A Study of Torah from Gen. - Rev.
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Gen 19:1 ¶Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.
Is it made clear here that Lot understood he was seeing mortal men? Or was this just how a person greeted others in his day? I have heard this thought both ways. Yet neither teaching answered what in my mind was the key question to answer.
You see, in one teaching, they say that Lot know one of them was Yeshua. Yet they never answer what came of the one Abraham spoke with. It is after all clear that that was HaShem, or Yeshua, (being as they are one in the same). If Abraham was seeking to HaShem, and He is not found here, why? That answer is not given to us, so to answer it would be to assume, not something I would say is a good idea.
The other, can't give good reason for Lot to bow down before other men. Through out the Word, bowing denotes worship, Yet as we will see, Lot was still found righteous, and removed from the city.
Gen 19:2 And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.”
Some may say that it was Lots action that saved him. Yet as we seen, action was not it took to be found righteous, it was faith. Yet faith as we have also seen must be followed by obedience.
There are some that teach Lot was simply acting out of Love for his fellow man, and that it was love a lone that saved him. Yet they fail to show this concept in any of the Torah.
Gen 19:6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him,
Gen 19:7 and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!
Gen 19:8 “See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.”
Take my kids. Like that's going to be something a truly righteous man would offer up. Most men back then, and even today would fight to the death for their kids. Yet lot was faced with a town, not just one or 2 men. He know he had no chance of winning a fight, yet at the same time, he may have also understood he had in his house 2 angles. So he was willing to do anything to save them. If the latter is true, then Lot didn't have a full understanding of what angles can do. This lack of understanding, may have lead to his willingness to give his 2 daughters up.
Gen 19:10 But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door.
Gen 19:11 And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.
Do we find it sad that depravity ran so deep in the souls of this place, that even blinded they tried to find the door, so they could carry out their evil plain? This as we will see through out the Torah, seems to be recurring theme. Once the heart is set against HaShem and His laws, nothing short of the intervention of the Holy Spirit, will change them.
Gen 19:14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.
It seems that his daughters were marred, so how is he said they had not known men? Some say Lot know that his kids had not known men, as the men they married were gay, and only married to gain Lots wealth. Yet others say Lot knowing the men were gay, picked them, so as to save his daughters for himself. Then there is the chance that Lot married them off to the men, to protect them. The answer is never told to us, what we do know is that the men found Lots story to strange to be true. I am sure that at some point Lot gave up. After all once a person starts the road of mocking another, there is no hope hope left of serious discussion, as every attempt to make ones point is turned aside with contempt.
An action I am sure we have all seen, or may have even taken part in.
Gen 19:17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”
Gen 19:18 Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords!
Gen 19:19 “Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.
Knowing that bandits roamed the hills, Lot was scared for his life.
Gen 19:20 “See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.”
Gen 19:22 “Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
One may find that in the the Word, a truly righteous person is saved through miracles. Like Daniel, Sahdrak, Meshack, and Abendigo. Yet less righteous people are given the chance to save themselves. If that is the case, some as we know fail by turning back. To turn back, shows that ones heart is not in salvation, rather in own life, want's and hopes.
Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.
The text reads as though Lot and his family had made it to Zoar before HaShem started the destruction. Yet as we see, Lots wife looked back.
Gen 19:26 But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
At what point this came to be, we are not told. Yet there is one thing that we must see before going further.
Gen 19:27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
Gen 19:28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.
Some look at this and say that it was location. Lots wife could see the city, and Abraham could only see the smoke.
On the other hand, the sages teach us, Lot's wife was not worthy enough to see others being destroyed. Where as Abraham was. This they say was due to Abraham's willingness to plead for the lives of the righteous. As for Lot's wife, she was not due to her willingness to live in a sin filled city, and lack of resolve to leave it.
Gen 19:30 Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave.
Gen 19:31 Now the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth.
Gen 19:33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
Gen 19:35 Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
The carnal mind works in what it wants, thinking only of self, and not thinking of HaShem, or His power to do the things we see as impossible. True as it may be, they had not seen HaShem at work in their lives, they had seen His power at work, and had seen things, and lived through things that would turn the hearts of most people. Yet it seems that Lot had not passed on the faith Abraham had shown to him, through Abraham's willing to follow with out question, all that HaShem asked of him.
Gen 19:37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.
Gen 19:38 And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.
As so little is said of their way of life, it is best we don't jump in say one way or the other. Then try to show it as fact. One thing is clear to us, They were related to Israel, and they did end up fighting with them. This fighting was most likely due to dispute over land.
Some say, and they may well be right, that both worshiped Baal. It is clear that war with them was a fact, and that neither won. They may have won a battle here and there, yet they never won the war.
One thing that we must note, is that Ruth was a Moabite. It seems odd to some that Yeshua would come from a mixed blood line. It also seems just as add to some that don't understand Torah, that Boaz would marry out side of the blood line of Israel. After all to do was against the Law. Yet every thing stated here is true.
So why did Boaz marry her? Did they mix the blood of their off spring to the shame of his people? I truly think the answer is no. They didn't mix blood lines, as for her not being ken by blood. True she was not from a direct line of Abraham, yet she was related by blood. Hens with her words,
Rth 1:16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.
She rejected the actions of her own people, in favor of the Israelis. She reject the faith of her people, and took the faith of Israel.
Is it made clear here that Lot understood he was seeing mortal men? Or was this just how a person greeted others in his day? I have heard this thought both ways. Yet neither teaching answered what in my mind was the key question to answer.
You see, in one teaching, they say that Lot know one of them was Yeshua. Yet they never answer what came of the one Abraham spoke with. It is after all clear that that was HaShem, or Yeshua, (being as they are one in the same). If Abraham was seeking to HaShem, and He is not found here, why? That answer is not given to us, so to answer it would be to assume, not something I would say is a good idea.
The other, can't give good reason for Lot to bow down before other men. Through out the Word, bowing denotes worship, Yet as we will see, Lot was still found righteous, and removed from the city.
Gen 19:2 And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.”
Some may say that it was Lots action that saved him. Yet as we seen, action was not it took to be found righteous, it was faith. Yet faith as we have also seen must be followed by obedience.
There are some that teach Lot was simply acting out of Love for his fellow man, and that it was love a lone that saved him. Yet they fail to show this concept in any of the Torah.
Gen 19:6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him,
Gen 19:7 and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!
Gen 19:8 “See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.”
Take my kids. Like that's going to be something a truly righteous man would offer up. Most men back then, and even today would fight to the death for their kids. Yet lot was faced with a town, not just one or 2 men. He know he had no chance of winning a fight, yet at the same time, he may have also understood he had in his house 2 angles. So he was willing to do anything to save them. If the latter is true, then Lot didn't have a full understanding of what angles can do. This lack of understanding, may have lead to his willingness to give his 2 daughters up.
Gen 19:10 But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door.
Gen 19:11 And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.
Do we find it sad that depravity ran so deep in the souls of this place, that even blinded they tried to find the door, so they could carry out their evil plain? This as we will see through out the Torah, seems to be recurring theme. Once the heart is set against HaShem and His laws, nothing short of the intervention of the Holy Spirit, will change them.
Gen 19:14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.
