Friday, January 27, 2012

26 Jan. 2012 - Genesis 28:1-9

Genesis 28:1-9
"Jacob's Departure"

Here we have Jacob's sending-off, but there's more going on here than just the farewells and blessings.

Isaac sends Jacob off with advice, a command and a blessing. He suggests that Jacob visit his uncle Laban's house (which is where Rebekah also told him to go). The command is tied to this action, as Isaac tells Jacob to marry within the family, particularly one of Laban's daughters. The blessing he gives, then, is for the continuation of God's promise to rest on Jacob.

Additionally, we have Esau listening and internalizing everything. He noticed that Isaac explicitly told Jacob not to marry a Canaanite. Rightly discerning that his father did not approve of his wives, he also married family; he married one of Ishmael's daughters, one of his half-cousins.

I find it interesting how, once again, Abraham's descendant's wife comes from his homeland and family. What extra purpose or meaning might be there, I don't know. I do feel, though, that there was a reason, aside from distaste, for Jacob being dissuaded from marrying a Canaanite (after all, Abraham made the same wish regarding Isaac's wife). I think this aversion stems from the worship of the Canaanites of other gods. Additionally, the Israelites, when returning to the promised land, are commanded not to marry a Canaanite woman, too.

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