jacob/Israel, we now spend the rest of the chapter finishing off Joseph's story as well. After burying their father in Canaan, Joseph's brothers now become fearful that perhaps their father was the only lynch pin keeping Joseph from seeking revenge upon them for that whole business of attempting to kill him and then selling him off in slavery all those years ago. They decide to make up a last request from their father telling Joseph to forgive them in their father's name, but Joseph upon reading it still can't understand his brothers' hang up. He tells his brothers once again, that the whole being sold into Egyptian slavery business turned out to be a good thing after all, telling them to look at all the power he managed to assume, and with that power he saved a whole bunch of people - including his family, who surely would have starved during the famine. So life goes on, until Joseph starts nearing the age of 110 and realizes he's not as fortunate as his 900 year old ancestors, and even missing the mark set by his father who lived to age 147. He tells his brothers (whom we shall remember are all significantly older than him, except for Benjamin) about his last wishes, to be brought back to Canaan when the people of Israel return there, and they see to it that he is embalmed after his death, where Joseph's remains sit and wait resting in an Egyptian coffin until that fateful day. | |
Sunday, March 15, 2009
GENESIS: Chapters 47 & 48
| Chapter 47 | ||
| Summary: | Upon the arrival of his family, Joseph went to see the Pharaoh to inform him that his family had arrived with their flocks and herds, and wished to settle in the land of Goshen. He took five of his brothers and presented them to the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh asked the brothers as to what their occupations were, to which the brothers replied that they were shepherds. They further explained that due to the famine, there were no pastures left in Canaan, and they requested of the Pharaoh to allow them to live in Goshen. The pharaoh agreed, and added that if any of Joseph's brothers were capable, to put them in charge of the Pharaoh's flocks as well. Joseph then brought his father Jacob before the Pharaoh, and then Jacob blessed the Pharaoh. Asking how old he was, Jacob replied to the Pharaoh that he was 130, but not nearly as old as some of his ancestors. Then Jacob blessed the Pharaoh again before he left. Joseph then assigned the best land of Egypt - the land of Rameses - to his father and brothers, as the Pharaoh had commanded. Joseph furnished food to them according to the number of dependants. The famine grew worse and all the people of Egypt and Canaan began to starve. Joseph collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan in exchange for grain and brought the money to the Pharaoh's treasure houses. When the people ran out of money, they came again to Joseph begging for food. Joseph told the people that he would take their livestock in trade for food. Soon all the horses, flocks, herds, and donkeys belonged to the Pharaoh. The next year the people returned once again begging for food, having nothing to offer but their land and themselves. So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for the Pharaoh and all the people became serfs. The only land that wasn't purchased was that of the priests, for they were assigned food from the Pharaoh and therefore didn't need to sell. Joseph gave grain to the people and told them to sow the land. He explained that when they harvest the land, one fifth of the crops will belong to the Pharaoh. Joseph made it a law that the Pharaoh's tax would be 20% of all crops, except those grown on the land owned by the temples. Israel/Jacob lived in the land of Goshen and soon the people of Israel began to prosper, and there became a population explosion among them. Jacob/Israel would live for another 17 years after his arrival in Egypt, making him 147 at the time of his death. As his death grew closer, he made Joseph swear to him that he would not be buried in Egypt, but that he would instead be taken back to be buried with his ancestors. | |
| Thoughts: | Joseph takes his brothers and his father up to see the Pharaoh and to plead their case to be allowed to live and work in Egypt. The Pharaoh pretty much feels that any family of Joseph is a-okay in his books and lets them settle in Goshen. When Joseph brings his dad to see the Pharaoh, he blesses him, and tells him about his relatively old age - which he notes is peanuts compared to some of his 900 year old ancestors - and blesses the Pharaoh once again before he leaves. Of note once again, Jacob/Israel is mostly referred to as Jacob in this chapter with the exception of two mentions in the final paragraphs. As the famine worsens, the people of Egypt begin to trade first their livestock, and then their land and freedom in exchange for food, effectively becoming serfs and the Pharaoh owning all of the livestock and land throughout Egypt - except for the priests, as religion always seems to get a free pass from having to pay their own way. It's noted that the priests are getting free food from the Pharaoh, and are exempt from paying taxes on their land as well. Some things never change, I guess... Anyways, Jacob/Israel has a last request to make to his son Joseph, that upon his death he makes Joseph promise to bury him in the cave near Ephron's field at Mach-pelah - the one that Abraham bought all those years ago. The thing that strikes me as odd about this request is that he really didn't seem to mind burying his beloved wife Rachel by the side of the road she died giving birth to Benjamin on. | |
| Chapter 48 | ||
| Summary: | Word came to Joseph that his father's health was failing, so he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim with him to visit him. When Jacob/Israel heard that Joseph had arrived he mustered his strength to sit up in bed and greet him. He tells Joseph that God had blessed him at Luz in Canaan, giving the land to him and his descendants. He continues on telling Joseph that he is adopting his sons Ephraim and Manasseh as his own, meaning that they will inherit from Jacob/Israel just the same as Reuben and Simeon will. He adds that any other children Joseph has will be his own, and will have to inherit Ephraim's and Manasseh's portions from Joseph. Israel/Jacob then looks over at the two boys asking Joseph if they are indeed his sons. After Joseph confirms that they are his sons, Israel/Jacob tells Joseph to bring them closer so that he can bless them. Joseph takes the boys by their hands and bows low before his father, leading the boys to their grandfather's knees - Ephraim at Israel's left hand; Manasseh at Israel's right.  Israel however, crosses his hands as he lay them across the boys heads, placing his right hand on the head of Ephraim, the younger boy, and his left upon Manasseh. He begins blessing Joseph, but has upset him when he sees that Israel's right hand was placed upon Ephraim's head. He tells his father that he's got the wrong hands upon the wrong child and tries to lift Israel's right hand off of Ephraim, but Israel refused, stating that he knew what he was doing. He explained that although Manasseh would become a great nation, his younger brother Ephraim would become even greater. He then blesses the boys and tells Joseph that he's about to die. He continues to tell him that God will be with Joseph, and that Joseph will inherit the land of Shekem - that Israel himself had taken from the Amorites with his sword and with his bow. | |
