The Book of Genesis:Perspectives

Chapters 32-36

Jacob and Esau

“in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”

Announcements– CHRISTeens Skit #4 has practice after class tonight at the

Family Center.

– Widows and widowers are invited to a Valentine’s Tea in their honor Saturday, February 13, at 11:00 AM, at the Family Center. The tea is hosted by the youth group.

– Girlfriends at West Side “Cinema Chicks” will meet Saturday, February 13, at 12:45 PM, at the Picwood Theater for the matinee.

– The truck from SCH will be here Tuesday, February 16 to get supplies and groceries. A complete list is on the bulletin board in the foyer of items needed.

“in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”

Prayer List

• Carolyn Williams – St. Mary’s #201. • Bill Hilton – St. Mary’s #253 after

surgery for a broken hip.• Avery Cook (Shelby Bryant’s friend)

diagnosed with scoliosis at school.• Matt Kitchens (Johnny & Sheryl Killins’

nephew) had surgery for a lacerated liver after a serious car accident February 4.

GenesisWeek Date Topic

1 09 Dec 09 Introduction and the Creation: 1:1-2:25 (Ben)

2 16 Dec 09 The Fall: 3:1-5:32

3 23 Dec 09 Elder Selection Discussion (Herb)

4 30 Dec 09 The Flood: 6:1-9:29

5 06 Jan 10 Table of Nations/Tower of Babel: 10:1-11:9

6 13 Jan 10 Life of Abraham – Part 1: 11:10-16:16

7 20 Jan 10 Life of Abraham – Part 2: 17-23; 25:1-10

8 27 Jan 10 Life of Isaac: 24; 25:11-26:35

9 03 Feb 10 Life of Jacob: 27:1-31:55

10 10 Feb 10 Jacob and Esau: 32:1-36:43

11 17 Feb 10 Life of Joseph – Corruption: 37:1-38:30

12 24 Feb 10 Life of Joseph – Exaltation: 39:1-41:57

13 03 Mar 10 Life of Joseph – Salvation: 42:1-50:25

Today’s Objectives• Provide a review of last week’s lesson

• Review a map of the area where Isaac lived

• Provide a summary of Genesis 32-36

• Learn about Jacob’s journey back to Canaan

• Review why Jacob was fearful of meeting Esau

• Learn about Jacob’s meeting with Esau

• Learn how Jacob became known as Israel

• Learn why Jacob’s son kills the men of Shechem

• Learn about the death of Rachel and Isaac

• Learn about Esau’s descendants

Last week• Provided a review of last week’s lesson

• Reviewed a map of the area where Isaac lived

• Provided a summary of Genesis 27-31

• Saw how Jacob deceived Isaac and stole his blessing

• Rebekah advises Jacob to flee for Haran or else Esau may kill him

• Jacob meets Rachel, ask Laban if he can marry her; however, he must labor many years

• Jacob and Laban’s relationship deteriorates

• Jacob leaves Haran to return home, Laban catches him, and a covenant is made

Authorship • Bible scholars attribute Genesis to Moses

– Inspired by God, Moses was the human instrument through which God spoke

– Also attributed to writing the first five books of the bible

• Date of writing– Uncertain– Probably between 1500-1400 BC– Spans more time than any other book of the Bible– Approximately 2370 years, more time than the other 65

books combined– Oldest and most detailed record of ancient history in

existence

Terminology• Bereshith

– Hebrew name for the book meaning “in the beginning”

• Septuagint– Oldest Greek translation of the OT, around 270 BC

• Torah– Hebrew word for “the law”, refers to the first five books

• Pentateuch– Greek name for the first five books of the OT

• Dead Sea Scrolls– Ancient manuscripts found in 1947 contain parts of all

books of the OT except Esther, confirming translations

Children of Jacob (30:1-24)

Travels of Jacob

Genesis 32 Summary

• Jacob meets with angels at Mahanaim (1-2)

• Tries to make peace with Esau (3-6)

• Prays to God for deliverance in his engagement with Esau (9-23)

• Jacob wrestles with angels (24-32)

Jacob Travels to Canaan (32:1-8)

• Jacob travels from the Galilee on his way back to Canaan, after 20 years (v. 1-2)– Angels of God meet him– Word translated for host is machaneh or “two camps”– Jacob’s camp and the camp of the angels

• Jacob sends messengers forward to check on Esau’s attitude (v. 3-6)– Esau responded through Jacob’s messenger that he would

meet him…with 400 hundred men!

