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The Brother They Did Not Recognize – Genesis 42:7-9
Genesis 42:7-9 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the…
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Unlimited Riches, Certain Fulfillment – Genesis 42:4-6
Genesis 42:4 But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. Benjamin was Joseph’s full brother, and Jacob would not let him go. That says a lot without saying everything. It makes me think Jacob never fully settled the story he had been told years earlier.…
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Come Buy Without Money – Genesis 42:1-3
Genesis 42:1-3 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And…
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All Countries Came to Joseph – Genesis 41:56-57
Genesis 41:56, 57 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in…
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Go to Jesus, the Greater than Joseph – Genesis 41:55
Genesis 41:55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. When the famine got real, the people cried out. That is usually when people start looking for answers. As long as…
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There Was Bread in Egypt – Genesis 41:53-54
Genesis 41:53, 54 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. The good years ended, just like…
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Fruitful in the Land of Affliction – Genesis 41:45-52
Genesis 41:45-46 And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt: That little detail matters. Joseph was thirty when he stepped into public ministry over Egypt. Jesus was about thirty years old when He began His public ministry as well.…
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A Name Beyond Knowing – Genesis 41:45
Genesis 41:45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti pherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. Joseph is given a new name here, and like a lot of things in this story, it carries more depth than first…
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From the Dungeon to the Chariot – Genesis 41:39-44
Genesis 41:39-40 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. One hour Joseph…
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Ready Before the Trouble – Genesis 41:32
Genesis 41:32-38 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him…
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The Plenty That Cannot Last – Genesis 41:17-31
Genesis 41:17-31 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and…
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Out of the Dungeon, Free of Self – Genesis 41:9-16
Genesis 41:9-16 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker: And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each…
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When God’s Hour Arrives – Genesis 41:1-8
Genesis 41:1-8 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the…
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The Danger of Forgetting – Genesis 40:20-21
Genesis 40:20-21 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup…
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Remembered at the Table – Genesis 40:14-19
Genesis 40:14-19 But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that…
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The Cup Returned – Genesis 40:5-13
Genesis 40:5-13 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them,…
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Two Men Beside Him – Genesis 40:1-4
Genesis 40:1-4 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them…
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Prospering in a Prison – Genesis 39:22-23
Genesis 39:22-23 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he…
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With Him in the Prison – Genesis 39:20
Genesis 39:20-21 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. Joseph did not do wrong…
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When Truth Is Silent – Genesis 39:13-19
Genesis 39:13-19 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie…
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Run, Don’t Reason – Genesis 39:10-12
Genesis 39:10-12 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of…
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Seen by God – Genesis 39:7-9
Genesis 39:7-9 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my…
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Right Where You Are – Genesis 39:6
Genesis 39:6 … And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured. Joseph could have said, “Lord, You gave me dreams, gifts, ability, and look where I ended up. A slave house in Egypt. What a waste.” But he did not think that way. He threw himself into the work in front of him. That…
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Blessed Because He Was There – Genesis 39:5-6
Genesis 39:5-6 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake;And the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.And he left…
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Prosperous in a Slave House – Genesis 39:2-4
Genesis 39:2-4 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.And Joseph found grace in his sight, and…
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Chains of Iron, Chains of Gold – Genesis 39:1
Genesis 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. Joseph entered Egypt a seventeen year old in chains of iron. He would leave it at one hundred and ten…
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The Scarlet Thread and Amazing Grace – Genesis 38:27–30
Genesis 38:27–30 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. And it came…
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More Righteous Than I – Genesis 38:26
Genesis 38:26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more. At last, Judah says the right thing. “She hath been more righteous than I.” That is a remarkable confession. Not because Tamar was…
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Burned by His Own Sin – Genesis 38:21-25
Genesis 38:21-25 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot…
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It Costs More Than You Think – Genesis 38:16-20
Genesis 38:16-20 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send…
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Taking Matters Into Her Own Hands – Genesis 38:13-15
Genesis 38:13-15 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that…
