Tag: genesis
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From Glory to a Coffin – Genesis 50:26
Genesis 50:26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. That is a remarkable way to end the book of Genesis. The book that opens with creation closes with a coffin. The book that begins with life ends with death.…
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Not Egypt Forever – Genesis 50:24-25
Genesis 50:24-25 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall…
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On His Knees at the End – Genesis 50:21-23
Genesis 50:21-23 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of…
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God Was Writing Another Story – Genesis 50:20
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. This is one of the richest verses in Joseph’s story. Joseph does not deny what his brothers did. He does not paint it over…
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Love Them and Let God Judge – Genesis 50:18-19 Genesis 50:18-19 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? Now the brothers come themselves. They fall down before Joseph’s…
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He Wept Because They Still Feared Him – Genesis 50:16-17
Genesis 50:16-17 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of…
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Still Afraid of Grace – Genesis 50:12-15
Genesis 50:12-15 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. And Joseph returned…
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Known Because of Joseph – Genesis 50:10-11
Genesis 50:10-11 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This…
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A Great Company Going Up – Genesis 50:7-9
Genesis 50:7-9 And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and…
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A Son Keeping His Word – Genesis 50:4-6
Genesis 50:4-6 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for…
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A Father Honored in the Land of Egypt – Genesis 50:1-3
Genesis 50:1-3 And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for…
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Gathered to His People – Genesis 49:33
Genesis 49:33 “And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.” There is something very peaceful about that. Jacob finishes speaking to his sons. He says what he needs to say. He gives his…
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Back to Leah, Back to Promise – Genesis 49:28-32
Genesis 49:28-32 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the…
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The Story Is Not Over – Genesis 49:27
Genesis 49:27 “Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.” Benjamin speaks of a victorious remnant. Jacob closes with a strong image. Benjamin is not pictured as weak, cornered, or barely surviving. He is pictured as a wolf, ravenous, forceful, and…
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The Rejected One Crowned with Blessing – Genesis 49:23-26
Genesis 49:23-26 “The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode instrength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God ofJacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) Even by the God of thy father, whoshall help…
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Running Over the Wall – Genesis 49:22
Genesis 49:22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:” Joseph, of course, speaks of Jesus. That has been one of the great joys of this whole story. Again and again, in Joseph, you catch glimpses of Christ. Rejected by his brethren, humbled, exalted, and…
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A People Let Loose to Preach – Genesis 49:21
Genesis 49:21 “Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.” Jacob speaks of a hind let loose. That is the language of freedom, movement, and swift going. This is not a picture of restraint. This is not a picture of someone pinned down or shut in. It is a picture of something released,…
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Royally Kept in the Wilderness – Genesis 49:20
Genesis 49:20 “Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.” In Asher, the scene changes once again. After poison and persecution, now there is provision. After the serpent and the troop, now there is bread. Not lean bread. Not barely enough. Fat bread. Royal dainties. This is the language…
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Overcome at the Last – Genesis 49:19
Genesis 49:19 “Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.” In Gad, we see a persecuted people. The verse opens with pressure and conflict. “A troop shall overcome him.” That is not the language of ease. It is the language of assault. It is the language of being pressed, surrounded,…
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Waiting for Salvation – Genesis 49:18
Genesis 49:18 “I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.” Right in the middle of all of this, Jacob suddenly cries out, “I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.” It is brief, but it is weighty. After speaking of Dan as a serpent by the way, after giving that dark picture of deception and…
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The Serpent in the Path – Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17 “Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.” In Dan we see a poisoned people. At first, the verse sounds promising. “Dan shall judge…
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Strength Under Oppression – Genesis 49:14-15
Genesis 49:14-15 “Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.” In Issachar, we see an exploited people. Jacob describes him as strong, like a donkey able to…
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Scattered to the Shores – Genesis 49:13
Genesis 49:13 “Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.” With Zebulun, the picture changes again. Here we see an exiled people. The scene is one of borders, coastlands, ships, and distance. It carries the sense of a…
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The Land Bought by Blood – Genesis 49:11-12
Genesis 49:11-12 “Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.” Now the picture widens again. The Deliverer is no longer seen only…
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Shiloh Has Come – Genesis 49:10
Genesis 49:10 “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” Now Jacob speaks of Judah not merely as a lion, but as a ruler. The sceptre is in view. The lawgiver is in view. Authority is…
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The Lion No One Can Rise Against – Genesis 49:9
Genesis 49:9 “Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?” Jacob now moves from praise and victory to a picture of settled strength. Judah is compared to a lion. Not a…
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The Deliverer They Could Not Defeat – Genesis 49:8
Genesis 49:8 “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.” After Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, this verse feels like the clouds begin to break. Up to this point, there has been disappointment, failure, and scattering. But…
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Scattered by Wrath – Genesis 49:5-7
Genesis 49:5–7Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was…
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A Missed Birthright – Genesis 49:3-4
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. Jacob begins with Reuben, the firstborn, the one…
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Around the Bedside – Genesis 49:1-2