It seems that his daughters were marred, so how is he said they had not known men? Some say Lot know that his kids had not known men, as the men they married were gay, and only married to gain Lots wealth. Yet others say Lot knowing the men were gay, picked them, so as to save his daughters for himself. Then there is the chance that Lot married them off to the men, to protect them. The answer is never told to us, what we do know is that the men found Lots story to strange to be true. I am sure that at some point Lot gave up. After all once a person starts the road of mocking another, there is no hope hope left of serious discussion, as every attempt to make ones point is turned aside with contempt.
An action I am sure we have all seen, or may have even taken part in.
Gen 19:17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”
Gen 19:18 Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords!
Gen 19:19 “Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.
Knowing that bandits roamed the hills, Lot was scared for his life.
Gen 19:20 “See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.”
Gen 19:22 “Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
One may find that in the the Word, a truly righteous person is saved through miracles. Like Daniel, Sahdrak, Meshack, and Abendigo. Yet less righteous people are given the chance to save themselves. If that is the case, some as we know fail by turning back. To turn back, shows that ones heart is not in salvation, rather in own life, want's and hopes.
Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.
The text reads as though Lot and his family had made it to Zoar before HaShem started the destruction. Yet as we see, Lots wife looked back.
Gen 19:26 But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
At what point this came to be, we are not told. Yet there is one thing that we must see before going further.
Gen 19:27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
Gen 19:28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.
Some look at this and say that it was location. Lots wife could see the city, and Abraham could only see the smoke.
On the other hand, the sages teach us, Lot's wife was not worthy enough to see others being destroyed. Where as Abraham was. This they say was due to Abraham's willingness to plead for the lives of the righteous. As for Lot's wife, she was not due to her willingness to live in a sin filled city, and lack of resolve to leave it.
Gen 19:30 Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave.
Gen 19:31 Now the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth.
Gen 19:33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
Gen 19:35 Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
The carnal mind works in what it wants, thinking only of self, and not thinking of HaShem, or His power to do the things we see as impossible. True as it may be, they had not seen HaShem at work in their lives, they had seen His power at work, and had seen things, and lived through things that would turn the hearts of most people. Yet it seems that Lot had not passed on the faith Abraham had shown to him, through Abraham's willing to follow with out question, all that HaShem asked of him.
Gen 19:37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.
Gen 19:38 And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.
As so little is said of their way of life, it is best we don't jump in say one way or the other. Then try to show it as fact. One thing is clear to us, They were related to Israel, and they did end up fighting with them. This fighting was most likely due to dispute over land.
Some say, and they may well be right, that both worshiped Baal. It is clear that war with them was a fact, and that neither won. They may have won a battle here and there, yet they never won the war.
One thing that we must note, is that Ruth was a Moabite. It seems odd to some that Yeshua would come from a mixed blood line. It also seems just as add to some that don't understand Torah, that Boaz would marry out side of the blood line of Israel. After all to do was against the Law. Yet every thing stated here is true.
So why did Boaz marry her? Did they mix the blood of their off spring to the shame of his people? I truly think the answer is no. They didn't mix blood lines, as for her not being ken by blood. True she was not from a direct line of Abraham, yet she was related by blood. Hens with her words,
Rth 1:16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.
She rejected the actions of her own people, in favor of the Israelis. She reject the faith of her people, and took the faith of Israel.
Gen 20:2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
Gen 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
Gen 20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?
Gen 20:6
And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
Gen 20:10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”
Gen 20:11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.
Gen 20:12 “But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
Do we not find it odd that Ablimelech would after this reward Abraham? True Abraham may not have told an out right lie, yet he with held the full truth, and that is a lie by omission. So we now find that Abraham was not sinless by any means, or take on the phrase.
Yet some will defend this action by telling us that teh Law was not in place at the time, so Abraham didn't sin in this action.
Yet we have seen already that the Law was in place, it just was not in written form as of yet. The flood, Sodom, and here HaShem rebukes, Ablimelech for his actions. A just God would never punish anyone for actions that were not told before hand to be wrong.
Gen 20:14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him.
Gen 20:15 And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.”
Gen 20:17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children;
Gen 20:18 for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
We are told how long Sarah was with Abimelech, nor are we told that he knew of this curse that was set on his wife. Though this passage does make it seem that Abraham's prayer was the reason for it being lifted. Yet one must wonder, would HaShem have left this in place without Abraham's prayer? I don't think He would have. Do you?
Gen 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
Gen 20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?
Gen 20:6
And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
Gen 20:10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”
Gen 20:11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.
Gen 20:12 “But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
Do we not find it odd that Ablimelech would after this reward Abraham? True Abraham may not have told an out right lie, yet he with held the full truth, and that is a lie by omission. So we now find that Abraham was not sinless by any means, or take on the phrase.
Yet some will defend this action by telling us that teh Law was not in place at the time, so Abraham didn't sin in this action.
Yet we have seen already that the Law was in place, it just was not in written form as of yet. The flood, Sodom, and here HaShem rebukes, Ablimelech for his actions. A just God would never punish anyone for actions that were not told before hand to be wrong.
Gen 20:14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him.
Gen 20:15 And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.”
Gen 20:17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children;
Gen 20:18 for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
We are told how long Sarah was with Abimelech, nor are we told that he knew of this curse that was set on his wife. Though this passage does make it seem that Abraham's prayer was the reason for it being lifted. Yet one must wonder, would HaShem have left this in place without Abraham's prayer? I don't think He would have. Do you?
Gen 21:1 And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.
Gen 21:2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
Gen 21:4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
I have heard some say that Abraham had to circumcise Isaac, to hold on to his salvation. Yet that has been seen to wrong from past post. Abraham simply did was asked of his by HaShem out of love and faith. Keep in mind that Abraham was told that this was a sign of the covenant, and that because of this covenant, his off spring would be given the land. Takes more faith to follow a covenant that you know you will never see the gifts from, than it does to follow one after you have the gift in hand.
Gen 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.
Gen 21:10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.”
I once heard a teaching on this, that said Ishmael was seen fondling Isaac. This idea can be somewhat backed when one looks at what Rashi has to say.
He said, "Mocking, playing, making sport. This term expresses what Sarah saw that convinced her Ishmael could not remain in the house. Scripture uses this verb to denote the 3 cardinal sins, idolatry,{Ex.32:6} adultery, {39:17} and murder {2sam. 2:14} Thus Ishmael's behavior proved the he had become thoroughly corrupt and evil, and had to to be sent away."
Yet one other teaching, that can also be backed somewhat from the teaching from Roshi tells us that Ishmael was picking a fight with Isaac, and may have said he wanted to kill him.
Gen 21:11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
Gen 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.
Gen 21:13 “Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”
Here one may say that Sarah's insight was some what prophetic. As we look at the Arab nations, and their hatred for Israel today, as well in the past. One must see this as HaShem's will, or think that he was wrong.
Gen 21:15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs.
Gen 21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.
Gen 21:19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink.
Some say that the well was created, yet this doesn't say that out right.
Others say that this teaches us that HaShem will always provide for our needs, we just need to open our eyes to see it.
Gen 21:22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do.
Gen 21:23 “Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.”
Gen 21:24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
Gen 21:25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized.
Gen 21:26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.”
Something we should all keep in mind, is that a person may at times act without their boss knowing. This doesn't place that action on the boss.
