Month: April 2020

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Bible Study Numbers

Numbers | Chapter 6

The theme of holiness continues in chapter 6, this time covering those who wish to intentionally set themselves apart in service to YHWH. These folks would be distinct, of course, from the priests, whose tribe and thus life are committed to a specific service to God as well as adherence to certain physical behaviors or adornments so that folks would know when they were dealing with a priest. The occasion for these everyday Israelites to volunteer for intentionally setting themselves apart to YHWH is not outlined, although there are examples in the Old Testament of folks doing this for a short time as part of a petition to God for a specific outcome or blessing or people living this way for life (such as Samson), likely because their parents committed them to such a thing. 

We should probably see this type of vow as similar to anointing folks in oil for prayer. There isn’t anything magical in here, but it’s a use of your whole being (spiritual, mental, physical) to express a request for God’s specific and focused attention on something or someone. Also, remember that it is voluntary. There isn’t anywhere else in scripture where this is prescribed in response to sin or an act of penance or anything like that. This is a follower of YHWH living a human life who has a need or desire for God’s focused attention and chooses to live in this way. The point of this chapter is to provide guidance that, if you wanted to do such a thing, this is how it should be done. Note that this vow was not restricted to men, women could take a Nazarite vow as well. 

The word Nazarite is a transliteration from Hebrew and means “set apart” (we can recognize the word “holy” as a synonym). As part of being set apart, there are 3 specific things outlined to abstain from: grapes/wine, cutting hair, and touching dead bodies. Scripture isn’t always explicit about the “why” behind each of these but there are some reasonable assertions. For wine, there is a pretty consistent connection in the history of God’s people between strong drink and the neglect of His law. Recall that Leviticus 10 forbids priests to drink wine and enter the Tent of Meeting. It’s also implied that drinking was involved in the deaths of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu. The curse upon the Canaanites can ultimately be sourced from a drunk Noah passing out and being viewed by his son Ham, father of Canaan. And Lot’s drunkenness leads to him conceiving children with his daughters, producing the Ammonites and the Moabites, ultimately enemies of Israel who will hire a prophet to curse God’s people as they travel to their promised land. Broad point, it’s a risk, and not one worth taking when you’re setting yourself apart for special attention from YHWH. 

On the hair, the long, unshorn locks eventually become a sacrifice. Once the time of the vow is complete, the hair is shaved off and put on the altar as a peace offering to YHWH. The long hair also becomes a mark to the community around them that they are under a vow. This is similar to wearing sackcloth, or in our day black clothes, for mourning.  It lets your community around you know what you’re going through. Unlike the warning against making it obvious that you are fasting by putting on a show, there is a practicality to people knowing why you’re avoiding strong drink, not cutting your hair, or willing to participate in communal activities like the care for a dead body. 

The dead body item is a matter of cleanliness, we can note similarly that a priest can’t touch one for purposes of holiness. There are no exceptions for close family, death is still death and the person under a vow may not break it, even for dealing with the death of close family. Ever anticipating people’s tendency to try and treat the implausible as plausible for the chance at skirting a rule, v.9 and forward explains what must happen if a someone happens to die next to someone who is under the Nazarite vow and accidentally touches the body. In such case, the person shaves their head, waits a week, makes some sacrifices (holiness restored) and the thing starts over. That said, we shouldn’t miss the severity of this ritual. Unlike less serious defilement, which could be cleansed through a washing, this required washing, cutting of hair, and a series of sacrifices. Whatever the nature of this commitment of being set aside for YHWH is, it is an important business, on the level of the defilement of not just a priest but a high priest. 

When the time of separation was completed, meaning the vow was complete, a series of sacrifices is made and the hair is cut and offered as a sacrifice on the altar. The description stipulates that someone could offer over and above what is stipulated here in the ritual voluntarily. However, just like the original taking of the vow, once you make it it must be kept. It’s better to commit and keep it then to over-commit and fall short. 

These vows were still popular at the time of Jesus and it appears that Paul takes such a vow in Acts 18. It’s also possible that John the Baptizer and James, brother of Jesus, were Nazarites. All told, it seems that there may still be a place for self-imposed dedication to YHWH in this way in  our modern lives. 

Following the context of the previous few chapters, the culmination of this call to and protection of holiness in the presence of YHWH among His people, as well as the role of the priests, we find a great blessing. YHWH instructs Moses to tell Aaron and his sons that the people of Israel are to blessed in the following way: “YHWH bless you and keep you, YHWH make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, YHWH lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” And so the people of Israel get a reminder of what all of these laws are here for. YHWH creates a path of blessing for His people, a way to live out the identify of being His people and thus recipients of His gifts, His attention, His blessing, His grace, and His peace. When they fall short of receiving these gifts in their fullness, He prepares a way for restoration, for atonement; a means for being brought back into His face shining upon them. 

Seriously, what a blessing. And it remains that for us as well. The means of restoration are through Jesus, rescuing us from our wandering and from our defilement, and making a way that we may live now and forever in His blessing, His grace, and His peace. 

