Day 11: Gen 31-33

Have not been keeping up with the readings =(
i was knocked out on the sofa on tues, managed to reach the bed on wed.
falling behind!

anyway, day 11's reading is very exciting!

Jacob has a dream about speckled goats and God reminds him of Bethel and the promises made, that He remembers Jacob. Jacob and co flee, Laban chases, and Rachel manages to get away with the household idols. Jacob fears meeting Esau, and tries to appease him, then he wrestles with God and gets a new name. Esau has only affection for his brother.

some questions/thoughts:
- God told Jacob to return at once, but He didn't say whether or not to let Laban know
- Throughout this whole passage, and including chapters before this, there seems to be a lack to judgement, like no pronouncements on the actions of the main characters, though there are obvious almost-caricatures of bad: Sodom, the people in Noah's time. Very neutral, esp evident in this case, neither Jacob nor Laban is necessarily the bad guy, depending on who's perspective you look at it from?
- can "bad" (greedy?) people expect to hear from God? Laban did... so... what does that mean?
- very interesting how the character of God is being constructed (to me, at least). From God of Abraham to Fear of Isaac. Have never known this name of God, Fear.
- Jacob's new name: Israel. Sense of getting closer and closer to the promise, it's becoming less vague and more defined, detailed, with each generation.
- Jacob is STILL scared of Esau. Says he'll meet him at Seir but then zhao to Succoth, even though Esau was trying to be nice.
- Why does Jacob get to see and experience so many things? Jacob's ladder, multiple angels and visions and even wrestling with God!
- I wonder what happened to Isaac? Will we find out in day 12's reading?