Day 10: Gen 28-30

The story so far:
- Creation
- Adam and Eve
- Cain and Abel
- Noah
- Tower of Babel
- Noah -> Shem ->-> Terah -> Abram
- Melchizedek
- Covenant: smoke between animal halves
- Ishmael
- Circumcision
- Sodom & Gomorrah
- Son of Promise: Isaac
- Test of faith
- Isaac -> Esau & Jacob
- Jacob, Leah & Rachel -> Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin

today's reading:
- charge to find non-caananite wife, Esau realises Isaac's displeasure
- uncertainty about returning countered with a vision of God
- God's reinstatement of covenant with Abraham
- in the overview, there is a strong sense of continuity, building up to something, generation after generation, anticipation of a promised fulfilled. when is this sense of lineage discontinued?
- giving a tenth as part of Jacob's covenant with God // Abraham giving Melchizedek tithes. what does it mean?
- implication on my tithing today: do i see it as a covenant? my half of the bargain? (where God's half is being with me, watching over me, giving me food to eat and clothes to wear and safe return to my father's house)
- marriage proposals center around animals and water bodies?
- Jacob's marriage very different from Isaac's: not mediated by a servant, no gifts to offer, had to work in exchange for wife.
- Laban's deception of Jacob: just as Jacob decieved his brother, truly, part of his wages!
- but Jacob still has some (genetic?) tricks up his sleeve
- Repetition of previous mistakes: Favouritism, led to a sons/arms race, but also resulted in the 12 tribes of Israel. Jacob's favour on Joseph caused... a lot! we'll see next reading.