| Thoughts: | Even in his last few chapters, the Jacob/Israel swap continues as he lay on his death bed. The news of Israel's fading health reaches his son Joseph, who takes his two sons down to see their grandfather. Israel then adopts the boys as full fledged sons, explaining that they will inherit the same amount as Reuben and Simeon, and offers to bless them. However, grandpa put his right hand on the younger boy Ephraim, instead of the older boy Manasseh to Joseph's displeasure. The significance of this is fueled by the superstition that the right hand is more pure and virtuous than the evil left hand. In the ancient Hebrew beliefs, the hand symbolized power and custody, where the left hand was used to shame society and was a metaphor for natural evil, and to invoke punishment from the gods. In many languages the term "right" (including English) is synonymous with justice and being correct and due to the overwhelming prevalence of right handed people, was considered the "proper hand". Even more interesting is that the latin root for "left" is "sinister". Therefore, fueled by the superstition of the day, Joseph is horrified to see that the "right handed" blessing was being bestowed upon Ephraim, his younger son, while Manasseh, the older child gets the "left handed" inferior blessing. Today, we can see that this is all just nonsense and superstition, but even as recently as within the past 50 years, left handed Catholic school children were forcefully made to write and eat with their right hands based on their superstitious beliefs. Even today, in some religious cultures (such as in the Arab world) it is customary to shake hands with the right, and considered rude and insulting to offer out your left hand. | |
GENESIS: Chapters 45 & 46
| Chapter 45 | ||
| Summary: | Joseph couldn't keep his deception going any longer and ordered his servants out of the room. He wept aloud and his sobs were heard throughout the palace, and the news quickly carried to the Pharaoh's palace. He tells his brothers that he is Joseph and asks his brother's if his father is still alive*. His brothers just stared in stunned silence. Joseph asks them to come closer and again tells them that he is their brother Joseph, whom they sold into slavery - which he tells them not to be angry at themselves for, as he tells them that God had planned for him all along to venture into Egypt, sending him ahead to preserve their lives from the famine. He further explains that he has been made into a counselor to the Pharaoh, and manages the entire nation of Egypt. Joseph then tells his brothers to return to their father and tell him that he, his son Joseph, is alive and well in Egypt and tells them to bring their father and their children back to Egypt and live in the city of Goshen. He explains that there is still five years of famine to be had and that Joseph will take care of them in Goshen. Weeping with joy he embraces his brothers - and the news soon reached the Pharaoh that Joseph's brothers had come, who was pleased to hear the news, as were the Pharaoh's officials. The Pharaoh told Joseph to have his brothers return to Canaan to get their families and that he would assign to them the best land in Egypt for them to live in. The Pharaoh then gave Joseph a fleet of wagons for the brothers to use to move their families to Egypt. Joseph prepared the wagons with provisions, gave them to his brothers along with new clothes - but to Benjamin, he also gave him three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes. He sent along with them ten donkey loads of goods, along with ten donkeys loaded with grain and all sorts of other foods for his father to eat along his journey. Sending his brothers off, he shouted after them to not quarrel along their journey. They returned again to Canaan and to their father Jacob*/Israel telling him that Joseph is alive and ruling Egypt. Although Jacob/Israel at first refuses to believe it, somehow seeing the loaded wagons convinces him that his sons are telling the truth about Joseph. He states that he will go and see his son before he dies. | |
| Notes: | 1.) Despite having asked this just yesterday in Chapter 44 to his brothers before the feast. His brothers couldn't possibly have answered any differently. 2.) Again, Israel is referred to by his old name of Jacob again. | |
| Thoughts: | Joseph finally comes clean to his brothers, tells them not to feel badly about how they had sold him into slavery, and credits his good fortune to God's will. He tells his brothers to fetch their father and their families to come live in Egypt where he can better look after them during the famine. Word gets back to the Pharaoh that Joseph's brothers had arrived in Egypt and the Pharaoh (despite being noted in the previous chapter that Egyptians despise Hebrews) is happy to have Joseph's family come and live amongst them in Egypt. He gives Joseph a slew of wagons to give to his brothers to help them move and tells him that they can live in the choicest pieces of land in Egypt. As Joseph sets them off with supplies for their journey, he once again shows favoritism towards Benjamin, giving him a bunch of money and four extra sets of clothes more than the rest of his siblings. The extreme lengths that Joseph takes with giving Benjamin more than his brothers just seems to come off a bit silly in the story. It also seems like there may be some numerological significance with the number five as mentioned with Joseph's dinner portions being five times that of his brothers, and now being given five sets of clothes. Again the chapter reverts back to Israel's original name of Jacob which adds to the confusion of identifying them as one and the same. It also makes one question whether the whole "Israel" name change is going to stick or not. Jacob/Israel has a hard time buying his son's story that Joseph is alive and ruling Egypt, but for some inexplicable reason is convinced when he sees all the goodies they brought with them from Egypt. The chapter ends foreshadowing that Jacob/Israel is not far from death and that his story in the book of Genesis is coming to a close. | |
| Chapter 46 | ||