Gen 21:28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
Gen 21:30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.”
The act of giving the lambs is to show that Abraham had the right to the well. Had Abimelech not taken them, it would have been both an insult, and saying that Abraaham didn't have a right to the well. Abimelech, had just shown that he had not known that the well had been taken from Abraham, so to not take the lambs, would make him out to be a liar, and a thief.
Gen 21:2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
Gen 21:4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
I have heard some say that Abraham had to circumcise Isaac, to hold on to his salvation. Yet that has been seen to wrong from past post. Abraham simply did was asked of his by HaShem out of love and faith. Keep in mind that Abraham was told that this was a sign of the covenant, and that because of this covenant, his off spring would be given the land. Takes more faith to follow a covenant that you know you will never see the gifts from, than it does to follow one after you have the gift in hand.
Gen 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.
Gen 21:10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.”
I once heard a teaching on this, that said Ishmael was seen fondling Isaac. This idea can be somewhat backed when one looks at what Rashi has to say.
He said, "Mocking, playing, making sport. This term expresses what Sarah saw that convinced her Ishmael could not remain in the house. Scripture uses this verb to denote the 3 cardinal sins, idolatry,{Ex.32:6} adultery, {39:17} and murder {2sam. 2:14} Thus Ishmael's behavior proved the he had become thoroughly corrupt and evil, and had to to be sent away."
Yet one other teaching, that can also be backed somewhat from the teaching from Roshi tells us that Ishmael was picking a fight with Isaac, and may have said he wanted to kill him.
Gen 21:11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
Gen 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.
Gen 21:13 “Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”
Here one may say that Sarah's insight was some what prophetic. As we look at the Arab nations, and their hatred for Israel today, as well in the past. One must see this as HaShem's will, or think that he was wrong.
Gen 21:15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs.
Gen 21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.
Gen 21:19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink.
Some say that the well was created, yet this doesn't say that out right.
Others say that this teaches us that HaShem will always provide for our needs, we just need to open our eyes to see it.
Gen 21:22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do.
Gen 21:23 “Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.”
Gen 21:24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
Gen 21:25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized.
Gen 21:26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.”
Something we should all keep in mind, is that a person may at times act without their boss knowing. This doesn't place that action on the boss.
Gen 21:28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
Gen 21:30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.”
The act of giving the lambs is to show that Abraham had the right to the well. Had Abimelech not taken them, it would have been both an insult, and saying that Abraaham didn't have a right to the well. Abimelech, had just shown that he had not known that the well had been taken from Abraham, so to not take the lambs, would make him out to be a liar, and a thief.
Gen 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Gen 22:2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
Gen 22:3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
Now if faith doesn't show in ones actions, then what may i ask are seeing in Abraham here? Abraham knew that his covenant with HaShem was based on this child, and would move foreword through Isaac's offspring. Yet to know a thing, and to have total faith in, can at times be quit different.
Gen 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.
Gen 22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
One can't help but note that Abraham said WE WILL be back. Knowing that Isaac was to be sacrificed, Abraham know that somehow, Isaac would return. He held total faith in that idea, even though he had no idea how, he held on to that faith. What we should be asking our selves right now is, "Could we have, hold on to, and act on that same kind of faith? I would like to say I do have that same kind of faith, yet when looking back, I do see times that my faith needed a jump start.
Gen 22:6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.
Gen 22:7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Some have said that here Isaac is getting a bit nervous. Yet as any child would it seems he is just asking a question that is on his mind. After all Isaac has not been told the nature of the test, or even that it was a test. At lest we have been told he did. Yet it does seem that he was starting to understand.
Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
I have asked myself many times, "Did Abraham know what was going to come of this, or did he have an understanding of HaShem that gave him words of a prophetic nature?" I do like to think it was his understanding of HaShem, and the Law, that gave him thou's words.
Gen 22:9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
Now at this point, it thought that Isaac was around 37. So could a 137 year old man bind a much younger and stronger one? The Sages say that by now Isaac understood what was going on, and he asked to be bound so that he would not beadle to stop Abraham. Knowing that we have the fight or flight instinct, this may well have been Isaac doing what he thought best. As well as placing his faith in HaShem to do what was right in His eyes.
How many times in life have we had to bind ourselves to the will of HaShem, just keep from walking our own path of distraction?
Gen 22:10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
Gen 22:11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.”
Gen 22:12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
Here we find that HaShem is showing us 2 things. First He is showing us what will become of His own son. He is also showing us what true faith really is. As always we find that Faith is followed by obedience. If Abraham didn't have total faith in the out come, there is simply no way he could have done what being asked of him.
Gen 22:13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
Gen 22:14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
As we know this was in the land of Moriah. Though the Hebrew word one would find here is Yireh, with does mean provide, the place is what we now call Jerusalem. Though some call the Temple mount, Mount Moiiah, and rightly so, Abraham called it YHVH Yireh.
Gen 22:15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,
Gen 22:16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—
Gen 22:17 “blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
Gen 22:18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Blessing I will bless you. What this is telling us is that HaShem will place blessing after blessing up on Abraham and his family. In other words, thanks to his obedience, Abraham and his family will have continuing blessings. One after the other. To the point that the world will be blessed by them as well. If one was to look around at what we now have in this world, seek the origin of the ones that brought it to us, most of what we are blessed with, came from Israel. Or at lest from the family of Israel.
Also, no one can say that Israel didn't bless the world, when they look at the greatest of them all. That being Yeshua. It was through Israel, that the world was given salvation, If one is to take the Word of HaShem at face value, we must thank Abraham, at lest to some degree, for his loving faithfulness.
Gen 22:2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
Gen 22:3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
Now if faith doesn't show in ones actions, then what may i ask are seeing in Abraham here? Abraham knew that his covenant with HaShem was based on this child, and would move foreword through Isaac's offspring. Yet to know a thing, and to have total faith in, can at times be quit different.
Gen 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.
Gen 22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
One can't help but note that Abraham said WE WILL be back. Knowing that Isaac was to be sacrificed, Abraham know that somehow, Isaac would return. He held total faith in that idea, even though he had no idea how, he held on to that faith. What we should be asking our selves right now is, "Could we have, hold on to, and act on that same kind of faith? I would like to say I do have that same kind of faith, yet when looking back, I do see times that my faith needed a jump start.
Gen 22:6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.
Gen 22:7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Some have said that here Isaac is getting a bit nervous. Yet as any child would it seems he is just asking a question that is on his mind. After all Isaac has not been told the nature of the test, or even that it was a test. At lest we have been told he did. Yet it does seem that he was starting to understand.
Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
I have asked myself many times, "Did Abraham know what was going to come of this, or did he have an understanding of HaShem that gave him words of a prophetic nature?" I do like to think it was his understanding of HaShem, and the Law, that gave him thou's words.
Gen 22:9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
Now at this point, it thought that Isaac was around 37. So could a 137 year old man bind a much younger and stronger one? The Sages say that by now Isaac understood what was going on, and he asked to be bound so that he would not beadle to stop Abraham. Knowing that we have the fight or flight instinct, this may well have been Isaac doing what he thought best. As well as placing his faith in HaShem to do what was right in His eyes.
How many times in life have we had to bind ourselves to the will of HaShem, just keep from walking our own path of distraction?