Genesis 49:1-2 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. Jacob knows his time is short, so he gathers his sons around him. All…
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When a Dying Man Talks About Tomorrow – Genesis 48:21-22
Genesis 48:21-22 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow. Jacob…
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Set Before – Genesis 48:20
Genesis 48:20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Jacob was not just blessing two boys. He was speaking something over them that would carry on into the life of the nation. This was not…
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The Best Is Still Ahead – Genesis 48:18-19
Genesis 48:18-19 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother…
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The Crossed Hands of Grace – Genesis 48:14-17
Genesis 48:14-17 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me…
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The Lord Does Not Need Our Arrangement – Genesis 48:12-13
Genesis 48:12-13And Joseph brought them out from between his knees…… and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him. The boys were clinging to…
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More Than He Ever Imagined – Genesis 48:9-11
Genesis 48:9-11And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto…
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Grace in the Blur – Genesis 48:7-8
Genesis 48:7-8And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who…
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The Blessing Comes Back – Genesis 48:3-6
Genesis 48:3-6And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an…
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Strength for the Visit – Genesis 48:1-2
Genesis 48:1-2And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. There is something sweet…
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My Heart Is in Another Land – Genesis 47:29-31
Genesis 47:29-31And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me…… bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: But I…
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Seventeen Years of Tender Mercy – Genesis 47:27-28
Genesis 47:27-28 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years. There is a sweetness in this passage that…
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Saved Lives and Glad Hearts – Genesis 47:25-26
Genesis 47:25-26 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants. And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which…
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Bought and Given Seed – Genesis 47:23-24
Genesis 47:23-24 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be…
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In the Flow of the Throne – Genesis 47:22
Genesis 47:22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. This verse is interesting because it shows an exception. Everyone else was being brought under Joseph’s administration in deeper…
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Scattered by Wisdom – Genesis 47:21
Genesis 47:21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Joseph now takes charge of the people themselves. First came their money. Then their possessions. Then their land. And now Joseph relocates the people throughout Egypt. That might sound…
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No Divided Loyalties – Genesis 47:18-20
Genesis 47:18-20 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and…
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Bring It to the Throne – Genesis 47:15-17
Genesis 47:15-17 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if…
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Everything to the Throne – Genesis 47:13-14
Genesis 47:13-14 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of…
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Bread for Every Family – Genesis 47:12
Genesis 47:12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families. This is a tender verse. Joseph did not merely place his family in the land. He nourished them there. He did not bring them in and then leave them to fend for themselves. He…
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Placed in the Best of the Land – Genesis 47:11
Genesis 47:11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. There is so much comfort in that opening phrase. Joseph placed his father and his brethren. They did not place…
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Pilgrims Before a Throne – Genesis 47:8-10
Genesis 47:8-9 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the…
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The Greater Blessing the Lesser – Genesis 47:7
Genesis 47:7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. What a scene this is. Joseph brings Jacob into the presence of Pharaoh, the ruler of the greatest empire on earth. Pharaoh had power. Pharaoh had wealth. Pharaoh had position. Pharaoh sat on a throne men would…
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Set Apart in Goshen – Genesis 47:3-6
Genesis 47:3-6 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore…
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Presented by Grace – Genesis 47:1-2
Genesis 47:1-2 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented…
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Marked on Purpose – Genesis 46:33-34
Genesis 46:33-34 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd…
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He Went Before Them – Genesis 46:31-32
Genesis 46:31-32 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and…
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Face to Face at Last – Genesis 46:29-30
Genesis 46:29-30 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art…
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When Jesus Is Added – Genesis 46:27-28
Genesis 46:27-28 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. There is…
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Going Down as Needy Men – Genesis 46:21-26
Genesis 46:21-26 And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard. These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen. And the sons of Dan; Hushim. And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and…
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Brought Near by Grace – Genesis 46:14-20
Genesis 46:14-20 And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel. These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padan aram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three. And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri,…
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A Name in the Middle of the List – Genesis 46:8-13
Genesis 46:8-13 And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. And the sons of Reuben Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi. And the sons of Simeon Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a…
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The Whole House Comes – Genesis 46:5-7
Genesis 46:5-7 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt,…
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Fear Not to Go Down – Genesis 46:1-4
Genesis 46:1-4 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God…
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The Wagons Are On Their Way – Genesis 45:25-28
Genesis 45:25, 28 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words…
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Do Not Fall Out by the Way – Genesis 45:23-24
Genesis 45:23, 24 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye…