| Summary: | Israel sets off with all his possessions and came to Beer-sheba where he sacrifices animals to God. During the night God speaks to him in a vision, calling out "Jacob! Jacob!" As his typical introduction God announces that he is God, the god of Jacob's/Israel's father Isaac. He tells Jacob/Israel not to be afraid to travel to Egypt, reminding him once again that he will make him a great nation there, and that he will bring his descendants back from there, but tells Jacob/Israel that he will die there with Joseph at his side. So Jacob leaves Beer-sheeba, with his sons bringing him to Egypt, along with their families, in the wagons the Pharaoh had given them. The chapter now gives another listing of Jacob's/Israel's family that traveled with him to Egypt:
Jacob's children from the slave-girl Zilpah also traveled with him to Egypt and are listed as follows:
Back to our story, Jacob sends Judah on ahead to tell Joseph that they were on their way, set to arrive in Goshen. Joseph jumped into his chariot and met his father in Goshen, and they embraced and wept together. Israel*/Jacob tells Joseph that he can now die peacefully, as he has finally seen his son Joseph alive and well. Joseph then tells his brothers and their families that he will tell the Pharaoh that they have arrived safely. He also instructs them to tell the Pharaoh that they are all shepherds, and that have been shepherds since their youth, and that their family has been shepherding for generations. He explains to them when the Pharaoh hears this, he will let them live in Goshen. The chapter finishes by noting that shepherds were hated in other parts of Egypt. | |
| Notes: | 1.) Despite the fact that God himself renamed Jacob to Israel - stating the he "will no longer be called Jacob" in both Chapter 32 (while wrestling with the strange Man) and in Chapter 35 when he appears to him at Bethel - he reverts back to calling him Jacob again here. 2.) For some reason the chapter notes that Shaul's mother was a girl from Canaan. 3.) The chapter inexplicably lists Er and Onan, and then goes on to explain that they both died back in Canaan. 4.) Inexplicably, the chapter - which has been using the name of Jacob thus far - instead uses the name Israel here. | |
| Thoughts: | The first thing that springs to mind when reading this chapter is the flip-flopping between the names Jacob and Israel throughout. He is referred as Israel curiously only at the beginning and end of the chapter, with the rest referring to him by Jacob. Even more curious is that God calls out to him addressing him as Jacob. This is strange as it was God who changed his name to Israel (twice), and even stating that he "will no longer be known as Jacob" (both times). God also gets a bit morbid by telling Jacob/Israel that he will die in Egypt, even going so far as to tell him that he will die by Joseph's side. Most people generally don't want to know when and where they're going to die, and probably more so, details about their death. The chapter continues on giving us yet another long series of lists of Jacob's descendants, initially under the premise of stating everybody that is traveling to Egypt from Canaan, but curiously also includes Judah's sons Er and Onan - whom God killed way back in Chapter 38 which occurs roughly around the same time that Joseph was sold as a slave to the Ishmaelite traders. The interesting thing to note, however, with these lists is the numbers they produce. The descendants of Jacob and Leah total 33 (not including their daughter Dinah, but including Er and Onan); the descendants of Jacob and Zilpah total 16; the descendants of Jacob and Rachel total 14; the descendants of Jacob and Bilhah total 7. Combined this count makes 70. Now, taking out Joseph and his sons (who are already in Egypt), Er and Onan (who were killed), and now counting Jacob we have 66 descendants traveling to Egypt. I don't think these numbers are accidental or coincidental, I suspect that they were picked intentionally. I don't know a lot about numerology to explain the entire significance, but the number seven has been considered mystical and magical far predating Judeo-Christianity. There are seven days of the week, seven phases of the moon, the creation story took place over seven days, the seven years of harvest vs the seven years of famine, we will see later on that there are seven deadly sins, etc. Here we have 70 descendants: 7 descendants hailing from Jacob and Bilhah; 14 descendants (14 is a pair of sevens) from Jacob and Rachel; 16 descendants (1+6=7) from Jacob and Zilpah; leaving us with 33 (another notable number) to contend with from Leah, which is exactly half of the total descendants traveling to Egypt - 66. Perhaps I wouldn't make a big deal out of this issue so much if the chapter itself wasn't stressing these numbers in the first place, which is drawing attention to their significance. Moving along, the chapter finally closes out with Israel/Jacob (being referred to as Israel again) finally at peace with dying now that he has laid eyes once again on his son Joseph seeing him alive. The last thing we're treated to is an odd instruction by Joseph to his family to explain to the Pharaoh their professions in Shepherding to ensure that the Pharaoh lets them settle in Goshen - as it's mentioned that shepherds are despised and hated in other parts of Egypt(?). So far we've come to learn the the Egyptians hate shepherds and Hebrews, so I'm pretty sure Hebrew Shepherds would aspire even more hatred. | |
GENESIS: Chapters 43 & 44
| Chapter 43 | ||
| Summary: | The famine kept on and the grain that Israel's/Jacob's family had gotten from Egypt was nearly gone. Israel told his sons to return to Egypt to buy more grain. Judah reminded his father that they couldn't return to Egypt without Benjamin, to which Israel replied by asking why they ever even mentioned having another brother. Judah tells him that they had no choice and that the man specifically asked about their family*, and that they couldn't have guessed that the man would ask them to send Benjamin. Israel tells his sons that if they have to bring Benjamin, then they should at least present the man with the finest gifts they could afford, and bring twice the amount of money to pay the man back for the last bags of grain. The brothers then headed off to Egypt with Benjamin, the gifts, and with double the amount of money. When they appeared before Joseph with Benjamin, Joseph told the manager of his household to take the brothers to his palace and prepare a big feast. When the brothers saw where they were being taken, they became very frightened that they would be taken as slaves. As they arrived at the entrance to the palace, they explained to the household manager about finding the money at the tops of their sacks from the last time they bought grain, and offered to repay Joseph. The household manager told them not to worry, adding that their god must have put it there, as they had collected the brothers money all right. Then he released Simeon and brought him out to his brothers. Then the brothers were given water to soak their feet and their donkeys were fed. The brothers then got their presents ready for Joseph's arrival, and when Joseph arrived at noon the brothers gave him the presents while bowing low before him. Joseph then asked the brothers about their father, whether he was still alive and in good health, to which the brothers replied that he was alive and well. Looking at his brother Benjamin, Joseph then asked the brothers if this was indeed Benjamin, to which his brothers confirmed that he was. Joseph, overcome with love for his brother made a hasty exit and wept in his bedroom chamber. He then washed his face and came out with his emotions under control. As they began their meal, Joseph ate by himself while his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians sat at yet another table, as they despise Hebrews and never eat with them. Joseph had told each brother where to sit and had arranged them sitting from oldest to youngest much to the amazement of the brothers. He gave the largest servings to Benjamin - five times as much as the others - and kept the wine flowing freely during the meal. | |
