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GENESIS 35 RACHEL DIES GIVING BIRTH TO BENJAMIN

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February 26

GENESIS 35

16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. 17 And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” 18 And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), 20 and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. 21 Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it. – Genesis 35:16-22

GENESIS 35 RACHEL DIES GIVING BIRTH TO BENJAMIN

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After Jacob set up an altar in Bethel, they continued their journey

Rachel was with child during this travel and was suffering

Before they arrived in Ephrath, Rachel went into labor

She had a very difficult childbirth; then a son was born to her

Rachel didn’t make it but the child did and she called him Ben-oni

Jacob called him Benjamin instead, which means son of my right hand.

We hear two deaths in Jacob’s household, one after the other. First it was the nurse of Rachel, Deborah who died, and then Rachel herself followed after giving birth to Benjamin. Perhaps the loss of Deborah and Rachel couldn’t be a payoff for the slaughter of men of Shechem by Simeon and Levi, but sins always have a consequence when they are born. Rachel, before she died, called her son Ben-oni which means “the son of my sorrows.” From a commentary Jacob would probably remember Rachel’s sorrows if he called him Ben-oni, which is why he called him Benjamin instead. I think it was God inspired as we know that the right hand in the bible is symbolic of power and strength.

Rachel was buried where she died nearby Bethlehem. It is interesting that Mary, the mother of Jesus was also traveling when she gave birth to Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem.

God surely planned all these events.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think Moses omitted Jacob’s mourning for Rachel in this account?

GENESIS 35 COVENANT PROMISE TO JACOB

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February 25

GENESIS 35

9 God appearedto Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel. – Genesis 35:9-15

GENESIS 35 COVENANT PROMISE TO JACOB

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When the Lord called Jacob to come back to Bethel

The Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel

He also reiterated to Jacob his covenant promise

The Lord passes on to Jacob his promise to Abraham and Isaac

He will be given the land that was promised to his offspring

So, Jacob called that place where God had spoken Bethel.

This place which was originally “Luz” was called Bethel by Jacob when he first laid his head on the stone and God showed himself to him for the first time. At this point, the Lord showed himself to Jacob again and reiterated his promise to his grandfather Abraham and to his father Isaac. Twelve tribes will be coming from his lineage who will bear kings from such offspring. God also promised Jacob that they will eventually own the land which is currently occupied by the Canaanites.

Once again, we see the Lord’s faithfulness in keeping his promise to his chosen people. Even though Abraham is gone already, the Lord comes to Jacob to remind him of the covenant promise he made to his grandfather.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God continued to keep his promise to Jacob’s offspring despite their revenge and slaughter of the Canaanites men?

GENESIS 34 THE SLAUGHTER OF THE CANAANITES MEN

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February 23

GENESIS 34

25 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29 All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.” 31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?”  – Genesis 34:25-31

GENESIS 34 THE SLAUGHTER OF THE CANAANITES MEN

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

On the third day of the Canaanite males’ circumcision, while they were still sore

Simeon and Levi took their swords and killed all the male inhabitants of the land

They also didn’t spare Hamor and Shechem and they took Dinah out of their house

They also took all their flocks, herds and donkeys and whatever was in their field

Jacob was distressed knowing that his sons have brought trouble for him in Canaan

He knew that he wasn’t getting younger if the Canaanites retaliated from this attack.

This slaughter clearly shows us the sins passed on to Jacob’s sons as far back as Cain who was the first offspring of Adam and Eve. The spirit of rebellion and revenge was in every human being’s DNA. Without the Lord changing our hearts, we are all evil inside of us. Simeon and Levi were walking in their flesh and sinful nature. Their egos were hurt that their sister was defiled and Jacob wasn’t doing anything about it. There was no respect for authority and honor. They were deep in the hurt that was done to their reputation. Now, we can see why Jacob was silent in all of these events. He was doing the best in terms of keeping the peace. He knew his children’s character well enough from the start.

REFLECTION

  • How was “pride” the source of the slaughtering of the Canaanite men?

