Joseph’s Dreams
37: 5-11

Joseph’s dreams DIG: What do these dreams tell us about how the account of Joseph will end? Why might God give Joseph these dreams at this time? How did God use the hatred of Joseph’s brothers to accomplish His plans for the nation of Isra’el (15:13-14)? What five ways did Joseph foreshadow the life of Christ?

REFLECT: ADONAI uses man’s sinful ways to bring about His own good purposes. How has this happened in your life? All great things are born in a dream. If you have stopped dreaming your dreams, your life is already over. What dreams can you now share with the LORD? Is jealousy avoidable? Explain. How can jealousy be minimized in relationships, especially between believers?

Now Isra’el loved Joseph more than any of his other sons (37:3a). That is too much of a burden for anyone to bear, let alone a teenager. To make matters worse, Joseph was also extremely gifted by ADONAI. He had the ability to both hear the voice of God in dreams and to interpret those dreams, not to mention his administrative talents. ADONAI confirmed Israel’s choice of his faithful son by two dreams, which He influenced upon Joseph’s mind while he slept. God’s revelation was given in different forms in the TaNaKh. He used dreams when His people were leaving or outside the Promised Land. In a dream God had announced to Abraham the Egyptian bondage in the first place (15:13), in a dream God promised protection and prosperity for Jacob in his stay with Laban (28:12 and 15), and by two dreams God predicted that Yosef would rule over his family. The writer to the Hebrews tells us that in the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways (Heb 1:1). And one of those ways was through dreams.

Consider the power of a dream. Our dreams are the golden ladder by which we climb to heavenly places. Dreams are the mountain peaks of vision that we climb and look into the promised land that God has given us. Dreams are the lantern, by whose light we pass safely through the darkest valley. Dreams are the inner flame in your soul that gives you the strength in the day of adversity to fight through the darkness until the dream comes true. The Bible is full of men who dreamed a dream bigger than themselves. God gave Dani’el a dream and it was so specific that we have been able to follow the parade of prophecy from that day to today. ADONAI gave Joseph, the father of Jesus, a dream and he immediately left for Egypt, saving the life of the Savior. The LORD gave Peter a dream, and the Gentiles of the world are saved today as a result. God gave Rabbi Sha’ul a dream of a man begging him to come to Macedonia to preach, and the church exploded. God gave John a dream and he saw heaven standing open and the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.⁵⁵⁵

When Joseph had a dream from the LORD, he showed no hesitation to announce its interpretation to both his father and to his envious brothers. Unfortunately for Joseph, his dream(s) spoke of him being lifted up above his family members for some unknown purposes. All this led to a very troubled household. At least three times in Chapter 37 alone, we learn his brothers hated him all the more (37:4, 5, and 8). This is the first dream recorded in Genesis in which the voice of God does not speak.⁵⁵⁶ The verb form of the word hated him all the more, wayyosipu, is a word play on the name Joseph, yosep. 7. Joseph was hated for who he was, but he was also hated for what he said. This was also true of our Lord. For this reason, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him; not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). When He said: The Father and I are one, again the Jews picked up stones to stone Him (John 10:30-31). Then Jesus said to them: You are determined to kill Me, but I have only told you the truth that I heard from God (John 8:40).

In his first dream Yosef said to his brothers, “Listen to this dream I had. We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it” (37:6-7). In his dream the sheaves of grain symbolize his brothers, who ended up bowing down to Joseph. God had a plan for his life and Joseph was excited about it. The Ruach ha-Kodesh is silent about his motive for sharing it with his brothers, but whether innocently or out of pride, he did so. The interpretation of this dream is that the field is the earth, and the earth speaks of earthly sovereignty. It spoke of a time twenty-two years later when Joseph’s brothers would be driven to Egypt by famine and they would bow down to a brother they had rejected. 8. And just as Joseph would become the most powerful man on the earth, when Jesus comes back the next time it will be as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to rule the earth (Revelation 5:5).

Harboring a growing animosity toward Yosef, his brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” They totally dismissed his dream because their ill-will could not see anything in it besides Joseph’s own ambition and pride. Predictably, they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said about them (37:8). They hated him continually and persistently, and the more they hated him, the more their hatred grew. 9. But nevertheless, Joseph was to enjoy a remarkable future. His dreams were divine announcements of his future exaltation and the same is true of our Lord. A remarkable future was promised concerning the Child who was to be born to Isra’el. The government will be on His shoulders; and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end (Isaiah 9:6b-7a). To His mother the Angel Gabriel declared: You will be with Child and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. ADONAI, God will give Him the throne of His descendant David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end (Luke 1:30-33). Both Joseph and Jesus were to enjoy a remarkable future.

Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. Listen, he said, I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars (Revelation 12:1-2) were bowing down to me (37:9). Clearly the eleven stars symbolize his brothers, the sun, his father and the moon his mother. The point of this dream is that the sun and moon and stars are in the heavens, and the heavens speak of heavenly sovereignty. 10. Just as these heavenlies would bow down to Yosef, Jesus is the Lord of the heaven. He is adored by the angels around His throne who constantly sing: Holy, Holy, Holy (Revelation 4:8). He is feared in the heaven, He has crushed the head of the Serpent at the cross. Demons tremble at the mention of His name. The heavens declare the glory of God because the witness of the stars tells His story of redemption (to see link click Lw – The Witness of the Stars).

When Joseph told his father his second dream in the presence of his brothers, this was even shocking to Isra’el. At this point, even his father had difficulty believing this was anything more than Yosef’s own ego, and he rebuked him. Isra’el had already bowed down before his brother (33:3). Must he now bow down before his son as well? Israel’s wives and children had bowed down before Esau (33:6). Must they now bow before their brother?⁵⁵⁷ Isra’el said to him, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down at the ground before you” (37:10)? The inclusion of his parents in this second dream is significant because it tells us that Joseph will not merely be first among his brothers, but sovereign over the entire family, superseding even the importance of his parents. This justifies the inclusion of family members living or dead.⁵⁵⁸ Rachel had died giving birth to Benjamin (35:18), but this is why she was included in the dream. ADONAI had intended this dream to comfort Joseph in the future when he was facing difficult times. It was not meant to share with his family and he was immature and foolish to do so. Nevertheless, a day would come when they would bow down to him. Dreams do not come with an expiration date.

His brothers were jealous of him. Like Ishmael and Esau before them, they would not recognize God’s sovereign choice of the younger over the older. Instead, his brothers set out on a course to destroy him. And even though Isra’el had rebuked Joseph, he could not help being impressed and, like Mary, kept the matter in mind and pondered it in his heart (Luke 2:19). Isra’el, more than anyone, knew that God could select the younger over the older, and that He could declare His choice in advance by a dream (37:11).⁵⁵⁹

These two attitudes are typical of people’s reactions to news from the LORD. The brother’s skepticism was emotional and hasty; the father’s open mind was the product of some humility. In his spiritual maturity Isra’el had learned, as his sons had not, to allow for God’s sovereign hand to work in human affairs.⁵⁶⁰ 11. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him, as the Jews were jealous of the Messiah. In the Parable of the Tenants, the owner of the vineyard sent His Son, whom He loved, thinking, “They will respect My Son.” But the tenants said to one another, “This is the heir. Come, let’s kill Him, and the inheritance will be ours” (Mark 12:6-7). Again, after He had called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him” (John 12:17-19)! And when Jesus was before Pilate, and the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Yeshua who is called the Christ?” For he knew it was out of jealousy that they had handed Jesus over to him (Matthew 27:17-18).

What is the difference between a divine dream and an illusion? A divine dream is a divine concept that you have the gift and calling to achieve. An illusion is the state of being intellectually deceived. So, do you have a divine dream or an illusion? There are seven requirements for your dream to come true.

First, define the dream and write it down. If you’re not going anywhere, any road will take you there. Know where you are going. Don’t be afraid to try or fail.