Amen

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Bible Study Exodus

Exodus | Chapter 1

Exodus opens with the names of the sons of the man Israel. This is important for both historical and literary reasons. To history, we’ll come to find out that it’s been a few hundred years since this family first came to settle in Goshen, within the territory of the Egyptian pharaoh. They had now spent many years in pagan surroundings. During that time, we get a sense that many of them have given up on the thought of a God that cares for them. As that iterates through subsequent generations, it’s quite possible that they know very little of the promises God has made through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. From a literary perspective, it reminds us, just like them, that this story isn’t in isolation.

The names of Israel’s sons are listed in birth order. We’re told the whole family is 70 strong, same figure given in Genesis 46, and that Joseph was already there. These are important to set the scene as both have relevance to the problems that are to come. We will go from an invited Israelite family who aren’t very big to an exceedingly strong nation that has been fruitful and greatly increasing (if we remember from Genesis, this is blessing language). The situation has changed.

As is prone to happen, Egypt eventually has a different leader than the one who was in charge and permitted Joseph’s family to settle there. It’s not super clear who this new pharaoh is, but it’s likely a native Egyptian who deposed the last of the Hyksos pharaohs. The Hyksos were, for all practical purposes, invaders from Asia who had settled in Egypt and taken the throne by force. After a couple of hundred years they are chased out. If this happens to be the right scenario, it’s easier to understand the threat that the new pharaoh potentially sees from the Israelites in Goshen. This is compounded by the general fear/mistrust Egyptians had of foreign peoples (driven likely by a sense of superiority).

The rendering of the pharaoh’s concern in v. 10, though, doesn’t make a ton of sense. The way it reads it sounds like he is concerned that the Israelites may get in league with an invading army and escape. Given that they don’t particularly care for this group that is blessed and massive within their borders, the fact that they might leave doesn’t seem like a problem. In fact, it’s probably a good thing in their eyes. A similar phrase is used in Hosea 1:11 and the NRSV recognizes it as “…and they shall take possession of the land, for great shall…”. That same type of rendering makes the most sense here as well. So, the concern is likely that Israel will join with an invading army and take over the land, not flee from it.

To combat this, the pharaoh decides to put heavy burdens on the Israelites. This is about population reduction, so the labor must be hard enough to kill the weak, weaken the strong, and likely reduce the amount of free time they have for the types of activities that produce more Israelites. This fails, and not just out of happenstance. The blessing that God shows here in multiplying the Israelites is proportionate to how much they were oppressed. This is in a sense difficult because it’s these blessings of God that actually lead them into further trouble with the Egyptians. We shouldn’t be surprised that there will be conflict when powerful humans try to exert control to suppress those things that God has designed for blessing.

Since the initial attempt at degrading their status and reducing their population didn’t work, pharaoh takes the next step and tries to enlist the Hebrew midwives to kill the male children as they are born and let the female children live. Obviously, things have escalated, now we’re talking straight up genocide. The fact that the midwives are named in the text is a strong testament to their bravery. They not only ignore pharaoh’s instructions but straight up sass him when asked why they aren’t doing it (Hebrew ladies don’t mess, they get the job done, unlike Egyptian ladies who seem to take their sweet time.) This was talking to a man who has commanded genocide. Who knows why he let them live (perhaps it’s implied God intervenes here), but they serve God above men, even in the face of danger. God blesses them in return.

Given that he can’t trust the midwives to enact his demands at the time of birth, Pharaoh changes the decree to not killing at birth but to throwing the male babies in the Nile after they are born. This is not only kind of a clean way (and one that can’t be argued with for access, even today 90% of Egypt’s population live within 5 miles of the Nile. Also, with the belief in the Nile as one of the gods, if the child is “received” by the water, it is more seen as a judgment of the gods than a blame on the person who put the child in there.) The stage is also set for the introduction of one of those babies who will somehow yet live as God continues to intervene for His people of promise.

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Bible Study Exodus

Exodus | Introduction

Entry two of the 5-part narrative that kicks off the Old Testament, Exodus is a continuation of the story that began in Genesis. This is no surprise, as we saw predictions and promises made by God to families in Genesis that have yet to come to complete fruition (a return to the land of Canaan as promised to Abraham being chief among them.) The opening of the book certainly focuses on tying things together, with the first six Hebrew words being exactly the same as those in Genesis 46:8, a reiteration of the family last in focus for these promises, the man Israel and his sons.

Our English title of the book is actually a Latin word that comes from the Greek word Exodos, the title given to it when it was first translated from Hebrew into Greek (that translation is called the Septuagint). The word “exodos” means “exit” or “departure”. Interestingly, this isn’t the Hebrew title of the book, which is simply titled “These are the Names”.

Although exactly what to call the two sections is a matter of some debate or preference, it’s generally safe to see Exodus as having two parts that split at chapter 20. The initial setting is Egypt, where we last left Joseph and the gang after the death of his father Israel. Since that time (around 400 years), that original group of 70 “…were fruitful and increased greatly, they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.” That language sounds like blessing if you’re an Israelite, it kinda sniffs like an invasion if you’re an Egyptian.