| Notes: | 1.) We have to assume that either Judah is lying or that the author was asleep at the wheel. Judah's explanation to his father contradicts the way the story occurs in Chapter 42. | |
| Thoughts: | Faced with starvation (rather than concern for getting their brother Simeon out of an Egyptian prison) Israel finally allows his sons to take Benjamin to Egypt with them while they attempt to buy more food. Israel also decides that a little bribery would probably help their cause as well, and sends them along with a bunch of gifts, as well as double the money they would need, in order to pay back Joseph for the money they found at the top of their grain sacks the last time. When they appear before Joseph, Joe gets all teary eyed at the sight of his full blooded younger brother (Benjamin and Joseph share the same mother, and are the only sons Israel had with Rachel) and has to excuse himself to have a good cry in his bedroom. While the brothers were initially on edge as they arrived at the palace, thinking that they were about to begin lives in slavery, Joseph tells them that they are here for a feast. The chapter takes a slight dig at vilifying the Egyptians some more by mentioning their antisemitic views of not sitting down to eat with Hebrew people. This mention here seems out of place and somewhat derails the story, but should be expected as the bible misses little opportunity to vilify the Egyptians. As they are served their meals, Joseph shows obvious favoritism towards Benjamin giving him five times(!) as much food as the rest, which seems a bit excessive unless he gave the rest of his brothers Weight Watchers sized portions. | |
| Chapter 44 | ||
| Summary: | When Joseph's brothers were done with their meals and ready to leave, Joseph ordered his servants to fill each of the brothers' grain sacks with as much grain as they could carry, and to once again put the money they had paid at the top of their sacks. In addition, he had his servants place Joseph's own silver cup at the top of Benjamin's sack. The brothers were up at dawn the next day and went on their way with their loaded up donkeys. However, when they were barely out of the city, Joseph told his head servant to follow after them and confront them about why they had "stolen" Joseph's silver drinking cup when Joseph had been so kind to them. When the servant caught up to the brothers and told them what Joseph had instructed him to, the brothers replied in disbelief, stating that if the silver cup was found on any of them, let that brother be killed and the rest would serve in slavery forever. The servant replied instead that if one of them was caught with the cup, then that brother would serve as a slave and the others could go free. The servant searched each brother's sack, going from oldest to youngest, finally finding the cup in Benjamin's sack. They ripped their clothing in despair, loaded the donkeys again and returned to the city to plead with Joseph. Joseph was still home when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him. Joseph asked them what was the meaning of stealing his silver drinking cup, to which Judah pleaded their innocence and explained that they had all returned to serve as Joseph's slaves. Joseph repeated that only the man who stole the cup would serve as a slave, and that the rest of the brothers could return home to their father. Judah then recaps the events of the last two chapters to Joseph, and further explains that Benjamin is special to their father as the last remaining son from his mother, and that their father would die from sorrow if anything happened to Benjamin. Judah continues to explain that his father had entrusted him personally with Benjamin's safety and offers himself to serve as a slave in place of Benjamin. | |
| Thoughts: | Joseph once again sets his brothers up by putting their money back into the top of their grain sacks, but this time ups the ante by stashing his silver cup in Benjamin's sack to frame him as a thief. He sends his servants to go catch the brothers, and more specifically to "catch the thief" amongst them. Interestingly, the servant is able to remember the ages of all eleven brothers as it's mentioned that he checks the bags of each of them from oldest to youngest. It begs the question as to how much the servant(s) were told about Joseph's plans, as the bible fails to mention specifically how much or how little the servants knew about Joseph's schemes towards his brothers. It's just odd that the servant would be able to memorize the exact sequence of the brothers' ages after seeing them only twice, once the entire group the night prior, and ten of the brothers, presumably months prior, where their ages weren't explicitly mentioned or given in the chapter. Another interesting thing to note is how Judah pretty much takes over as the spokesman of the brothers, where prior the brothers' words were generalized as coming from all of them. After Benjamin is taken back as a slave to Joseph's palace, Judah bears the responsibility (after recapping the last two chapters at length) and offers to serve in slavery in his brother's place. | |
Friday, March 13, 2009
GENESIS: Chapters 41 & 42
| Chapter 41 | ||