Secondly, divine dreams require great patience. For the revelation awaits an appointed time. Though it linger, wait for it and it will certainly come to pass (Habakkuk 2:3). Joseph’s dream took almost thirteen years to come to pass. Be patient.

Thirdly, divine dreams are often born from pain. Abraham Lincoln stood on the dock of a New Orleans shipyard and saw a child torn screaming from his mother’s arms and sold away. As he witnessed this, he dug his fingernails into his hands until they bled, and he dreamed of a day when the curse of slavery could be removed from America. That dream sustained him through a nervous breakdown, ten political defeats, until eventually he became president of the United States. He signed the Emancipation Proclamation and his dream came true. Don’t stop until you have what God has for you.

Fourthly, divine dreams come from God, not other people. Don’t let others without a dream determine who you are. Look to Him, not the world.

Fifthly, divine dreams are sustained from divine favor from God. Esther received favor from the king, and as she walked in, and if he had not held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand, she would have died (Esther 5:2). Ruth went into the fields and came home with six measures of barley and a future husband because she was favored of Boaz. There is a phrase that follows Joseph all the way through this story. The Bible says: ADONAI was with him. When the Lord is with you, favor will come.

The sixth thing that will make your dreams come true is that uncommon dreams require uncommon preparation. Joseph prepared for thirteen years, Moses spent forty years getting ready for his ministry, and Jesus prepared thirty years for a ministry that lasted three and a half years. You can live a life without limit if you put your hand in the hand of God.

Lastly, divine dreams create strong adversaries. Joseph’s brothers are going to throw him into the pit and Potiphar’s wife threw him into prison. If you are living without opposition, you are living an illusion. If you have no resistance, you are not doing anything worthwhile.⁵⁶¹

Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors
37: 1-4

Joseph’s coat of many colors DIG: What did Joseph’s coat of many colors symbolize? How did Israel’s obvious favoritism (like his father’s) cause dissension in his family? Was that favoritism justified? Was it wise? What did Joseph have that his brothers didn’t? Would you want Joseph for a brother? Why? Or why not? Explain. What six ways did Joseph foreshadow the life of Christ?

REFLECT: Has favoritism hurt you or members of your family? Have you ever played favorites with your children? How can that situation be repaired? What if you have done all you can to repair the situation and there is no change? What can you do to protect yourself, knowing that you have done all you can? How can you make sure you don’t hurt someone by playing favorites?

Parashah 9: vaYeshev (He continued living) 37:1-40:23
(see my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)

The Key People include Jacob, Isra’el, Joseph, brothers, Ishmaelites, Reuben, Judah, Potiphar and his wife, daughter of Shua, Er, Ona, Shelah, Tamar, Perez, Zerah, the warden, the cupbearer, and the baker.

The Scenes include Canaan, Shechem, Hebreon, Dothan, Egypt, and Enaim.

The Main Events include Jacob settling, Joseph’s dreams and coat, Joseph stripped and sold twice, Judah intermarried, sons killed, twins for Tamar, Joseph promoted, advances by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph jailed, dreams interpreted, Joseph promoted, but Joseph forgotten.

The book of Genesis is a masterful piece of literature. Too often we get caught up in analyzing characters or deciphering the history and forget to notice the beauty of style and craft by which Moshe composed the book. This becomes clearly evident in this parashah when we begin the story of Joseph. It is at once a story of irony, suspense, sadness, and joy. Along with the book of Esther, it is the greatest account of the sovereignty of ADONAI. On the surface, the actors in the story make their own way in life, set in motion their own plans, succeed of fail, start again, all on their own initiative. That is the immediate superficial impression. In fact, however, it is the Divine Providence which is carrying out, through mankind, His own predestined plan.

This is the account of, or the generations of Jacob, meaning what became of Jacob (37:2a). And what became of Ya’akov was Yosef. 1. The name Yeshua means savior and/or deliverer. Joseph saved his brothers from starvation, from poverty, from prison, and he forgave them for the way they treated him. He saved them from certain death and brought them to the plush lands of Goshen in Egypt. Yeshua, your heavenly Ya’akov, came to this earth, and although he was rejected by His own, He has forgiven you of all of your sin, He has written your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and He has made you a joint heir with Himself at the cross.

2. Joseph had two names, Joseph, meaning addition or he shall add, and Zaphnath-paaneah, given to him by Pharaoh, meaning revealer of secrets (41:45). Jesus also had two names. When he came the first time He was called the Lamb of God (John 1:29) and when He returns the Second time He will receive a new name just like Joseph, and the Bible says it will be the Revealer of Secrets. The apostle Paul tells us that at the end of time, during God’s righteous judgment, He will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as the Gospel declares (Romans 2:16). The Revealer of Secrets is coming. To the righteous, Jesus will hold you in His arms and explain to you why that darling child of yours died. He will explain why your spouse turned to another. He will explain why you became ill before your time. He will explain why your child turned to a homosexual lifestyle. He will explain why, when you were doing the will of God like Job, your life came crashing down around you. Humanly, you will never be able to understand it. But when the Revealer of Secrets explains it to you, everything will become clear. ADONAI is too wise to make a mistake and too loving to be unkind. To the ungodly, it means every liar will be publicly exposed. Every pedophile will answer for every child he has ever molested. Who killed your family member? The Revealer of Secrets knows. Every abortionist will have to answer to the Revealer of Secrets. No one will be able to bluff their way into heaven.⁵⁵³

The strange and eventful life of Joseph started when he was a young man of seventeen (37:2b). Why did God include these words in the Scriptures? Because He is always looking for a teenager with a dream. David was a teenager when he dipped his hand into the brook, looking for five smooth stones to kill Goliath and his four brothers (1 Samuel 17:40-51 and 2 Samuel 21:22). Mary was a teenager when the LORD sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth to tell her that she had found favor with God and would give birth to the Savior (Luke 1:26-33). These teenagers changed world history. If you are a teenager, ADONAI has great things in store for you, if you will allow him to work in your life and stand up for godly principles. You may one day end up in a pit. But God wants to take you to His place with Him. Once you have a divine dream, you will never be the same.

Joseph was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. Because Jacob played favorites, the sons of the maidservants Bilhah and Zilpah always felt inferior to the sons of Leah, and especially Rachel. While Rachel and Leah were alive, Bilhah and Zilpah were called maidservants and concubines; but, now that they were dead, the Holy Spirit gave them the status of wives.

3. Joseph was a shepherd, and so was the Lord (Psalm 23). Joseph was tending the flocks, and Yeshua spent His time tending to the lost sheep of Isra’el (Matthew 15:24). It is the ability of the shepherd that determines the quality of life for the sheep. Our Shepherd is a healer, our Shepherd is a provider, our Shepherd is a protector, and our Shepherd anoints my head with oil.

And while tending the flocks he brought their father an evil report (KJ) about them (37:2b). As the favored son, Joseph’s job was to oversee the activities of Jacob’s concubines’ sons (Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher), and to report their activities back to Jacob. We do not know exactly what evil this was, but the Hebrew language suggests it was something well known to the whole community. It could have been dishonesty, but quite frankly, with what we already know about them, nothing these brothers did would shock anyone. After all, they had slaughtered and looted Shechem. It is not surprising that people who hate do evil things, and hate characterized these brothers. It wasn’t so much that Joseph was a tattletale, because what he said was probably true and needed to be said. Later, the obligation to testify became part of the Torah (Leviticus 5:1). 4. Joseph was opposed to evil, and so was the Lord. Jesus said: The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil (John 7:7).