This wasn’t an issue for the pharaoh who brought Joseph on board as his right hand man. But as new leadership takes over, they scan the land the notice a wild group of shepherds likely a million strong just lingering around Goshen. In fear, they decide to capture them as slaves. When this slavery includes restricting the ability of the nation to properly worship Yahweh their God, the trouble begins. Ultimately, God dominates, the people are set free, and they set out to Mt. Sinai, eventually en route to the land God promised (they won’t make it there in Exodus. This book remains just a part of a grander narrative that encompasses the entire first 5 books of the Bible.)

This leads us to the second half of the book, the year at Mt. Sinai. There is a transition here that this nation must go through. They are not just moving out of Egypt and away from servitude of Pharaoh, they are moving into their rightful place as covenant members of God’s kingdom, recipients of God’s provision, His law, and most significantly, His presence (albeit limited). How then shall they live? What are they to do with their freedom? What does God expect from them and how would they know it? God will give this to them.

Historically, we must note that there is very little that exists to either corroborate or deny the historicity of the Exodus narrative. Many things are not clear, including the name of the pharaoh who was reigning and interacting with Moses and the actual date of when the Israelites left Egypt. The exact route of the journey and the location of Mt. Sinai are also debatable. For our purposes, we’re working off a timeline that has the exodus happening in the 15th century BC, with part of the purpose of the narrative being Moses’ intention to provide an adequate history to those about to enter Canaan, an event that will occur after his death.

This lack of “evidence”, if you will, is not particularly concerning. The age of the narrative  makes it difficult to imagine a substantive amount of corroborating documentation (certainly not from the Egyptians, who would not be keen to record for posterity the absolute domination of their leader and their gods at the hands of Yahweh, the God of the shepherd slave people whose women give birth too fast.) Additionally, although much is made by surface-level rejectors of the Bible about there being a lack of physical evidence for the exodus, the 3,000+ year gap between the event and when they decided to Google it makes it about as likely for there to be extant physical evidence as there is to find a copy of That Time We Got Owned by Yahweh: A Biography of Egyptian “gods” lying around in the ruins of Alexandria.

That said, although there is not much ground to invalidate the historicity of the events, there is just as little to straight out confirm it. The text itself is well-preserved, likely brought back from Babylon to Jerusalem in the mid-5th century BC. The NT treats it as a real event. And, if we are honest, if someone was looking to fabricate the story of how the Israelites came into existence, they would not likely have produced the text we have today (Stuart 26). We don’t have a smoothed out, fictionalized account. This is clearly written as a history, warts and all. The foolishness of God’s people in the face of His faithfulness is almost comedic at times. Certainly a nation that has someone available to craft a gold cow in a moment’s notice could have found at least one person capable of writing a fictionalized biography that didn’t make them look so ridiculous. Or, we can take it for what it is meant to be, a valid historical account.

Although we touched on this slightly already, Moses is most likely the author. Evidence points to this, not the least of which are the statements in the text that say as much and the New Testament references that affirm it. The in-text references are actually unique, often ancient writers would not have written themselves into the narrative as the author. Given Moses’ role with the people, it is perhaps a necessary inclusion to ensure that the authority that comes with the recorded information is well-preserved.

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Bible Study Genesis

Genesis | Chapter 50

Jacob dies in Egypt and makes Joseph promise that he will be buried in the family cave back in Canaan. In the meantime, Jacob is to be embalmed (a rather expensive and time-consuming practice at the time) and everyone mourns for 70 days. Weeping now fulfilled, it’s time to move Jacob to the cave. 

But things get a little odd here. For starters, Joseph has to ask permission to leave to go bury his father. Now, that doesn’t seem crazy, we’re in the middle of a famine and your lead man needs to be away a bit, you’d certainly want to mention it. But there’s tension here in the way Joseph is asking. Notice he’s kind of laying it on thick, asking “…if I’ve found favor in your eyes…” and loading the request with the weight of him having sworn to his dad that this promise would be kept. Also note that he doesn’t ask Pharaoh directly, he goes through Pharaoh’s household to get the answer. 

Certainly, Pharaoh agrees readily, there isn’t an issue here, but there’s a hint that things may not always be this way. Tellingly, the next time we find the nation of Israel asking the Pharaoh of Egypt if it is ok to leave, that request will be rejected. 

Leaving the kids and the beasts behind, everyone heads out to put Jacob to rest, including some of Pharaoh’s servants. They stop in Atad (location unclear) for another extended mourning session. The mourning lasts for 7 days and the locals rename the place “the lament of Egypt” (hmm, again a foreshadowing that the nation of Israel runs a risk of losing their identity while in Egypt). They eventually  make their way to Machpelah, do the deed, and head back to Egypt. 

Now that Jacob is dead, we see there remains a schism between Joseph and his brothers (who obviously haven’t learned their lesson). They concoct a story that before his death, Jacob instructed them to command Joseph to forgive them for what they had done to him.  Deception bookends the Genesis story, as does the reaction of forgiveness, provision and care in response. Joseph weeps, although it is unclear whether it was in disappointment of his brothers’ obvious lie or perhaps frustration that they just can’t latch onto Joseph’s grace in the manner. 