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Looking for Comfort in the Wrong Place – Genesis 38:12
Genesis 38:12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. Judah’s wife dies, and the text says he was comforted, or more literally, that he was desiring to be comforted. His grief…
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Waiting Under Suspicion – Genesis 38:11
Genesis 38:11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did… And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. Now Judah is afraid. You can see his thinking. “My…
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Refusing the Responsibility – Genesis 38:8-10
Genesis 38:8-10 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he…
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When the Lord Deals Decisively – Genesis 38:7
Genesis 38:7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him. That is a hard verse for people. They read it and say, “How brutal of God to slay a man for being wicked.” But that reaction usually comes from not thinking deeply enough about what wickedness…
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Choosing for the Next Generation – Genesis 38:4-6
Genesis 38:4-6 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. Now Judah’s family…
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When Judah Went Down – Genesis 38:1-3
Genesis 38:1-3 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. And she conceived, and bare…
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Joseph Like Lives – Genesis 37:36
Genesis 37:36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard. Joseph is now in Egypt. Sold.Removed from home.Placed in a foreign land.And yet the story is not over. Not even close. Following the break in chapter 38, Joseph’s story will continue, and as it does,…
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When Jacob Could Not See It – Genesis 37:33-35
Genesis 37:33-35 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him;…
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The Coat and the Cover Up – Genesis 37:30-32
Genesis 37:30-32 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said,…
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Sold for Silver – Genesis 37:28-29
Genesis 37:28-29 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.…
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The Empty Pit and the Gentile Hands – Genesis 37:24-27
Genesis 37:24-27 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh,…
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The Stripped Robe – Genesis 37:23
Genesis 37:23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; There is more happening here than brothers roughing up Joseph. That coat was not just clothing. It was the mark of his father’s love.…
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The Pit Instead of the Knife – Genesis 37:22
Genesis 37:22And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. Reuben is doing what weak men do. He is trying to find a…
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Behold, This Dreamer Cometh – Genesis 37:19-21
Genesis 37:19-21And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of…
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I Seek My Brethren – Genesis 37:15-18
Genesis 37:15-18And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let…
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Sent from Hebron to Shechem – Genesis 37:14
Genesis 37:14And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. Joseph is sent as a messenger. That is the scene. Jacob says,…
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Here Am I – Genesis 37:12-13
Genesis 37:12-13And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. Shechem was not just another place on the map. It was a loaded…
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The Dream Had to Be Told – Genesis 37:5-11
Genesis 37:5–7And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your…
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The Coat of Favor – Genesis 37:3-4
Genesis 37:3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. Genesis 37:4And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. Joseph…
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What Really Matters to the Father – Genesis 37:1-2
Genesis 37:1, 2And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives:…
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The End of the Flesh – Genesis 36:40-43
Genesis 36:40–43And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations…
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The Flesh Never Quits – Genesis 36:32-39
Genesis 36:32–39And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah. And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead. And Husham died, and Hadad the son of…
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Not Everything Early Is Eternal – Genesis 36:24-31
Genesis 36:24–31And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah. And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and…
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When the Flesh Wins – Genesis 36:17-23
Genesis 36:17-23“And these are the sons of Reuel Esau’s son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife. And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau’s wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these…
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Stay Out of the Back – Genesis 36:14-16
Genesis 36:14-16“And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah. These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz, Duke Korah,…
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When the Flesh Starts Talking – Genesis 36:9-13
Genesis 36:9-13“And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir: These are the names of Esau’s sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. And…
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The Prosperity of Edom – Genesis 36:6-8
Genesis 36:6-8“And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were…
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What the Flesh Produces – Genesis 36:4-5
Genesis 36:4-5“And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah… these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.” You start reading these names, and it can feel like a list. But it is more than that. There is…
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What the Flesh Calls It – Genesis 36:3
