Monthly Archives: February 2024

GENESIS 37 JOSEPH’S TWO PROPHETIC DREAMS

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March 1

GENESIS 37

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.  – Genesis 37:5-11

GENESIS 37 JOSEPH’S TWO PROPHETIC DREAMS

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Joseph had two dreams that got him in much trouble

First, he dreamed of bundles of grain in the field that stood up

Joseph’s bundle was in the middle while theirs gathered around it

These sheaves around the middle bowed down to Joseph’s

The next dream was about the sun, moon and stars bowing down

All the eleven stars were also bowing down to Joseph

Then Jacob rebuked his son for it seemed like they too were bowing to him

All of Joseph’s brothers got so envious of him, so Jacob kept the dreams to himself.

Joseph’s first prophetic dream was scorned by his older brothers. They couldn’t bear thinking of the older ones being under the reign of the younger. They already had a hard time accepting that Joseph was the favorite of their father. It is aggravating to hear that he will have authority over them. Of course, they took it literally and not like a prophecy.

The second dream was another prophetic dream he shared to them as well. Jacob gently rebuked his son to protect him from further negative reactions from his brother, but took note of it. He knew that God can manifest his plans in a dream, so he kept quiet about it.

REFLECTION

  • How were these two dreams prophetic also of Jesus’ coming and his authority?

GENESIS 37 THE FAVORITE SON

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February 29

GENESIS 37

Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. – Genesis 37:1-4

GENESIS 37 THE FAVORITE SON

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Jacob lived in Canaan after leaving Paddan-Aram

Joseph was born in his later years so he was favored

He even made a robe of many colors for his favorite son

This made all his other brothers jealous and angry at Joseph

Joseph also brought a bad report of his brothers to their father

All the more he was hated by all his other brothers.

We witness in this account how favoritism affected each of the members of the family. Since Jacob (also Israel) favored Joseph more than his other sons and gave him special treatment. He even made a special robe for Joseph which made his other sons envious, angry and bitter. It led these brothers to plot to actually kill Joseph as we progress in the story of this chapter in Genesis.

We can be thankful to think that our Almighty Father in heaven does not have favoritism and he treats us all equal. Human beings are a different story, we have partialities and we are sinful in nature. We cannot control our predispositions and preferences at times because we tend to be self-focused and self-serving. We are inclined to follow our selfish nature if we do not walk in the spirit. We do not always think of the consequences of our favoritism which could be very harmful for others just like this preferential treatment that Israel gave his favored son, Joseph.

REFLECTION

  • What does the book of James teach us about partiality in chapter 2? Why does he consider it sin? Isn’t favoritism a type of partiality?

GENESIS 36 ESAU MOVES AWAY FROM JACOB

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February 28

GENESIS 36

These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). 2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. 4 And Adah bore to Esau, Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is Edom.) 9 These are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 (Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz.) These are the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These are the sons of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. – Genesis 36:1-9

GENESIS 36 ESAU MOVES AWAY FROM JACOB

In this account, we witness God’s faithfulness in keeping his covenant promise to Abraham. Esau was Abraham’s grandson and Jacob’s twin brother. Esau is also called Edom meaning “red.” His hair was red but it also parallels his redness to the red lentil pottage that he sold his birthright for. It is from Edom that the Edomites became a nation.

When Rebekah was about to give birth, the Lord revealed to her the two nations in her womb. We see that in this story, we find Jacob (also called Israel) formed his nation with his twelve sons. Edom also had to leave Canaan because Jacob and his livestock couldn’t be all contained in one place. They were so big in number. Thus, the promise of God to multiply them is clearly evident here.

We are introduced here to Esau’s offspring through his wives from Canaanites which formed the nation of the Edomites.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God separated Esau from Jacob in this account?

GENESIS 35 THE SONS OF JACOB

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February 27

GENESIS 35

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram. 27 And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. 28 Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. 29 And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. – Genesis 35:24-29

GENESIS 35 THE SONS OF JACOB

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Jacob had six sons by Leah with Reuben as the firstborn

Then there was Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulon

With Rachel, Jacob had Joseph and Benjamin

Bilhah, Rachel’s servant had Dan and Naphtali

Zilpah, Leah’s servant had Gad and Asher

All in all, Jacob had twelve sons born in Paddan-Aram.

In this account, we get a picture of the family of Jacob that God had blessed him with. When he left his family to run from Esau’s wrath, he had only himself and a staff. God kept his promise to him that he will have many offspring. It is the first time all these names were mentioned in the bible which comprises the twelve tribes of Israel and later on mentioned many times.

These were the chosen people of God who are not ideal and perfect. In fact, they were very sinful people who were cheaters, adulterers, idolaters, rebels, liars and schemers.  What was God thinking choosing these kinds of people to be the ancestors of his own beloved son Jesus? We don’t know what were God’s reasons for choosing them, but if he chose such sinful, messy persons, we all have hope that God can do the impossible to change their hearts and make it work for good according to his plan.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God chose these bunch of sinners to be his chosen people?

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 35 GOD CALLS JACOB BACK TO BETHEL

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February 24

GENESIS 35

God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.5 And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6 And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, 7 and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8 And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.  – Genesis 35:1-8

GENESIS 35 GOD CALLS JACOB BACK TO BETHEL

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After the heinous slaying of the Canaanites by Simeon and Levi

God called Jacob and reminded him of his promise to him at Bethel

Jacob had forgotten that vow he made and went to Shechem

Now, the Lord wanted Jacob’s household to be cleansed again

Jacob was directed to get rid of all the idols in his own household

And he had to go to Bethel where he was originally asked to settle.

In Genesis 28, God showed himself to him in the land of Luz. Jacob promised that if God was going to look after all his needs and fulfill his covenant promise, he will follow whatever he is asked. He built an altar and called it Bethel. Years later, Jacob settled in Shechem and forgot his promise to be faithful to God. Notice that in Genesis 34, all bad things happened to Jacob and his family. Dinah’s defilement and the killing of the Canaanites. Could it be that God was reminding him that if he does things out of his own will, things won’t go well? If he kept his vow, these sinful things could have been avoided.

REFLECTION

  • Why did God call Jacob back to Bethel? Why did he have to purge from idols?

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 THE SONS OF JACOB PLOT REVENGE

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February 21

GENESIS 34

8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for yourdaughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. 9 Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.” 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me for as great a bride-priceand gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.” 13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. 16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone.”

                                                                   – Genesis 34:8-17

GENESIS 34 THE SONS OF JACOB PLOT REVENGE

This account is quite interesting. It seemed like the Israelites were more deceitful than the Canaanites who offered a great exchange for taking Dinah as wife to Shechem. You would think that they would give Jacob a hard time since he was dwelling in their land. Shechem seemed to be so in love with Dinah that he could give them anything they wanted. Another unsettling thing here is that Jacob seemed to be very quiet and not make the treaty with Hamor. Instead, he turns over the decision making to his sons. He was supposed to be the father and we do not hear any reaction from Jacob after all these events have happened. Maybe if Jacob had asserted his authority on this matter, it would have been a peaceful and fair treaty

The sons of Jacob were plotting revenge covertly because their egos were hurt from the defilement. They were after their reputation rather than honoring God. When they required Hamor and Shechem and the rest of the Canaanites to be circumcised, it wasn’t to make them clean and purified. It was a malicious intent to hurt the men of Canaan so they could slaughter them later without defense.

REFLECTION

  • How were the Canaanites more honorable here than the Israelites?