Genesis 35-38 Purity, Passion, Plots and Promises

Psalm 7:6-17 A Righteous God Must Judge For The Righteous

7:1 “Yahweh, my God, I take refuge in You. Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me, 2 lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. 3 Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands, 4 if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, if I have delivered him who without cause was my adversary), 5 let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust. Selah. 6 Arise, Yahweh, in Your anger. Lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgment. 7 Let the congregation of the peoples surround You. Rule over them on high. 8 Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me. 9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.

10 My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day. 12 If a man doesn’t repent, He will sharpen his sword; He has bent and strung His bow. 13 He has also prepared for Himself the instruments of death. He makes ready His flaming arrows. 14 Behold, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made. 16 The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head. 17 I will give thanks to Yahweh according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High."

Observations: 7:1-9 See yesterday's post for vv 1-5, in which David, unjustly attacked, asks the God of justice for help. He appeals on the basis of his innocence and righteousness (a plea we should be able to make). The righteous Judge establishes the righteous, and brings an end to the wicked. But He determines who is righteous by searching the minds and hearts (the thoughts and decisions) of people.

7:10-17 David describes how the God he trusts, His shield/protection, saves the upright in heart (which God just searched). God is prepared to judge on the behalf of the righteous, by bringing the consequences of wicked's actions upon themselves. In bringing the evil they had planned for other upon them, God demonstrates His righteousness, for which David praises.

Application: A righteous God has to judge righteously; therefore those who are righteous, can look forward to His protection and vindication.

Prayer: God of Justice, may I live righteously and uprightly so You can delight in delivering me; may I see your judgment poured out on those who unrighteously afflict me. Amen.

Proverbs 2:18-22 Doubly Delivered and Delighted

2:18 “(6 For Yahweh gives wisdom 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil from the men...13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 16 To deliver you from the adulterous woman...17 who...forgets the covenant of her God) 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the dead. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life: 20 that you may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it“

Observations: 2:18-22 The beginning of this proverb advocates accepting wisdom and seeking after it, because guides us to good and guards us from evil through it. The last half demonstrates two ways wisdom delivers us: from evil men, who have forsaken the light to slither in the dark; from evil women who have forsaken their covenant to stab the unsuspecting to death. Verse 18 elaborates that her house declines to death, and her paths to the shades or ghosts of hell (9:18), who are awaiting more punishment. There are two words for paths: the one to her house is a one way gutter or ditch to death; the paths of the righteous is a highway to happiness. Those who take the highway (the upright and perfect) will dwell in the land of promise and enjoy its blessings (happily ever after). The wicked who reject wisdom will be cut off from blessings (cursed), and the covenant breakers who lack understanding will be rooted out of the land like a noxious weed.

Application: Wisdom will guard you and guide you to the good life; wickedness has its own reward.

Prayer: God, thanks for giving wisdom to protect and guide me to the blessings You intend for me; don't let me miss them. Amen.

Genesis 35–38 Purity, Passion, Plots and Promises

Genesis 35 New Beginnings

35:1 "God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." 2 Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, change your garments. 3 Let us arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went." 4 They gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. 5 They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn't pursue the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel)...7 He built an altar there, and called the place El Beth El; because there God was revealed to him, when he fled from the face of his brother. 9 God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him. 11 God said to him, "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body. 12 The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and to your seed after you will I give the land." 17 When Rachel was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for now you will have another son."18 It happened, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.

22 It happened, while Israel lived in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 28 The days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years. 29 Isaac expired and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him."

Observations: 35:1 Jacob gains a little more confidence in God, who moves him back to Bethel, in part as a reminder of God's past protection. God helps out a little in 35:5 by putting the fear of God in potential pursuers.

35:2 Separation and sanctification (holiness) are necessary for blessing, so it can be clearly seen that God is blessing His people.

35:11 Blessing to Abe is reiterated.

35:18 Rachel bears Israel's twelfth son and dies.

35:22 Undisciplined Reuben blows his blessing by usurping his father's authority.

Application: Obedience keeps us in the place of protection. Purity helps too.

Prayer: God, thanks that I can trust You to protect and bless me. Amen.