Genesis 36:3“And Bashemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth.” By the time you get to this verse, Esau’s household is already tangled. And part of the confusion is in the names. In Genesis 28:9, Ishmael’s daughter is called Mahalath. Here in Genesis 36:3, she is called Bashemath. So the same woman appears under a different name. Then when you compare…
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What the Flesh Always Does – Genesis 36:2
Genesis 36:2“Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;” Esau did not drift into this. He chose it. He went into Canaan and took wives from the daughters of the land. That is not just…
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Even This Chapter – Genesis 36:1
Genesis 36:1“Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.” Most people would read that verse and keep moving. It looks like the kind of line you pass over on the way to something else. Just a heading. Just a name. Just the start of a family record. But it is Scripture, and that…
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When Israel Heard – Genesis 35:22-29
Genesis 35:22-29“And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it.Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and…
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Jacob Buried, Israel Journeyed – Genesis 35:19-21
Genesis 35:19-21“And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day. And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.” This is one of those passages that lands heavy. Rachel…
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The Son of Sorrow, the Son of the Right Hand – Genesis 35:16-18
Genesis 35:16-18“And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass,…
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Stay at Bethel – Genesis 35:15-16
Genesis 35:15, 16“And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. And they journeyed from Bethel…” There’s something that stops you when you read that. Jacob names the place Bethel. The house of God. The place where God met him again. The place of renewal, of promise, of fresh clarity.…
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The Order Matters – Genesis 35:14
Genesis 35:14“And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone, and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.” Jacob doesn’t just walk away from the moment. He marks it. Right there, in the place where God spoke to him, he sets…
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What God Gives, No Man Takes – Genesis 35:12-13
Genesis 35:12, 13“And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.” Notice the certainty here. The land was not something Jacob negotiated for, discovered…
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Named Again by God – Genesis 35:9-11
Genesis 35:9-11And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be…
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The Oak of Weeping – Genesis 35:8
Genesis 35:8But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth. It is striking where this verse shows up. Jacob is back in the land. The idols are gone. Bethel has been regained. His understanding is deeper now. He is no longer just…
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Meeting the God of Bethel – Genesis 35:6-7
Genesis 35:6-7So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. Jacob finally gets back…
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Kept on the Way – Genesis 35:5
Genesis 35:5And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. I love the simplicity of that first phrase: And they journeyed. They buried the idols. They handed over the junk. They stopped lingering in Shechem. And then they…
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Come Back to Bethel – Resurrection Message from Genesis 35:2-4
Genesis 35:2-4Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of…
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Back to Bethel – Genesis 35:1
Genesis 35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. His daughter raped, his sons mass murderers, Jacob’s family falling apart, the whole place stinking in his estimation, things…
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The Tent Pointed the Wrong Way – Genesis 34:30-31
Genesis 34:30-31 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.…
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Pain Does Not Sanctify Revenge – Genesis 34:24-29
Genesis 34:24–29And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon…
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A Deal Sold on Greed – Genesis 34:20-23
Genesis 34:20–23And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us…
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Sincere Does Not Mean Innocent – Genesis 34:18-19
Genesis 34:18–19And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son. And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter:… and he was more honourable than all the house of his father. Hamor and Shechem agreed to the demand immediately. There was no delay. The text says the…
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Using Holy Things with Carnal Hands – Genesis 34:13-17
Genesis 34:13–17And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister: And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us: But in this will we consent unto…
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You Cannot Buy What Sin Has Broken – Genesis 34:11-12
Genesis 34:11–12And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give. Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife. Now…
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It Sounded Reasonable – Genesis 34:8-10
Genesis 34:8–10And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife. And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you;…
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There Are Some Things Heaven Does Not Excuse – Genesis 34:4-7
Genesis 34:4–7And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife. And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come. And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to…
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A Dark and Twisted Kind of “Love” – Genesis 34:2-3
Genesis 34:2-3And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. This is a strange and deeply disturbing passage…
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Curiosity at the Edge – Genesis 34:1
Genesis 34:1And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. There is something almost innocent sounding about this verse. Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land. Surrounded by a house full of brothers, you can understand why she would want some…
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Worship in the Wrong Place – Genesis 33:19-20