Joseph was only seventeen years old. Though he was old enough to be married, he was still quite immature in his emotions and world outlook. Yet, despite his youth, he was entrusted with the enormous burden of bearing the stigma of being his father’s favorite son among the twelve. Now Isra’el loved Joseph more than any of his other sons. Joseph was the firstborn of his favorite wife Rachel and his father had clearly spoiled him. Nonetheless, Isra’el recognized Joseph’s leadership qualities and placed him in charge of shepherding the flock, even though he was younger than all the brothers except for Benjamin. Maybe the events at Shechem had shaken Isra’el more than we now realize. Isra’el was probably unwise in favoring Joseph, but he may have had good reason to believe that he was the one who could best be trusted with such authority among the brothers.⁵⁵⁴  Put simply; Isra’el saw qualities in Joseph that he did not see in his other sons. 5. Joseph was loved by his father, and the Lord Jesus was loved by His Father, who declared, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

Isra’el loved Joseph because he had been born to him in his old age. He was the first born son of his favorite wife Rachel. And because of this, he made Joseph a coat of many colors (37:3 NKJ). The Hebrew language emphasizes that it was a long seamless coat with full sleeves, but it was also a coat of royalty (Second Samuel 13:18-19). Long coats with full sleeves were for ruling, not for working, and the brothers did not miss the point. This action gave Joseph the right of the firstborn even though he was the eleventh born son, and indeed he would receive a double portion through his sons Manasseh and Ephraim (48:1-20). Isra’el was replacing Reuben as heir to the birthright because of his sin with Bilhah (35:22). So, the coat of many colors was a sign that Isra’el had marked him out for leadership.

When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him (37:4). Isra’el’s doting over Joseph was as offensive to them as was his gift of the coat of many colors, the tallit of that day. But when Isra’el looked at his sons, he saw qualities in Joseph that his other sons did not have. Although immature and probably more than a little full of himself in his youth, Joseph’s moral standards and spiritual interests were clearly superior to his brothers. In fact, ADONAI had once again chosen the younger to rule over the older. 6. Jacob’s brothers hated Joseph because of his love for his father and Yeshua was likewise hated. When the Messiah exposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees they hated Yeshua so much they plotted to kill Him (Matthew 12:14).

So far everything that Joseph had done (37:2b) and received (37:3), only served to alienate his brothers, but when he shared his dreams with them, it only made matters worse.

Joseph Sold into Slavery by His Brothers
37: 1-36

The fact that Jacob favored Joseph above all his other sons caused major problems in his family. He had experienced this favoritism shown by his own parents. Isaac had favored Esau and Rebekah had favored Jacob; now Jacob was repeating the same mistake. Not that Yosef wasn’t special. Early in life, children exhibit personality and character traits that set them apart from other members of the family. Ya’akov certainly recognized Joseph’s heart as being especially open to the LORD. Nevertheless, when Joseph told his brothers about two dreams he had had, the feelings of resentment escalated. His brothers resented him, and their hatred grew until they cruelly sold him to slave traders going to Egypt. The name of God does not appear in this entire chapter. Its absence is to encourage the reader to ask the question, “Why is God’s name not found here?” It is a teaching technique that, in reality, highlights the sovereignty of God (see my commentary on Esther, to see link click Az – Calamity Averted by Esther). We know that ADONAI is working behind the scenes for the good of Joseph and for the good of His people. So, although the LORD is not mentioned, His sovereignty is the central theme of the story!⁵⁵²

The Written Account of the Generations of Jacob
37:1 to 50:26

After the section on the written account of the generations of Esau from 36:1 to 37:1, we have the eleventh toldot, the written account of the generations of Jacob. The previous toldot told us how the descendants of Esau became the great nation of Edom, and then the dispensing of that non-seed line. Therefore, what this eleventh family document tells us, is what became of Jacob. And what became of Jacob was Joseph. Actually, the story of Joseph completes the story of Ya’akov.

Joseph went from the pit to the palace, and Joseph’s story is your story. Everything that Yosef experienced, you will experience in your lifetime. In the journey of life you will experience rejection. You will experience betrayal. You are going to experience false accusation, sexual temptation, bitterness, and a burning desire for revenge for people who have hurt you deeply. You will experience the agony of being forgotten by those who you have helped the most. You will experience depression, when year after year things go wrong. Satan will sit on your bed at night and he will have this discussion with you. He will say, “You couldn’t love ADONAI and be this messed up.” But when you walk out of the prison into the palace to be with the King, all depression vanishes. Joseph will teach us how to move from tragedy to triumph, from bitterness to blessing and get past the pain and onto the promises of God.

The first eleven chapters of Genesis span 2,000 years. Four men dominate the last thirty-nine chapters: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. The last fourteen chapters of Genesis are devoted to Joseph, which is the same number of chapters that was devoted to Abraham. There are probably more details about Joseph’s personal life than any other biblical character except for Christ Himself. There are three shifts in emphasis within the fourteen chapters. It begins with Yosef, it then shifts to the brothers, then shifts again to Jacob. Although the line of the Messiah would come through Judah, it was Joseph who would save the family and the nation of Isra’el.

In the Jewish world view, Joseph the Patriarch has long been understood to be a prototype of the Messiah. The Talmud speaks about the “Meshiach ben Yoseph” (the Messiah the son of Joseph) and his death as the suffering servant who would bring in partial redemption to Isra’el and pave the way for the “Messiah ben David” (the Messiah the son of David). See the commentary on The Life of Christ Mv – The Jewish Concept of Two Messiah’s. While not identified as a type in the B’rit Chadashah, Joseph foreshadows the life of Christ. There are eighty ways that the life of Yosef prepares us for the coming of Messiah. There are just too many of these to be unintended and ignored. These will be numbered as we study the life of Joseph.⁵⁵¹

The narrative and plot of the story of Joseph has a beginning that is dramatic, a middle that is enchanting, and an end that is a happy ending. Here is the key: If you cut into any part of this story and separate it, and analyze it, you probably will come away with the opinion that this is a terrible tragedy of a family that is falling apart and of an old father who is not able to take care of his own family and make peace and order among his own sons. It would be considered as being a totally dysfunctional family. However, if you back up and look at the whole story of Joseph you will see that each picture in the story, each scene in the plot is like a freight train where each car is hooked to the next and is pulling the other cars, with each car connected to the other, and even though each car is full of sadness and horrible events, the train itself is headed in a happy direction toward and happy ending.

The entire account of Joseph follows a chiastic or an antithetical structure in Chapters 37 to 50. There is a parallelism, where the first letter is antithetical to the second letter, and so on, with the letter E being the turning point. We have also seen this chiastic structure in the Flood account with Noah in Chapters 6-8, the Tower of Babel in Chapter 11, and the Covenant of Circumcision in Chapter 17.

A Joseph’s family is fractured (Chapters 37-38)

B Joseph interprets two dreams (Chapters 39-40)

C Joseph organizes Egypt’s economy (Chapter 41)

D Joseph’s brother’s go down to Egypt for the first time (Chapters 42-44)

E Joseph makes himself known to his brothers (Chapter 45)

D Joseph’s brother’s go down to Egypt for the last time (Chapter 46)

C Joseph reforms Egypt’s economy (Chapter 47)

B Joseph’s two sons are blessed (Chapter 48)

A Joseph’s family is reconciled (Chapters 49-50)

The Prophecy of Edom

Edom is going to play the central role in the Campaign of Armageddon (see my commentary on Revelation, to see link click Ex – The Eight Stage Campaign of Armageddon). Edom will be the place where the final remnant of Isra’el is hiding out during the second half of the Great Tribulation at Bozrah. Amazingly enough, Edom is the location of the Second Coming of Christ (see my commentary on Isaiah Ej – The Oracle Concerning Edom).

When the Lord returns, He returns to Edom. Isaiah will be standing at some high point in the land of Isra’el looking to the southeast to Bozrah. Itis located about 25 miles southeast of the southern end on the Dead Sea in what is today Jordan. Isaiah says: Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah? He sees a very graphic figure coming toward him from the land of Edom and the city of Bozrah. The figure he sees is the Messiah. (See my commentary on Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Bozrah).

