The book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, is found in the chumash or Pentateuch. Chapters 26 – 32 recount God’s encounters with Abraham’s son Isaac and Jacob’s grandson; Esau’s loss of his birthright; and Jacob’s marriage and prosperity in Haran. This study is a continuation of Parts 1 and 2 of the same title.
The Medicine of the Word of Gd
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Don’t let them out of your sight; keep them inside your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and medicine to their whole body – Proverbs 4:22
Genesis Part 3: Chapters 26-32 – test yourself
1. Name the two sons of Abraham and Sarah.
2. Name of the two children of Isaac and Rebecca
3. What major fault of Abraham’s did Isaac show?
4. Why did Abimelech insist on a treaty with Isaac?[Gen 26:28].
5. Where did Jacob flee after stealing his brother’s birthright? [Gen 27:43]
6. What does the name Bethel mean?
7. What was the blood relationship between Esau and his wife Mahalat, and what was their reason for the marriage?
8. Name Jacob’s two wives and their female servants. Why were the female servants important to the nation of Israel?
9. Why did Gd preferentially open Leah’s womb? (Genesis 29:31)
10. Name the first four children of Leah, and the meaning of their names [Gen 30:4-12]
11. Name the four sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, in chronological order of their birth.
12. Name the four remaining sons of Jacob, indicating their mothers.
13. Where and when did Jacob quarrel with Gd, and what was the consequence? [Gen 31:22-32]
14. What does Peniel mean?
15. Who did Abraham marry after Sarah’s death, and how many children did they have?
Highlights of Genesis chapters 26-32
Isaac marries two Canaanite women, much to his mother’s displeasure. Jacob steals Isaac’s birthright and is forced to flee his home in Canaan. At sunset on the day of his flight, he stops for the night and dreams of a ladder linking heaven and earth, with angels. Above is the Lord, who promises to give the land on which he is lying to him and to his numerous offspring. G-d tells him, “I am with you and I will take care of you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you.” Jacob, astonished, anoints the stone he had been using as a pillow and changes the name of the place from Luz to Bethel. He, in turn, makes a vow to worship the Lord and begin tithing his income.
As previously indicated by his mother Rebekah, Jacob goes to Haran and stays at the house of his uncle Laban. There, he meets and marries Rachel, the love of his life, but only after Laban tricks him into marrying Rachel’s sister, Leah, first. The two sisters compete for Jacob’s attention in maternity (which gives them status), involving their maids in the competition. Twenty years later, Jacob returns to his ancestral home in Beersheba, taking with him his wives and his maidservants (now his concubines), his twelve sons, and all the wealth he had gathered beyond the river. Euphrates. On his way back, he wrestles with Gd and takes on a new name: Israel.
Jacob’s Fight
The name Israel (Hebrew Israel) is derived from the Hebrew words yisra (prevail) and The (G*d). The relationship between the biblical heroes and those who follow G-d in spirit and in truth is, likewise, one of active dialogue, of struggle, and even of confrontation with G-d, as it is written:
“The effective and fervent prayer of the just can do much” – (James 5:16).
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until morning. When the man saw that he couldn’t beat him, he touched his hip joint, dislocating Jacob’s hip as he wrestled with him. Then the man said: “Let me go, because it is day.”
But Jacob replied, “I won’t let you go unless you hurt me.”
Then the man asked him: “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he replied.
Then the man said: “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have won.” Genesis 32:24-28
answers
1. The two sons of Abraham and Sarah were Ishmael (of Hagar) and Isaac
2. The two sons of Isaac and Rebekah were Esau and Jacob.
3. Isaac lied to Abimelech the Philistine king about his wife, claiming that she was his sister.
4. Abimelech insisted on a treaty with Isaac because he saw that the Lord was with him, so he took steps to ensure his own safety in the presence of such a powerful neighbor.
5. After stealing his brother’s birthright, Jacob fled to Haran in Paddam Aram, Mesopotamia, to the house of his uncle Laban.
6. Bethel means ‘house of G-d’.
7. Esau’s wife, Mahalat, was the daughter of Ishmael, her father’s half-brother. Believing that his previous marriages to Hittite wives displeased his parents, Esau married Mahalat to locate them.
8. Jacob’s two wives were the sisters Raquel and Leah. Rachel’s servant was called Bilha and Leah’s servant Zilpa. The maidens are important in Israel’s history because they gave birth to the founders of four of the 12 tribes of Israel.
9. Gd preferably opened Leah’s womb because he saw that she was not loved.
10. The first four sons of Jacob were Reuben (see, a son); Simeon (he who hears); Levi (deputy); and Judah (praise).
11. From Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, came Dan (he has vindicated) and Naphtali (my fight). From Zilpah came number seven of hers, Gad (good fortune) then Asher (happy).
12. From Leah, the next son was Issachar (reward) followed by Zebulun (honor); and finally, of Raquel, José (that he adds) and Benjamin (son of my right hand).
13. Jacob wrestled with Di-s in a place he called Peniel, in the Jabbok desert stream, while he was on his way to pacify Esau. The result was a blessing and a change of his name to Israel.
14. Peniel means Face of Di-s.
15. After Sarah’s death, Abraham married Cetura and they had 6 children.