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GENESIS 34 HAMOR’S MEN AGREE TO CIRCUMCISION

February 22

GENESIS 34

18 Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. 19 And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. Now he was the most honored of all his father’s house. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.” 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

                                                                      – Genesis 34:18-24

GENESIS 34 HAMOR’S MEN AGREE TO CIRCUMCISION

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When the sons of Jacob proposed for Hamor’s clan to be circumcised

Hamor and Shechem presented the condition to all the men in their land

The men saw the benefit it would do to them if they agreed

So, without delay, in obedience to Hamor, they were all circumcised.

It seems to me that the Canaanites, despite their reputation for evil, showed a good side of them here. Despite Shechem’s defilement of Dinah which all began this treaty, we see the sincerity of Shechem to right what he did wrong. There is no detail regarding Dinah’s view on all of this. She must have gone through a traumatic experience too. It was her first time to leave their house to explore the women of the land and was grabbed and raped. Even though we hear of Shechem’s obsession to have her as his wife, we have no idea how she also feels about all these.

We do not hear anything from Jacob. He probably knew his sons so well that he may have suspected the evil revenge plot they were doing to debilitate the men and get revenge for their sister’s honor and their reputation. The men all agreed to be circumcised.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think all the men agreed to go through circumcision?

GENESIS 34 SHECHEM DEFILES DINAH

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February 20

GENESIS 34

Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. 3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.” 5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing must not be done. – Genesis 34:1-7

GENESIS 34 SHECHEM DEFILES DINAH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Dinah, Jacob’s daughter by Leah went to see the women

She was seized and defiled by Shechem, Hamor’s son, the prince of the Hivite

But later on, Shechem’s lust turn into love and wanted Dinah to be his wife

But Dinah’s brothers were outraged by this act of defilement to their sister.

This chapter in Genesis is a very disturbing account of abuse of power and out of control desires. According to Matthew Henry’s account, Dinah was the only daughter of Jacob. One can imagine growing up with all these boys around her. Because she had no sisters growing up, she was probably curious what it was like to be around women, so she left their house to explore. According to some commentaries, she probably was not just curious to meet the women, but also the men. The fact that she was seized by Shechem and raped was indicative that she was walking alone unescorted by any of her brothers.

Shechem was the son of a prince of that land and we see the abuse of power manifested in him when he decided to grab the woman he wanted. We clearly witnessed the abuse of that status that he held. He didn’t care who she was, he just wanted her and took her. Jacob’s silence at the news of his only daughter’s predicament is quite surprising and unsettling.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think Jacob didn’t react to the news of Dinah’s defilement?

GENESIS 33 JACOB ARRIVES IN SHECHEM

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February 19

GENESIS 33

12 Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead ofyou.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.” 15 So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore, the name of the place is called Succoth. 18 And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. 19 And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of moneythe piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. 20 There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

                                                                                – Genesis 33:12-20

GENESIS 33 JACOB ARRIVES IN SHECHEM

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After meeting his brother Esau who wanted to journey with them

He requested that they take their time because of the women and children

So, Esau understood his brother’s request and went back to Seir

While Jacob went to Succoth, built a house and made booths for his livestock

He also came safely to the city of Shechem and camped before the city

Then, from the sons of Hamor, he bought a piece of land and put up an altar.

We witness the love between Jacob and Esau here. Esau wanted to provide some of his men to help Jacob and his camp to follow them, but Jacob was wise enough to see that it would stress the flock, women and children.  Esau respected his brother’s request and went on his way back to Seir. It is amazing how Jacob is able to be very sensitive to his women and children and I was thinking that he himself was already in his nineties when he returned to his homeland. Jacob’s thankful heart was so evident in his desire to erect an altar and call it El-Elohe-Israel as a gratitude for all going well.

REFLECTION

  • What was evident in Jacob’s heart in this account?

GENESIS 33 JACOB & ESAU REUNITED

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February 18

GENESIS 33

And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So, he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. 2 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7 Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. 11 Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus, he urged him, and he took it. – Genesis 33:1-11

GENESIS 33 JACOB & ESAU REUNITED

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

As Jacob prepared himself to meet his brother Esau

There were concerns for him so he positioned servants

He made sure the servants and their children marched first

Then his wives and him and their children last.