There is relevance to that second one for us. Often we are the foolish brothers who just can’t quite trust the forgiveness we’ve been extended, even in the face of our egregious sin against God and man. And so, we act as if our reality hasn’t been changed by that forgiveness and try to get that reality to bend in our direction through false means. We look as silly doing that as Joseph’s brothers do here. The depth and breadth of God’s kindness to us is difficult to comprehend, but that doesn’t make it any less true. The work here isn’t to earn the grace, it’s to constantly fight to not lose perspective and live boldly and confidently within it. 

Joseph lives 110 years (mentioned twice), a number that likely had relevance in the Egyptian context as that was the ideal age in Egypt. He reiterates the promise that God will remove them from this land and place them in the land promised to Abraham. He also makes them promise that when that time comes, they will take his bones with them. Interestingly, Joseph doesn’t seem to have the family cave in view, his body just awaits the time for God’s deliverance for the nation of Israel into that which God has promised. Note that at this point, they aren’t under any particular constraint, they aren’t captives (yet) in Egypt. But all that is soon to change. 

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Bible Study Genesis

Genesis | Chapter 46

As the family of Israel prepares to leave for Egypt, there is an intentional stop in Beersheba where sacrifices are made to God. This is no particular surprise, Beersheba has been a place of covenants, confirmations that God is with Abraham and sons and their sons. What follows is a two-way conversation between Jacob and God where God assures Jacob that he should not fear going to Egypt. Not only does God promise to be with as he goes, but also that he will return from Egypt to Canaan a great nation. (A promise partially fulfilled in his body making its way back to Canaan but ultimately fulfilled through the return of the Israelites as a group into Canaan after the years of bondage in Egypt that are to come. The promise that Joseph will be with him when he dies is a touching and personal one, and obviously follows closely next to Jacob’s expressed desire to see Joseph again above anything else. 

The description of Jacob’s family and the list of sons and their offspring that follows is interesting in a number of ways. First, it’s not exclusive to the folks that are going to Goshen, as Judah’s sons Er and Onan are already dead and Joseph is in the list (as are his sons) and they never lived in Canaan. The counts are also iffy (note especially the count of 33 in v.15 attached to Leah, which has to deal with a daughter, Judah’s dead sons, and an Ohad in v.10 that doesn’t show up in other similar lists). Generally, the 33 shouldn’t be considered a complete list. 

The problem is compounded with the resulting sum in v.26. The total persons listed under each wife of Jacob comes to 70. The count in v.26 of everyone, minus the wives of the sons of Jacob, is given as 66. Combined, these difficulties are not easily resolved. My best guess is that 70, the total of the numbers given for each wife of Jacob, is likely symbolic, indicating a “complete” move from Canaan to Egypt (meaning they all went). As for the 66, even that varies among various manuscript evidence. It has no impact on the story, really, so I’m keen to just let it lie. One of the points of these numbers, at all, will be the relatively small group that enters Goshen compared to the size of the group upon their release from Egyptian bondage. The Lord will keep the promise he makes to Jacob at Beersheba to make this travelling caravan a great nation indeed. 

Judah is sent ahead to figure out from Joseph how to get to Goshen. This is intentional, Judah continues to take the role as the lead man in charge. The meeting between Joseph and his father is emotional, as expected. The same description of “…fell on his neck and wept…” was used to describe Joseph’s embrace of his brother Benjamin when all identities were revealed. Jacob is content to die at this point, although he holds on for another 17 years (likely from a rigorous exercise routine and a glass of lemon water each morning. For lack of both, I’m hesitant our collective Bible study group members will make it another 17 years.) 

Joseph gets them all set up and dispenses no particular instructions on how to get settled in the land, just to make sure that, if Pharaoh asks, to tell him that they are shepherds. Obviously, there’s something with Egyptians and shepherds, they don’t dig on them. I tend to read it as an intentional move to ensure separation between the Israelites and the Egyptian culture (it’s also true, of course), but it could be their bigoted anti-shepherd ways that Joseph’s protecting them from. Either way, they better get it right, because shepherds are an abomination. 

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Bible Study Genesis

Genesis | Chapter 45

The earnestness of Judah’s speech finally breaks Joseph, who has up to this point been behind a series of plots to seemingly heist his only full brother Benjamin from the rest of his family. Instead, all his brothers return to Egypt and Judah offers to take Benjamin’s place in consideration of the promise he made to Israel to protect the boy. In reaction to the speech, Joseph sends all the Egyptians away, of no consequence it turns out because he cries so loudly that they can hear him anyway. He reveals his identity to his brothers and inquires of the health of his father. Understandably, his brothers have a hard time putting words together in response. 

Before we pass this, let’s not too lightly consider the release that comes with the putting away of all charades and letting the truth loose onto the world; not in anger, but in the unburdening flow of forgiveness. Where God has blessed nearly every other area of his life, Joseph remained at risk here. In fact, where the promise of being a blessing to the nations was being fulfilled in Joseph’s work for Pharaoh in the midst of the famine, that promise would have failed his very family had he not relented here. I wonder, certainly, whether there are risks within us, fellas, where you’re holding back forgiveness that is now a persistent burden on you and a barrier to the gospel to your enemy. Jesus has us pray for our enemies in part so that WE may accept them as family when the gracious work of the Good News changes the heart of the people who have been against you. It is not only a prayer for our enemies, it is a prayer for ourselves. 