Gen 22:10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
Gen 22:11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.”
Gen 22:12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
Here we find that HaShem is showing us 2 things. First He is showing us what will become of His own son. He is also showing us what true faith really is. As always we find that Faith is followed by obedience. If Abraham didn't have total faith in the out come, there is simply no way he could have done what being asked of him.
Gen 22:13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
Gen 22:14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
As we know this was in the land of Moriah. Though the Hebrew word one would find here is Yireh, with does mean provide, the place is what we now call Jerusalem. Though some call the Temple mount, Mount Moiiah, and rightly so, Abraham called it YHVH Yireh.
Gen 22:15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,
Gen 22:16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—
Gen 22:17 “blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
Gen 22:18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Blessing I will bless you. What this is telling us is that HaShem will place blessing after blessing up on Abraham and his family. In other words, thanks to his obedience, Abraham and his family will have continuing blessings. One after the other. To the point that the world will be blessed by them as well. If one was to look around at what we now have in this world, seek the origin of the ones that brought it to us, most of what we are blessed with, came from Israel. Or at lest from the family of Israel.
Also, no one can say that Israel didn't bless the world, when they look at the greatest of them all. That being Yeshua. It was through Israel, that the world was given salvation, If one is to take the Word of HaShem at face value, we must thank Abraham, at lest to some degree, for his loving faithfulness.
Gen 23:1 Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.
Gen 23:2 So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
Gen 23:3 Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
Gen 23:4 “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
Some say that Abraham was not asking to buy a grave sight, he simply want to barrow one. This sounds a bit strage at first, yet when one thinks on it, it does kind of add up. You see, anyone teaching this is placing on Abraham, and his time, a practice that wouldn't come to be until about 2000 years latter. When they would place a body in one place, then latter remove the bones and move them to a permanent burial sight. I may well be wrong on the time frame, yet that was not something done in Cannon at that time.
Gen 23:6 “Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.”
Gen 23:8 And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
Gen 23:9 “that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you.”
Gen 23:10 Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying,
Once more we find that Abraham is not willing to take anything as a gift. Also one may ask, why didn't Abraham go to Ephron on his own?
Ephron was a rich man, and the land Abraham was asking for was a part of his inheritance. To ask him to sell it would be seen as an insult coming from Abraham. Yet if the people were to ask, they would know how to do so, in a dignified manner so as not to insult Ephron. Yet we must keep in mind, that Abraham first asked for it as a gift. This also addded Ephron in upholding his dignity. After all for the rich to give a gift to a person held in high esteem, as Abraham was, would be seen by his people as an honorable thing for Ephron to do.
Gen 23:11 “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and the cave that is in it; I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I give it to you. Bury your dead!”
Ephron seems ready to just give it to Abraham.
Gen 23:12 Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land;
Gen 23:13 and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there.”
Gen 23:14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
Gen 23:15 “My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”
Ephron names a price, yet does so in a way that lets it be known he still willing to give the land as a gift. Only he has also shown an unwillingness to divide the cave from the land. Kind of a take it all, or forget it kind of thing. Only as we can see, Ephron did set a price, makeing it seem as though his true intent was to get a higher price than the land was worth. The rest was just an act for his people.
Gen 23:16 And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants.
Should one now beasking, "Did Abraham know that later the Hittites would be at war with Israel?" Although we are not told this, we know that is came about. Still yet one other to ask. "do you think that Abraham knowing of the war that was to come, wanted to stop any form of blessing from HaShem being given to the Hittites? After all Gen 12:3 would have placed a blessing on them, had Abraham been gifted that land.
Gen 23:17 So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded
Gen 23:18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
Gen 23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
Gen 23:20 So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.
As we know holding a deed on land does give a person a better chance of holding on it. also one may note that it was deeded as a burial place. It is unclear if that meens this land can only be used for that reason, or if Abraham was free to use it as he seen fit, or had need. Some say it does, others say it was free to be used for any reason as needed.
One thing that we do see here, is the grave of Yeshua that was given to him, after his death. However, in that case, it was a gift, and like this land, it was of great value.
Gen 23:2 So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
Gen 23:3 Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
Gen 23:4 “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
Some say that Abraham was not asking to buy a grave sight, he simply want to barrow one. This sounds a bit strage at first, yet when one thinks on it, it does kind of add up. You see, anyone teaching this is placing on Abraham, and his time, a practice that wouldn't come to be until about 2000 years latter. When they would place a body in one place, then latter remove the bones and move them to a permanent burial sight. I may well be wrong on the time frame, yet that was not something done in Cannon at that time.
Gen 23:6 “Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.”
Gen 23:8 And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
Gen 23:9 “that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you.”
Gen 23:10 Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying,
Once more we find that Abraham is not willing to take anything as a gift. Also one may ask, why didn't Abraham go to Ephron on his own?
Ephron was a rich man, and the land Abraham was asking for was a part of his inheritance. To ask him to sell it would be seen as an insult coming from Abraham. Yet if the people were to ask, they would know how to do so, in a dignified manner so as not to insult Ephron. Yet we must keep in mind, that Abraham first asked for it as a gift. This also addded Ephron in upholding his dignity. After all for the rich to give a gift to a person held in high esteem, as Abraham was, would be seen by his people as an honorable thing for Ephron to do.
Gen 23:11 “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and the cave that is in it; I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I give it to you. Bury your dead!”
Ephron seems ready to just give it to Abraham.
Gen 23:12 Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land;
Gen 23:13 and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there.”
Gen 23:14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
Gen 23:15 “My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”
Ephron names a price, yet does so in a way that lets it be known he still willing to give the land as a gift. Only he has also shown an unwillingness to divide the cave from the land. Kind of a take it all, or forget it kind of thing. Only as we can see, Ephron did set a price, makeing it seem as though his true intent was to get a higher price than the land was worth. The rest was just an act for his people.
Gen 23:16 And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants.
Should one now beasking, "Did Abraham know that later the Hittites would be at war with Israel?" Although we are not told this, we know that is came about. Still yet one other to ask. "do you think that Abraham knowing of the war that was to come, wanted to stop any form of blessing from HaShem being given to the Hittites? After all Gen 12:3 would have placed a blessing on them, had Abraham been gifted that land.
Gen 23:17 So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded
Gen 23:18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
Gen 23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
Gen 23:20 So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.
As we know holding a deed on land does give a person a better chance of holding on it. also one may note that it was deeded as a burial place. It is unclear if that meens this land can only be used for that reason, or if Abraham was free to use it as he seen fit, or had need. Some say it does, others say it was free to be used for any reason as needed.
One thing that we do see here, is the grave of Yeshua that was given to him, after his death. However, in that case, it was a gift, and like this land, it was of great value.
More comments of chapter 19: Scripture tells us that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were wicked, yet it is only sexual sin it speaks of. Family must be of major importance to God. Creating a family was the very first thing God did for us after creation.
Adam was created of the earth, but Eve was created from part of Adam. Then God established that the two should become one and the sexual act is what brought them together. Only male and female started as one, only male and female can be reunited. God made this act full of pleasure and beauty but this chapter points out how extremely serious it is to misuse it.
Lot's daughters thought they were the last people left on earth. Here again, sex is not used correctly. The children who were the result of this wrong act grew up to head nation that were against God.
