OCTOBER 8, 2020 Genesis 34:8-10 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall […]
OCTOBER 7, 2020 Genesis 34:1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. Just after overcoming the crisis with Laban and then with Esau, Jacob encountered another trying situation. His young daughter was violated by a very prominent Amorite man. Jewish commentary says […]
OCTOBER 6, 2020 Genesis 33:17-18 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan. It seems fitting that the first place Jacob came to […]
OCTOBER 5, 2020 Genesis 33:15-16 And Esau said, “Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. When Jacob declined Esau’s invitation to […]
OCTOBER 4, 2020 Genesis 33:12-13 Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.” But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one […]
OCTOBER 3, 2020 Genesis 33:4 “But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.” Considering what we know about Esau and his opinion about Jacob, this display of affection was either a one-time genuine event or Esau was a good actor. The latter option […]
OCTOBER 2, 2020 Genesis 33:1-2 Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph […]
October 1, 2020 Genesis 32:30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Not too many people can claim to have seen God face to face and live to tell about it. In fact, years later, Moses was told: ““You cannot […]
September 30, 2020 Today is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Tradition has it that on this day Moses returned from the top of Mt. Sinai, carrying the second tablets of the Law. This was in the aftermath of the Golden Calf incident and came as a result of Moses interceding for the people. While […]
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 Genesis 32:27-28 So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” To walk as Israel is to say that one has encountered God and […]
SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 Genesis 32:27-28 So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men,and have prevailed.” I don’t think it’s likely that the man/angel didn’t know who He was struggling […]
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 Genesis 32:25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. It is fascinating to me that the man — who most believe to be an angel or […]