Genesis 25:22-28

2008.Apr.18 19:47

The Younger of Twins

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But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is so, why then am I this way?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger."
(Genesis 25:22-23, NASB)

Rebekah has now conceived, after a period of barrenness, as it were. But a new problem arises. She’s pregnant with twins (that’s not the problem), who are struggling with each other. I’m going to just take that point as it is, since I have no idea what that would feel like, whether such a feeling is common with twins, etc. Understandably, this bothers Rebekah a bit, and not only because it’s probably causing her to feel more sick than hormonal changes alone. So, she asks Yahweh what this is all about.

Yahweh explains that this is just the beginning. Out of these two children are going to be borne two powerful nations, one of which will serve the other. Perhaps God chose to let them wrestle for illustrative purposes; one does not imagine that the brothers’ struggle is because they understand all this. Shoot, even I don’t understand all this. Add to that a reversal of the “normal order” in this society, in which the eldest son generally holds authority. In this case, it will be the younger son who becomes more powerful.

This seems to be a bit of prophecy for the sake of prophecy (or whatever is the right term when Yahweh just tells one person directly). That is, there doesn’t seem to be a particular warning here, just a “this is the way it’s going to be.” On the other hand, it may be an intentionally self-fulfilling prophecy, which I’ll explore a little later in this article.

When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.
(Genesis 25:24-26, NASB)

The two kiddos are born, Esau and Jacob, in that order. I think it’s interesting, though I’m not sure to what purpose, that Jacob is holding on to Esau’s heel. I guess if their lives had gone differently, this might have been more interpretted as a show of love and cooperation between the two. Alas.

Isaac and Rebekah are fairly old by this point, although spring chickens compared to Abraham and Sarah when Isaac was born. Nothing particular to say about that point.

When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents. Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
(Genesis 25:27-28, NASB)

The two boys are different (surprise, surprise). Esau likes the outdoors, Jacob tends to stay at home and is probably more “intellectual” of the two. Esau becomes Isaac’s favorite, while Rebekah prefers her younger son. According to the text, Isaac’s preference is straight forward: he likes the meat of the animals Esau hunts. Rebekah’s is not explained that I’ve noticed. However, as I touched on earlier, I wonder if her favoring Jacob is due in part to Yahweh’s explanation about the struggle between the two during her pregnancy. That is, does she prefer Jacob because she knows that he will become the more powerful of the two?

Whatever their reasons, favorites is a dangerous game, that is, playing favorites. It’s quite natural, I imagine, that a parent will have more in common and/or be closer to one or another child. The trouble (I think) comes when a parent translates that natural connection into actively acting for the better of one child at the expense of another, for no other reason than that preference (Having not raised any children, I take a moment to comment that I may be quite misguided on these assertions). As we will see, Rebekah in particular goes down that road, and although I don’t think I can prove it, I get the impression Isaac does as well. Trouble, naturally, ensues.

Genesis 25:29-34

2008.Apr.26 00:07

Well, that was stupid

Read Genesis 25:29-34 | Full Chapter

Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom. ) Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
(Genesis 25:29-34, NIV)

Welcome back to Biblical patriarchs being morons. In this short story, Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for some bread and stew. My understanding is that the birthright entitles the first born male to a double portion of the inheritance. I imagine it also includes some status, including possibly being heir to the headship of the family. If that assumption is wrong, it nevertheless stands that the birthright is a big deal, both socially and economically.

Esau’s logic is not irrational, i.e. if he dies of hunger, the birthright is useless to him; however, one of his axioms is foolish. He concludes that his death from starvation is imminent. There is first no indication of that–after all, he is able to talk and reason (if poorly). In addition, surely he could have found some other food. It is his emotions, I guess, that inform him he needs this stew. After all, it smells good and he really is hungry. But the price is far too steep.

So, Esau is foolish, and Yahweh’s prophecy to Rebekah is one step closer to fulfilled, but what about Jacob? Jacob achieves great success in his life, and while I think God blessed him greatly–for God’s own reasons–one of Jacob’s primary skills is cunning, to such an extent that it often seems to me deceitful (and maybe it is). I would not be surprised to find that Jacob planned this particular encounter. It seems to me that either he knew precisely what he wanted, or else he was being flippant (in which case, Esau was made that much more the fool).