Adam was created of the earth, but Eve was created from part of Adam. Then God established that the two should become one and the sexual act is what brought them together. Only male and female started as one, only male and female can be reunited. God made this act full of pleasure and beauty but this chapter points out how extremely serious it is to misuse it.
Lot's daughters thought they were the last people left on earth. Here again, sex is not used correctly. The children who were the result of this wrong act grew up to head nation that were against God.
Gen 24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
Gen 24:2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh,
The Sages tel us that thigh is a euphemism of for the mail organ. Abraham chose this to certify the oath as it was circumcision that was the sing of the covenant. Abraham was prod of this as he undertook it with much pain. Hens he seen it as a sacrifice sign, worth of upholding the oath.
Gen 24:3 “and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;
Gen 24:4 “but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
After seeing that the Canaanites didn't follow HaShem, Abraham wanted to do everything he could to be sure that Isaac had a wife that would. Though some say Abraham know of the prohibition against marrying out side of the family of Israel, and hens upheld this in his own wishes.
Gen 24:5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”
Gen 24:6 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there.
Abraham may have seen that to take Isaac back to Ur, would loss the blessing that was placed on Isaac, and the land would no longer be theirs. This how ever is showing a lack of faith on Abraham's part. It is more likely that Abraham though Isaac would be caught up in the lifestyle that dominated that land, and it's people. So Abraham let it be known he had faith that HaShem would bless the action of Eliezer.
Gen 24:7 “The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants[fn] I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
Gen 24:8 “And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”
Abraham being as kind as he could, gave Eilezer a way out. Yet at the same time holding to his unwillingness for Isaac to return to Ur,
Gen 24:12 Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
Gen 24:13 “Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
Gen 24:14 “Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
Gen 24:15 And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder.
Once I was asked, does HaShem really know what we will pray before we even speak? It was this passage that came to mind first. I know there are others, yet this one stood out in mind.
Gen 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”
Gen 24:18 So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink.
Gen 24:19 And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”
Gen 24:27 And he said, “Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”
This was a prayer answered not only before it was spoken, it was also, a great blessing to find that HaShem has seen fit to lead Eliezer to the place he needed to be. In life we may take things for granite, when we should really look to see if the hand of HaShem was at work. As we see here, Eliezer never thought it was an accident, he know it was HaShem at work.
Gen 24:29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well.
Gen 24:31 And he said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
This does not sound like the same Laban we find later, that Jacob had to contend with. Yet we do see him in the role of head of the house. Other wise it would have been Rebecca's dad going out to invite Eliezer to the house. One must also keep in mind that the women had separate houses to do their work, so Rebekah most likely told her mom, and word went out from there.
Gen 24:33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told about my errand.” And he said, “Speak on.”
Gen 24:34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
Gen 24:35 “The LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
Gen 24:36 “And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has.
Gen 24:37 “Now my master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell;
Gen 24:38 ‘but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’
One should note that Eliezer didn't tell them that Isaac was not to go to Ur. This was left out to ease the task at hand, as to say that would have been insulting.
Gen 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you either bad or good.
Gen 24:51 “Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.”
Gen 24:52 And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
Once more we find the thankfulness of Eliezer. Just as we also see once more that Laban seems to be the head of the household.
Gen 24:53 Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
The giving of the brides price, should be given to the parents, not the brother. Yet here we see the Laban is showing his true colors. Taking as much as he can, no mater what he must do to get it. By pushing his dad a side, and taking what should have been given to Bethuel. Yet as we see He was never given more than a foot note in the whole story. The sages say that Bethuel had wanted more than Eliezer had given as gifts, so he want to back out of the deal. HaShem sent an angle to kill him. Kind of out side of what the Word really tells us, yet we are not told much about dad, so we are left with our own understanding of the times, and people.
Gen 24:54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”
Gen 24:55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.”
Gen 24:56 And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.”
Gen 24:57 So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.”
Gen 24:58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
2 things stand out here, that you will never see in any other passages. Rebekah was asked what she wanted. Some say this was in hopes that she would stay for the 10 days asked for. They also say there was no intent of sending her after the 10days, rather the hope was that after 10days of travel, Eliezer would not return for her. Hens letting them gain other gifts.
The Sages on the other hand tell us that a year or 10 months was generally given for a bride to prepare. So they were not asking for anything out of order. Yet the sages do agree they had full intent of backing out of the deal.
Gen 24:62 Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South.
Gen 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming.
Gen 24:64 Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel;
Gen 24:65 for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.
To cove ones face is a sign of modesty. Women back then prided themselves in being modest. However this may also be were that old saying comes from, it is unlucky to see the bride before the wedding.
I know that I am a bit out dated, yet I do love to see a women that dresses in a modest manner.
Gen 24:67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Some say that this shows us that the act of sex defines a marriage, not the word of man. However, as one reads and studies the Torah, they find it tells us a different story. The love we are told was there, most likely came from Rebekah's righteousness, and aptness of deeds. The only 2 criteria the Torah basses the love between a man and his wife.
Gen 24:2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh,
The Sages tel us that thigh is a euphemism of for the mail organ. Abraham chose this to certify the oath as it was circumcision that was the sing of the covenant. Abraham was prod of this as he undertook it with much pain. Hens he seen it as a sacrifice sign, worth of upholding the oath.
Gen 24:3 “and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;
Gen 24:4 “but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
After seeing that the Canaanites didn't follow HaShem, Abraham wanted to do everything he could to be sure that Isaac had a wife that would. Though some say Abraham know of the prohibition against marrying out side of the family of Israel, and hens upheld this in his own wishes.
Gen 24:5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”
Gen 24:6 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there.
Abraham may have seen that to take Isaac back to Ur, would loss the blessing that was placed on Isaac, and the land would no longer be theirs. This how ever is showing a lack of faith on Abraham's part. It is more likely that Abraham though Isaac would be caught up in the lifestyle that dominated that land, and it's people. So Abraham let it be known he had faith that HaShem would bless the action of Eliezer.
Gen 24:7 “The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants[fn] I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
Gen 24:8 “And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”
Abraham being as kind as he could, gave Eilezer a way out. Yet at the same time holding to his unwillingness for Isaac to return to Ur,
Gen 24:12 Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
Gen 24:13 “Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
Gen 24:14 “Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
Gen 24:15 And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder.
Once I was asked, does HaShem really know what we will pray before we even speak? It was this passage that came to mind first. I know there are others, yet this one stood out in mind.
Gen 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”
Gen 24:18 So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink.
Gen 24:19 And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”
Gen 24:27 And he said, “Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”
This was a prayer answered not only before it was spoken, it was also, a great blessing to find that HaShem has seen fit to lead Eliezer to the place he needed to be. In life we may take things for granite, when we should really look to see if the hand of HaShem was at work. As we see here, Eliezer never thought it was an accident, he know it was HaShem at work.
Gen 24:29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well.
Gen 24:31 And he said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
This does not sound like the same Laban we find later, that Jacob had to contend with. Yet we do see him in the role of head of the house. Other wise it would have been Rebecca's dad going out to invite Eliezer to the house. One must also keep in mind that the women had separate houses to do their work, so Rebekah most likely told her mom, and word went out from there.
Gen 24:33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told about my errand.” And he said, “Speak on.”
