Genesis 39-41

Genesis 39

39:1 Back to Joseph's story

39:2 I wonder about this phrase "The Lord was with..." It's not like He WASN'T with others.  But at the same time I suppose it just means He was extra-present in Joseph's life.  We all know people like that. (And want to be people like that).

29:3 There's a direct correlation between the Lord being with Him and His success.

39:5 Joseph is fulfilling the "blessed to be a blessing promise.

39:9 Joseph is the voice of logic here.

39:10 She's persistent.

39:20 I heard it taught once that he probably didn't believe his wife.  She probably had a history of being overly dramatic.  If he had believed it, he would have killed Joseph, not merely tossed him in prison.  It does say that he was furious though.

39:21 God's being with Joseph and bringing him success continued in prison.

39:23 repeat of this concept number 3 God being with Joseph made him successful.

Genesis 40

40:4 Joseph was the "personal attendant" of the prisoners?  Isn't that sort of like a slave?

40:8 He's aware that God is with him, so he figures that maybe God will tell him the meaning of the dreams. 

40:14 Joseph is asking for people's help to get out of prison. (I assume he also asked for God's help, but it doesn't say whether he did).

40:23 It seems hard to think that the cup-bearer would forget, but my guess is that there was a lot to do, and a lot of busy-ness.  It makes us forget.

Genesis 41

41:1 Joseph is still in jail two more years.  I wonder what made some dreams special and worthy of interpretation, as opposed to just normal dreams?

41:8 If I had such a dream and believed that it meant something, I'd be disturbed too.  I'm surprised that no one just made up something to tell him.

41:9 At last someone remembers Joseph.

41:16 Joseph gives God credit before he even hears the dream.

41:29 The years of abundance take a special discipline to set us up for the years of famine.

41:33 Joseph veers out of dream interpreting to advice-giving.

41:36 The goal: the country not be wiped out by the famine.

41:38 Joseph goes from prisoner and slave to head of the country in what, one day?

41:43 I'm guessing this was a big change.

41:45 Joseph finally gets married.  

41:46 He's still only 30.  But he'd probably been gone for ten years or so?

41:49 They had too much food to measure.

41:51 Interesting that the hardship was in his father's house, not in Egypt in prison or as a slave.

41:52 And yet Egypt is the land of his affliction.

41:56 Joseph starts selling the grain that he'd taxed the people to get.

Genesis 32-33

Genesis 32

32:1 It's so uneventful - God's angels met him.

32:3 Wait a sec - why is Jacob contacting Esau?

32:5 So he's seeking out Esau to keep Esau from coming after him to kill him, I suppose.

32:7 I'd be afraid a bit too - 400 men sounds like battle time.

32:9-11 I feel like this is the most honest prayer that Jacob has uttered yet.

32:18 Jacob is hoping that gifts pave his way.  To be honest, it would probably work for me.  Seems like a valid tactic.

32:20 Forgive Jacob for what?  Being blessed and being rich?  It's funny to me that a big show of riches is the way to get forgiven for being rich.  But since Esau has 400 men, it's not like he's poor.

32:24 Talk about insomnia.

32:28 What does it mean to have struggled with God and prevailed?  It's interesting to me that God even allows that.  Then again, people do that will free will all the time I suppose.  

32:30 Jacob knows that he deserves to be dead after that encounter with God.

32:32 I like these little tidbits in to the culture and why such and such is true.

Genesis 33

33:2 Jacob (Israel) puts the women and children in order of their importance to him.

32:4 Esau is eager to see his brother, and seems to have forgiven.

32:8 Jacob is again being honest, not trying to trick his brother.

32:9 Esau has also been blessed.  He knows that he has enough for himself.

32:10 Now Jacob is getting flattering.  But maybe it's sincere?

32:11 Jacob urged him, and he accepted the gifts.

32:12 Esau seems to expect that they'll move together.

32:17 Jacob doesn't want to be near his brother - he's still scared (and probably rightly so).

32:19 Jacob purchased land.  So now there's land that Abraham had, and Jacob also has some land.

Genesis 31

Genesis 31

31:1 So the family started resenting Jacob building wealth at Laban's expense....

31:2 Evidently they saw each other sometimes, I guess.  Despite the three days journey.

31:8 Now, doesn't chapter 30 explicitly say that Laban was manipulating this?  In front of his wives he credits God alone.  I wonder if they bought that line.

31:12 I suppose the Bible doesn't say this is false, but it feels pretty fabricated to me...

31:14 Sad that the wives feel like outsiders in their father's house now.

31:19 so they fled while Laban was sheering his sheep?  And Rachel went 3 days to her Dad's home to steel his gods?  I don't get how this worked out practically.

