Genesis 35:22-29

2009.Oct.15 14:45

Isaac’s Death

Read Genesis 35:22-29 | Full Chapter

While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it. Jacob had twelve sons:
(Genesis 35:22, NIV)

Here we see one of those quick asides that must have represented a quite dramatic episode at la casa Israel. Reuben sleeps with Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant. It’s reasonable to speculate that this comes just before or just after Rachel’s death. One can imagine that Jacob is no happy camper. However, if he takes any action, it’s not here noted (and if it’s mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, I apparently have not noticed). This situation is one of many soap-opera moments in this family. One may choose to be reminded of Yahweh’s grace.

The sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Rachel's maidservant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Leah's maidservant Zilpah: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram. Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
(Genesis 35:23-29, NIV)

There’s yet another list of Jacob’s sons (and, hence, the tribes of Israel, depending on which list of tribes you want to use to get the twelve). The only thing I have to add about that here is that Benjamin is lumped with those born in Paddan Aram, rather than near Bethlehem. I doubt that noting that has any value.

Aside from that, Isaac dies. On a happy note, he gets to see Jacob again, and on fairly good terms with Esau. His family turned out pretty well, despite some of his efforts. The history of people whom Yahweh blesses, loves, and chooses is a sordid history. How did Ishmael not decide to one day show up at Isaac’s doorstep and challenge him to a duel? How did Isaac and Rebekah stay married despite their dueling favoritisms? How did neither Jacob nor Esau commit fatricide? How did…well, you get the picture.

That Esau and Jacob bury their father together, after he has had a full life, is one of the best illustrations of Yahweh’s mercy. The theory that there is only an angry, vengeful God in the Old Testament does not stand to examination.

And now, it’s time for the next generation to play their games. Soon enough, we’ll return to Egypt. And that’s where a family, it seems, becomes a nation.

Genesis 30:9-13

2008.Dec.26 04:55

To Be Envied

Read Genesis 30:9-13 | Full Chapter

When Leah saw that she had ceased to bear, she gave Zilpah her maid to Jacob as a [secondary] wife. And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, Victory and good fortune have come; and she named him Gad [fortune]. Zilpah, Leah's maid, bore Jacob [her] second son. And Leah said, I am happy, for women will call me blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied); and she named him Asher [happy].
(Genesis 30:9-13, AMP)

Leah has had four sons, but in her race against younger sister Rachel, she’s fallen behind. Rachel has only had two sons, and those actually sons of Rachel’s handmaid, Bilhah, but they’re more recent, and Jacob is more attracted to her. What to do? Well, two can play the handmaid game.

So, Leah now has her handmaid become a sort of wife to Jacob. Zilpah now joins this crazy child-bearing game. It’s possible that both Zilpah and Bilhah are glad for these roles. After all, their social positions have probably elevated with this ‘lesser wifedom’, if you will. Their respective patrons are probably more interested in the handmaids’ comfort and well-being. On the downside, they may be increasingly subject to the opposing sister’s wrath. What tangled bloody webs.

So, we’re now up to six sons. Beats me what everybody else has been up to otherwise. Jacob is continuing to help out with Laban’s flocks, but as far as what everyday life is like for this strange family, there’s no indication. Indeed, perhaps this family wasn’t so strange for that time.

Still, at what point do you as [pick one: Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Laban, either handmaid] look up and say, “This infighting stops here and now.” No, it seems the collective family goal is more sons, family happiness and unity are irrelevant. Secondary is the success of Laban’s (and later, Jacob’s) flocks. I don’t understand at all the “many offspring” thing. My wife and I are about to have our first child, and while I wouldn’t be surprised if we have at least one more, I don’t judge my success by having children. Indeed, having many children in modern times strikes me as foolish.

I do understand the pull of financial success. Money can make you happy. Temporarily and incompletely, to be sure, but those moments of “yes, we can afford…” are pretty nice while they last. And certainly there’s the (deceptive) feeling that money brings security. But all these considerations–pride in offspring, jealousy between family members, searching for financial success–distract from the actual success of the family.

Genesis 27:1-4

2008.Aug.08 18:00

Food for a Blessing

Read Genesis 27:1-4 | Full Chapter

After Isaac had become old and almost blind, he called in his first-born son Esau, who asked him, "Father, what can I do for you?" Isaac replied, "I am old and might die at any time. So take your bow and arrows, then go out in the fields, and kill a wild animal. Cook some of that tasty food that I love so much and bring it to me. I want to eat it once more and give you my blessing before I die."
(Genesis 27:1-4, CEV)

I can’t say that Isaac’s best decision, if he really intended to give his blessing to his eldest son, was in first requiring Esau to make him a meal. Has he not yet figured out that Jacob is willing to use such opportunities to his advantage, and happens to be much better at doing so that Esau? My impression of Esau is that of the “dumb jock”, but without the motivation (By the way, is it just me or are the an uncanny number of bookish and artistic heros in the Bible?).

Still, I’m sure there’s plenty of significance, well-meant of Isaac’s part, in having Esau first prepare a meal for his father. If nothing else, it’s likely that a good meal will put Isaac in a better mood, thus enhancing the quality of said blessing. For Isaac, this event is probably much more significant than for any of the other players. He is about to die, he is losing his eyesight, at least, and likely feels like he is no longer capable of independent action. This blessing represents his last foray as a powerful patriach; the meal he requests may be the final acknowledgement of his waning power. Of course, as it turns out, the attempted bless more demostrated his failing health and strength.

In other words, this should have been a big moment, and one particularly focused on Isaac. It would have been nice to see the family gathered together, celebrating Isaac’s life. Ha ha. Instead, it’s family politics.

So, my wife is pregnant. Which is wonderful. I read this story, think about my future, my family’s future. Family politics is something I want to be a wall against. What a shame for the last moments of your life to be filled with rivals positioning to gain from your death. And maybe Isaac and Rebekah did make an effort to stop this earlier. But I don’t see any evidence thereof. Indeed, it appears they actively participated.