Gen 24:34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
Gen 24:35 “The LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
Gen 24:36 “And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has.
Gen 24:37 “Now my master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell;
Gen 24:38 ‘but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’
One should note that Eliezer didn't tell them that Isaac was not to go to Ur. This was left out to ease the task at hand, as to say that would have been insulting.
Gen 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you either bad or good.
Gen 24:51 “Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.”
Gen 24:52 And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
Once more we find the thankfulness of Eliezer. Just as we also see once more that Laban seems to be the head of the household.
Gen 24:53 Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
The giving of the brides price, should be given to the parents, not the brother. Yet here we see the Laban is showing his true colors. Taking as much as he can, no mater what he must do to get it. By pushing his dad a side, and taking what should have been given to Bethuel. Yet as we see He was never given more than a foot note in the whole story. The sages say that Bethuel had wanted more than Eliezer had given as gifts, so he want to back out of the deal. HaShem sent an angle to kill him. Kind of out side of what the Word really tells us, yet we are not told much about dad, so we are left with our own understanding of the times, and people.
Gen 24:54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”
Gen 24:55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.”
Gen 24:56 And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.”
Gen 24:57 So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.”
Gen 24:58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
2 things stand out here, that you will never see in any other passages. Rebekah was asked what she wanted. Some say this was in hopes that she would stay for the 10 days asked for. They also say there was no intent of sending her after the 10days, rather the hope was that after 10days of travel, Eliezer would not return for her. Hens letting them gain other gifts.
The Sages on the other hand tell us that a year or 10 months was generally given for a bride to prepare. So they were not asking for anything out of order. Yet the sages do agree they had full intent of backing out of the deal.
Gen 24:62 Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South.
Gen 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming.
Gen 24:64 Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel;
Gen 24:65 for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.
To cove ones face is a sign of modesty. Women back then prided themselves in being modest. However this may also be were that old saying comes from, it is unlucky to see the bride before the wedding.
I know that I am a bit out dated, yet I do love to see a women that dresses in a modest manner.
Gen 24:67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Some say that this shows us that the act of sex defines a marriage, not the word of man. However, as one reads and studies the Torah, they find it tells us a different story. The love we are told was there, most likely came from Rebekah's righteousness, and aptness of deeds. The only 2 criteria the Torah basses the love between a man and his wife.
Gen 25:1 Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
Gen 25:2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
The sages tell us that Keturah was in fact Hagar. Her name was changed to Keturah, to show her resistant. They say that she never took another partner after being forced out of Abrahams life. Yet one must ask, if Abraham understood the Laws, and followed them, would he have done this?
Yet their is one other teaching that Keturah may have been a servant. Abraham wished to free her, so he took her as a wife.
Gen 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.
Gen 25:6 But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east.
Abraham may have sent them east to keep them from contesting Isaac's place as his only true heir. Yet Ishmael was not named, and so one may ask why. The idea that Ishmael had a place in the burial of Abraham may show that he still held a place in Abraham's heart.
Gen 25:7 This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years.
Gen 25:9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite,
Gen 25:10 the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.
The naming of Isaac first may well show that Ishmael had repented, and excepted his place as second in the eyes of HaShem. Unlike Esau how we will find placed himself over Jacob.
Gen 25:11 And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi.
The idea that Isaac was blessed only after the death of Abraham, may imply that HaShem comforted Isaac in his time of morning. Though say this was due to the fact that HaShem had to wait, as He could not place the same blessing on 2 people at once. This teaching however places limits on HaShem. A thing we should never do.
Gen 25:20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian.
Gen 25:21 Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
In the Chumash, we read that Isaac prayed opposite his wife. Giving us a different story than is found in most western Bibles. Though it may seem small, to remove this one idea, can lead one to think that Rebekah was not in prayer, and it was all Isaac. This idea removes any form of righteousness from Rebekah that otherwise would be granted her.
Gen 25:22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23
And the LORD said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body;
One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”
2 nations, this can be seen 2 ways. One tells us that this is just 2 nations, and that one will serve the other. This teaching however, dismisses the truth.
As we can see today, this struggle is still ongoing. We know that Israel is the nation HaShem took for His own. This nation, (even if some wish to say I am wrong) wants nothing more than to walk in the teachings of the Torah, and to fulfill their place as a blessing to all nations.
The other is a nation that follows Islam. Islam does not follow HaShem, and it shows in their actions. The sages would agree with this teaching as they also say that they will never be mighty at the same time. When one falls, the other will rise. This if one takes time to look at history is true. Tow regimes, one stands for morality and justice, the other license and barbarity, can't coexist for long.
Gen 25:24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.
Gen 25:25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau.
Gen 25:26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Gen 25:27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents.
Gen 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Though the 2 are seen in 2 different lights, it is clear that Isaac loved the food given by Esau. It was in this manner that Esau would find favor in Isaac's eyes.
However there is more than one may learn from this. Jacob is said to dwell in tents. Some say that he lived with his mom, and learned to do the things that women do, never learning anything that men do. This as we will later see is wrong. So why say he lived in tents? A place of study at that time was a tent. The sages say that Jacob may have studied under Shem. Useing his time to learn the Torah, and how best to walk with HaShem.
Esau, a skilled hunter. Now where did we hear about a mighty hunter in the past? Just what came from this other mighty hunter, and what does it mean to be a hunter?
Sure we all know that even I am a hunter. I love the fact that most of what I eat doesn't come from a store, and that I can control how the animal that goes into my freezer is killed, cleaned, and butchered. This helps me to make sure that I am eating by what the Torah tells us. It also helps me to place my faith in HaShem, and his willingness to provide for my needs.
However we are not talking about hunting in that forum. Nimrod was a mighty hunter, and he left in his wake a system of idolatry that still lives to this day. Esau, also followed this ideology, or at lest some form of it.
Gen 25:29
Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary.
Gen 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.
We should note the change in name. Though this name was not used to identify Esau in the Torah, it was used to identify his offspring later.
Gen 25:31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”
Gen 25:32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”
Gen 25:33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Gen 25:34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
The birthright was not a thing to take lightly. It would give the oldest twice that of his younger sibling. To sell it for a little food, was unthinkable. This is why it tells us that Esau despised his birth right. Esau was not tricked, nor was his birth right stolen.
The idea that Esau was going fall over dead right then is a bit strange. However, this may point to the idea that as a hunter, Esau know his life would be short. As we are told by the sages, Esau loved the hunt, the plunder, and had little human values.
One may also take a look at the teaching that the first born was to offer the sacrifices for the family. Esau know enough to understand that if done wrong, it may bring about his death. Knowing that he had not learned the law, Esau would have had good reason to fear the birth right.
Jacob on the other hand, know the Laws, and studied them daily. He held no fear, and understood that a sincere person must be ready to to serve HaShem at all cost. This may require inconvenience, hardship, or even danger. One must be readyt to face humiliation, and attack if necessary.
Gen 25:2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
The sages tell us that Keturah was in fact Hagar. Her name was changed to Keturah, to show her resistant. They say that she never took another partner after being forced out of Abrahams life. Yet one must ask, if Abraham understood the Laws, and followed them, would he have done this?
Yet their is one other teaching that Keturah may have been a servant. Abraham wished to free her, so he took her as a wife.
Gen 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.
Gen 25:6 But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east.