Recognizing that his brothers may have a hard time 1.) believing it’s really him and 2.) accepting that Joseph would truly forgive them, he explains that they need not be distressed or angry, all has been done at the hand of God. It makes you wonder at what point Joseph comes to this realization. It kind of feels like it happened just then, in reaction to what Judah has said. The whole comedy of errors that led to this back and forth with his brothers culminated in a family reunion, a clear comeuppance to his brothers, the blessing of Joseph and the nations through him, and an outcome sets up the background for the prophecy of affliction of Abraham’s lineage laid out in chapter 15. Clearly, this all was  bigger than Joseph and his family. 

With the famine continuing, Joseph invites his brothers to go grab everyone and bring them back to settle in Goshen, some solid herding ground outside of prime Egyptian influence (but ultimately close enough to be a concern for the next Pharaoh.) Pharaoh hears about Joseph’s brothers (ahem, loud weeping is a ready-made gossip point) and reacts very favorably, lending wagons and such to go pick up everybody. He also says it’s unnecessary to bring all of your crapola, Pharaoh has plenty of the best stuff here in Egypt and they are welcome to that. What a turn of events for Israel’s family. 

All is agreed and Joseph sends them on their way, giving each of the brothers a change of clothes, except for Benjamin, who gets 5 changes of clothes and 300 shekels (don’t forget, Joseph was sold for a mere 20 shekels). Perhaps this difference is why Joseph warns them not to quarrel on the way home. (Maybe the lingering impressions of his brothers hasn’t quite died, eh?)

They arrive in Canaan and, like his sons before him, Jacob has a hard time believing the news. But with more story telling and the demonstration of donkeys and such that were sent with all the Egyptians prime pieces as evidence, Jacob is convinced. In the midst of all the gifts, Jacob is content with the simple fact that Joseph is alive and he desires to see him again before he dies. 

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Bible Study Genesis

Genesis | Chapter 40

In chapter 40, we stay with Joseph, who is in prison based upon the accusation of Potiphar’s wife that he had tried to seduce her (the opposite being true, of course). There are a few considerations as to where Joseph is kept. He may have been put in Pharaoh’s prison simply because Potiphar has access to it (although he isn’t likely the same captain of the guard mentioned at the start of this chapter). But that wouldn’t have been particularly common, either captivity (Joseph was a slave, he could’ve been killed for the offense and no one would have batted an eye) or, if a prison, Pharaoh’s prison, which wouldn’t have been a Hilton but wasn’t likely Riker’s Island, either. 

So why there? It’s possible Potiphar was hesitant to believe the accusation against Joseph. Unless he’s a fool it’s unlikely that his wife’s character hadn’t come into question up to this point. And she does make a point to insult him as part of her diatribe against Joseph, “…the Hebrew servant, who you have brought among us…” Also, it says his angered burned but it doesn’t say against whom. In either case, it’s possible Joseph ends up both not dead and not in a pit somewhere because Potiphar retained doubts as to the veracity of the claim against him. 

In either case, as God remained with him in prison Joseph does the work there and interacts with other prisoners, including two fellas who have recently taken up residence there for offenses against Pharaoh. Both the cup-bearer and the baker have dreams and lament to Joseph at their inability to get a proper interpretation of them. Joseph declares that interpretations belong to God and, being God’s man in the area, he can tell them. 

Now, although we can certainly see where God has been with Joseph so far in his life, as a dream interpreter he’s not been wrong but not also been impressive. His previous dreams were so obvious that his brothers were well aware of the insult. Regardless, Joseph has no hesitation that the Lord will provide the right interpretations to the dreams. (Room to grow, fellas.)

And, true to form, he provides interpretations for both. For the cupbearer, his dream about a vine with three branches, bunches of grapes, and Pharaoh receiving wine from the grapes meant that after three days the cupbearer would be restored to his position. Knowing what was to come, Joseph pleads with the cup-bearer to speak to Pharaoh on his behalf, to make the case the he was stolen out of his country and does not belong there. For the baker, his dream of birds eating out of the three cake baskets on his head means that Pharaoh will have him executed and birds will eat his flesh. That’s rough.

The text is kind of odd here as Joseph uses similar language for both, “lift up your head”, but it obviously means different things for each fella. The odd bit is that Joseph uses it like a cliffhanger, “Pharaoh will lift up your head…off your body cuz you gonna die! Huzzah!” It’s unclear whether the underlying Hebrew supports the suspense-creating dash that is in my Bible for this story.  

In the end, the interpretations are realized just as Joseph said: cup-bearer is restored, baker is hanged. Unfortunately, the cup-bearer neglects to tell Pharaoh about Joseph so he’ll remain in the prison for at least two more years.

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Bible Study Genesis

Genesis | Chapter 35

Chapter 35 starts with a message from God for Jacob to go to Bethel and live there. This is interesting for a couple of reasons. One, it means the defiant protest of Simeon and Levi that it was better to have wiped out the Hivites then permit their sister to have been treated like a prostitute, is allowed to stand without additional rebuttal from Jacob. They have learned nothing.

