Having concluded Genesis Chapter 35 as part of our daily reading plan, we have completed the 9th out of 11 sub-books of Genesis. Hopefully you’ve had the opportunity to keep up with our daily reading and also to come here and read some of the information I’ve compiled. I know it is a lot of reading but I believe this is one of the single most important things we can be doing with our life right now. The more we read, the more we reflect and meditate on the Word of God, the more He can work within our lives. I pray each day before I read that God provides me His wisdom and understanding while I read so that I may receive with open heart what it is He is trying to say to me. I pray the same is true for you and that God has continued to bless you each day as you read and implement God’s Word in your life.

As we begin in Part II of the 9th sub-book of Genesis, we see a quick change in the attitude of Laban and his sons towards Jacob. I’d like to go back to Chapter 30 for a minute and acknowledge how God has continued to keep His promises to Jacob. In Genesis 30, verse 43: “Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.” Additionally, we learned throughout Part I of this sub-book that Jacob had multiplied greatly (12 sons) and as we can clearly see through the last verse of chapter 30, Jacob also gained significant wealth from the land in which he occupied. All of these things are promised to Jacob, just as they were to Abraham and to Isaac, in Genesis 28: 13-16. The last thing promised to Jacob is in verse 15: “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land.” This last promise we see is brought to fruition in Part II as we open in Genesis 31. In the face of growing animosity with Laban and Laban’s sons, over Jacob’s continued growth in wealth, God commands Jacob (verse 3) to “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” In faithfulness, Jacob obeys and sets to depart from Laban.

In preparation for Jacob’s departure we see a magnificent dialogue in which Jacob acknowledges God’s work in his life. Throughout verses 4-16 Jacob describes to his wives (Rachel and Leah) what God has done in their life and how God has blessed them in the midst of being cheated by Laban. Though some of this dialogue may be accented by fear of Laban and his sons (as indicated by Jacob’s departure in silence) I find that a very interesting and heart warming statement is made by Rachel and Leah in verse 16. They say to Jacob: “Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.” Perhaps this dialogue would have been different if all their wealth was not present but in either case, God had blessed Jacob and through his open dialogue with his wives, they all agreed that God’s plan was better than any one they could come up with and therefore, they followed His instructions. These series of events and specifically this dialogue provide us another glimpse at how God knows our hearts and knows what we need to hear, see, and touch in order to have faith in Him. Though He desires for us to have unconditional faith in and love for Him, He is all knowing and has a plan for our salvation.

After discovering Jacob’s departure, Laban gathers his kinsmen and pursues Jacob. I interpret this series of events to imply that Laban was angry with Jacob and sought after some sort of payment prior to Jacob’s freedom from his land. Whatever Laban’s motives and attitude, we see in verse 24 that God appears to Laban and warns him to “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” This implies that God knew Laban’s heart as well and indicates that God saw Laban pursuing Jacob out of something other than love for his son-in-law. Upon catching up to Jacob a discussion ensues in which Laban accuses Jacob of stealing from him. How much Jacob is accused of stealing is unclear but we do see a focus on Laban’s “gods” in which Jacob had no knowledge of their theft. Through the Scripture we see that Rachel had stolen her father’s “gods’ and deceived him in not finding them on her person. So Laban finishes his search of Jacob’s goods and in verse 43 references that all of Jacob’s household is his (daughters, children, flocks) and decides to enter into a covenant with Jacob as there is no other option (out of fear of God). Thus, Jacob and Laban enter into a covenant with one another through the use of a pillar and a heap of stones. The location was marked as a watch post for the two and the famous Mizpah benediction was born which states: “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight.”

In the morning, Laban had departed and Jacob continued on his journey. As Jacob nears the region of his brother Esau, Jacob is met by angels of God. Just as Jacob was blessed by angels upon his departure from Canaan (Genesis 28:12) he is now welcomed home by angels in Genesis 32:1. Remembering the reason Jacob fled from Canaan approximately 20 years earlier, Jacob fears the vengeance of his brother Esau (Genesis 27:41). In an attempt to reach Esau with love and reconciliation, Jacob sends a peace party ahead with gifts. Upon the messengers return, they share with Jacob that Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men (indicating Esau’s prosperity and strength) causing further anxiety within Jacob. Jacob then decides to separate his household indicating his inability to trust in and lack of faith in the Lord. Jacob does, however, again acknowledge God’s power by praying to God for protection and guidance in this time of uncertainty and fear. We get the impression that Jacob realizes how much he needs God in this hour and it is so relevant to how we (today) often find ourselves kneeling before God only at times of great struggle. One of the most interesting items in this prayer is that Jacob declares in verse 10 (for the first time I believe) that he is not worthy of God’s great love, compassion, and protection. Through the closing verses of Genesis 32 we read an account of Jacob wrestling with God who appeared before him in the form of a man. Jacob over-powered the man for a long time until God chose to show His power by disabling Jacob with the touch of His finger. Jacob did not give up, however, until the man blessed him. It was then that Jacob acknowledged God, and God’s blessing, which in turn lead to God’s decision to change Jacob’s name to Israel. I think it’s imperative to understand that this wrestling match between God and Jacob symbolizes Jacob’s maturity and faith. Through the battle Jacob encounters, Jacob realizes his struggles and the only way to transcend these struggles is through humbling himself before the Lord and accepting God’s blessing through faith. Jacob does not let this happen as a passing thought, Jacob is determined to accept God’s blessing and as such, finally entrusts his life to the Lord.