Genesis 33:19-20And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel. Jacob does something here that sounds spiritual, and in one sense, it was. He…
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A Tent Facing the Wrong Direction – Genesis 33:18
Genesis 33:18And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan… when he came from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before the city. Jacob is back in Canaan, and at first glance that sounds like progress. He is no longer on the wrong side of the Jordan. He is…
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Settling Too Soon – Genesis 33:17
Genesis 33:17And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. Jacob leaves that tender moment with Esau and journeys to Succoth. The name means Tent Town, which sounds fitting enough for a pilgrim. But then we read something that…
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Alive, Not Just Impressive – Genesis 33:16
Genesis 33:16So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. Esau leaves the scene here looking very good. And in one sense, he was good. He had every reason to stay angry with Jacob, but he let it go. He did not cling to the offense. He only took Jacob’s gift when Jacob pressed…
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No Extra Help Needed – Genesis 33:15
Genesis 33:15And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me…… And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord. Esau makes one more generous offer. “Let me leave some of my men with you. Let me help you on the…
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Softly on the Way – Genesis 33:13-14
Genesis 33:13-14And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as…
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From Earning to Overflow – Genesis 33:10-12
Genesis 33:10-12And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to…
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Enough Already – Genesis 33:9
Genesis 33:9And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself. That had to stop Jacob in his tracks. All that planning.All those droves.All that effort to secure favor. And Esau says, “I have enough… keep it.” In other words, “You don’t need to buy anything here.” That is striking, because…
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Trying to Buy What Can Only Be Given – Genesis 33:6-8
Genesis 33:6-8Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met?And he said, These are to find…
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The Face He Feared Became the Grace He Found – Genesis 33:3-5
Genesis 33:3-5And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and…
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Leaning Forward While Limping – Genesis 33:1-2
Genesis 33:1-2And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. Jacob…
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The Limp They Never Forgot – Genesis 32:32
Genesis 32:32Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank. Is that not striking? Down through the generations, Jacob’s family does not memorialize his sharp mind, his quick…
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The Limp in the Sunrise – Genesis 32:30-31
Genesis 32:30–31And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. What a scene this is. Jacob names the place Peniel because he knows something happened…
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Blessed Without Another Name – Genesis 32:29
Genesis 32:29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. Jacob still wants one more thing. “Tell me thy name.” It is as if he is saying, “I have told You mine. Now…
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When Jacob Finally Told the Truth – Genesis 32:27-28
Genesis 32:27-28And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. This is one of the holiest moments in Jacob’s life. The Lord asks…
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Broken to Be Blessed – Genesis 32:24-26
Genesis 32:24-26And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let…
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From Bethel to Peniel – Genesis 32:21-23
Genesis 32:21–23So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that…
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Trying to Manage What Only God Can Settle – Genesis 32:13-20
Genesis 32:13–20And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. And…
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Praying the Promise Back to God – Genesis 32:11-12
Genesis 32:11-12Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot…
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From Panic to Prayer – Genesis 32:9-10
Genesis 32:9-10And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou…
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When Fear Creeps Back In – Genesis 32:6-8
Genesis 32:6–8And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; And…
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Wanting Peace Before the Meeting – Genesis 32:3-5
Genesis 32:3-5And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: And I have oxen, and asses, flocks,…
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Two Camps, One Journey – Genesis 32:1-2
Genesis 32:1-2And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. Jacob is heading home, but home is not simple. Not after twenty years away. Not with Esau still somewhere ahead. Not…
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Some Goodbyes Stay Cold – Genesis 31:54-55
Genesis 31:54–55Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place. After all…
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A Boundary Both Men Understood – Genesis 31:50-53
Genesis 31:50–53If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; This heap be witness, and…
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When “The Lord Watch” Is Not Romantic – Genesis 31:48-49
Genesis 31:48-49And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. This is one of those verses people pull out of its setting and…
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A Line Drawn in Stone – Genesis 31:44-47
Genesis 31:44–47Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did…
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Mine, Mine, Mine – Genesis 31:43
Genesis 31:43And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? Laban’s answer tells you…
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Seen in the Night – Genesis 31:38-42
Genesis 31:38–42This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether…