| Summary: | One night two years later, the Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the Nile when suddenly seven sleek, fat cows emerged from the river and began grazing on the grass nearby. A second set of seven cows, these being skinny and emaciated, emerged from the river and ate the seven fat cows. The Pharaoh woke up, but he drifted back to sleep having a second dream. This time he dreamed of seven heads of grain on one stalk, with every kernel being well formed and plump. Suddenly seven more kernels appeared on the stalk, but these were shriveled by the eastern winds. Finally the shriveled kernels swallowed the plump kernels before the Pharaoh once again woke up. The next morning, as the Pharaoh pondered about the dreams meaning he summoned all the magicians and sages of Egypt to interpret his dreams to no avail. Finally the Pharaoh's wine taster spoke up about Joseph and told him about the dreams that he and the baker had, and how Joseph had predicted their futures with perfect accuracy. The Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, who was rushed out of prison, washed, shaved, and given a fresh set of clothes before appearing before the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh asks Joseph if he can interpret the dreams that his sages and magicians could not, and Joseph tells him that although he alone cannot, God can interpret his dreams. The Pharaoh then repeats his dreams to Joseph.  Joseph tells him that both dreams meant the same thing: that God was telling him what he is planning to do in the land of Egypt. He explains that the seven fat cows and well-formed heads of grain meant that seven years of prosperity lay ahead, and that the seven skinny cows and withered heads of grain signified a famine would follow for the next seven years. He further explains that the double dream gives double impact and will surely happen as God decreed it. Joseph then suggests to the Pharaoh that he find the wisest man in Egypt and place him in charge of administration of Egypt's farming, and to appoint officials to collect a fifth of all the crops to store away for the seven years of famine. Pharaoh was impressed by his interpretation and his suggestions, and noted that since God has revealed the meaning of these dreams to Joseph, that he must be the wisest man in Egypt. He then appoints Joseph to become the administrator of the land, only to be outranked by the Pharaoh himself. The Pharaoh placed his own signet ring on Joseph's finger and dressed him in lavish clothing to signify his authority. He also gives to Joseph a chariot and a wife - a girl named Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis - making Joseph famous throughout Egypt at the age of 30. Just as Joseph had predicted, the next seven years yielded a crop surplus that Joseph stored in the granaries over various cities throughout Egypt. Over the next seven years the granaries were either full overflowing. Before the arrival of the first year of the famine, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath. He named his oldest son Manasseh (meaning "Made to Forget*") and the youngest was named Ephraim (meaning "Fruitful"). As the years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted, people began to starve. They pleaded with the Pharaoh for food, and the Pharaoh sent them to Joseph, who sold grain to the Egyptians and to travelers from other lands who came to Egypt in search of food. | |
| Notes: | 1.) Alluding to God making up to him the anguish suffered in his youth. | |
| Thoughts: | Joseph's dream interpretations come to his own rescue from prison when the wine taster finally remembers about Joseph in the Pharaoh's time of need. Much like I wrote about in my thoughts about Chapter 40 the fortune telling aspect of dreams makes little sense in regards to what we know about dream states today. Even with our knowledge aside and for the sake of argument allowing supernatural elements to explain things, the notion that dreams can or are predicting the future - or God's will - still makes little sense at all. What is actually being implied here in this chapter? That all dreams are prophetic (which we know is not true), that God can choose to reveal prophecies through dreams, that God feels the need to reveal prophecies to select people or to everyone? Why does God need to communicate messages in the forms of riddled symbolism and metaphor (recall that this is not limited to just the Egyptians, Joseph had these riddled dreams as a child as well), when at other times he appears to people in dreams giving clear and concise messages (such as to Laban in Chapter 31)? Also, quite frankly, these riddled dreams aren't very impressive in their terms of difficulty to discern, which makes it very hard to swallow that no-one in Egypt could have guessed the same - or at least similar - answer that Joseph provided. Nowadays we have all sorts of unqualified "professional psychics", mystics, and mentalists who literally have boatloads of guesses and hunches to what people's dreams may mean and often try their hands predicting the future with comical results. I find it difficult to believe that with the tendency of human nature to clamor towards fame that nobody in Egypt could take a stab as to what the Pharaoh's dream meant. So, Joseph becomes a wealthy celebrity around Egypt and immediately becomes the Pharaoh's second in command (even before waiting around to see if Joseph's prophecies come true or not) and is entrusted with the country's agriculture stock. He's given a wife and a fancy ride and manages to have two sons before the famine comes, only to now become richer from selling the grain he stocked to not only the citizens of Egypt, but to those traveling from other nearby countries. | |
| Chapter 42 | ||
| Summary: | When Jacob*/Israel heard that there was grain available in Egypt he sends his ten oldest sons there to buy some. Jacob however, wouldn't let his youngest son Benjamin join his brothers out of fear that something might happen to him, as like had happened to Benjamin's older brother Joseph. As Joseph was governor of all Egypt, and in charge of selling the grain, it was to him that his brothers came and bowed low before him. Joseph recognized them immediately but pretended as though he didn't. As Joseph asks them where they are from he remembers the dreams from his childhood, but he accuses his brothers before him of being spies, charging that they came to judge how destitute the land of Egypt had become during the famine. The brothers swore their innocence, further explaining that they were of 12 brothers from Canaan, that their youngest brother was staying behind with their father, and that another of their brothers had died. Joseph continued to feign disbelief in their story and told them that he needed proof to verify their story. He told the brothers that they could confirm their story by bringing their younger brother before him, but that he would allow only one of them to retrieve him while the other nine brothers would be kept in prison. Before a choice was to be made, he threw all ten of them into prison for three days. After three days in prison, Joseph tells them that he will take a chance on assuming them as honorable, by allowing them all to leave except one, and that the rest may go home with grain for their families. However, he insists that they must still bring their youngest brother before him if they wish to be spared. Speaking amongst themselves the brothers began blaming themselves for their situation on account for what they had done to Joseph years ago. Reuben chimed in claiming that he had insisted all along that killing Joseph was a bad idea, believing that they were now all going to die on account of it. The brothers were unaware that Joseph was able to