When Christ returns to set up His thousand year millennial Kingdom, Edom will become a burning wasteland. No one will be able to live there except the demons disguised as jackals, owls, desert creatures, hyenas, wild goats, falcons, and night creatures. The Spirit will gather them together in the burning wasteland of Edom. There, they will endure perpetual devastation. This burning will not be quenched night and day; its smoke will rise until the thousand years have ended.They will possess it and dwell there from generation to generation until the Millennium is over. This is what will become of Esau’s rebellion against God (see my commentary on Isaiah Gi – Edom’s Streams Will Be Turned into Pitch).

The Division of the Two Brothers
36: 43b

The division of the two brothers REFLECT: At heart, are you an Esau or a Jacob? It can’t get any more basic than that. At your deepest level, do you desire the things of this world, or the things of God? Your decision has eternal consequences.

There is perhaps no greater contrast in Scripture than what is seen in the characters of Esau and Ya’akov. Esav was sensual in the sense that he lived his life for personal enjoyment. He lived for the moment and seemed perfectly willing to sacrifice everything to get whatever he wanted right then and there. He was in every sense earthy and earth bound. His life was secular. Everything in him was of the world and the flesh, and no part of his life was devoted to ADONAI. This was the root of his trouble. God was not at all in his thoughts. The purpose of Esau’s genealogy is to show that the seed of the serpent (3:15a) is alive and well on planet earth. They are multiplying and being fruitful.

The rich young ruler who came to the Lord had the splendid advantages of age, position, wealth, opportunity, earnestness and even moral integrity, and yet, when he was put to the test he revealed his deliberate unwillingness to surrender to Christ and to allow Him to be the Master of his life (see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Il – The Rich Young Ruler).⁵⁴⁹  That was the difference between Esau and Jacob. Although Ya’akov was far from perfect, he loved God, submitted to Him and allowed Him to mold and shape his life. More than that, Jacob wanted to be molded, to be conformed to the likeness of His Son (Romans 8:29a). In the final analysis, Jacob was a righteous man (see Gn – Then Jacob Gave Esau Some Lentil Stew and Esau Despised His Birthright).

This was Esav, the father of the Edomites (36:43c). Esau settled in the land of Edom, and the land of Canaan is surrendered to Jacob. With this statement, Esav disappears from the biblical record, never to be mentioned again. This is contrasted with Jacob who lived in the land where his father had stayed, the Promised Land of Canaan (37:1).

Esau had set his heart on the here and now. It seemed that God’s promises to Abraham and Isaac meant nothing to him. Here then, God has given us a picture of Esav’s family, and then He turns the page. The rest of the story lies with Jacob’s family; they would be the Seed of the woman (3:3:15a), or the line of blessing.⁵⁵⁰

Haftarah vaYishlach: Hoshea (Hosea) 11:7-12:11 (A);
Ovadyah (Obediah) 1-21 (S)
(see my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)

Obediah, the servant of ADONAI, was a pious Edomite governor in the palace of the wicked king Ahab. Wrote on the struggle between Judah and Edom, Obediah prophesied that Edom’s envy concerning Jacob’s election (Genesis 27:41) would eventually bring about their ruin (Obediah 1:15-18). A day would come when when Edom would watch, with contempt, the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem without lifting a hand to help his hurting brother (Psalm 137:7). This contempt is a chilling reminder of Lemech’s arrogance shortly before Cain’s line was annihilated (Genesis 4:23-24). Edom’s violence against his brother (Obediah 1:10-11) is rooted in Hagar’s hatred of Sarah (Genesis 16:5). Edom will be destroyed, and his kingdom will become the LORD’s (Obediah 1:20-21).

B’rit Chadashah suggested reading for Parashah vaYishlach:
Hebrews 11:20; First Corinthians 5:1-13; Revelation 7:1-12

The author of Hebrews builds on ADONAI’s prophecy to Rebekah (Genesis 25:23) and Isaac’s blessing of Jacob (Genesis 28:3-4). Isaac, with eyes of faith, refers to an unseen future (Hebrews 11:20). Hebrews shows that the patriarchs died without experiencing the fulfillment of God’s promises – rather, they salute the promises from afar (Hebrews 11:13-16). Isra’el bowed down to Esau to keep peace, reconcile, and return the blessing (Genesis 33:1-17). But later, Edom hardened into a covetous nation gloating over Isra’el’s discipline by the LORD (Obediah 1:11-12). Remember that Lot’s wife lost her life by looking down upon Sodom’s judgment! Similarly, Edom’s gloating over the punishment of Isra’el costs this nation eternal life! For its part, Isra’el must stay holy to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the land of her inheritance. Apart from obedience, Isra’el will see the promises from afar, staying small as a people, with small need for more land (Deuteronomy 7:22).

The Clans of Esau
36: 40-43a

These were the eleven clans descended from Esau, by name, according to their families and regions. We know something about four of these names. Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz and the sister of Lotan, son of Seir. She became a clan leader of her own name. Next was Oholibamah, who was the daughter of Anah and the wife of Esau. She became the leader of her own clan. We also know about Kenaz and Teman, who were the sons of Eliphaz and grandsons of Esau. They became the leaders of their own clans. But seven of these names are new to us and appear here for the first time in this chapter. They are Clan Alvah, Clan Jetheth, Clan Elah, Clan Pinon, Clan Mibzar, Clan Magdiel and Clan Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom; according to their settlements in the land they occupied (36:40-43b). Isaac’s promises to Esau were being fulfilled.

The major problem with the eleven in this clan list of Esau’s is its relationship, if any, to the fourteen names in 36:15-19. There are only two names, Kenaz and Teman, common to both lists. Three solutions are possible. First, this list is an ad hoc creation without any historical value. Secondly, this list could be later than the previous one. And thirdly, this list is arranged genealogically, whereas the previous list is arranged geographically.

It is interesting that most of the descendants of Esau are included in the genealogical lists of First Chronicles 1:35-54. Not only Moses, but also the chronicler who came much later, considered them important enough to include in the genealogical records of Isra’el. It was vital that there be a perpetual distinction between the descendants of Jacob and Esau, but the Holy Spirit perhaps would assure us by the inclusion of these names in the inspired Word of God that He is forever concerned about every single person.

The Kings of Edom
36: 31-39

The organization of the clans in Edom apparently paralleled that in Isra’el. They ultimately chose a king from one of their clans, and carried on a line of succession from him. Whether or not the line of eight kings mentioned here extends beyond the time of Jacob and Esau is unclear.⁵⁴⁸ The point is comparative; there were eight kings who reigned in Edom by the time Moses wrote Genesis (36:31a).

In most situations kingdoms were based upon family bloodlines. But this was not the case in Edom. It is interesting that the Edomite kings never became a family dynasty. When each king died, another unrelated individual ascended to the throne, probably by force of arms. The city of the new king served as Edom’s capital during his reign. You never read of a capital city of Edom because it shifted from city to city, depending on where the new king came from. These kings reigned in Edom before there was a king in Isra’el (36:31b).

Bela, son of Beor, became king of Edom. His city was named Dinhabah (36:32). The Rabbis teach that this man was the same as Balaam (Numbers 22:21 to24:25).

When Bela died, Jobab, son of Zerah from Bozrah, succeeded him as king (36:33). Bozrah will figure prominently in the Second Coming of Christ.

When Jobab died, Husham, from the land of the Temanites, succeeded him as king (36:34).

When Husham died, Hadad I son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king. His city was named Avith (36:35).

When Hadad I died, Samlah from Masrekah, succeeded him as king (36:36).

When Samlah died, Shaul, from Rehoboth on the river, succeeded him as king (36:37).

When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor succeeded him as king (36:38).

When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad II, who lived during the time of Moses, succeeded Baal-Hanan as king. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab (36:39). Moses sent messengers to Hadad the king of Edom asking permission to pass through Edom, but the king refused and came out against the Israelites with a large and powerful army (Numbers 20:14-21).