Also, it highlights something we expected anyway, the return to Bethel. Jacob has been a bit dodgy here with his choice of locations. First he promises Esau that he will follow him to Seir and then intentionally lags behind and goes elsewhere. Then, he decides to stop at Shechem and buy land. When the Lord told Jacob in chapter 31 to leave Laban and go to the land his fathers, we kind of expect that to be Bethel (where Abraham ended up in Canaan and a one day journey from Shechem), not a town 20 miles to the north of there where land has to be purchased. 

Perhaps a hint as to the possibilities, Jacob’s first instruction in obedience to God’s direction is to tell his household to put away their foreign gods. We kind of knew this was a thing, his wife had heisted Laban’s god and used the excuse of it being lady time to allow her to not get up and be caught with it. It seems odd that Jacob had let it persist, though. In either case, Bethel is a fresh start. He buries the gods (and their earrings? Or the ladies earrings? It’ unclear), and has everyone change their clothes and purify themselves (it’s unclear exactly what that entails as well). Jacob rightly acknowledges that this altar he will make to God is to the, “…one who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” God does not exclusively live in Bethel, he has been with Jacob in all the places he has gone. 

The actions of Jacob’s sons in Shechem have the effect Jacob is concerned about. The towns on the path between Shechem and Bethel want to pursue them but it is only through God’s protection that those cities become afraid and do not attack. This is sad. We have seen many examples so far of foreigners interacting with Abraham et al and it being obvious that there is a clear blessing upon them. Now, because of the action of Israel’s children, instead of being a light that shows God’s blessing to the surrounding cities, they must be protected from them (which, ironically, is also God’s intervention). 

Jacob arrives and builds the altar. A seemingly unrelated story follows, telling us that Deborah, Jacob’s mom’s nurse, dies in and is buried under an oak tree in Bethel. I mean, his mom did say she would send someone to fetch him after originally fleeing from the anger of Esau, but that’s been 20 years. Deborah’s presence is surprising (was she with them in Shechem?) and the location of the news of her death is even more so. It does make two mentions of things being buried under trees in this chapter, but that doesn’t seem of any particular consequence. 

God appears to Jacob again and blesses him (this one freely given, just like when they wrestled before; it was the blessing Jacob needed all along instead of the one he connived out of his brother.) The affirmation of the name Israel appears again and the promise made to him to be fruitful and multiply echoes back to the beginnings of creation itself. And the promise of a nation and company of nations and the provision of land echo the earlier promises given to Abraham and Isaac. Jacob erects a pillar in commemoration of the event and pours out a drink offering on it (which is the only time we see something like that in Genesis. It’s also not dictated by the Lord, our notion of offerings pre-dates the laws that govern such a thing in books like Deuteronomy. Israel does this because he finds it appropriate.) 

As they leave Bethel but aren’t quite to Ephrath (Jerusalem, further south of Bethel by about 15 miles) Rachel gives birth to Israel’s final son, Benjamin. The labor was difficult and Rachel dies in the process. A pillar is created where Rachel, obviously the favorite of Jacob’s wives, is buried and it remains a place of prayer and attraction to this day (literally to this day (although the exact location remains disputed. Check out http://www.rachelstomb.org/capsulehistory.html, it’s interesting.) 

Then we get a two sentence diversion about Israel’s eldest son Reuben having relations with Bilhah, his dad’s concubine (and, you know, the mom of his brothers Dan and Naphtali. Hello Uncle/Brother Reuben.) We don’t get Israel’s reaction, just that he took it in. That’s weird. In any case, although it is not dealt with here, it will show up when it comes time for Israel to hand out blessings to his children before his death in chapter 49.

Jacob eventually arrives at Mamre to find ol’ Isaac still alive. Like his father before him, Isaac dies peacefully and full of days. And, despite Jacob’s slow-hand juke in not following Esau to Seir as promised, the brothers remain reconciled and are pictured together burying their father. Interestingly, even though this story (and the rest of Genesis that follows) is Israel-centric, Esau is still listed first, the proper place for the firstborn. 

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Bible Study Genesis

Genesis | Chapter 29

Interestingly, right after Jacob has a direct encounter with Yahweh in which the promises of blessing to and through his generations to the rest of the world, he runs smack dub into his comeuppance. The deceit from his own hands to both his father and his brother will be revisited upon him by his shifty uncle Laban (perhaps not coincidentally, the focused male inhabitant of the “…land of the people of the east.”)

The basic details of Jacob’s arrival are pretty straightforward, he shows up and sees a well with a big stone on it. Once all the shepherds and sheep have arrived, the stone is removed, everyone is watered, and then they split. Jacob makes small talk, finds that these fellas know Laban and that all is well with him and that his daughter Rachel is heading up to water her sheep. 

