Genesis 38:13 - Timnath or Timnah?

And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

Timnath was not the Timnath of Sampson (Judges 14:1), which is on lower ground than Adullam. Most likely, it is the Timnah of Joshua 15:10, 57, about 10 mile west of Bethlehem.

Genesis 38:11 - Back Home: Used, Childless & Widowed

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house

Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house as this was the custom for widowed women without children (Leviticus 22:13; Ruth 1:12-13). However, Reuben was lying; he had no intention of allowing Shelah to marry Tamar.

Genesis 38:9 - Levirate Matrimony & Onanism

And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

The seed should not be his because the first born son would carry on the name of Er so that his dead brother's name would not be forgotten in Israel (Deuteronomy 25:6). Spilled it on the ground is considered a form of contraception from which we get the term "onanism." Although Onan did not masturbate, masturbation ends with the same result - a wasted ejaculation.

Genesis 37:31 - The Object of Resentment

And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;

This verse highlights the dangers of parental favoritism; the ostensive show of favoritism sometimes result in children filled with spite. Joseph's coat of many colors distinguished him as Jacob's favorite (Genesis 37:3). His brothers resented their father for making the coat so they used it out spite in convincing their father of Joseph's death.

Genesis 37:28 - Friend In Deed

Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Midianites merchantmen... drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit - A person who gives assistance to another in need is a friend in deed. Just as God used foreigners to rescue Joseph, a Cushite man rescued Jeremiah from starving to death in a pit. (Jeremiah 38:7-13 NIV).

Genesis 37:24 - In Desperate Need of God

And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

Like Joseph, Jeremiah was also thrown into a pit and was in desperate need of God (Jeremiah 38:6). Spiritually, you can also find yourself suddenly thrown into a pit. When you find yourself in the pits, look to God to lift you out and get you back in step (Psalm 40:2).

Genesis 37:11 - Overwhelming Feelings of Reverence

And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

Joseph's dream was too wonderful for his father to fathom. However, his father understood to power of dreams so his father observed the saying. Just like when the shepherds spread the word concerning what the angel had told them about baby Jesus; everyone was too amazed to believe Jesus was the Messiah, but Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:17-19).

Genesis 46:29 - Joseph Remembers His Father

And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

In becoming the lord of all Egypt, Joseph provided a safe haven for his father in the land of Goshen (Genesis 45:9-11), even though his father rebuked him as a child for having the dream (Genesis 37:9-10). In Goshen, Joseph presented himself unto him as evidence of the dream coming true; then they embraced and wept for a long time.

Genesis 37:7-8 - Making dreams a reality.

For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

Joseph's brothers rightly interpreted his dream and became the agents of divine Providence. United in their hatred of him, they helped bring his dream into existence by selling him to the Midianite merchants, who took him to Egypt (Genesis 37:28). Not knowing that Joseph became the governor of Egypt, they made obeisance to him twice (Genesis 42:6; Genesis 44:14).

Genesis 36:40-43 - The Dukes of Edom

And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.

Parallel Passage 1 Chronicles 1:51-54

Genesis 36:31 - Before Israel had a king

And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.

The children of Israel didn't have a king until about seven hundred years later when Samuel introduced Saul as the man the LORD had chosen to be their king (1 Samuel 10:24).

Genesis 35:17-18 - Be careful of what you wish for.

And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

The midwife knew God would provide Rachel with another child because she remembered when Rachel named her firstborn Joseph and said, "May the LORD add to me another son" (Genesis 30:24 NIV). When Rachel had no children, she cried, "Give me children, or else I die" (Genesis 30:1); and one child wasn't enough, she had to have another and it cost her her life.

Genesis 35:11 - Adam, Noah, and Jacob

And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

God appeared and made himself known as God Almighty only to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 17:1, Genesis 48.3, Exodus 6:3) ; but of the three, only Jacob (joining the company of Adam and Noah Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:1) received the blessing: be fruitful and multiply.

Genesis 35:7 - Man of the House

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

To bring about God's promises, the man of the house must command his household to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just (Genesis 18:19 NIV).

Genesis 35:1 - House of God

And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Jacob obeyed God; he returned to Bethel, the place where God promised him the land of Canaan (Genesis 28:13) and built there an altar, and he called the place El Bethel (Genesis 35:7).

Genesis 34:10 - To Keep The Peace

And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

the land shall be before you - To deal with the crisis at hand between the families, Hamor was offering Jacob's family the land of their choice in the same way that Abraham offered Lot the land his choice (Genesis 13:9).

Genesis 32:8 - The Ingratiating Manner of Jacob

And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.

These, the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and servants are to find grace in the sight of my lord in the hope that Esau would be kind to him (Genesis 32:5 CEV).

Genesis 33:3 - Who's serving who?

And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Jacob bowed himself to the ground seven times because Jacob feared Esau and his dominion (Genesis 27:40). However, at the end of their meeting, Esua acquiesces his servitude to Jacob as his lord (Genesis 33:15).

Genesis 32:31: Power Made Perfect in Weakness

And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

Although Jacob halted upon his thigh, he had "power with God" to pass over the brook to meet not only Esau, but Esau with his four hundred men (Genesis 32:28, 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Genesis 32:26 - How to get your breakthrough.

And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

Although Jacob was weak and tied from wrestling all night, he was not going to give up until he got his blessing. As he desperately held on with all his might, crying and begging for his favor (Hosea 12:4), he got his breakthrough.