The Sons of Seir the Horite
36: 20-30

The Horites were the original inhabitants of the land of Edom. These were the sons of Seir the Horite, who were living in the region before it became known as Edom. We don’t know a lot about their history, but we do know the word Horite means cave dwellers. They lived in the caves found in the mountain range of Mount Seir. Outside the Bible they are known as the Hurrians. Originally they were an independent nation, as we know from 14:6. They were partially exterminated, but also partially subjugated by Esav according to Deuteronomy 2:22. The Horites who survived intermarried with the Edomites and were absorbed by them. Two are mentioned in this chapter. Esau’s son Eliphaz had a concubine named Timna and Oholibamah became Esau’s wife.

The seven sons of Seir the Horite were named Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These sons of Seir in Edom were Horite chiefs (36:20-21).

The first son, Lotan, produced two sons Hori and Homam. Timna, the concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, was Lotan’s sister (36:22). So here was the direct connection between the Horites and the Edomites. Hori and Homam were the grandsons of Seir the Horite.

The second son, Shobal, produced five sons; their names were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam (36:23).

The third son, Zibeon, produced two sons Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs in the desert while he was grazing the donkeys of his father Zibeon (36:24). From that discovery Anah received the surname Berri (26:34) meaning spring man.

The fourth son, Anah, produced two children named Dishon and Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, the great-granddaughter of Seir the Horite, who became the wife of Esau (36:25).

The fifth son, Dishon, produced four sons named Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran (36:26).

The sixth son, Ezer, produced three sons named Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan (36:27).

The seventh son, Dishan, produced two sons named Uz and Aran (36:28).

All seven sons of Seir the Horite became the heads of clans. Their names were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These were the Horite heads of clans, according to their divisions, in the land of Seir (36:29-30).

The Clans of the Descendants of Esau
36: 15-19

These were the thirteen clans among Esau’s descendants. We use the term clans here because the Hebrew word allup means a thousand, a company or a group. The descendants of each son or grandson became a clan. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau became the clans of Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, Gatam and Amalek. These were the clans descended from Eliphaz in Edom. They were the grandsons of Adah (36:15-16).

The sons of Esau’s son Reuel: became the clans of Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were the clans descended from Reuel in Edom. They were the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath (36:17).

The sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: became the clans of Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These were the clans descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, daughter of Anah (36:18).

These were the sons of Esau and what became of them, namely the nation of Edom, and these were their clans (36:19).

Esau’s Sons and Grandsons
36: 9-14

This is the account of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir (36:9). He had five sons and ten grandsons. Esav’s daughters (36:6) probably married Horite men and presumably his granddaughters did also. First, there is a summary statement about Esau’s first two wives. These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esav’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath (36:10). First, the sons of Eliphaz are mentioned. They were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz (36:11). Later one of Jobs three friends was named Eliphaz the Temanite (Job 2:11, 4:1 to7:21). It very well could have been this son because they lived about the same time. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah (36:12).

Then, as a side note, Moses tells us that Esav’s son Eliphaz also had a concubine named Timna, who bore him Amalek who was to play a key role in the future history of Isra’el. Because Amalek was the son of a concubine, he was looked down upon by the other sons of Eliphaz and seen as inferior. This may have forced him to live in a separate region and to develop his own nation. The descendants of Amalek became the notorious Amalekites, who settled in the area of the Sinai and the Negev (Genesis 14:7, Numbers 13:29, 14:43-45). The Amalekites were the first nation to oppose the entrance of Isra’el into the Promised Land after their deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 17:8-16), and they later subjugated Isra’el in the period of the judges (Judges 3:13, 6:3, 7:12). However, they were slaughtered under King Sha’ul (First Samuel 14:48, 15:1-9), and later attacked by King David (First Samuel 27:8, 30:1). Finally the tribe of Simeon exterminated them in the days of Hezekiah (First Chronicles 4:42-43).

Next, the sons of Esau’s second son Reuel are mentioned. They were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were grandsons of Esav’s wife Basemath (36:13). Therefore, these were Esav’s grandsons through his son Reuel.

Lastly, the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon, who bore three sons to Esav: Jeush, Jalam and Korah (36:14). At that point no grandchildren were recorded.

The Wives and Sons of Esau
36: 1-8

This is the account of Esau and what became of him, namely the nation of Edom. The name Edom signifies three different things in this chapter. First, it is used of the person of Esav (36:1); second, the inhabitants of Seir are called by the title Edom (36:9) and, finally, the territory itself is described as the land of Edom (36:31).

At the close of Chapter 35, we were presented with a list of the sons of Jacob (35:22-26). They were catalogued according to their mothers. The same method is now used to record the sons of Esau.⁵⁴⁴ The author says: Esau took his wives from the women of Canaan. His first wife was Adah, daughter of Elon the Hittite. His second wife from Canaan was Oholibamah, daughter of her father Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite (36:2). She was called Judith earlier in 26:34.

Esav also took a third wife, Basemath, daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth (36:3). She was called Mahalath earlier in 28:9. The names of Esau’s three wives differ here from those given in the previous accounts. This difference came about when Moses used genealogical documents from Esau’s family and tribe, and inserted them without alteration. This difference can be explained by the ancient custom in the East, of giving surnames, as the Arabs frequently still do, founded upon some important or memorable event in a person’s life. Slowly, the new name becomes the one that is more frequently used. For example, Esau’s name became Edom (25:30). As a rule the women received new names when they were married.⁵⁴⁵

Then we are told about the sons of Esau. Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These were the five sons of Esau, who were born to him in Canaan. It is ironic that Esau’s sons were born in the Promised Land, and except for Benjamin, Jacob’s sons were born outside the Land. Then we are told of Esav’s departure from Canaan. Although Esau is outside the covenant promise of God, the blessing extends to him in two ways: his children (36:4-5) and his prosperity (36:6-7).⁵⁴⁶

Esau took his blessing that he had received from Isaac (27:39-40), his wives and sons and an untold number of daughters and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock and all his other animals and all the goods he had acquired in Canaan, and moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob (36:6). Therefore, just after Ya’akov left for Haran, Esau surrenders the land of Canaan to Jacob because at this point in his life, he took the patriarchal blessing quite seriously. He understood that he must find his possessions away from the land of Canaan, and that is what he does. He moved southward into the mountainous regions southwest of the Dead Sea.

Their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock (36:7). This is the same issue that separated Abraham and Lot (13:6). There was obviously plenty of land in Canaan, but the problem was that Canaan was comprised of city states. Each city state held a large amount of land around it, so actual neutral space open for grazing was very small. Therefore Esav, like Lot, left for the East and greener pastures.⁵⁴⁷

This summary shows that Esau, who became Edom, settled in the hill country of Seir (36:8). There he subjugated a people called the Horites by force (Deuteronomy 2:12 and 22). But after defeating them, Esau’s descendants assimilated them through marriage.

The Written Account of the Generations of Esau
36:1 to 37:1

Moses edited and compiled eleven family documents in the book of Genesis. The major structural word for Genesis is toldot, which means the written account of, or this is what became of these men and their descendants. The noun is often translated generations, histories or descendants. After the section on the written account of the generations of Jacob from 25:19 to 35:29, we have the tenth toldot, the written account of the generations of Esau. The previous toldot told us about the establishment of Jacob, the son of promise, and the nation of Isra’el. Part of what became of Jacob was Esau; therefore, this tenth family document tells us about the dispensing of his non-seed line. Because he was Isaac’s son, God would make him into a great nation, but he was not the son of promise.

It is now clear that the last five toldots have a carefully constructed structure. The non-seed lines of Ishmael and Esau alternate with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph to form the line of blessing.