I think this narrative qualifies as purely a “Here’s what happened” narrative. Except maybe for the presentation of causes and effects of foolishness, I don’t see a particular chord of morality to this story. Jacob, in my opinion, cheated his brother, but, then Esau made it exceptionally easy. In the end, though, I’m not sure the birthright really gains Jacob anything.

Genesis 32:13-23

2009.Apr.10 17:00

Diplomacy, a la Bribe

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So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove."
(Genesis 32:13-16, ESV)

Jacob is up to something. When is he not? As I said last entry, he’s matured up over the years. Instead of cunning with intent to deceive, he’s now using his cleverness for the sake of diplomacy. How much of a difference that actually implies is debatable.

Before we find out what his plan is, the narrator gives us a chance to marvel in Jacob’s wealth. Well, the narrator gives the “ancient” Hebrew readers a chance. Interpretting this accurately is not going to be easy for the average 21st century suburbanite. Since this is a present, it’s likely this list comprises only a small percentage of Jacob’s livestock. Of course, I have zero expertise here, but all signs point to major earthly success.

But what is that at the cost of being hated by his brother?

So, let’s delve more into “the plan”.

(Incidentally, it might be worth looking into the particular divisions of animals, both by species and by sex. But I’m not going to.)

He instructed the first, "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, 'To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?' then you shall say, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.'" He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, "You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, and you shall say, 'Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.'" For he thought, "I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me."
(Genesis 32:17-20, ESV)

So, that’s his plan. Send Esau enough presents with enough time between them that, if he is raging, he might cool off and even come to accept Jacob before the two actually meet. Not a bad idea. It’s certainly worth letting go of a portion of Jacob’s wealth to prevent a violent confrontation, and possibly even to allow some reunification with his bother. Jacob cannot yet be expecting that possibility. Considering Esau’s justifiable rage, Jacob will do well to get through this alive. That he returns to Palestine knowing this reveals the growth in his faith in Yahweh.

It’s worth considering the justness of Esau’s rage in comparison to the justness of Yahweh’s rage against me. Only, Yahweh has no rage against me, although it would certainly be just, considering the number of times I’ve gone my own way, tried to assert my own claims to godhood, even after explicitly rejecting those claims in favor of Yahweh’s, even after acknowledging that I cannot possibly save even myself, but choose to have faith that Yahweh in his mercy will do so and indeed already has done so. Anyway, Melchizedek tends to get the most attention as a type of Christ in Genesis, but I think Esau is also in some ways.

So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp. The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.
(Genesis 32:21-23, ESV)

His offering prepared, Jacob sends everyone else across the Jabbok river. I don’t know why. It’s going to set up the next event, though, in which Jacob is alone, and has a wrestling match. The motto of Genesis? “Who needs a straight-forward story line?”.

I guess that’s life, though.

Genesis 33:1-7

2009.Apr.24 17:00

Surprise!

Read Genesis 33:1-7 | Full Chapter

Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and with him were four hundred men. So Jacob divided his children among Leah, Rachel, and the two slave girls. Jacob put the slave girls with their children first, then Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph last. Jacob himself went out in front of them and bowed down flat on the ground seven times as he was walking toward his brother.
(Genesis 33:1-3, NCV)

Before I start, I’d like to mention that I believe this is one of the first times I’ve quoted the New Century Version. It’s one of the easy-to-read versions. Since I don’t read it much, I can’t say if this next comment is generally applicable. But. “Slave girls”? WTF? Congratulations, you are at least old enough to have had multiple children, nevertheless, we question your adulthood. The phrasing in general seems demeaning to no purpose.

Anyway.

Okay, so we’ve spent the last chapter alternately dreading this moment and being reassured with the peace of God. Now Jacob looks up to see his brother Esau. I’m imagining the scene in Tombstone when Wyatt and company are walking towards the O K Corral. Esau being in the role of the heroes. Jacob, newly renamed Israel, is the the man at the end of the line, scared perhaps but sure he has to go through with whatever’s about to happen.

Yes, FromGenesis melodrama. Thanks, I’ll be here all week.

Anyway, Jacob makes yet another division, this time of his wives and children. In doing so, he clearly demonstrates the order in which he values the members of his family. Rachel and Joseph are still his favorites, all the scheming of the past years having accomplished exactly jack sh–. And, okay, it’s worth breaking out of the narrative a moment to make a few extra comments on this point, or at least some possible interpretations:

1. Our schemes and plans often have surprisingly little effect. Certainly compared to what just walking in faith and obedience can bring.