31:20 Jacob continues his practice of deception.

31:24 I wonder why every once in a while (twice in this chapter) the writer uses the more formal (I think) "Laban the Aramean" instead of just Laban?  It feels like an ominous warning that God gave him.

31:26-29 To me, this isn't "not saying anything to Jacob, good or bad".  Yet, he asks legitimate questions.

31:32 Rachel is also deceptive.

31:36 Now Jacob is mad.  In my mind, Laban has a right to be mad, for Jacob taking his family and moving without notice.  I know Jacob is mad over being accused of stealing the gods, but that seems like a lesser offence to me.  Jacob seems insolent.

31:40 He paints a different picture for his father-in-law than he did to his wives before he left.

31:43 I feel like Laban's heart is almost breaking in this verse.

31:49 I feel like all parents and kids should have such an agreement:  God watch over you when I cannot.

31:52 Maybe not this portion of the meaning of the mound.

31:53 Interesting name for God - the Fear of his father Isaac.

31:55 Laban left with a blessing.

Genesis 29-30

Genesis 29

29:3 It must have taken several shepherds to roll the stone, since they all gathered together before watering the sheep, right?

29:6 Rachel was a shepherdess.

29:10 I wonder if he rolled the stone by himself?  What he exceptionally strong?

29:15 So Jacob basically just moved in, right?

29:18 I like that Jacob has an honorable attitude toward Rachel - he's willing to work seven years while waiting for her.

29:20 Fun language - they seemed like only a day.

29:25 Evidently they got married after dark, and without lanterns or something that they didn't actually see each other on their wedding night.

29:28 So one week after Jacob marries Leah, Jacob marries Rachel too.  (It amuses me that Jacob, the deceiver, is deceived by Laban).

29:30 This seems reasonable to me.  I mean, he worked for Rachel all along, why wouldn't he love Rachel more?

29:32 My heart breaks a bit for Leah.  With her first son, she hopes that her husband will love her.

29:33 And again with her second son.

29:34 And again with her third son - she wants to be attractive, just like we all do.

29:35 The naming scheme differs.  This time she praises God.  I wonder if she had found love, or given up trying, or decided that God was enough?  We could draw a bunch of lessons here, but the Bible doesn't really tell us her reasoning.

Genesis 30

30:1 I find it amusing that Rachel thinks it's Jacob's fault she doesn't have kids.  We do tend to blame lots of things on our husbands, don't we.

30:2 And Jacob blames God.

30:3 She uses the same solution that Sarai used with Abraham.

30:8 Rachel views this as a competition.  Probably a bit of sibling rivalry?  I'd have a hard time living with a husband who also had other wives.  Especially if the other wife was my sister.

30:9 Leah follows Rachel's example.

30:13 Interesting - women call her happy, and that makes her happy.  

30:15 They are buying and selling sex with their husband.

30:19 She still feels without love and honor.  Poor woman.

30:21 Was Dinah the only girl?  Or were there others that aren't mentioned?  I get the impression that Dinah was the only one.

30:22 God remembered Rachel.  It wasn't like He'd forgotten her, but he decided then to act in her favor.

30:23 Rachel was in shame because of her lack of kids.  Leah was in shame because she wasn't loved.

30:25 I wonder if Rachel having Joseph made Jacob want to leave in some way.

30:27 I wonder if it was hard to deduce that Laban was blessed because of Jacob?  In any case, Laban wants him to stay.

30:30 I wonder if Jacob is spinning it here - did he really have "little"? Or was it just less than he currently has?

30:32 Jacob has a plot.  Laban cheated him with his wives, but Jacob has something cooking.

30:34 Laban goes for it.

30:36 That's quite a journey really.  In these times, a three day journey would be like moving to California.  I know it was really probably only 30 miles, but I have to be convinced that they didn't see each other all that often with a 3 day journey between them.

30:39 I wonder if this is a biological thing or superstition?  In any case, the Bible speaks of it like it worked, so it must have.

30:42 Jacob's plan came to fruition - he got the stronger sheep, Laban got the weaker, all in accordance with their agreement.

30:43 It's interesting that Jacob is the one who becomes rich.  It doesn't say that Laban also became rich.

Genesis 27-28

Genesis 27

27:1 We sure didn't get much detail about Isaac's life, did we?

27:4 I wonder if Isaac knew about Esau selling his birthright to Jacob?  It seems like he didn't, because clearly he intends Esau to have the blessing.  Maybe they're not the same thing....

(Actually, now that I think of it, I don't think they're the same thing, one was possessions, and this is blessing).

27:9 Evidently Jacob couldn't cook the meal the way his dad liked?