The toldot of Terah (the Abraham narrative) 11:27 to 25:11

The toldot of Ishmael 25:12-18

The toldot of Isaac (the Jacob narrative) 25:19 to 35:29

The toldot of Esau 36:1 to 37:1

The toldot of Jacob (the Joseph narrative) 37:2 to 50:26

Like his brother, Jacob, Esau grew into a great nation, the Edomites. This is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Rebekah when the twins were born: Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated (25:23). The Edomites lived in Mount Seir, south and east of the Dead Sea, rather than Canaan. Thus, this toldot is the fulfillment of the patriarchal blessing given to Isaac in 25:23 and 27:39-40.

It also explains the future relationship between the nations of Isra’el and Edom. The descendants of Esau play a frequently antagonistic role in Isra’el’s history (see the commentary on Numbers Dj – The Resistance of Edom). Throughout the period of the judges and the monarchy, Isra’el experienced periodic military harassment from the Edomites. The worst display of hostilities was when the Babylonians came to Jerusalem and destroyed the Solomon’s Temple in 586 BC. The prophet Obediah pronounced doom on the Edomites because on the day you (Edom) stood aloof while strangers (the Babylonians) carried off his (Judah’s) treasure, and foreigners entered his gates to cast lots for Yerushalayim, and you were no different from them (Obediah 1:11). Because of Edom’s history of mistreatment against its brother, the house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau, for ADONAI has spoken (Obediah 1:18).

The role of Esau’s foreign wives has been accented (36:2-5) in order to emphasize that Esav stepped outside of God’s will. His genealogy also includes the detail that his descendants, like those of Ishmael before him, settled outside the Promised Land (see 36:6-8 and compare it to 25:18). Having thus dispensed the non-seed line of Esau, Moses, the human narrator, is now prepared to follow the promises of God through the descendants of Jacob, which he will do in the last major unit of Genesis, the Joseph narrative.⁵⁴³

Isaac Died and His Sons Esau and Jacob Buried Him
35: 27-29

Since Jacob’s departure from Beersheba to Haran, Isaac’s family had moved back to Hebron where David would one day be anointed king over Isra’el (Second Samuel 5:3). Jacob (Hebrew: Ya’akov) came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is Hebron) where Abraham and Isaac had stayed (35:27). He had visited his father several times during the ten years since he returned from Haran, but now his entire household had come home with him. His children and his wives would have been very eager to see and hear the head of the family that they had heard about their entire lives.

Isaac (Hebrew: Yitz’chak) lived to be one hundred and eighty years (35:28). He actually lived twelve more years after Jacob returned to him. Yitz’chak was still living when he thought Joseph had been lost to a wild animal, although in reality, he had been sold into slavery in Egypt (to see link click Jb – When Midianite Merchants Came by, His Brothers Sold Joseph for Twenty Shekels of Silver). But Moses, under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, found it appropriate to mention Isaac’s death here.

Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. Although not much is said about it in Genesis, the patriarchs did believe in life after death. Isaac’s spirit, no doubt, was transported to Sh’ol, where the spirits of Shem, Noah, Abraham and other righteous of the TaNaKh were resting and waiting for the redemption and resurrection (Luke 16:19-31; Ephesians 4:7-10).

It is noteworthy that his sons Esav and Ya’akov buried him (35:29). They were still in fellowship with each other many years after their first reunion. Coming together once more, they participated in the burial ceremony of their father. Yitz’chak was buried in the same sepulcher with Rebekah, Abraham and Sarah, in the cave in Ephron’s’ field in Machpelah that Abraham had purchased near Mamre, which is actually in Hebron (23:17-20).⁵⁴² We do not have any record that the two brothers ever saw each other again. Isaac’s death is only reported here in order to end this toldot. That is not what happens chronologically, but in keeping with the purpose of Genesis, one person’s story is ended so another person’s story can begin.

Isaac died at the time that Yosef was elevated to second in command of Egypt (see Jv – Joseph as Prime Minister), never learning that Joseph was still alive in Egypt. So Yitz’chak died about ten years before Jacob moved to Egypt. With the summary of Jacob’s family and the death of Isaac, the story of Ya’akov comes to an end. But before proceeding to the account of what becomes of Jacob, namely Joseph, Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, first disposes of the non-seed line of Esau.

Jacob suffers four devastating blows in Chapter 35. Deborah, who had cared for him from the time he was born dies (35:8), Rachel, his beloved wife dies (35:19), Reuben, his firstborn son tries to seize his father’sposition and violates one of his concubines (35:22a), and Isaac, his father, dies (35:29).

It was a great period of adversity and suffering for Ya’akov, and as we live our lives we will suffer similar adversity as well. Jesus said: Your Father in heaven causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). But unlike those without faith in Yeshua, no matter how severe the burden, there is one thing the believer can count on. Suffering will never destroy the child of God. It cannot and will not claim victory over the godly. As Rabbi Sha’ul so eloquently said: Who will separate us from the love the Messiah? Trouble? Persecution? Hunger? Poverty? Danger? War? As the Renewed Testament puts it, “For your sake we are being put to death all day long, we are considered sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all things we are super conquerors, through the One who has loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord (Romans 8:35-39).

Jacob Had Twelve Sons
35: 22b-26

With the addition of Benjamin, the family was complete and Jacob had twelve sons (35:22b). The names do not appear in order of birth, but according to their respective mothers. The children of Leah and Rachel come first, and then the children of Bilhah and Zilpah. His twelve sons were another assurance that God is faithful and His promises are true. These sons are the firstfruits of the twelve tribes of Isra’el that would become a great nation, and Moses, the compiler of eleven family documents, thought it was appropriate to provide an accurate summary here.

Leah’s six sons were listed first. Reuben was the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun (35:23). The two sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin (35:24). Then afterwards, the maidservants are mentioned. The two sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali (35:25). The two sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Ya’akov, who were born to him in Paddan Aram with the exception of Benjamin (35:26).

Jacob had left his father’s house with no other possession than a staff, and now he returned, and once Benjamin was born, he would have twelve sons that would become the twelve tribes of Isra’el. God had been faithful and blessed him greatly.

Reuben Went In
and Slept with His Father’s Concubine Bilhah
35: 21-22a

Isra’el moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder, which is outside of Bethlehem (35:21). Once again, this shows that Rachel could not have died outside of Beit-Lechem because Isra’el had moved on after burying her. While Isra’el was living in that region, Reuben, who was now probably thirty years old, went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah (35:22a). No details are given, but Bilhah was much older than Reuben, being the maidservant of Rachel, and the mother of Reuben’s two half-brothers Dan and Naphtali. This was not a rape and on the surface it seems to be an odd match, but each had their own reasons for getting involved.

As far as Reuben was concerned, it ensured that Bilhah could never ascend to the position of chief wife. After Rachel’s death, Bilhah was clearly the only threat to that position belonging to Leah, Reuben’s mother. Secondly, Reuben may have been challenging his father’s authority. It was a well-known and widely adopted practice in the ancient Near East that the eldest son should inherit the concubines of his father (Second Samuel 16:22). Reuben may have been asserting himself as the true heir of Jacob, but it backfired.

Bilhah had her own reasons for getting involved. After Rachel’s death, she probably wanted to take Rachel’s place as Ya’akov’s main wife. When he failed to respond to her, she may have tried to bypass Jacob’s authority and go directly to the eventual heir, which would have been Reuben. In the last analysis, they were both using each other for family positioning. The loss of the birthright could occur if a grave offense was committed and for Reuben, the attempt to seize his father’s position ended up destroying his own position because it would cost him his birthright.

In addition, this section serves a literary purpose, providing a foreshadowing to the conflict between Reuben and the sons of the concubines in Chapter 37. Reuben wants to have compassion on Joseph, whereas the other brothers want to have him murdered.⁵⁴⁰

The rabbis teach that Reuben did not actually do this, but removed her couch from his tent, and Scripture stigmatized his action as evil as though he had lain with her. For during Rachel’s lifetime Jacob’s couch was always in her tent; on her deathbed he removed it to Bilhah’s, Rachel’s handmaid. Reuben resented this, saying, “If my mother, Leah, was subordinate to Rachel, must she also be subordinate to Rachel’s handmaid?” Therefore, he removed Bilhah’s couch and substituted Leah’s.