understand them as they spoke as he had been speaking to them through an interpreter. Joseph left the room to weep in private, and upon his return he selected Simeon to remain in prison while he released the rest of his brothers. Joseph then ordered his servants to fill the men's grain sacks with grain and secretly told his servants to also put each brother's payment at the top of his sack. The brothers loaded up their donkeys with the grain sacks and headed back home. When they stopped for the night, one of the brothers* opened his sack to get some grain to feed the donkeys and spotted his money at the top of the sack. Trembling they wondered aloud what was it that God was doing to them. When they returned to Canaan they told their story to their father Jacob, and as they emptied their sacks they all discovered their money at the top of each bag. Fear engulfed them as well as their father. Jacob cried that he had been bereaved of his children, stating the loss of Joseph, Simeon not coming back, and now losing Benjamin too. Reuben offered to Jacob permission to kill his two sons if he doesn't bring Benjamin back, but Jacob refuses to let Benjamin go, stating that without Joseph, Benjamin alone is the only child left from his mother (Rachel), and that if anything should happen to Benjamin, Jacob would die. | |
| Notes: | 1.) Israel is inexplicably referred to again by his former name of Jacob in this chapter. 2.) It is not specified as to which brother. | |
| Thoughts: | We begin chapter 42 with a strange reversion back to Israel's birth name of Jacob for reasons that aren't clear. As the famine affects Jacob's family, he sends his sons to Egypt where there is a surplus of grain to purchase. Out of fear of losing him, Jacob does not allow Benjamin to accompany his brothers to Egypt. When the brothers arrive, they're unaware that they're attempting to buy grain from their long lost and forgotten brother Joseph, however Joseph recalls them instantly. Joseph then begins messing with his brothers' heads by accusing them of being spies, locking them in jail for three days, insisting that they bring up Benjamin from Canaan to prove(?) that their story about being brothers is true(?), and by secretly giving their money back to them - filling them with terror that they may now be accused of being thieves as well as spies if they return. It's difficult to understand how - for the sake of logic - that bringing Benjamin up from Canaan would prove anything, and why the brothers didn't think of possibly bringing one of their sons to pose as Benjamin. In the context of the story we know why Joseph wants them to bring Benjamin and why the brothers are frightened at the prospect of having to do so, but the whole plot doesn't seem to make sense out of just using a bit of logic and common sense. How would they suspect that Joseph would be able to see past the rouse of bringing up one of Jacob's grandsons instead of Benjamin, or how Benjamin's presence proves that they aren't spies. Anyways, upon freaking his whole family out by placing their money into their grain sacks, Jacob doesn't seem to be willing to budge on letting Benjamin travel out to Egypt, so I guess Simeon can rot in jail for all Jacob cares. | |
Thursday, March 12, 2009
GENESIS: Chapters 37 & 38
| Chapter 37 | ||
| Summary: | Jacob/Israel settled once again in the land of Canaan when his son Joseph was seventeen years old. Joseph's job, like his half-brothers, was to shepherd his father's flocks, but he often would tattle-tale on the bad things his brothers were doing. Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, due to the fact that Joseph was born to him in his old age, and gave Jacob a special gift of a brightly colored coat. His brothers of course noticed their father's partiality and thus hated Joseph for it. One night Joseph had a dream that he couldn't wait to share with his brothers. He told them that in the dream, they were out binding sheaves when his sheaf stood up and his brothers sheaves bowed low before it. His brothers scoffed at Joseph's dream and his arrogance for apparently desiring to become a king over them. Shortly after, Joseph reported another dream he had, this time being that the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowed down before him. This time he also told his father along with his brothers, but his father was having none of it. While Joseph's brothers began to hate him even more for his seemingly arrogant dreams, his father pondered what Joseph's dreams might mean. One day when Joseph's brothers had gone off and taken their father's sheep to graze in Shechem, he asked Joseph to follow them out there to check on them. When Joseph arrived however, he didn't find his brothers. A man who noticed him wandering about tells Joseph that his brothers had left, but that he overheard that they were headed to Dothan. Joseph travels to Dothan, but when his brothers notice him coming in the distance they hatch a plan to kill him. They planned to kill Joseph and toss his body into a well, and that they'd tell their father that he was attacked and eaten by a wild animal. But Reuben, hoping to spare Joseph's life, persuades his brothers not to kill Joseph, but to simply throw him down into the well alive, so that he would die without leaving his blood on their hands. When Joseph arrived, his brothers pulled off his brightly colored coat and tossed Joseph into an empty well. When the brothers sat down for supper that evening, they noticed a caravan of camels coming towards them in the distance. Judah tells his brothers that instead of leaving Joseph to die, that they should sell him off to these Ishmaelite traders passing through. After they pulled Joseph out of the well, they sold him to the traders for twenty pieces of silver. Reuben, who's idea it was to spare Joseph's life, had been away when the traders passed through, and when he returned to the well later that night to rescue his brother. When he found the empty well without his brother, Reuben tore at his clothes out of anguish and frustration.  The brothers then killed a goat and splattered it's blood upon Joseph's coat. When they returned home they showed the coat to their father Israel, telling them that they had found it out in the fields, and asked their father if this was Joseph's coat. Israel broke down in sobs and mourned his son for many weeks.Meanwhile, in Egypt, the traders had sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer to the Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard, and chief executioner. | |