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No Room for Envy – Genesis 45:21-22
Genesis 45:21, 22 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. This…
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The Good of the Land – Genesis 45:16-20
Genesis 45:16-20 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, Joseph’s brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; And take your father and your households,…
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Brought Near – Genesis 45:14-15
Genesis 45:14, 15 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him. The fourth purpose of Joseph’s position is proximity. I like that, because Joseph did not rise to power…
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Tell Dad About the Son – Genesis 45:12-13
Genesis 45:12, 13 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. Joseph now…
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Saved to Preserve – Genesis 45:6-11
Genesis 45:6-11 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it…
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Near Enough to Hear Grace – Genesis 45:4-5
Genesis 45:4, 5 “And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to…
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When Joseph Spoke His Name – Genesis 45:2-3
Genesis 45:2-3 “And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.” There are moments in Scripture when a scene turns so suddenly, so…
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Compassion That Waited for Confession – Genesis 45:1
Genesis 45:1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. Joseph had listened to everything. He had heard Judah say, in effect, “Take me…
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The Man Who Stayed Behind – Genesis 44:32-34
Genesis 44:32-34 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go…
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Bound Up Together – Genesis 44:24-31
Genesis 44:24-31 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down:…
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Standing With the Guilty – Genesis 44:13-23
Genesis 44:13-16 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye…
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The Cup Found at the End – Genesis 44:9-12
Genesis 44:9-12 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. Then they speedily took down every…
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When Men Protest Too Much – Genesis 44:6-8
Genesis 44:6-8 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words. And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land…
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The Cup in the Sack – Genesis 44:1-5
Genesis 44:1-5 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to…
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The Test of Another Man’s Blessing – Genesis 43:34
Genesis 43:34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs… And they drank, and were merry with him. Joseph gave Benjamin five times more than the rest. That was not random. I think Joseph was watching them. Years earlier, when…
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The Hidden Brother at a Separate Table – Genesis 43:31-33
Genesis 43:31-32 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is…
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The Tears Before the Revealing – Genesis 43:27-30
Genesis 43:27-30 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. And he lifted up his…
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Refreshed in the House – Genesis 43:24-26
Genesis 43:24-25 And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there. What they feared did not happen. They thought Joseph’s…
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Peace at the Door – Genesis 43:19-23
Genesis 43:19-23 And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and,…
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Afraid of the House, Invited to the Table – Genesis 43:17-18
Genesis 43:17-18 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house. And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek…
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A Table Prepared Before They Knew Him – Genesis 43:15-16
Genesis 43:15-16 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for…
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Mercy for the Road Ahead – Genesis 43:11-14
Genesis 43:11-14 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: And take double money in your hand;…
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The Surety Steps Forward – Genesis 43:7-10
Genesis 43:7-9 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down? And Judah said unto Israel…
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When Hunger Forces the Issue – Genesis 43:1-6
Genesis 43:1-6 And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying,…
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A Father Holding Too Tight – Genesis 42:37-38
Genesis 42:37-38 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if…
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When Jacob Talks Instead of Israel – Genesis 42:36
Genesis 42:36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. This is one of those painfully honest verses in Scripture. Jacob looks at the whole situation and says, “All these…
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Fear in Every Sack – Genesis 42:29-35
Genesis 42:29-35 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. And we said unto him, We are true men; we are…
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Grace Put Back in the Sack – Genesis 42:25-28
Genesis 42:25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. I love this scene because Joseph does not just feed his brothers. He overwhelms them with undeserved kindness. He fills their…
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The King Who Still Wept – Genesis 42:24
Genesis 42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept… That gets me every time. Joseph is standing there before the very men who betrayed him, sold him, and acted like his pain meant nothing, and now he has to turn away because the emotion is too much. He wept. Under all the testing,…
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The One Listening All Along – Genesis 42:22-23
Genesis 42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. Reuben finally says what had been hanging in the air all along. “His blood is required.” That is the language of guilt. Not inconvenience.…
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We are guilty – Genesis 42:19–21
If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. And they said one to…
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The Man They Could Not Read – Genesis 42:17
Genesis 42:17 And he put them all together into ward three days. Joseph shut his brothers up for three days. That was not random. In the Bible, the third day is often the day when something changes, the day when God begins to turn the corner, the day when what looked dark starts to break…
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Is There Any Truth in You – Genesis 42:14-16
Genesis 42:14-16 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be…
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True Men – Genesis 42:10-13
Genesis 42:10-13 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man’s sons; we are true men; thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said, Thy servants…
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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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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…