Genesis 36 Lots of Hard Names

36:1 "Now this is the history of the generations of Esau... 6...went into a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their substance was too great for them to dwell together, and the land of their travels couldn't bear them because of their livestock. 8 Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom."

Genesis 37 Joseph Dreams and Gets Sold

37:1 "Jacob lived in the land of his father's travels, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old...brought an evil report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colors. 4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn't speak peaceably to him.

5 Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. 7 ... we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf." 8 His brothers said to him, "Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?" They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words. 9..."Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me." 17...Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan. 18...they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said one to another, "Behold, this dreamer comes. 20 Come now therefore, and let's kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil animal has devoured him.' We will see what will become of his dreams." 21 Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, "Let's not take his life." 22 Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him"--that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father. 26 Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let's sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh." His brothers listened to him. 28...sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt. 35 All his (Israel's) sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, "For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning." His father wept for him. 36 The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard."

Question: There are more chapters devoted to Joseph than Abraham!!! or Isaac, or any other topic in Genesis. Why the emphasis? (Hint: Book of Job occurs during this period as well.)

Answer: See tomorrow's post.

Observations: 37:1 This Chapter begins the final section of Genesis, getting the Chosen People to Egypt as God promised Abe back in Genesis 15.

Once again we have undisciplined kids causing pain to prosperous parents who didn't do their job of parenting and played favorites. Of course that would never happen today...

37:2 A truthful but unfavorable report about his brothers could cause hostility.
37:5 By now we and the brothers should know that God gives promises in dreams. Their hatred of their brother blinds them to God's revelation.

37:22 Reuben, as the oldest would have been ultimately responsible.

37:28 Twenty pieces of silver (which secure the salvation of the Chosen People) will show up again in the NT. The family tradition of deception will continue as well.

Application: People who are secure in their worth and value don't grudge the success of others.

Prayer: God may I rejoice in the success of others, knowing that You are the One who ultimately blesses. Amen.

Genesis 38 Passion, Pain, and Plots

38:2 "Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her, and went in to her. 3 She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er. 4 She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan. 5 She yet again bore a son...6 Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him. 8 Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to your brother." 9 Onan knew that the seed wouldn't be his; and it happened, whenever he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. 10 The thing which he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he killed him also. 11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up"; for he said, "Lest he also die, like his brothers." Tamar went and lived in her father's house.13 It was told Tamar, saying,"Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." 14 She took off of her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn't given to him as a wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her by the way, and said, "Please come, let me come in to you," for he didn't know that she was his daughter-in-law.She said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?" 17 He said, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." She said, "Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?" 18 He said, "What pledge will I give you?" She said, "Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand." He gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 She arose, and went away 20 Judah sent the young goat to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, but he didn't find her...24 It happened about three months later, that it was told Judah, saying, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute; and moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution." Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burnt." 25...she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "By the man, whose these are, I am with child." Please discern whose are these--the signet, and the cords, and the staff." 26 Judah acknowledged them, and said, "She is more righteous than I, because I didn't give her to Shelah, my son." He knew her again no more. 27 It happened in the time of her travail, that behold, twins were in her womb. 28 When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This came out first." 29 It happened, as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out, and she said, "Why have you made a breach for yourself?" Therefore his name was called Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah."

Observation: It is painfully obvious that the Patriarchs were bad parents. If only they had personal self-control and Proverbs. Judah turns out beastly, and his sons were so bad God had to kill them to maintain some level of separation from the very people the Israelites were to judge.

38:2 Judah, the greedy guy who thought of selling Joseph, saw and took, (just like Shechem did Dinah) and married a pagan Canaanite. He blamed his daughter-in-law, Tamar, for the death of his wicked sons rather than himself. He wronged her, by failing to honor his word to ensure her heir; slept with her thinking she was a prostitute, and then wanted to burn her for becoming pregnant. Out of that union came an ancestor of Christ. At least he recognized her relative righteousness, but in that family it was easy to be more righteousness than the others.

38:9 Onan knew that impregnating Tamar, the wife of his older brother, would mean loss of his inheritance, to the heir of the firstborn, so he refused to obey and do his duty. God didn't think that was a good idea.