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Burning Hot, But Missing the Whole Story – Genesis 31:35-37
Genesis 31:35-37And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images. And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban…… and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass?…
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Sitting on the Very Thing That Bound Her – Genesis 31:30-34
Genesis 31:30-34And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let…
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Held Back by the Hand of God – Genesis 31:28-29
Genesis 31:28-29And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good…
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The Song and Dance of a Manipulator – Genesis 31:25-27
Genesis 31:25-27Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? Wherefore didst…
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God Knows the Way Men Work – Genesis 31:20-24
Genesis 31:20-24And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob…
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Leaving With More Than Flocks – Genesis 31:17-19
Genesis 31:17-19Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.And Laban went…
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When the Lord Confirms the Call – Genesis 31:13-16
Genesis 31:13–16I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. And Rachel and Leah answered and said, Is there yet any portion of inheritance for us in our father’s…
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The Dream Still Needed a Response – Genesis 31:8-12
Genesis 31:8-12 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.And it came to pass at the…
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The Mirror I Do Not Want to See – Genesis 31:4-7
Genesis 31:4-7 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.And your…
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When God Wants to Move You – Genesis 31:2-3
Genesis 31:2-3And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. Jacob could see it on Laban’s face. Something had changed. The warmth was gone. The…
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Saved, But Not Yet Subdued – Genesis 31:1
Genesis 31:1And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory. Jacob had been saved back in chapter 28, but he was not yet subdued. He belonged to the Lord, but he was still…
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God Blessed It Anyway – Genesis 30:39-43
Genesis 30:39-43And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban’s…
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What Was Jacob Doing? – Genesis 30:37-38
Genesis 30:37, 38And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks…
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The Deal Was Barely Made Before Laban Started Cheating – Genesis 30:33-36
Genesis 30:33-36So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according…
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The Wages That Did Not Make Sense – Genesis 30:31-32
Genesis 30:31-32And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock: I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all…
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When Do I Start Providing for My Own House? – Genesis 30:28-30
Genesis 30:28-30And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me. For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed…
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The Blessing You Bring to the Place You Work – Genesis 30:25-27
Genesis 30:25-27And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I…
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When the Answer Still Doesn’t Satisfy – Genesis 30:21-24
Genesis 30:21-24 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah. And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me…
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Still Wanting a Home in His Heart – Genesis 30:18-20
Genesis 30:18-20 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because…
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Bought for a Night, Blessed by God – Genesis 30:16-17
Genesis 30:16-17 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob…
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Trading Mandrakes for a Night – Genesis 30:14-15
Genesis 30:14-15 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes. And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and…
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When Reinforcements Arrive – Genesis 30:9-13
Genesis 30:9-13 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am…
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My Wrestling – Genesis 30:7-8
Genesis 30:7-8 And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. Rachel names this boy Naphtali, meaning “my wrestling,” and with that one name she tells you exactly what is…
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Trying to Help God Out – Genesis 30:3-6
Genesis 30:3-6 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees that I may also have children by her. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God…
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When Beauty Isn’t Enough – Genesis 30:1-2
Genesis 30:1-2 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister… … and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? For the…
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From Chasing Love to Praising the Lord – Genesis 29:32-35
Genesis 29:32-35 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore…
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When the Heart Gets Divided – Genesis 29:31
Genesis 29:31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. A few verses earlier, the text said Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Now the thing is stated more bluntly. Leah was hated. That is where polygamy leads. Man tries to improve on the order of…
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The Ache of Being Less Loved – Genesis 29:28-30
Genesis 29:28-30 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven…
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A Week That Is More Than Seven Days – Genesis 29:27
Genesis 29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. This verse is important because it shows very clearly that in Scripture a “week” does not always mean seven days. Here it is obviously tied to a larger unit, for…
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The Deceiver Deceived – Genesis 29:21-26
Genesis 29:21-26 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to…