| Thoughts: | This chapter basically serves to set up the story of Joseph, who through his boastful dreams, tattle-tales, and being his father's favorite has earned the ire of his brothers who decide to kill him. Reuben is made to appear as the only remorseful brother of the bunch, by convincing his brothers to not kill Joseph right away, but to leave him to die alone in the well - under the guise that Joseph's blood wouldn't be on their hands. However, Reuben's real intentions were to free Joseph from the well late that night, a plan that was thrown askew by brother Judah who noticed some traders passing by and opted to sell Joseph into slavery. The brothers then slay a goat and splatter its blood onto Joseph's coat, bringing it to Israel for a positive identification. Israel goes into mourning, while Joseph has been sold off in Egypt to a palace guard and executioner. | |
| Chapter 38 | ||
| Summary: | Around this time Judah left home and moved to Adullam, and lived there with a man named Hirah. There he met and married a Canaanite girl - the daughter of Shua. They lived at Chezib and had three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. They were named by their mother except for Er, who was named by Judah. When his oldest son Er grew up, Judah had arranged for him to marry a girl named Tamar. However, God deemed Er a wicked man and killed him. Judah then tells Onan that according to their laws, Onan is now required to marry Tamar so that her sons could with him would be Er's heirs. However Onan was not very keen on the idea of fathering any children that would not be counted as his own, so whenever he slept with Tamar he refused to ejaculate inside of her* and in turn angered God enough to kill him also. Judah then told his daughter-in-law Tamar not to remarry, but to return home to her parents as to wait until Shelah was old enough to marry her. Judah however had no intentions of letting his now only son Shelah marry Tamar, fearful that God would kill him too. After some time, Judah's wife died, and after the period of mourning was over, Judah and his friend Hirah went to Timnah to supervise the shearing of his sheep. Tamar realizing by now that she was not going to be permitted to marry Shelah, as he was fully grown by now, she laid aside her widow's clothing and covered herself in a veil and sat beside the road at the entrance of Enaim, which was on the way to Timnah. Judah noticed her as he went by, thinking she was a prostitute, and propositioned her. He offered to pay her with a goat from his flock up in Timnah, but she asked Judah to leave behind his walking stick and identification seal as collateral for his payment. He gave them to her and proceeded to sleep with her, in turn impregnating her. When Judah later asked Hirah to bring the goat back to her and collect his collateral, Hirah was unable to find the prostitute. Hirah asked the men of the city about the prostitute and was told that the city didn't have any prostitutes. Hirah returned to Judah and explained to him what he had been told. About three months later, word got out that his daughter-in-law Tamar was pregnant, and was obviously the result of prostitution. Judah upon hearing this exclaimed, "Bring her out and burn her!" As she was being taken out to be killed she sent a message to her father-in-law Judah explaining that the man who owns the identification seal and walking stick that she possessed, was the father of her child. Judah admitted that these were his and realized that he was now more in the wrong than she was for not keeping his promise to allow her to marry Shelah. Judah however, did not marry Tamar. When Tamar gave birth it was to twin sons. As they were being born, the midwife tied a scarlet thread around the wrist of the child who appeared first, but he drew back his hand and the other child was born first instead. The first born was named Perez (meaning "Bursting out"), while the baby with the scarlet thread around his wrist was named Zerah. | |
| Notes: | 1.) The bible specifically says that Onan "spilled his seed upon the bed". | |
| Thoughts: | A quite colorful chapter detailing Israel's son Judah, his sons, and the "daughter-in-law of death". Er seems to be doomed right from the get go by his wickedness that causes God to kill him before he can have children with Tamar. Onan now has to step up to the plate to impregnate Tamar, however the offspring according to customs would in fact be Er's descendants and not Onan's own. Onan, not too happy with that arrangement opts to employ messing the sheets as a form of birth control and is killed by the wrath of God as well. It's really difficult to figure what the whole motive and point for God's killings are here. First we kill off Er, as God deems him wicked, but he kills him before he can have any heirs. Now Onan, as little as he is described, doesn't appear to be doing anything wicked, but more over just being defiant and self-centered. Now God's official reason for killing Onan in this chapter is because he feels it is very wrong of Onan to deny his brother Er a descendant...however isn't this whole mess partially God's fault to begin with? Why is God so concerned with these bizarre man-made customs (there is nothing that states that this is God's mandate) of marriage and descendants that are obviously now obsolete to the majority of Abrahamic religions nowadays that he feels death is an appropriate punishment to serve. Essentially God strikes down Onan for practicing birth control as he's unwilling to clean up a mess that God helped make in the first place. Now with two sons down and one not quite old enough to go, Judah has Tamar go back home to her family and play the widow for a while. Judah's wife's death is very casually mixed into the story, which to me appears to serve only to absolve Judah from being guilty of adultery in the next part of our story. Apparently realizing that Judah had no intentions of letting her marry his last surviving son, Tamar pretends to be a prostitute along the road that Judah is traveling. Judah hasn't got any money to pay for hookers, so he gives his I.D. and his walking staff to his lady-in-waiting as collateral until he can pay her for her services. Tamar returns gets back into her widow clothes leaving Judah's buddy unable to find the town hooker to pay her and get Judah's stuff back. When Tamar turns up pregnant, and the rumor going around town is that it was from prostitution, Judah declares that she should be (and apparently will be) set on fire. Set on fire! Fire... I'm thinking that might be a bit too extreme for having a child out of wedlock from prostitution, and is also a bit hypocritical and sexist of a man who is apparently okay with bedding prostitutes himself. I repeat, he wants to set his daughter-in-law on fire...that is until she tells him that she's got his I.D. badge and his cane. Judah apparently doesn't marry her - which I'm still having trouble figuring out how and when people are actually considered married back then, as all that had to be done with Judah's dad Jacob was a simple bride-swap in the bedroom in Chapter 29, and once the deed was done, Jacob was stuck with Leah. Anyways, Tamar gives birth to twin boys while a mid-wife manages to tie a scarlet thread around the arm of the first baby poking out, but instead his brother beats him to the punch to be born first. They name the first born Perez, as he "burst out" of the womb, and his brother got stuck with the name Zerah. | |