In this account of the reunion of Jacob and Esau, we witness Jacob’s wise strategy to ease himself to meet the brother that he had cheated on. After being cheated himself for twenty years by Laban, he knows how Esau must have felt after he tricked him. We also see the hand of God in this reunion, as he reassured Jacob that he is not alone. All of Jacob’s fear was appeased when his brother came running towards him and hugged him and wept. It is a picture of God’s grace and mercy that Esau forgave his younger brother.

REFLECTION

  • How was it possible that Esau forgot and forgave his brother after twenty years?

GENESIS 32 JACOB’S GENEROUS GIFTS FOR ESAU

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February 16

GENESIS 32

13 So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.” 17 He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’” 19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, 20 and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease himwith the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp – Genesis 32:13-21

GENESIS 32 JACOB’S GENEROUS GIFTS FOR ESAU

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After Jacob’s fervent prayer to God, he prepared his gifts

He wanted to share as much wealth as he had for Esau

So, he asked his servants to lead 400 animals ahead

This way, Esau will see all these gifts before he saw Jacob

This was Jacob’s way of appeasing his brother

So, he can make up for what he did to him in the past.

It was such a generous act that Jacob did in this account. He planned to appease his brother Esau with these gifts. He longed to go back home to his family and make amends with Esau so that he can be forgiven for what he did. It truly shows what God has done in Jacob’s heart. He acknowledged his sin and wanted to make things right with his brother.

What is also remarkable here is Jacob’s generosity. He shared all the bounty he received from the Lord. God prospered him and he shared it with his brother.

REFLECTION

  • Does generosity come second nature to us humans? Why or why not?

GENESIS 32 JACOB’S HUMBLE PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE

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February 15

GENESIS 32

9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

                                                                                                                        – Genesis 32:9-12

GENESIS 32 JACOB’S HUMBLE PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Jacob was confronted with the fear of Esau

He bowed down in humility and prayed to the Lord

He recognized God’s steadfast love and faithfulness

And acknowledged his undeserving heart for his grace

He pleaded God to deliver him from his brother’s wrath

He also prayed for the sake of all the women and children.

When we are faced with fear and danger, we can pray the most ardent prayers. When Jacob was confronted with such fear for his life and the lives of his family and the two camps he came with, he was pleading to God for deliverance and protection. We witness here the transformed heart that God granted Jacob after twenty years since he left his homeland to flee from his brother’s wrath and to find a wife from his mother’s kin.  He wasn’t just afraid for his life now but also for the lives of those who came with him and his entire clan.

What is interesting here is that Jacob recalled he only had a staff when he crossed the Jordan and now, he has two camps coming back home. He acknowledged how God has multiplied him in offspring and wealth. He not only became humble, he also learned to be thankful and totally dependent on the Lord.

REFLECTION

  • Why is humility and dependence on God very important when we pray?

GENESIS 32 JACOB CONFRONTED WITH FEAR OF ESAU

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February 14

GENESIS 32

Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, 4 instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’ 6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, 8 thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape. – Genesis 32:1-8

GENESIS 32 JACOB CONFRONTED WITH FEAR OF ESAU

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After twenty years of absence, Jacob comes home to his homeland

On his way towards it, the angels of God showed themselves to him

And he called that place Mahanaim for he knew it was God’s camp

Now he is confronted with fear of Esau, so he sent advanced message

He used all his possessions to protect himself from possible attack

After learning Esau had four hundred men with him, he got more scared.

After being away from his parents for over twenty years, Jacob longed so much to see them again. I couldn’t imagine what might have gone into his mind and how he felt after Laban pursued him and claimed he stole from him. But now, he also is probably so apprehensive that he now has to confront the stealing he had done to his older brother Esau. We see how God has truly been with him, growing him in humility and also in wealth. He planned to pay off his brother with most of what he owned.

When he found out that Esau was meeting him with four hundred men, the fear was debilitating. If I were in the same predicament, I would probably faint from anxiety and fear of what Esau could do to him to retaliate for what he had done to him.

REFLECTION

  • What should believers do when we are confronted with fear?