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Genesis 29:19-20
And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and those…
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Love, Desire, and the Beginning of God’s Deeper Work – Genesis 29:16-18
Genesis 29:16-18 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. The Bible just tells it…
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Two Birds of a Feather – Genesis 29:12-15
Genesis 29:12-15 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him…
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Strength at the Well – Genesis 29:8-11
Genesis 29:8-11 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep. And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel…
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Trying to Clear the Field – Genesis 29:5-7
Genesis 29:5-7 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it…
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Music to a Weary Man – Genesis 29:2-4
Genesis 29:2-4 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth. And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the…
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Happy Feet on a Long Road – Genesis 29:1
Genesis 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. I like the way this reads in the Hebrew. The phrase “went on his journey” carries the idea that Jacob lifted up his feet. In other words, he has happy feet. There is a spring in…
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If You Will Have Me – Genesis 28:20-22
Genesis 28:20-22 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: And…
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From Separation to the House of God – Genesis 28:17-19
Genesis 28:17-19 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar,…
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God Is Here and I Didn’t Know It – Genesis 28:16
Genesis 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. I love this verse because it meets people right where they really live. Jacob wakes up and says, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.” Think…
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The Ladder and the Promise – Genesis 28:13-15
Genesis 28:13-15 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac… … the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt…
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Grace at the End of the Day – Genesis 28:10-12
Genesis 28:10-12 And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed,…
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Seeing But Not Understanding – Genesis 28:3-9
Genesis 28:3-9 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave to Abraham. And Isaac…
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Working It Out His Way – Genesis 28:1-2
Genesis 28:1-2 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother. The…
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A Weariness That Reveals the Heart – Genesis 27:46
Genesis 27:46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me? Rebekah is worn down. That is the feel…
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The Long Detour of Human Help – Genesis 27:41-45
Genesis 27:41-45 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called…
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The Long War Behind Esau – Genesis 27:39-40
Genesis 27:39, 40And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother… and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou…
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The Blessing We Still Need – Genesis 27:38
Genesis 27:38And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. Esau had treated the birthright like it was nothing. Though it carried a double portion, he sold it off for a bowl of beans as…
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Standing With Them – Genesis 27:34-37
Genesis 27:34-37And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry… and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob?…
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He Shall Be Blessed – Genesis 27:30-33
Genesis 27:30-33And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said…
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The Direction of a Blessing – Genesis 27:28-29
Genesis 27:28-29Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed…
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The Words of a Blessing – Genesis 27:27
Genesis 27:27And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed: Secondly, the blessing includes a spoken message of valuable evaluation. Isaac smells the scent of Esau’s…
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The Touch of a Blessing – Genesis 27:24-26
Genesis 27:24-26And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee… And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he…
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The Voice and the Word – Genesis 27:18-23
Genesis 27:18-23And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may…
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Covered to Deceive – Genesis 27:16-17
Genesis 27:16, 17And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. Rebekah is clever, no doubt about it. She knows exactly how Isaac…
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Seeming and Being – Genesis 27:11-15
Genesis 27:11-15And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver, and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him,…
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God’s Work Must Be Done God’s Way – Genesis 27:5-10
Genesis 27:5-10And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may…
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I Know Not the Day – Genesis 27:2-4
Genesis 27:2-4And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me,…
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When Isaac Thought the End Was Near – Genesis 27:1
Genesis 27:1And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. We are coming now to a very human moment in Isaac’s life.…
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A Grief of Mind – Genesis 26:34-35
Genesis 26:34-35And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah. What a sad way to end the chapter. While Isaac is digging wells, building altars, and learning…
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The Blessing They Could Not Deny – Genesis 26:23-33
Genesis 26:23-33And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba. And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. And he builded an altar there, and…
