Monday, March 8, 2010

Genesis 33-35

Jacob sees Esau coming with 400 men, so he divides his people in two in case one of them perishes, his descendants will still live on.  Jacob is afraid that Esau is still mad at him after all these years, but instead Esau hugged and kissed him!  Jacob gave Esau a present, but this can also be interpreted as "blessing" because they are the same word in Hebrew, so Jacob is giving back his blessing that he stole from Esau.

In the next chapter, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite (a Canaanite), saw Dinah, one of Leah's daughters, he raped her and told his father he wanted her as his wife.  His dad Hamor went to talk to Jacob for Dinah's hand in marriage and offered to pay whatever price David sets.  Dinah's brothers were furious and set up a plan to destroy the Canaanites.  They lied to them and said that Shechem could marry Dinah if all their men were circumcized.  Then the brothers said they could be one people, and Shechem and Hamor happily agreed.  I'm not sure how they convinced all the men in the town to be circumcized, but it seemed like they were very greedy and wanted a share of Jacob's livestock and property.  Three days later, Simeon and Levi killed all the males, looted their houses, and stole their women and children as the Canaanites were still recovering from circumcision.  Jacob did not know about their plot until now, and scolded Simeon and Levi for what they did.  Jacob is afraid now that other Canaanites will hear wind of this, band together, and destroy them.  But the brothers did not apologize and said they would not let them treat Dinah like a prostitute.

Then God told Jacob to build an altar for him at Bethel.  He told everyone in his household to get rid of all their foreign gods and that they were moving to Bethel.  God watched over them and did not let anyone pursue them.  After he built the altar, God appeared to him, blessed him, and renamed him Israel.  God confirms his covenant that he made with Abraham, and gives this land to him and his descendants.

1 comment:

  1. It's amazing to see Esau and Jacob hugging and kissing... one who "deserves to be revenged" comes home to a brother who has forgiven him. The reconciliation is complete! Jacob has truly seen God at work. From insisting to do things his own way, he has finally met God, struggles with God and submits and bows because he finally understands God's grace and power and relentless love for mankind.

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