Abraham may have sent them east to keep them from contesting Isaac's place as his only true heir. Yet Ishmael was not named, and so one may ask why. The idea that Ishmael had a place in the burial of Abraham may show that he still held a place in Abraham's heart.
Gen 25:7 This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years.
Gen 25:9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite,
Gen 25:10 the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.
The naming of Isaac first may well show that Ishmael had repented, and excepted his place as second in the eyes of HaShem. Unlike Esau how we will find placed himself over Jacob.
Gen 25:11 And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi.
The idea that Isaac was blessed only after the death of Abraham, may imply that HaShem comforted Isaac in his time of morning. Though say this was due to the fact that HaShem had to wait, as He could not place the same blessing on 2 people at once. This teaching however places limits on HaShem. A thing we should never do.
Gen 25:20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian.
Gen 25:21 Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
In the Chumash, we read that Isaac prayed opposite his wife. Giving us a different story than is found in most western Bibles. Though it may seem small, to remove this one idea, can lead one to think that Rebekah was not in prayer, and it was all Isaac. This idea removes any form of righteousness from Rebekah that otherwise would be granted her.
Gen 25:22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23
And the LORD said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body;
One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”
2 nations, this can be seen 2 ways. One tells us that this is just 2 nations, and that one will serve the other. This teaching however, dismisses the truth.
As we can see today, this struggle is still ongoing. We know that Israel is the nation HaShem took for His own. This nation, (even if some wish to say I am wrong) wants nothing more than to walk in the teachings of the Torah, and to fulfill their place as a blessing to all nations.
The other is a nation that follows Islam. Islam does not follow HaShem, and it shows in their actions. The sages would agree with this teaching as they also say that they will never be mighty at the same time. When one falls, the other will rise. This if one takes time to look at history is true. Tow regimes, one stands for morality and justice, the other license and barbarity, can't coexist for long.
Gen 25:24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.
Gen 25:25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau.
Gen 25:26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Gen 25:27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents.
Gen 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Though the 2 are seen in 2 different lights, it is clear that Isaac loved the food given by Esau. It was in this manner that Esau would find favor in Isaac's eyes.
However there is more than one may learn from this. Jacob is said to dwell in tents. Some say that he lived with his mom, and learned to do the things that women do, never learning anything that men do. This as we will later see is wrong. So why say he lived in tents? A place of study at that time was a tent. The sages say that Jacob may have studied under Shem. Useing his time to learn the Torah, and how best to walk with HaShem.
Esau, a skilled hunter. Now where did we hear about a mighty hunter in the past? Just what came from this other mighty hunter, and what does it mean to be a hunter?
Sure we all know that even I am a hunter. I love the fact that most of what I eat doesn't come from a store, and that I can control how the animal that goes into my freezer is killed, cleaned, and butchered. This helps me to make sure that I am eating by what the Torah tells us. It also helps me to place my faith in HaShem, and his willingness to provide for my needs.
However we are not talking about hunting in that forum. Nimrod was a mighty hunter, and he left in his wake a system of idolatry that still lives to this day. Esau, also followed this ideology, or at lest some form of it.
Gen 25:29
Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary.
Gen 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.
We should note the change in name. Though this name was not used to identify Esau in the Torah, it was used to identify his offspring later.
Gen 25:31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”
Gen 25:32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”
Gen 25:33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Gen 25:34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
The birthright was not a thing to take lightly. It would give the oldest twice that of his younger sibling. To sell it for a little food, was unthinkable. This is why it tells us that Esau despised his birth right. Esau was not tricked, nor was his birth right stolen.
The idea that Esau was going fall over dead right then is a bit strange. However, this may point to the idea that as a hunter, Esau know his life would be short. As we are told by the sages, Esau loved the hunt, the plunder, and had little human values.
One may also take a look at the teaching that the first born was to offer the sacrifices for the family. Esau know enough to understand that if done wrong, it may bring about his death. Knowing that he had not learned the law, Esau would have had good reason to fear the birth right.
Jacob on the other hand, know the Laws, and studied them daily. He held no fear, and understood that a sincere person must be ready to to serve HaShem at all cost. This may require inconvenience, hardship, or even danger. One must be readyt to face humiliation, and attack if necessary.
Gen 26:1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
Gen 26:2 Then the LORD appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you.
Gen 26:3 “Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
Gen 26:4 “And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
Gen 26:5 “because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
The first thing we must note is that HaShem told Isaac not to go Egypt. We are not told that Isaac had any intention of doing this, yet it must have been on his mind. We are not told why Isaac wasn't to go there, So rather than speculate we can only say HaShem said not to. That as will be shown, was good enough for Isaac.
Not only do now find that Abraham walked in faith, we are also told that he obeyed HaShem's voice, keep His commandments, Statutes and Laws. Although this has been the key them of this study, it is right to make note that HaShem also seen Abrahams faith and obedience. It was due to both actions that Abraham found grace in HaShem's eyes. If this were not true, why would HaShem tell Isaac of these actions?
Gen 26:6 So Isaac dwelt in Gerar.
Gen 26:7 And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.”
One should note that Abimelech didn't show any form of malice toward Isaac, this was due to his covenant with Abraham. The fist time we see that a covenant transcends the life the ones making it. HOwever the men know they chould take a mans wife, then kill him under some faults pretext. This is why Isac followed the exsample of his father, and said she was his sister. Once more this is not an out right lie, after all, she was his sister. You see, back then, every member of the family, was called sister and brother. Even if they were your second cozen.
Gen 26:10 And Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.”
Gen 26:11 So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
What we find that may be of interst here is that at one point in time it seems that the Philistines followed the laws of HaShem to some point. Or they at lest know of His power, and feared Him. There seem to have a change in them over time however. As can be seen in the writings,i.e. Kings, Solomon, Chronicles, and so on.
Gen 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him.
Gen 26:13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;
Gen 26:16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
Some may think this tells us that the king was scared of Isaac, This however may not have the reason. The sages tell us that Isaac was much righter then the king, and this embarrassed the king. The kings nobles and ministers not dough noticed, and would also have felt that same way. Though I have seen this passage used to show that HaShem will give us riches on this earth, and He doesn't want us to be poor, or in need of a new car. This teachings seems to always be followed by, "Send me money, and you get it back 100 fold." When asked to show this from scripture, they will say I just did. Sadly, this gives us a look at just what the world has come to. More and more people look to money, rather than HaShem.
Gen 26:17 Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
Gen 26:18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them.
Gen 26:19 Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there.
You see if one reads on, we find that Isaac was not blessed for giving money to folks, rather was blessed due to his works, and faith that HaShem would provide. This well of running water, one may see as an underground river. I myself see it that way, and I would think that it was sweet water as well.
Gen 26:20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him.
Gen 26:21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah
Gen 26:22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
We are told by the sages that reason for the Torah going into such detail about the 3 wells is that they were to be prophetic in nature. The 3 wells depict the 3 temples. The first 2 as we know were destroyed, and the 3rd will be one that doesn't come under disagreement. They teach this, as it a well known fact that the lives of the patriarchs are clear sing post of Israel's history and future. The first well called Esek, meaning contention, shows us that the first temple would fall due to the contention of the northern 10 tribes, and the 2 southern tribes. The second well, Sitnah, or hindrance, gives a clear pitcher of the second temple. As it became a hindrance to Alexander, as well the Roman forces. Alexander lost the temple, to the Maccabees. It is from this that we were given Hanukkah, A reminder of the Miracle of the menorah. (Sorry for the rabbit trail) As we know the Temple mount is now under dispute, Yet at some point the 3rd Temple will stand where it should. This Temple, will never be disputed, and will be the place from witch Mashiach will rule.