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Room to Be Fruitful – Genesis 26:22
Genesis 26:22And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. I love this. Isaac had already gone through Esek, which was…
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Meek Enough to Keep Moving – Genesis 26:21
Genesis 26:21And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. Again Isaac finds water. Again there is resistance. Again the blessing is followed by a battle. So he names the well Sitnah, a word that carries the idea of hatred. That is very revealing, because it…
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Contention After the Water – Genesis 26:20
Genesis 26:20And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. So Isaac finds living water in the valley. Wonderful. Refreshing. Necessary. But does that mean everything gets easy from there? Not at all. The very…
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Living Water in the Valley – Genesis 26:19
Genesis 26:19And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. That phrase, “springing water,” carries the idea of living water. And when you hear that, it is hard not to think of Jesus saying in John 7:38 39 that out of the one who believes on Him would flow…
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Dig Again – Genesis 26:15-18
Genesis 26:15-18For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of…
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Still Going Forward – Genesis 26:13-14
Genesis 26:13-14And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. I love the way this is written because it gives hope to every one of us who knows what…
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Back Where He Belonged – Genesis 26:12
Genesis 26:12Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. There is something beautiful here. Isaac had been humbled in Gerar. His fear was exposed. His lie came into the light. He admitted it plainly. No excuses. No polishing. No shifting blame. He just told…
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A Sin That Reaches Further Than You Think – Genesis 26:10-11
Genesis 26:10, 11And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. Why would…
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Fear, Honesty, and a Husband’s Calling – Genesis 26:8-9
Genesis 26:8, 9And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou,…
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The Echo of the Border – Genesis 26:7
Genesis 26:7And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. This does ring a bell, and it…
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Right on the Edge – Genesis 26:6
Genesis 26:6And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: That is a short verse, but it says a lot. God told Isaac not to go to Egypt. So Isaac obeys, technically. He stays in the land. But where does he stay? In Gerar, a border town, as close to Egypt as he can get without actually stepping over…
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Stay in the Land – Genesis 26:1-5
Genesis 26:1-5And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn…
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Trading Away What Matters – Genesis 25:31-34
Genesis 25:31-34And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread…
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A Bowl for a Birthright – Genesis 25:29-30
Genesis 25:29, 30And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. Now the scene shifts from the womb… to a pot. Jacob is cooking. Nothing…
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Loved Because He Loves – Genesis 25:27-28
Genesis 25:27, 28And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. Now the boys begin to grow, and the difference between them becomes even clearer.…
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Two Boys, Two Natures – Genesis 25:24-26
Genesis 25:24-26And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called…
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The Trouble Within – Genesis 25:22-23
Genesis 25:22-23And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall…
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A Barren Season That Didn’t Stay That Way – Genesis 25:19-21
Genesis 25:19–21And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac: And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord was…
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He Died Full. Ishmael Fell. – Genesis 25:18
Genesis 25:18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren. There is a striking difference between the way Abraham’s death is described and the way Ishmael’s death is described. Abraham died full. Ishmael fell. That says a…
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Two Lines, One Promise – Genesis 25:11-17
Genesis 25:11-17 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham:And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according…
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Brought Together at the Grave – Genesis 25:9-10
Genesis 25:9-10 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. There is something moving about this scene. Isaac…
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Dying Full – Genesis 25:8
Genesis 25:8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of yearsand was gathered to his people. There is something beautiful here. Abraham did not merely die old. He died full. That gets my attention because a man can live a long time and still…
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One Day at a Time – Genesis 25:7
Genesis 25:7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. I like the way that is phrased. It does not just speak of years in the abstract. It speaks of the days of the years. That is where life is really lived. Not…
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One Son at the Center – Genesis 25:6
Genesis 25:6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. This is a strong picture. Abraham blesses the other sons, but he sends them away. Why? Because Isaac is the son of promise.…
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Everything Finds Its Place in Him – Genesis 25:5
Genesis 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. This verse is short, but it carries a lot. Abraham gave everything to Isaac. He did not split it up. He did not hold the best part back. He gave all that he had to the son of promise. That is a beautiful picture…
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When the Song Fades – Genesis 25:2-4
Genesis 25:2-4 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. At first…