Genesis 32:6 - Jacob Faces His Fear

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him increases Jacob's fear of Esau's vengeance. However, Jacob stands his ground and faces his fear (Genesis 33:1).

Genesis 31:48-49 - The Watchtower

And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Mizpah (which means “watchtower”) is the place where God routed the Philistines with a load thunder while Samuel and the Israelites fasted, cried out and made sacrifices to God (1 Samuel 7:2-11 NIV).

Genesis 31:43 - Laban's Contrition With Jacob

Laban answered Jacob, "The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne?

Laban response to Jacob's expression of indignation is one of contrition by conceding the right of Jacob's prosperity; for Jacob is now a rich man, and everything he owns comes from Laban (Genesis 31:1 CEV).

Genesis 31:41 - Jacob's Indignation With Laban

Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters - Jacob had agreed to serve seven years for Rachel but Laban deceived him into having to serve fourteen years; for after serving the seven years, Laban asserted that Jacob must first marry Leah because it was their custom that the older daughter marry fist (Genesis 29:26-27 NIV).

Genesis 31:32 - Like Father, Like Son

With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

Joseph brothers, the sons of Jacob, gave the same response regarding the silver cup placed in Benjamin's sack (Genesis 44:9):

If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord's slaves."

Genesis 31:29 - The God of Jacob's father

It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

God made himself known to Jacob as the God of your father in the dream he had at Bethel (Genesis 28:13 NIV).

Genesis 31:2 - A word to the wise:

And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

When a man is suffering a loss, pay special attention to his attitude; in times of great distress, even the most tenderhearted man will have no compassion, not even for his own family (Deuteronomy 28:54 ).

Genesis 31:1 - Green with Envy

And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.

From the words of Labans' sons, Jacob realised that they were envious of his prosperity and was intimidated from all this glory he had gotten from their father (Psalm 49:16). As a result, Jacob knew he had to take action (Genesis 31:31) because he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion (Job 5:2 BBE).

Genesis 30:36 - God giveth, God taketh.

And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Laban made the three days journey betwixt himself and Jacob so the flocks that Jacob cared for would not mix with the ringstraked, speckled and spotted cattle of Laban's sons. However, God brought forth from Laban's flocks offspring that was ringstraked, speckled and spotted. And it came to pass that Laban's cattle became Jacob's cattle (Genesis 31:9).

Genesis 28:22 - Jacob's vow with God.

This stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

After God blesses Jacob with prosperity and a large family, Jacob remembers his vow with God and returns to this stone and builds an altar (Genesis 35:7).

Genesis 28:17 - On holy ground.

And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

This place is holy ground that Jacob was lying on when he dreamt his vision. Just like Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:5-6), Jacob became afraid when he realized that he was in the presence of God. Joshua too found himself standing on holy ground when the captain of the Lord's army appeared before him, just before the fall of Jericho (Joshua 5:15).

Genesis 28:15 - If God said it, He'll do it!

And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

Just as God said, He brought Jacob back to Luz, the Canaanite city that Jacob renamed Bethel (Genesis 28:19). Jacob returned to where he had the dream and called it Elbethel because there God appeared to him after he had fled from his brother (Genesis 35:7).

Genesis 28:4 - Jacob inherits the blessing of Abraham

And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

The blessing of Abraham is to make his name great by multiplying his seed into a large and great nation and by obtaining its own land possession (Genesis 12:2; 22:17).

Genesis 27:46 - More chicanery by Rebekah.

And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

Rebekah is trying to get Isaac to support her idea of having Jacob flee to her homeland in Padanaram (Genesis 27:43). Esau already grieved Isaac by marrying Hittite women (Genesis 26:34, 35) so Rebekah is hoping that Isaac will advise Jacob to follow his own footsteps in finding a wife in Padanaram (Genesis 25:20).

Genesis 27:44 - A case of wishful thinking.

And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;

Rebekah was hoping that Jacob would have to disappear for only a short time. However, the few days turned into twenty years (Genesis 31:41) and there's no reference in the Bible that she and her beloved son ever met again.

Genesis 27:40 - The Yoke Of The Edomites

And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

Esau had the dominion when Esau and Jacob met for their first time after Jacob fled to Padanaram (Genesis 33:3). In process of time, the Edomites (the descendants of Esau, Genesis 36:1) served the Tribe of Judah but gained their freedom during the time of King Joram (2 Kings 8:20).

Genesis 27:37 - Too late to change.

And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

Isaac initiated the blessing but it's God that fulfills the blessing (The source of all true blessings). Apparently, once the blessing is in God's hands, the blessing is irrevocable. Therefore, there was nothing Isaac could do to change what God had already ordained for Jacob (Genesis 27:28).

Genesis 27:36 - We live by the decisions we make.

And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

Esau has no one to blame but himself for the decision he made in the past (Genesis 25:33). Joseph (meaning to take the place of another) was rightly named because the LORD told Rebekah that the elder shall serve the younger (Genesis 25:23). I don't believe that this was preordained; instead, I believe that God told Rebekah this because God knew that Esau would give away his birthright.

Genesis 27:33 - The source of all true blessings.

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.

After blessing Jacob, Isaac states yea, and he shall be blessed because all true blessings come only from God. Isaac acknowledges the source of all true blessings in Genesis 28:3.

Genesis 27:31 - Too little, too late.

And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.

By following his father's instructions (Genesis 27:4), Esau was hoping to regain his birthright as the first-born (Genesis 25:34).