2. It may be no accident that Israel extends his favor based not on “works” (in this case quantity and order of male offspring) but on his prior choice.

3. Despite all this, Jacob is quite helpless to protect any of these women or children. He must, to once again mention faith, rely solely on the grace and favor of his God.

Jacob, in a rare moment of (more or less) impressing me, finally gets his a– in front of somebody. If Esau is to avenge the loss of his birthright, Jacob will be confronted before his wives, concubines and kids.

But Esau ran to meet Jacob and put his arms around him and hugged him. Then Esau kissed him, and they both cried.
(Genesis 33:4, NCV)

Wait! What? Um, where are the blood and guts here? Esau is just happy to meet his brother? The guy who kept cheating him?

Well, he is.

What were the years like for Esau? As we’ll find out shortly, he’s had a great deal of material success as well. But just because he’s doing okay does not imply he would have forgiven Jacob. Why he does so is probably impossible to say, except that I am confident Yahweh had a role.

It’s useful to remember that while Yahweh is accomplishing his works in my life, he’s not resting in the lives of others. To abuse the tunneling through a mountain analogy, my three feet in isn’t quite so futile when there’s millions others digging from other directions (What exactly is our apparent purpose is making an inverse funnel cake of this proverbial mountain?). Which is not to imply that I shouldn’t be moving forward in my own life as much as possible. Just that Yahweh’s work is not exclusive to me, but rather his work in me is also a part of his work in all believers, indeed in all humanity.

When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, "Who are these people with you?" Jacob answered, "These are the children God has given me. God has been good to me, your servant." Then the two slave girls and their children came up to Esau and bowed down flat on the earth before him. Leah and her children also came up to Esau and also bowed down flat on the earth. Last of all, Joseph and Rachel came up to Esau, and they, too, bowed down flat before him.
(Genesis 33:5-7, NCV)

I don’t have much comment to make here. All the family approach Esau and bow to him, introduced by Jacob. There’s a family-wide display of humility and that’s a good thing. Although, one can clearly imagine where some of the issues between Joseph and his older brothers originated.

Genesis 33:8-11

2009.May.01 17:00

Take My Herds… Please…

Read Genesis 33:8-11 | Full Chapter

Esau asked Jacob, "What did you mean by these herds I met along the road?" "Master," Jacob answered, "I sent them so that you would be friendly to me." "But, brother, I already have plenty," Esau replied. "Keep them for yourself." "No!" Jacob said. "Please accept these gifts as a sign of your friendship for me. When you welcomed me and I saw your face, it was like seeing the face of God. Please accept these gifts I brought to you. God has been good to me, and I have everything I need." Jacob kept insisting until Esau accepted the gifts.
(Genesis 33:8-11, CEV)

Perhaps, after I do my big character study on Lot, I’ll do a study on Esau as a type of Christ (Note the implied perhaps on the subordinate class as well). Try this on for size:

When I looked at you, Jesus, and saw the scars that evidenced your sacrifice for me, I looked into the face of Yahweh, and am reminded again of all the things he has done for me. I accept your mercy and the new life you’ve given me. Here, let me give you something in exchange. What? You mean it’s free? No, no, you must take this. And this! C’mon!

Or, one might take the illustration in a different direction and use it to discuss giving to those and need and to support the work of the Church. But, I want to discuss the first one, the need to feel we’re giving something to make us at least partially worthy of the grace we’ve received. In Ephesians, Paul writes:

He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus. For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

(Ephesians 2:7-9, AMP)

While James points out that "Faith that doesn't lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead!" (James 2:17, CEV) , it is just as essential to remember that works can never make us worthy of Yahweh’s grace. The question is not one of whether our works are enough, but whether we have faith enough and rejoice in our salvation enough that good works in return are inevitable, whether they come flowing forth.

Had Jacob decided not to bother with the offering the gift to Esau, it would have revealed insincerity in his gratefulness. If I do not perform righteous works, it would reveal to me that own faith is not real. Indeed, every failure on my own part to live up to Yahweh’s desires for me and standards are not marks of condemnation (now that I have received salvation through Christ), but rather reminders of my need for Yahweh’s grace, of the need for faith.

But there’s a point of going too far, of seeking salvation in my works rather than through grace/faith. It’s not clear what Jacob’s motivations are as he persists in offering his gift. Is he just so grateful? Is this just a normal diplomatic act? Or does he still not believe that Esau has really forgiven him?

If I am obsessing over my works, it begs the question of how strong is my faith.