27:12 Yes, Jacob is practical.  

27:16 Esau was as hairy as a goat?!

27:23 The deception was successful

27:27  I wonder why the blessing "stuck" to Jacob since it was intended for Esau and he thought he was giving it to Esau.  it's not like God doesn't know the difference.

27:29 Isn't this part of the promise that God gave to Abraham?

27:36 Ahh, yes, the birthright and the blessing are different.

27:37 I feel like Isaac is lacking creativity here.  Surely there's other things that are blessings.

27:40 I don't think Esau ever really ended up Jacob's servant.  But the offspring probably was Israel's servants?

27:41 The grudge is pretty understandable.

27:44 Just a few days?

Genesis 28

28:2 Rachel's manipulation is successful.  Reminds me of the Big Fat Greek Wedding - the girl's mom manipulating a new job for her daughter.

28:8 Either Isaac hadn't been to open about this, or Esau was a bit slow to catch on.

28:13 God had told Rebecca that the older would serve the younger before they were born, so I'm thinking that this blessing God reminds Isaac of is not due to Jacob blessing him instead of Esau.

28:14 A repeat of the promise that all people's of the earth will be blessed through Abraham's offspring (now Jacob's)

28:21 Lots of conditions on the Lord being his God.

Genesis 20-22

Genesis 20

20:1 I wonder what made Abraham travel.  The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or something else?

20:2 Lesson from last time not learned.  And she's what, 99 years old?

20:3 God stepped in to rescue Sarah since Abraham didn't bother protecting her.

20:8 Abimelech and company have a healthy fear of God.

20:11 Abraham's reasoning was that there was no fear of God, even though we know from Abimelech's actions after the dream, that Abrahams presupposition was false.

20:14-15 Abimelech lets them stay, and pays Abraham.

20:17 Interestingly enough, what Abraham had to pray to heal Abimelech's household of (the curse for taking in Sarah), was infertility - the same thing that Sarah has.

21:2 I wonder if Isaac was born while they lived in Abimelech's country.  It must be so.

20:6 Sarah is enjoying being a mother.

20:8 I think research says he was somewhere between 3 and 6 years old? (normal "weaning" age?)

20:10 Now that Sarah has a child, she's not going to tolerate the presence even of Abraham's other child.

20:12 Abraham had gotten in trouble for listening to his wife and taking Hagar, but here God tells him to listen to Sarah and send away Hagar and Ishmael.

20:15 First of all, wasn't Ishmael an older teen by this time?  He was 13 when he was circumcised, right?  He should have been caring for his mother, not his mother putting him under a bush.  Second, what's the purpose of the bush?  My best guess is protection from wild animals?  Again, doesn't he know how to hunt by now?   This is interesting to me.

20:18 He really was probably going to die since Hagar had to help him up.

20:20 He became an archer.

20:23 Abimelech is making it a poitn to find favor with Abraham - he must have been pretty powerful.

20:30 Abraham gives seven lambs to Abimelech as proof that the well belongs to Abraham.  He's buying the rights to dig.

20:33 Abraham plants a tree and calls on God. This is a new name for God, the Everlasting God, isn't it?

22:1 Remember back when Abraham believed God that he would have a son, and God counted it to him as righteousness?  That's when Romans says Abraham was justified before God.  This chapter, then, is where Abraham is justified before men.  He proves his commitment and visibly trusts God.  

20:2 Isaac is now referred to as Abraham's only son.

20:4 they had to walk more than three days just to make a sacrifice.

20:6 Isaac carried the wood up the mountain that he was to be sacrificed on.

20:7 Isaac has figured out that something isn't right.

20:8 Abraham answers truthfully, but not truthfully.  Doesn't Hebrews say that Abraham figured God could/would raise Isaac from the dead?

20:9 Abraham was over 110.  How old was Isaac?  I'm pretty sure almost all of my kids could outrun me.  I suspect somehow that Isaac submitted to this, or that Abraham used some trickery...

20:10 Abraham did intend to go through with it.  

20:12 Abraham feared God more than being childless.

20:14 The Lord will Provide - became the name of the mountain.

20:16-18 It's interesting to me that the promise is still the same.  Abraham performed this great feat of faith - almost killing his son - and God gives the same promise that he'd already given and wasn't conditional.  I think the "Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies" part is maybe new?  All the nations of the earth are blessed and have been blessed by Abraham's offspring.  They are blessed to be a blessing.  So are we.

20:19 Did Abraham move to Beer-sheba, or is this where Abimelech was?  (Looked back - it's the place that Abraham dug the well.  So he didn't move).