38:13 Tamar readily adopted the family tradition of deception, and gets blessed with a couple of children very parallel to Jacob and Esau.

Application: Taking the easy road of irresponsibility to avoid pain, often causes us to crash into it.

Prayer: Father, help me know, desire and do all that You desire. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God blesses, but is serious about His people being holy and righteous; He will discipline them with death when necessary; He allows tragedy and pain into the lives of His chosen ones, as part of His perfect plan; He watches out for dreamers and widows.

Us in a nutshell: We don't know how God's perfect plan will unfold, so we need to exercise faith and obedience. Knowing the tendencies of our fellow planet-mates, discretion isn't a bad idea either.

Genesis 29-31 Family Friction with Fertile Wives & Herds

Psalm 6:5-10 Dead Men Don't Praise

6:1 A Psalm by David “Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in Your anger, neither discipline me in Your wrath. 2 Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint. Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled. 3 My soul is also in great anguish. But You, Yahweh—how long? 4 Return, Yahweh. Deliver my soul, and save me for Your hesed/loyal covenantal love. 5 For in death there is no memory of You. In Sheol, who shall give You thanks? 6 I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears. 7 My eye wastes away because of grief. It grows old because of all my adversaries. 8 Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping. 9 Yahweh has heard my supplication. Yahweh accepts my prayer. 10 May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed. They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly."

Observations: 6:1-4 David appeals to God's hesed or loyal covenantal love as the basis for being saved from the consequences of his sin that has angered God. See Genesis 26-28 post for more.

6:5-10 David gives an additional reason why God should save/deliver him from His enemies, he will praise and thank God, for His help, magnifying and glorifying His name. David supports his cause with heartfelt repentance and tears. He expresses a triple confidence in the fact that God has heard and accepted His prayer, and will soon deliver him. Then his enemies, which God has allowed to temporarily triumph, will be disgraced.

Application: When reaping the consequences of sin, it's always a good time to repent, call out to God for help, and plan on praising Him for His salvation of you.

Prayer: Gracious God, I praise You for being a compassionate God who is loyal to His people, and who saves them from the consequences of sin when they repent; I'm sorry to have strayed, please forgive and restore me for Your glory's sake; which I vow to praise. Thanks. Amen.

Proverbs 2:11-13 Plan Your Paths

2:11 "Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things; 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;"

Observations: 2:11-13 When one fears God and embraces wisdom, discretion and insight will protect and deliver. Proverbs was designed to give discretion or purpose to the naive simpletons (Proverbs 1:4). Discretion comes from a root meaning plan or purpose. Having a godly plan for one's life and day keeps one out of trouble. Insight helps one recognize the good from bad, but also the best course of action to take. The two characteristics of evil men in this section are: perverse speech, and departure for the paths of uprightness to slink in the streets of darkness. Note that they were on the right path, and went bad. Perverse speech is twisted and turned from the truth, and might sound very pious to those not trained by wisdom. The path of uprightness can sometimes get tiring, and we can be tempted to take a detour into darkness, but having the right plan and God's insight, keeps us safely on track.

Application: Plan your paths to get you to what is pleasing in God's sight, or you'll wind up slinking along the streets of sin with evil companions.

Prayer: God, may Your truth guide my plans and steps today, and protect me from the enticements of the evil. Amen.

Genesis 29-31 Family Friction with Fertile Wives & Herds

Genesis 29 The Deceiver Gets Deceived and Four Sons

29:1 "Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east. 13 It happened, when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, that he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things. 16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.” 20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her. 21 Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
22 Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him. He went in to her. 24 Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid to his daughter Leah for a handmaid. 25 It happened in the morning that, behold, it was Leah. He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me yet seven other years.” 28 Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife. 29 Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her handmaid. 30 He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. 31 Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah conceived, and bore: Reuben...Simeon...Levi....Judah. Then she stopped bearing."

Observations: In the Ancient Near East (as in most parts of the world) religion was centered around fertility for crops, herds, and family. Without it, you die. These chapters make it clear that Yahweh is the author of life.