Oddly, Jacob seems to think that these fellas (and I suppose Rachel included) are not doing their own daily routine correctly and should have watered their sheep and moved on already. The fellas protest saying they wait for everyone and then water the sheep. This is an odd interchange. I’m bent to think Jacob should have kept his fool mouth shut, this is not his business and has no right to start bossing dudes around on how they water their sheep. Matthew Henry, generally a decent commentary, casts it as everyone being neighborly and Jacob just trying to help, being a shepherd himself and all. Matt’s optimism has gotten the better of him here, Jacob is pretentious, he’s lucky they didn’t beat him and throw him in the well (they’re honorable folk and wouldn’t do that.) 

Rachel shows up and Jacob moves the stone and waters Laban’s sheep. This is an interesting turn as it was Rebekah, Laban’s sister who watered Isaac’s sheep and secured the relationship with the servant, while here Jacob waters Laban’s daughter’s sheep and gets a very similar outcome. Although, I’ll note that it appears he kisses her and weeps (it’s unclear why he’s crying except perhaps joy) before introducing himself. Rachel runs home and tells her dad and Laban receives Jacob joyfully. The line about “…surely you are my bone and my flesh” means more than what Laban intends. They also share a willingness to deceive family for their own gain. 

Jacob works for Laban and they begin to haggle on what he should get paid. Jacob agrees to work 7 years in exchange for marrying Rachel. I won’t post them here but there are quite a variety of translation differences in the description of the eldest daughter Leah. One has her blind, one has her having pretty eyes, one describes her as lovely. Either way, Jacob prefers Rachel, the younger, and Laban agrees. 

When the time comes, Laban throws a feast for the wedding and then sends in ol’ cataracts, likely in the veil in the night, to Jacob who, it seems, goes into her (side bar: who talks like that to the dad? (v.21). In the morning, he wakes to find he has done the deed with the older sister (I mean, that’s a shocker. That’s a heckuva deceit.) He complains to Laban who says that it isn’t custom to have the younger sister marry first (a detail that seems like it would have been relevant 7 years ago!) To fix the situation, Laban also offers Rachel if Jacob will finish out the marriage party week with Leah and then work another 7 years. Jacob agrees, also goes into Rachel and it’s clear he loves her more. 

Here, Jacob’s chickens have come home to roost and see some similarities (and clear irony) when comparing what is happening between Jacob and Laban and things Jacob has done in the past (we see similar descriptions and motifs). When Jacob steals Esau’s blessing, we see Isaac eating a meal but due to darkness (his failing eyesight) he thinks he is blessing his older son but instead he blesses the younger. Now Jacob eats of the feast given by Laban, and because of darkness (and maybe a veil on Leah’s head) he thinks he is getting close and comfy with the younger daughter but instead is marrying the elder daughter. 

Similarly, where Jacob subverted local custom in stealing Esau’s birthright and tricking his father into blessing him, Laban asserts local custom in tricking Jacob into marrying Leah first. As we’ve seen in other instances of polygamy in the OT, although not directly condemned, it will cause problems with this family, especially in the quest for children. 

In fact, in v.31 we are told that the Lord sees that Leah was hated (this may be as strong as it would imply or it could be just mean “did not prefer”. Given the deceit that lead to their marriage, I’d say either are in play. In either case, God steps in to bless those who are cast aside. In fact, in the same sentence, we learn that Rachel is barren. (We should start to draw connections here to Abraham and Sarah, and they will continue.) 

Leah’s descriptions of her children’s name are sad. Reuben’s name reflects a depressing hope that his birth will convince Jacob to love her. When Simeon is born, things haven’t changed, Leah still describes herself as hated. Levi’s birth, same thing. Finally, when Judah is born, the tenor changes, Leah’s relationship with Jacob is not references, and instead the reference of the name is a praise to the Lord. 

Just for technical reference, don’t think of these descriptions as actual meanings of the names, they are her commentaries on her situation when the names were given. Often times these types of references come from similar sounding words (think of Jacob and deceiver) not necessarily an accurate lineage or lexicon. 

end of chapter 29 (bad chapter division between 29 and 30, by the way) 

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Bible Study Genesis

Genesis | Chapter 25

Chapter 25 is a transition chapter, one that ties up some loose ends with the life of Abraham and of Ishmael so that we can transition the focus to the next generation of sons who belong to Isaac. At the start of the chapter we find that Abraham has another “wife” (concubine, per the text, but this term isn’t a bloated reference for side piece. The father of a concubine was considered a father-in-law to the dude so even though it isn’t “wife” per se, the relationship is still a formal one.) So Abe is propagating with at least Hagar, Sarah and Keturah, if not more (v.6 may be implying there are further children from further ladies). 

Just for note, the text doesn’t comment on the morality of multiple wives here. Although this was not uncommon in the surrounding cultures, the Old Testament narratives are more implicit than explicit when it comes to rejecting polygamy. Note both Adam and Eve’s exclusive creation for each other. Also, perhaps in response to the complications in his own father’s life, Isaac will only take a single wife. His son Jacob, however, will find himself with multiple wives and trouble along with it. (We also saw a negative association with polygamy in the life of the pretentious braggart Lamech, the Cain-Lamech, in chapter 4). 