GENESIS: Chapters 34 & 35
| Chapter 34 | ||
| Summary: | Leah's daughter* Dinah went out to visit some of the neighborhood girls. When Shechem, son of King Hamor the Hivite, saw Dinah he decides to rape her. He fell deeply in love with her afterward and tried to win her affection. Shechem then pleaded with his father King Hamor to help him acquire Dinah's hand in marriage*. Word soon reached Jacob*, but since his sons were out in the fields working, he did nothing until their return. Meanwhile King Hamor went to speak with Jacob, arriving just as Jacob's sons returned from the fields. Hamor told Jacob that Shechem was in love with Dinah and asked for Jacob's permission for them to marry. He continued on to invite Jacob's family to live amongst them and intermarry their sons and daughters between them. Shechem then addressed Jacob and his sons, begging them to let him marry Dinah, offering to pay whatever dowry they requested. The brothers then lied to Hamor and Shechem telling them that due to family customs - that Shechem was not circumcised - they could not allow their sister to marry Shechem, however if King Hamor would get every male in his kingdom circumcised, that they would happily intermarry and become one people. King Hamor and his son Shechem wasted no time in convincing the men of the kingdom to undergo circumcision, and soon after had the entire male population circumcised. However, three days later when the men's wounds were sore and sensitive to every move they made, Jacob's sons Simeon and Levi entered the city and slaughtered every man there, including Hamor and Shechem. They rescued Dinah from Shechem's house and later all of Jacob's sons returned to the city to plunder it in retaliation for their sister's dishonor. They confiscated everything and took the women and children as their slaves. Jacob then scolded Levi and Simeon denouncing their actions and exclaiming that they themselves were too few to fight off the Canaanites and Perizzites seeking revenge. Levi and Simeon questioned their father's scolding by claiming that Dinah was treated as a prostitute. | |
| Notes: | 1.) Interesting to note that Dinah is mentioned as lineage from Leah, instead of Jacob (Israel). 2.) Unlike Jacob and Leah's technical non-consensual sex that married them, Shechem's raping Dinah did not consummate a marriage for some reason. 3.) Still yet to be referred to as Israel since being renamed in Chapter 32. | |
| Thoughts: | What constitutes marriage in biblical times can be difficult to follow. Jacob had non-consensual sex with Leah (he thought he was sleeping with Rachel) and was then considered married back in Chapter 29. Perhaps because Jacob's dowry was paid in full (by working for his Uncle Laban for seven years) a rape is not considered to have happened, and probably even more so that women raping men probably "didn't count" as rape either - such as Lot's daughters and their misadventures with their father in Chapter 19. However, we see that - at least according to Jacob's sons - raping a girl entitles the victim's family to slaughter an entire city, plunder the wealth, and to enslave the surviving women and children. God doles out no punishment to Simeon or Levi, nor towards Jacob (who has still yet to be called by his new name of Israel), even though Jacob seems a bit angry with his sons for endangering them to the rest of the Canaanite and Perizzite people. | |
| Chapter 35 | ||
| Summary: | God tells Jacob to move on and settle in Bethel, and to also build an altar to worship "the God that appeared to (him)" when he fled from Esau. Jacob instructed all those in his household to destroy their idols that they had brought with them, and to wash themselves and put on fresh clothes. They gave all of their idols and earrings to Jacob, who buried them beneath an oak tree near Shechem. As they started off again, the terror of God was upon all the cities they journeyed through, and they were not attacked. Finally they arrived in Luz (also called Bethel) in Canaan. Jacob erected an altar and named it "The altar to the God of Bethel". Soon after, Rebekah's old nurse Deborah died and was buried beneath the oak tree in the valley below Bethel, which has been since called "The Oak of Weeping". Upon Jacob's arrival at Bethel, God appeared to him once again and blessed him. He tells Jacob that he will no longer be called Jacob* (meaning "Grabber") but Israel (meaning "One who prevails from God"). God repeats his vows to Jacob to make him a great nation with many descendants, with many kings amongst those descendants. He continues on to tell Jacob/Israel that he will pass on the land to him that he had given to Abraham and Isaac as well. Jacob builds a stone pillar at the place where God appeared to him, pours wine over it as an offering to God, and then anoints it with olive oil. Leaving Bethel, Jacob and his household traveled on toward Ephrath (later Bethlehem), but Rachel's pains of childbirth began before they got there. After a difficult delivery she delivered a son, and with her dying breath named him "Ben-oni" (meaning "Son of my sorrow"); but his father called him "Benjamin" (meaning "Son of my right hand"). Rachel was then buried near the road to Ephrath, and Jacob set up a monument of stones upon her grave. Israel/Jacob journeyed on and camped beyond the Tower of Eder. While he was there, his son Reuben slept with Bilhah (Rachel's slave, and his father's concubine), and someone later told Israel about it. For good measure and a recap, the chapter lists the twelve sons of Israel:
| |
| Notes: | 1.) It is unclear as to why this has to be repeated again, as it is certainly clear that Jacob recognized the Man from Chapter 32 as God, as he names the place where they wrestle "Peniel" (meaning "The Face of God"). 2.) This is not a typo. The bible lists Isaac's actual age at death as 180 years old. | |
| Thoughts: | Another chapter that seems to be a bit disorganized and messy. There's a lot of confusing interchangeable names (Bethel and Luz are the same town, as are Jacob and Israel the same person), a list thrown towards the end of the chapter (which lists the names of the sons that we should already know had we've been reading since Chapter 29 with the birth of Leah's first four sons), God giving Jacob his new name of Israel for the second time, and the mention of Rebekah's slave Deborah's death (to whom we were never introduced) for seemingly little reason. Rachel dies during childbirth bearing Jacob's/Israel's final son Benjamin (who also got a second name from his dying mom, "Ben-oni" - but apparently Jacob/Israel didn't care enough for it, renaming him "Benjamin") while Reuben (Jacob's/Israel's oldest son) gets it on with Rachel's slave-girl Bilhah. Isaac finally kicks the bucket at a nice round age of 180 and is buried by Jacob/Israel and his brother Esau. | |
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