The parallels between Isaac and Jacob's lives are numerous and intended, and foreshadow a lot of the Exodus generation's experiences.

29:20 When we're passionate about something, work is play.

29:25 Surprise! The deceiver gets deceived. Talionic (retaliation) retributive justice pays back in kind, poetically. The punishment matches the crime.

Application: Don't do to others what you don't want done to yourself.

Prayer: God of Justice, I praise You for being infinitely just. You will set things right. Amen.

Genesis 30 Family Friction with Fertile Wives & Herds 

30:1 "When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in God’s place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 She said, “Behold, my maid Bilhah. Go in to her, that she may bear on my knees, and I also may obtain children by her.” 6 Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son.” Therefore called she his name Dan...Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had finished bearing, she took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob as a wife....Gad...Asher. 16 Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, “You must come in to me; for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” He lay with her that night. 17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob a fifth son...Issachar. 19 Leah conceived again, and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20 Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons.” She named him Zebulun. 21 Afterwards, she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah. 

22 God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb. 23 She conceived, bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 She named him Joseph, saying, “May Yahweh add another son to me.” 25 It happened, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place, and to my country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service with which I have served you.” 27 Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have divined that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake.” 28 He said, “Appoint me your wages, and I will give it.” 29 He said to him, “You know how I have served you, and how your livestock have fared with me. 30 For it was little which you had before I came, and it has increased to a multitude. Yahweh has blessed you wherever I turned. Now when will I provide for my own house also?” 31 He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed your flock and keep it. 32 I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted one, and every black one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats. This will be my hire... 41 It happened, whenever the stronger of the flock conceived, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods; 42 but when the flock were feeble, he didn’t put them in. So the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43 The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys."

Observations: Playing favorites, and getting worth and value apart from God always causes problems. Jacob gets twelve kids (one more to come) and family problems. Nevertheless, God continues to bless him as promised, so that it is obvious to others. This is the role that Israel (and believers today) should play.

30:41 Selective breeding told to Jacob by God in 31:12 gave prosperity. The rods could have had nutrients in them.

Lexical Light: 30:24 Joseph = Yahweh shall add, the verb is imperfect. Hebrew has two verb tenses: perfect (completed action usually in the past) and imperfect (ongoing action, usually in the future). It also has a bunch of stems to make things more specific (and complicated). So it looks like Rachel is expressing faith in God giving another son...Benjamin in Genesis 35:18.

Genesis 31 God Does More Than Watch

31:2 "Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3 Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” 4 Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock, 5...but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all of my strength. 7 Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me...10 It happened during mating season that I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled. 11 The angel of God said to me in the dream...12 'lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’” 14 Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?...19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the teraphim (idols) that were her father’s.20 Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away...24 God came to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Take heed to yourself that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? 29 It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Take heed to yourself that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’ 30 Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?” 31 Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’ 32 Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them. 34 Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt about all the tent, but didn’t find them. 35 She said to her father, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having my period.” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim. 36 Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued after me? 37 Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two. 38 “These twenty years I have been with you...42 Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.” 49 Mizpah, for he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another...52 May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac. 54 Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain. 55 Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place."

Observation: 31:12 God sees the injustice (which He hates) and will rectify it for the righteous.

31:13 Like Jacob, Israel returned from “exile” and unjust treatment with great blessing.

31:19 Apparently not trusting Yahweh for her protection and inheritance, Rachel (whose character is clearly inferior to her beauty) steals her father's idols (which were symbols of both protection and inheritance).

31:49 Mizpah (means watchtower) was a warning between enemies, not a blessing between friends.

31:53 Two gods are in view (“judge” is plural). Nahor (Abe's grandfather) was an idolater.

Application: Respond to unjust treatment by entrusting your welfare to the God Who Judges Righteously and doing what is righteous.

Prayer: God Who Judges Righteously, help me do what's right with all my heart, and leave settling the score to You. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: He sees and acts justly to protect and bless His people, even when they are imperfect (that's grace). He is also in charge of fertility and prosperity. He will let the blessing of His people spill over on the unrighteous, for His purposes. He can communicate with and prosper idolaters.

Us in a nutshell: We're not always a prize package, frequently causing our own pain.