• Jacob becomes afraid – divides his group in order to save at least one (v. 7-8)

Jacob Prays for Deliverance (32:9-23)

• Jacob had divided his camp and prays to God for help (v. 9-12)– Reminds God of His promise to Jacob (v. 12)

• Jacob devises a plan in which to meet Esau– Gather various livestock as a gift to Esau (v. 14-15)– Lead his group with the gift of livestock, separating the

gift from Jacob and his group (v. 16)– Perhaps the gift would appease Esau and he welcome

Jacob back with open arms, i.e. not kill him

Jacob becomes Israel (32:24-32)

• Jacob wrestles with a “man” during the night– Physical manifestation of God– Seen God face to face (v. 30)– Asks God to bless him

• God renames him Israel, meaning prevailing with God (v. 28)

• References Sinew, or tendon at the socket of the hip– Jews do not eat of the sinew of the thigh shank of any

animal to this day

Genesis 33 Summary

• Confrontation between Jacob and Esau

• Jacob and Esau meet (v. 1-16)

• Jacob comes to Succoth and Shalem, where he builds an altar (v. 17-20)

Jacob and Esau Meet (33:1-16)

• Esau arrives with 400 men (v. 1-3)– Sends out his handmaidens and their children first, then

Leah, then Rachel to meet Esau– Jacob bows down seven times until he came near Esau,

being the last to arrive

• Esau runs to meet him, and embraces him – It wasn’t the big, scary event he feared (v. 4-11)– Invites Jacob to his home in Seir (v. 14)– Jacob didn’t actually go

Jacob Moves On (33:17-20)

• Jacob departs for Succoth (v. 17)– Builds a house– Builds shelters for his livestock– At Succoth, east of the Jordan river

• Travels to Shalem, city of Shechem (v. 18)– Shalem was likely a precursor to Jerusalem– Sets up a tent– Purchase a parcel of land– Builds an altar, to be called Elelohe Israel

Genesis 34 Summary

• Additional details of Jacob’s life

• His daughter, Dinah, is defile by Shechem (v. 1-19)

• Simeon and Levi, sons of Jacob, kill the Shechemites (v. 20-31)

Jacob’s Daugther Defiled (34:1-19)

• Leah daughter, Dinah, defiled by Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite (v. 1-2)– Dinah had gone out to see the “daughters of the land”– Shechem sees her and defiles her – not a good thing– Shechem wants to marry Dinah

• Jacob hears about what happened to Dinah (v. 5)– Shechem’s father tries to diffuse the situation– Jacob’s sons were enraged, want revenge

• Sons of Jacob intervene (v. 13-19)– Shechem was a gentile, they propose circumcision– Hamor and Shechem decide not to underake this

Hamor and Shechem Killed (34:20-31)

• Hamor and Shechem return to sell the idea of circumcision to all the men of the city– Would ultimately translate to wealth– All were circumcised (v. 24)– But wrong motives

• On the third day, Simeon and Levi kill all the males of the city (v. 25)– Had defile their sister– Took all their livestock, children, and wives

• Jacob is very upset about the actions (v. 30)– Fear of reprisal from the Canaanite and Perizzites

Genesis 35 Summary

• Additional details on the life of Jacob

• Jacob returns to Bethel (v. 1-15)

• Birth of Benjamin and death of Rachel (v. 16-26)

• Death of Isaac (v. 27-29)

Jacob Returns to Bethel (35:1-15)

• God directs Jacob to go to Bethel (v. 1)– Make an altar to God– Directs his household to put away strange gods, put his

spiritual house in order– Travel with him to Bethel

• Jacob arrives at Bethel– Builds an altar and called the place Elbethel– God appears to Jacob again (similar to 32:28)– Reiterates his name as Israel, to be fruitful and multiply– Land which was Abraham’s and Isaac’s would be his

Births and Deaths (35:16-29)

• Rachel gives birth to Benjamin but dies in labor– Rachel is buried in Bethlehem

• Jacob is referred to as Israel now (v. 21)– Departs and sets up his tent near Edar– Reuben, son of Jacob, lies with Bilhah, Jacob’s

maidservant– 1 Chron 5:1 states that Reuben lost his birthright– Also, Jacob noted Reuben shall not excel (Gen 49:4)

• Sons of Leah, Rachel, and the handmaidens

• Isaac dies at 180, in the city of Hebron

Genesis 36 Summary

• Genealogical account of Esau’s family

• All were descendents of Isaac and Abraham

Esau’s Descendents (36:1-43)

• Wives were from the daughters of Canaan, Hittites, Hivites, and from Ishmael’s family

• Dwelled in mount Seir– South and East of the Dead Sea, present day Jordan

• Esau is Edom (v. 8)

• Key descendants– Amalek, who would produce the Amalekites– Some would become kings of Edom

Perspectives on Edom in the Bible

• Esau is Edom• Two kings reigned in Edom before any king

reigned over the Israelites (1 Chr 1:43-54)• Edom denies Israel passage (Num 20:14-29)• Edom to be a perpetual wasteland (Isa 34:1-17)• Edom to be a wasteland (Jer 49:7-22)• Divine judgment against Edom (Ezk 25:12-14)• God’s perpetual enmity against Edom (Mal 1:1-4)• Esau – a type of flesh, Jacob – a type of spirit

Review• Provided a review of last week’s lesson• Reviewed Genesis Chapter 32-36

• Learned about Jacob’s journey back to Canaan

• Reviewed why Jacob was fearful of meeting Esau

• Learned about Jacob’s meeting with Esau

• Learned how Jacob became known as Israel

• Learned why Jacob’s son kills the men of Shechem

• Learned about the death of Rachel and Isaac

• Learned about Esau’s descendants• Next week – Life of Joseph, Gen 37-38