20:20-24 We get caught up on Abraham's brother, where Isaac's wife will come from.  It's like foreshadowing.

Genesis 18-19

Genesis 18-19

18:1 I like this practice of sitting out the heat of the day.  It's naptime.  I want a nap too.

18:6 It never fails to amuse me the culture difference here.  Abraham says - take a little break, have a piece of bread - it'll be quick!  They agree, so they START THEN to make bread. It's gonna be an hour or two minimum before the bread is done, won't it?  That's not a little break in my sped-up American culture.

18:7 And they start the meal prep by killing the cow.  Man, I'm thankful for modern refrigeration and that I can buy my meat already dressed and ready for cooking.  How long do you think they had to wait for this meal?  I remember being shocked in Africa that we ordered chicken at a restaurant, then saw them go chase the chicken around the yard to kill it for our meal.  We waited more than an hour (I think maybe more than two - my memory is failing me).  Chickens are lots smaller than cows.

18:8 Do they just sit under the tree and wait while Abraham and Sarah do all this prep?

18:10 This has to be quite soon after God promised Abraham and changed his name, because both stories say "in about a year".  

18:11 Sarah had passed the age of childbearing, so this is obviously a miracle.

18:12 I'm pretty sure I'd laugh too.

18:14 One of my favorite lines in the whole Bible:  Is anything impossible for the Lord?

18:17-19 So God's visit actually had a different motive.  I love how God reasons to himself that Abraham is worthy of trust here.

18:20 Someone is crying out against Sodom and Gomorrah.  That means not everyone is agreeing in their practices, right?

18:23 It's not like God to punish the righteous with the wicked.  Abraham knows that.  (This is one of the hardest things I've found in parenting - not punishing all for the sins of one....)

18:25 Abraham is quite certain of God's character here.  Also, Abraham isn't especially in awe of walking along talking with God.  I think they've done this before.

18:27 Abraham isn't forgetting his place, or his inferiority to God, but is still bold enough to dare to speak.

18:33 Abraham whittles God down to ten.  He'll spare the whole city of wicked people if there's even ten righteous there.

Genesis 19

19:1 Lot sat in Sodom's gate.  Doesn't that imply some sort of authority?

19:2 The men want to experience what the city has to offer rather than be sheltered by a foreigner.  Seems reasonable.  I wonder if Lot had some idea that these men were special?  Was it Lot's cries that had reached God's ears?

18:3 I wonder if this is their second feast that day, or if there had been a day or more of travel between Abraham and Lot's houses

19:4-5 The whole city males - both young and old - turn out for the visitors.  It was quite an occasion I guess.  That the men came there to have sex with the men of the city is kind of a bold assumption, I think.

19:7 Lot calls their actions evil, but still calls them brothers.  He wants them to think of him as one of them.

19:8 Okay, so it's okay to "do whatever you want" to the girls, but not to the men.  Not really a big fan of Lot's philosophy here.  (Neither is God, as we see later).  Lot took them under his roof to protect them.  So Lot's not surprised by their behavior here.

19:9  They're mad.  They don't consider Lot a part of them, and are threatening him.

19:10-11 The angels (presumably the same three men who came in to town, who talked with Abraham now.  Interesting that they're now called angels), whom Lot took in to protect them, are now protecting Lot supernaturally.

19:13 I don't think God had to count the people.  

19:14 I wonder if these men just think of Lot as a lunatic.  (And I wonder how long it'll be before Christians are viewed as lunatics here and now).

19:15 God is still not willing to destroy the righteous with the wicked, but they have to push Lot and family out.

19:16 Because of the Lord's compassion for him....

19:18 Lot, like Abraham, dares argue with God, but this one is of a different, more whiny nature, not appealing to God's character.

18:20 Lot appeals to God to not destroy all the towns in the region, save him one to live in.  Lot doesn't like the idea of living out in the country.

19:24 God had hung up his bow of strife against Mankind with the rainbow after Noah.  Here He takes it up again - not against all of mankind, which would violate his vow, but on a local scale, he's still willing to battle mankind to protect the whole.

19:25 Interesting that God demolished the cities, but also everything growing on the ground.  I wonder if this is so that people who fled wouldn't survive in the wilderness?

19:26 This makes me wonder if Lot's wife liked Sodom, and that's why they stayed there.

19:29 God credits Abraham for his not destroying Lot with the cities.

19:30 The whole thing scared Lot pretty good.  I suppose it would me too.  Now he's living in the countryside.

19:31-35 Lot's daughters assume that there's no hope for them now that they're living on the mountain with their crazy old Dad.  They've grown up in this culture, so having sex with their dad is no real bother to them. And they birth two of Israel's greatest enemy nations.