Day 12: Gen 34-36
Summary:
Dinah raped, brothers avenge (deceit by circumcision). Family goes back to Bethel, buries old gods and old life. Repetition of Israel's new name, renewal of covenant. Rachel dies. Reuben sleeps with Bilhah. Jacob returns to Isaac, Isaac dies. Account of Esau and Edom.
- the compromise of intermarriage: Later on in the bible, God condemns and disallows intermarriage. but Jacob and family seem to agree to it here, even if deceitfully. In fact, i don't think God was pleased with the deception, its as though God's promise and covenant was used as an ruse or trick. Rather than be concerned about the deceit, or about the effect of becoming one people with the Shechemites, Jacob is concerned about attacks from the Canaanites and Perrizites. I found that rather odd. The concern proves completely unfounded anyway, as evidenced by gen 35:5 "Then they set out, and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them."
- Why are only Simeon and Levi involved in the raid on the Shechemites out of all the sons of Leah? (Reuben, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun)
- God asks Jacob to return to Bethel and build an altar there. Don't know why, but this causes him to start to purge foreign influences from his household. This seems like a markedly different response from the preceeding section. Why did he allow foreign gods in the first place? Harks back to Rachel stealing the household gods...
- Why does God remind Jacob of his new name? Why does the author of Genesis use the names interchangably even after the renaming?
- Examining God's promise (35:11-12)
And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."
The promise rests not on Jacob but on God Almighty. Be fruitful and increase: resonates with God's blessing on Adam. The promise of a royal lineage: where there already kingdoms in existence which Jacob could identify with? Continuing, passing down, line of descent.
- Rachel's death: not much said as compared to Sarah and Rebekah?
- Why does Jacob let Reuben go un-rebuked?
- Esau's line: there is no mention of "living by the sword" and "serving his brother" (Gen 27:40) Maybe not yet.
Dinah raped, brothers avenge (deceit by circumcision). Family goes back to Bethel, buries old gods and old life. Repetition of Israel's new name, renewal of covenant. Rachel dies. Reuben sleeps with Bilhah. Jacob returns to Isaac, Isaac dies. Account of Esau and Edom.
- the compromise of intermarriage: Later on in the bible, God condemns and disallows intermarriage. but Jacob and family seem to agree to it here, even if deceitfully. In fact, i don't think God was pleased with the deception, its as though God's promise and covenant was used as an ruse or trick. Rather than be concerned about the deceit, or about the effect of becoming one people with the Shechemites, Jacob is concerned about attacks from the Canaanites and Perrizites. I found that rather odd. The concern proves completely unfounded anyway, as evidenced by gen 35:5 "Then they set out, and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them."
- Why are only Simeon and Levi involved in the raid on the Shechemites out of all the sons of Leah? (Reuben, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun)
- God asks Jacob to return to Bethel and build an altar there. Don't know why, but this causes him to start to purge foreign influences from his household. This seems like a markedly different response from the preceeding section. Why did he allow foreign gods in the first place? Harks back to Rachel stealing the household gods...
- Why does God remind Jacob of his new name? Why does the author of Genesis use the names interchangably even after the renaming?
- Examining God's promise (35:11-12)
And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."
The promise rests not on Jacob but on God Almighty. Be fruitful and increase: resonates with God's blessing on Adam. The promise of a royal lineage: where there already kingdoms in existence which Jacob could identify with? Continuing, passing down, line of descent.
- Rachel's death: not much said as compared to Sarah and Rebekah?
- Why does Jacob let Reuben go un-rebuked?
- Esau's line: there is no mention of "living by the sword" and "serving his brother" (Gen 27:40) Maybe not yet.
posted by beckyboo at
10:19 AM
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