Isra’el heard of it. That is to say, he heard the terrible news in quiet strength of the new name and power implied and guaranteed by his recent revelation from God. He wouldn’t say anything at the time, but he would never forget it (49:3-4). This is the only real way to meet sorrow and pain: In the strength of ADONAI (Micah 5:4). Whatever emergency, we may rest on the divine assurance: My grace is sufficient for you (Second Corinthians 12:9).⁵⁴¹

The Birth of Benjamin and the Death of Rachel
35: 16-20

No sooner had Ya’akov finished burying Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse (35:8), than he had to bury Rachel. Then, after fulfilling Jacob’s vow, they moved on from Bethel, and while they were on the road to Bethlehem, his beloved Rachel died in childbirth (35:16a). The family was now complete with the birth of Benjamin. Interestingly enough, eleven of Jacob’s twelve sons were born outside the Promised Land in Paddan Aram.

According to First Samuel 10:2 she died on the border of Benjamin and Zelzah. And we know from First Samuel 7:17 that Samuel lived up in Ramah, a Benjaminite city. Therefore, Rachel’s burial place was in the city of Ramah, which is north of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 31:15). The site that tour guides point to as Rachel’stomb on the outskirts of Bethlehem, which is south of Jerusalem, is not the actual location of Rachel’s tomb. The rabbis follow tradition and teach that Rachel’s tomb is south of Yerushalayim in Beit-Lechem.

In Ramah, on the road to Bethlehem, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty (35:16b). Rachel must have been over one hundred years old by this time. And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, at the point of greatest pain, the midwife tried to encourage her by saying: Don’t be afraid, for you have another son. Fifteen years earlier, she had prayed for another son when Joseph was born. Finally, she became pregnant again, but it cost Rachel her life. As she breathed her last, for she was dying, she named her son Ben-Oni, which means the son of my sorrow (the word for sorrow and birth pangs are synonymous), because he is causing her death. But his father renamed him Benjamin, which means the son of my right hand or son of my strength (35:17-18). From the start of his life Benjamin had two things that set him apart from his brothers. First, he was the only son born in the Promised Land, and secondly, he was the only son named by his father.

Jacob’s love for Rachel was timeless. Many years afterwards, her death was still fresh in his mind. On his deathbed, when he was preparing to bless his sons, he remembered that he had buried her with great sorrow (48:7). So Rachel died and was buried in Ramah, north of Jerusalem (35:19). Over her tomb Ya’akov set up a pillar, and Moses comments that the pillar that marked Rachel’s tomb was visible even until his time (35:20). To this Samuel referred when he sent Sha’ul home after anointing him (First Samuel 10:2). It might have been visible during Jeremiah’s day as the Jews were being taken into the Babylonian captivity. But it is no longer visible today, which is why the location of the tomb has been lost and misplaced in Beit-Lechem.

The birth of Benjamin also points forward to the Yosef narrative (Chapters 37-50), and ultimately to the fuller story of the nation of Isra’el. As such, Chapter 35 serves as a transition from the patriarchal period of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to the beginnings of the people of Isra’el.⁵³⁹

After Jacob Returned from Paddan Aram,
God Appeared to Him Again at Bethel
35: 9-15

After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again at Bethel DIG: Review the promises God made to Abraham (12:1-3, 15:17-21, 17:1-8, and 22:15-18). How do these compare to the promises God makes to Jacob? Observe what God told Jacob (35:1) and how Jacob responded here. How would you characterize God’s directive and Jacob’s response?

REFLECT: How can El Shaddai meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Yeshua Messiah today? What are some promises that God has made to you in His Word? How do these promises influence your daily life? What are some ways people commemorate significant spiritual commitments today? How do these compare to the actions taken by Jacob? List things that get in the way of strengthening your relationship with God. What steps do you need to take to remove these things from your life? 

After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him (35:9). He was back home again. It was here at Bethel, that God once again appeared to Jacob (Hebrew: Ya’akov), renewing the promises that He had made some thirty years before. Reconciliation was complete.

Then, because of the terrible episode at Shechem, God reaffirmed Jacob’s new name. He said: Your name is Ya’akov, but you will no longer be called Ya’akov; your name will be Israel.” So He named him Isra’el (35:10). From this point on, God only calls him by his new name Isra’el. His name does appear in the narrative as Jacob, but whenever God personally addresses him, He calls him Isra’el. He was a prince of God and he took comfort in that, and lived as one who possessed such a holy calling.

And so, of course, should it be with us today. As those who have been made co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) of all things (Hebrews 1:2), we have a noble calling and therefore, great responsibilities. The strongest incentive to holy living is the understanding of our holy calling. Rabbi Sha’ul said: As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the holy calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1).⁵³⁵

And then God reconfirmed the Abrahamic Covenant upon Isra’el when He said: I am God Almighty or El Shaddai. This is how God referred to Himself to Abraham (17:1) and Isaac (28:3). The name comes from the idea that all might and power is expressed in the term God or El. The word Almighty comes from a root word meaning strong and powerful, meaning that God is able to meet all our needs. He was able to fulfill all the promises He had made to Abraham and to Isaac. Pray today that God will meet your needs (not wants, but needs). God’s Word says: And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

God said: Be fruitful and increase in number. He is not thinking of more sons or daughters. Instead, God was thinking of a nation. The nation of Isra’el, and the congregation or kahal of twelve tribes will come from Isra’el. In fact, this version of the patriarchal promises contains an element unheard of since the days of Abraham (17:6,16); kings will come from Jacob’s body. This promise foreshadows the coming Messiah, the centerpiece in God’s ultimate plan of salvation.⁵³⁶ The Land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this Land to your descendants after you (35:11-12).

Then God went up the heavenly ladder back to heaven from Ya’akov at the place where He had talked with him. And just as he had done some thirty years ago when God had spoken to him at Bethel, Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it (35:13-14). The pillar and the pouring of oil were a repetition of the actions he performed the first time he was here (28:18-22). This is the first mention of the drink offering in the Scriptures. In 29:22 Ya’akov promised to make this place the house of God; now here he fulfills that promise. By pouring out a drink offering here, he treats it as such. Later, such drink offerings, though not a primary part of the Levitical sacrificial system, were offered frequently as supplementary gifts of devotion and dedication, and it was no doubt with such a motive that Jacob acted here.⁵³⁷

Ya’akov called the place where God had talked with him Bethel (35:15). He had already done this (28:19, 35:3 and 7); the point is that now it was the house of God, not only in honor of an event (as when he fled Esau), but now a place of true worship and offering.

The grace of God is truly amazing. This is especially true for a repentant believer. We suffer loss in our lives because of our own sin, but God’s overriding grace can work wonders. We think of Manasseh after his idolatry (Second Kings 21:1-16), of David after his adultery (see the commentary on the Life of David, to see link click Dc – David and Bathsheba), of Peter after his denial (John 18:15-18, 25-26); and while we cannot say that we are all we might have been, we, along with Ya’akov, can say with absolute certainty that we are something that we should never otherwise have been.⁵³⁸

Jacob’s Journey to Bethel
35: 1-8

Jacob’s journey to Bethel DIG: What memories or feelings would Jacob associate with Bethel (see 28:10-22)? What finally made Jacob realize that he needed to be a spiritual leader to his family?

REFLECT: Idolatry is substituting what is created for the Creator, and quite frankly idolatry dominates our culture. Is there anything that you need to bury and leave behind to worship God? Do you need to get back to your Bethel to be renewed? Where has God met you in times of stress? What actions might a person take today in preparation for meeting God? What things show that you are purifying your life? Which is more difficult – obeying God in the big stuff or the small stuff? How is your fellowship with God? What message do you need to hear from Him right now? 