In the midst of all these children, certainly still to be seen as a collective blessing to Abraham, Isaac is still the one to whom the most favor lands. In fact, everything Abraham has goes to Isaac, the rest of the children are sent east with gifts (it is unclear whether these are paltry gift certificates of significant investments, it’s not really the point.)

The eastern direction is ominous, but the point likely isn’t so much that the rest of Abraham’s children were heading east but specifically that Isaac was not heading east. It’s the same sentiment in Abe insisting his hired man not allow Isaac to move to Mesopotamia to the potential wife’s location. God’s promise lay in the land of Canaan, to move away from it would be a rejection of that promise. Abraham’s other children aren’t being sent away because they suck or because he doesn’t love them, they are simply not integral players in the promise of blessing to the rest of the world. Note, though, that they are not just being sent away from Canaan, they are being sent away from Isaac. Isaac settles in Beer-lahai-roi, which is about 100 miles south of Salem/Jerusalem (I assume he chose this spot for some distance from the shadowy Melchizedek but that’s pure speculation).

Abraham dies and is buried in that over-priced cave with his wife. It’s a glowing description of him, he dies at 175 (“…a good old age, an old man full of years”). Isaac and Ishmael are both there to bury there father and it is the last time we will see the brothers together. As the text details in v.12 and onward, Ishmael ends up with 12 princes (a fulfillment of the promise made in chapter 17). Ishmael lives to 137, certainly a healthy number of years but is not given the same romanticized description as Abraham in his old age. 

v.18 is difficult, especially the phrase, “He settled over against his kinsman.” The translation of this is unclear, see the variations in the options below:

KJV: 
And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.

NIV: 
His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them.

ESV: 
They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.

So, given the variations, either Ishmael just died in the presence of his family or he was hostile to them, or settled against their wishes. At this point, I can’t find a scenario in which it matters but I’m open to your thoughts. 

After we’ve effectively killed off Abraham and Ishmael from the story, Isaac remains. The hope at the end of the last chapter is interrupted with the news that Rebekah is barren. Apparently learning from the past, no one schemes to find another female interloper to produce children, this time Isaac prays for his wife. (This promise thing is never as clear as we want it to be. Things will occur exclusively at the Lord’s provision, in His timing. It’s His blessing, seems reasonable really. We must remember that the point is bigger than this family. They are blessed, yes, but they are being used as a blessing to the world that surrounds them.) 

The Lord grants the prayer and Rebekah becomes pregnant (with twins, mucho blessing!) Even so, there is struggle even in the womb with these two. Rebekah notes that her children are battling already and wants to know what to make of it. Again, she entreats the Lord who provides an answer that what is going on in the womb will continue throughout their lives and the animosity will carry through their descendants as well. 

Also, there is a twist, the older shall serve the younger. This is certainly against expectation, the first born son would generally be the one to whom all that followed were subservient to. Yet, as in the case of Isaac and Ishmael, it is the second son whom the favor will be bestowed. God makes no apologies and provides no further explanation for jacking with human traditions or expectations (or perhaps just prophesying about what was to happen?) Either way, that is what is to be. 

When the boys are born, Esau comes out hairy and red (his name means “hairy” or “rough”) and Jacob follows just after holding on to Esau’s heel. Jacob’s name translates as “heel holder” which has a few different connotations. His parents likely didn’t mean to imply something negative, an alternative translation might be, “may God protect”. However, the “tripping up” aspect of heel holding does indeed seem to fit Jacob well, neither of the two interactions to come between Jacob and Esau cast Jacob in a positive light. 

It’s important to reiterate that the way God chooses to bring blessing to the world is not generally by just crowing the man who rises to the top. In this case, Jacob isn’t chosen because of his character but in spite of it. Jacob is a scandal, a usurper who causes trouble in the womb, takes advantage of his older brother and takes part in a successful plot to steal the blessing from his dad. And yet, it is through this man God’s blessing will not only be seen but will be charged to be sent forth to spread further into the world. This is grace. Scandalous, powerful grace that goes to and through those who do not deserve it. (There is context to this still. Abraham’s obedience remains a crux, see chapter 26). 

As the boys grow, they turn into different types of fellas. Esau is a skilled hunter and his dad digs on this so prefers Esau. Jacob tends to stick to the tents, his mom digs on this so prefers Jacob. (The word for “love” here is extremely varied. Could be sexual, could be marital love, could be just preference – see Leviticus 19:34 for usage in reference to how to treat a stranger.) 

We see these distinctions played out in a story of Esau selling his birthright. Esau comes in tired from hunting and asks for some red stew, which garners him the name Edom (red = adom). Jacob asks for Esau’s birthright in exchange for the stew. This is a terrible agreement. Certainly we would expect Esau is aware of the promises made to his lineage and the special status the first born has in such a family (although one wonders how much Rebekah has shared with the boys concerning what the Lord told her.) In this moment, however, Esau is over-dramatic and is willing to part with whatever future promises may exist to be satisfied with some bloody pottage. Both boys act inappropriately, for sure, Jacob’s deceit (and lack of hospitality to his brother) and Esau’s flippant trade of birthright for something so temporary. In reaction to his own decision, Esau comes to hate his birthright, not only that Jacob has it but likely as a reminder that he was so foolish with it.