Gen 26:23 Then he went up from there to Beersheba.
Gen 26:24 And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.”
Gen 26:25 So he built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
This alter would most likely have been used for an offering of thanks giving. As I am sure Isaac would have wanted to give thanks, for the protection HaShem had given him already, as well for that which was to come.
Gen 26:26 Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army.
Gen 26:27 And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?”
Gen 26:28 But they said, “We have certainly seen that the LORD is with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, between you and us; and let us make a covenant with you,
Gen 26:29 ‘that you will do us no harm, since we have not touched you, and since we have done nothing to you but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.’ ”
Gen 26:30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
There are some that stop reading right here, they use the incomplete reading to say that any meal seals a covenant. They so in eror however. It is true that when a covenant is made, there is a feast to sellibrate, yet at times we find that one does not follow. Say teh covenant between David and Jonathin, just to know one. As one reads on, we find this simple meal was just that a meal.
Gen 26:31 Then they arose early in the morning and swore an oath with one another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
If the meal was to sell the deal, then the oath should by all rights been made first.
Gen 26:32 It came to pass the same day that Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.”
Gen 26:33 So he called it Shebah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
As we should remember the name of the city does not come from this oath, rather from the oath Abraham made with Abimelech. There was no city at that time, just a well named Beersheba, Here we find that Isaac named the well simply Shebah. The Henrew word here is Shivah this word means both 7 and oath. Although when we read the words, Until this day, it only shows that the thijng is true as of the date the scribe wrote them. However, the well named Beersheba can be seen in Israel today. Can we say we are 100% sure it is the same well? I would think not, although when seen, and the story of it's finding and placement are told, the evidents is a bit overwhelming. One would hard pressed to say it is not.
Gen 26:2 Then the LORD appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you.
Gen 26:3 “Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
Gen 26:4 “And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
Gen 26:5 “because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
The first thing we must note is that HaShem told Isaac not to go Egypt. We are not told that Isaac had any intention of doing this, yet it must have been on his mind. We are not told why Isaac wasn't to go there, So rather than speculate we can only say HaShem said not to. That as will be shown, was good enough for Isaac.
Not only do now find that Abraham walked in faith, we are also told that he obeyed HaShem's voice, keep His commandments, Statutes and Laws. Although this has been the key them of this study, it is right to make note that HaShem also seen Abrahams faith and obedience. It was due to both actions that Abraham found grace in HaShem's eyes. If this were not true, why would HaShem tell Isaac of these actions?
Gen 26:6 So Isaac dwelt in Gerar.
Gen 26:7 And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.”
One should note that Abimelech didn't show any form of malice toward Isaac, this was due to his covenant with Abraham. The fist time we see that a covenant transcends the life the ones making it. HOwever the men know they chould take a mans wife, then kill him under some faults pretext. This is why Isac followed the exsample of his father, and said she was his sister. Once more this is not an out right lie, after all, she was his sister. You see, back then, every member of the family, was called sister and brother. Even if they were your second cozen.
Gen 26:10 And Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.”
Gen 26:11 So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
What we find that may be of interst here is that at one point in time it seems that the Philistines followed the laws of HaShem to some point. Or they at lest know of His power, and feared Him. There seem to have a change in them over time however. As can be seen in the writings,i.e. Kings, Solomon, Chronicles, and so on.
Gen 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him.
Gen 26:13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;
Gen 26:16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
Some may think this tells us that the king was scared of Isaac, This however may not have the reason. The sages tell us that Isaac was much righter then the king, and this embarrassed the king. The kings nobles and ministers not dough noticed, and would also have felt that same way. Though I have seen this passage used to show that HaShem will give us riches on this earth, and He doesn't want us to be poor, or in need of a new car. This teachings seems to always be followed by, "Send me money, and you get it back 100 fold." When asked to show this from scripture, they will say I just did. Sadly, this gives us a look at just what the world has come to. More and more people look to money, rather than HaShem.
Gen 26:17 Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
Gen 26:18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them.
Gen 26:19 Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there.
You see if one reads on, we find that Isaac was not blessed for giving money to folks, rather was blessed due to his works, and faith that HaShem would provide. This well of running water, one may see as an underground river. I myself see it that way, and I would think that it was sweet water as well.
Gen 26:20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him.
Gen 26:21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah
Gen 26:22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
We are told by the sages that reason for the Torah going into such detail about the 3 wells is that they were to be prophetic in nature. The 3 wells depict the 3 temples. The first 2 as we know were destroyed, and the 3rd will be one that doesn't come under disagreement. They teach this, as it a well known fact that the lives of the patriarchs are clear sing post of Israel's history and future. The first well called Esek, meaning contention, shows us that the first temple would fall due to the contention of the northern 10 tribes, and the 2 southern tribes. The second well, Sitnah, or hindrance, gives a clear pitcher of the second temple. As it became a hindrance to Alexander, as well the Roman forces. Alexander lost the temple, to the Maccabees. It is from this that we were given Hanukkah, A reminder of the Miracle of the menorah. (Sorry for the rabbit trail) As we know the Temple mount is now under dispute, Yet at some point the 3rd Temple will stand where it should. This Temple, will never be disputed, and will be the place from witch Mashiach will rule.
Gen 26:23 Then he went up from there to Beersheba.
Gen 26:24 And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.”
Gen 26:25 So he built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
This alter would most likely have been used for an offering of thanks giving. As I am sure Isaac would have wanted to give thanks, for the protection HaShem had given him already, as well for that which was to come.
Gen 26:26 Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army.
Gen 26:27 And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?”
Gen 26:28 But they said, “We have certainly seen that the LORD is with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, between you and us; and let us make a covenant with you,
Gen 26:29 ‘that you will do us no harm, since we have not touched you, and since we have done nothing to you but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.’ ”
Gen 26:30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
There are some that stop reading right here, they use the incomplete reading to say that any meal seals a covenant. They so in eror however. It is true that when a covenant is made, there is a feast to sellibrate, yet at times we find that one does not follow. Say teh covenant between David and Jonathin, just to know one. As one reads on, we find this simple meal was just that a meal.
Gen 26:31 Then they arose early in the morning and swore an oath with one another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
If the meal was to sell the deal, then the oath should by all rights been made first.
Gen 26:32 It came to pass the same day that Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.”
Gen 26:33 So he called it Shebah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
As we should remember the name of the city does not come from this oath, rather from the oath Abraham made with Abimelech. There was no city at that time, just a well named Beersheba, Here we find that Isaac named the well simply Shebah. The Henrew word here is Shivah this word means both 7 and oath. Although when we read the words, Until this day, it only shows that the thijng is true as of the date the scribe wrote them. However, the well named Beersheba can be seen in Israel today. Can we say we are 100% sure it is the same well? I would think not, although when seen, and the story of it's finding and placement are told, the evidents is a bit overwhelming. One would hard pressed to say it is not.