Jacob(Hebrew: Ya’akov) had allowed twenty years (31:38) to pass since his return from Haran, without making good on the vow he had made at Bethel when fleeing from Esau (28:20). Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there until you fulfill your vow.” The rabbis teach that because Jacob had delayed going up to Bethel, he was punished by what had happened to Dinah. Bethel was about fifteen miles south of Shechem, but its elevation was a thousand feet higher. It is referenced much like Jerusalem in the B’rit Chadashah. Because its elevation is two thousand five hundred feet above sea level, no matter the direction of your approach, the Bible always says: go up to Jerusalem, and Bethel is twelve miles north of Jerusalem.

Although Bethel was a very special place for Jacob, he had evidently never returned there after coming back from Haran. And what makes it even stranger is that Bethel is located almost directly between Shechem and Hebron where Isaac lived. We know that Jacob visited his father, so it almost seems that he had deliberately avoided Bethel. It could be that he knew he had not kept the promise he had made to God at Bethel about twenty years before (28:10-22). So once he got there, he was to build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau (35:1). This is the fourth divine revelation that God had given to Jacob. God wanted Jacob to settle there because the goal was fellowship. And fellowship with God should be our number one goal also.

However, without even realizing it, Jacob’s family had been spiritually devastated by living for ten years in the Canaanite city of Shechem. Above all this was true of his children, who were especially vulnerable during their teenage years. So it is with our children today. Even if we bring them to church or temple every week, the life of worldliness during six days is far too powerful for anything that happens during the seventh day to counteract it. Then to make things worse, Dinah was raped, the men of Shechem were slaughtered and the town looted. This had brought more foreign gods into his household. If God was going to bless them again, if they were going to have a fresh start, then the foreign gods must go.

So Jacob did what he should have done long ago. He regained the spiritual leadership of his household and said to all who were with him from the slaughter of Shechem: Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you and purify yourselves and change your clothes (35:2). This was considered necessary in preparing to meet ADONAI. The purifying included getting rid of the foreign gods that Rachel had stolen from her father Laban. Jacob’s love for her had led him to tolerate what he knew was wrong. Washing and changing their clothes symbolized the pure worship of God. Then Ya’akov said: Come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress over both Esau and Laban, and who has been with me wherever I have gone (35:3). Because they realized that they were in serious danger of attack from other Canaanite cities, they were afraid, and surrendered to Jacob’s commands. Likewise, we must surrender to God before He can bless us. There are some things that we must bury and leave behind because they cannot possibly be devoted to the service of God.

The change in Jacob was dramatic. In the previous chapter he was weak and spiritually impotent. But now even his savage sons, who had once lost respect for him and went their own way, now follow him and accept his position without question. Even they could not help being impressed with the fact that their father was back on the right path with God.

So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, which were used for magical purposes (Hosea 2:13), and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem (35:4). This may have been the same great oak under which his grandfather Abraham had pitched his tent when he arrived at Shechem (12:6). Later, under the Torah, the Israelites were instructed to destroy such objects (Deut 7:5 and 25). Notice they didn’t sell their foreign gods to feed the poor. They got rid of them. Scripture seems to indicate that you can’t reroute the things of Satan and use them for the service of God. You need to get rid of them (Acts 19:19). We need to remember that anything that hinders us on our spiritual journey is useless, no matter how valuable it appears to the world (Hebrews 12:1).⁵³³ Then after purifying themselves, they set out.

All his life Jacob has had to contend with his own fears: the fear of God (28:17), the fear of Laban (31:31), and the fear of Esav (32:7 and 11). Nobody had been in fear of him. Angry, yes; fearful, no. But as Ya’akov traveled from Shechem to Bethel, all that changed. The terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them (35:5). What prevented them from being pursued was not the terror of Jacob’s sons, but the supernatural terror of God. In some way, God prevented them from coming after Ya’akov and his family for revenge. Ya’akov and all the people with him arrived safely at Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan (35:6). It is significant that Luz is mentioned here because it means separation, while Bethel, its new name, means the House of God. Jacob was gaining a new chance to be separate from the world, and in leaving Shechem he was entering God’s house.

Having safely arrived, Jacob built an altar, and he renamed the place El Bethel, meaning the God of the House of God, because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother Esau (35:7). Here in the Hebrew text we have another implication of the plurality in the Godhead in Genesis. The Hebrew word for Elohim is a plural noun. When the word Elohim is used of pagan gods, then the adjective or verb that goes with it is also in the plural. But when Elohim is used of the one true God, then the adjective or verb is normally in the singular. However, there are exceptions. Sometimes the plurality of the Godhead is revealed because the adjective or verb as it relates to Elohim is also in the plural, and here is a good example because in Hebrew the word revealed is plural. The plural verb is used with the plural noun. Therefore, literally it means, the Gods they revealed themselves to him. This clearly points to a plurality in the Godhead. The rabbis, who did not believe in the plurality of the Godhead, rationalized this verse by saying that the word God in this verse refers to angels.

At that time a very precious link to the past was broken, Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse (24:59), died and was buried under the oak below Bethel. She would have been about one hundred and eighty years old at that time. Her family loved her so the oak under which she was buried was renamed Allon Bacuth, meaning the oak of weeping (35:8). Jacob had known Deborah all his life. She had come with Rebekah from Mesopotamia when Rebekah had left to marry Isaac (24:59), and no doubt had cared for Jacob from the time he was born. She had not, of course, accompanied him when he fled from Esau to Haran, but she, as well as Rebekah must have grieved to see him go. We don’t know when she rejoined Ya’akov, but it was probably on the occasion of one of his visits to Isaac while living at Shechem. In fact, her presence in Jacob’s household is the reason we know that he did visit his father during those years.

In addition, the fact that she was now with Ya’akov was proof that Rebekah herself had died. She never saw her son again after sending him off to her brother Laban. When Jacob returned to Hebron and found that his mother had died, and Deborah really wasn’t needed any longer in his father’s home, he probably urged her to come and live with his own family. She might have served as some sort of “senior advisor” to his other servants, as well as “grandmother” to his own children. It must have grieved her greatly to see the things that took place at Shechem. In addition, the arduous trip up to Bethel was too much for her and shedied.⁵³⁴

Jacob’s Spiritual Renewal at Bethel
35: 1-15

After his mountaintop experience at Peniel, Jacob had inexplicably fallen away from God. Instead of immediately returning to Bethel, he had lingered at the city of Shechem. His grandfather Abraham had also been disobedient. He stayed in Haran when he should have gone on to the Promised Land (11:31b). Then he went to Egypt when he should have stayed in Palestine. Jacob would go to Bethel, but only after God had commanded him to go (35:1).

Ya’akov was in the world (First John 2:15-17) and the time spent in Shechem was disastrous. It revealed a spiritual vacuum in the hearts of his family.⁵³¹ The only cure for worldliness is holiness . . . to be set apart. As for Jacob, he needed to be alone again with Elohim and be spiritually renewed. So God commanded him to go to Bethel. It was there, twenty years previous (31:38), that Ya’akov first met the LORD and agreed to walk with Him. While there was no mention of God’s name in Chapter 34, here in Chapter 35 His name is mentioned twelve times.

God’s patient work in Jacob’s life offers a lesson as we learn how the LORD can bring us each along step by step in the process of spiritual maturity. We may look at where we are in our spiritual walk and feel as if we haven’t gotten anywhere. We can feel overwhelmed by our failures and our inability to master life with Yeshua. Those are the times when we need to pause and look back so that we can gain an appreciation of how far ADONAI has brought us. As is clearly seen by His dealings with Ya’akov, God does not demand instant perfection, but He leads us little by little, making inroads into our self-centeredness and doing His work in our lives one step at a time.⁵³²