Finally, after the great internal struggle of Jacob, he meets his brother Esau and through a series of bows and signs of submission, Esau embraces Jacob with a clear demonstration of Esau’s love for his brother (Jacob). Esau likens this encounter to the undeserved love and compassion shown to him by God. Jacob grants all the blessings he has attained from the Lord (livestock sent ahead of him) to Esau as a sign of Jacob’s attempt to reconcile the birthright he had taken from Esau approximately 20 years earlier. The two depart paths once again though this time in peace and prosperity towards one another. Jacob purchases a piece of land and settles in the area of Shechem. As customarily performed by the chosen lineage of God, Jacob erects an altar and praises the Lord as his God.

Genesis 34 opens with Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, going out into the land. In Dinah’s travel she is seized and raped by Hamor the Hivite. Hamor lusts after Dinah and through his apparent power, he is able to overcome Dinah without any hesitation or resistance. As verse 3 concludes, we see that Hamor’s lust turns into love and he now longs after Dinah as his wife. It is clear that Hamor has some power or is highly respected in the land of Shechem as his father immediately seeks to satisfy his son’s desire. Of course, Dinah’s family is enraged by the audacity of Hamor. Hamor attempts to reason with the family of Jacob over his apparent change of heart towards Dinah. Hamor’s love is evident in the offer made to provide whatever bride price is asked for. Unfortunately the sons of Jacob deceitfully entered an agreement with Shechem and Hamor that all the men of their land be circumcised in order to inter-marry with their family. Again, it shows us the amount of power and influence Hamor must have had over the area because the people of Shechem agree to be circumcised for his desires. In reading this section we see that there was no intent to uphold the agreement made, instead two of Jacob’s sons take it upon themselves to satisfy their revenge for the actions Hamor did to their sister and in the soreness of circumcision raise their sword to the town of Shechem. The most unfortunate part of this section is that all of Jacob’s sons take a sign of the covenant of Abraham’s lineage in vain by having the people of Shechem circumcised without believing in the God of Abraham (also God of Isaac and now God of Jacob). What’s worse, is that two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, engage in the act of murder of all the males in the region of Shechem. Jacob condemns the treacherous act Simeon and Levi have performed in Genesis 34:30 but as verse 31 shows us, they simply do not grasp the concept of love, compassion, and forgiveness in which God has showered them with.

As we close out the account of Isaac (the 9th Sub-book of Genesis) Jacob leaves the region of Shechem and travels to Bethel at the direction of God in Genesis 35:1. In so doing, Jacob orders his household to “… purify yourselves …” prior to rising up and traveling to Bethel. Out of faith, Jacob gathers the foreign gods of his household and buries them. The Lord then blesses them on their travels and protects them by casting a terror over the cities that surrounded them. God again declares Jacob’s name to now be Israel and also reiterates His promise to Jacob (same promise as given to Abraham, and to Isaac before). This particular instance is a clear sign that God has now chosen and foreshadows Israel’s succession as the chosen one. It is interesting to note that though God had promised Jacob before and blessed Jacob on his life-long journey around the region, it is now, after all the encounters Jacob has had with God that God acknowledges Israel’s heartfelt faith in Him. I believe this is the time where God acknowledges that Israel has now entrusted his life to God and begins to engage in Israel’s life every day. This is an example that brings me hope and strength that each day I read my daily reading and each day I pray to Lord my God, He engages in my life. As I strive to entrust my life to Him and I strive to submit my every thought, my tongue, and all my actions to Him, He takes control of my life and performs things I could never have done or thought to be done. It is here in Genesis that Jacob (Israel) has granted his life to God.

The last section of Part II of the 9th Sub-book of Genesis accounts for the simultaneous death of Rachel while giving birth to Benjamin. The only major thing of note is the use of the word soul which indicates the soul is what enlivens the body and departs during death. This section, however, does not yet tell us what happens to the soul once it departs the body. Lastly, Isaac dies in the last couple verses of Genesis 35. Not much is said about Isaac’s death but the genealogy of Jacob is provided just before Isaac’s death indicating God’s chosen lineage to carry on Isaac’s covenant.

ESV Daily Reading Bible Halley’s Bible Handbook
ESV Study Bible