Motives

Determining the motives of others is wrong. All have motives for what they do. Many of the motives that folks often have are not good. How can one be certain what some else’s motives are? Judging actions is appropriate; God commanded Israelis to do this. There are some great restrictions on judging motives, however. God alone knows the heart:

1 Kings 8:39 Hear Thou in the heavens, Thy dwelling place. And forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart Thou knowest. For Thou, only Thou, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.

Matthew 12:34 The mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart.

A person will talk about what he thinks. Words can be used against the person who spoke the words. Many, however, tend to assume motives based upon their own views and cultures. That is not justice, and it isn’t right. Judgment of any kind must be based upon facts, not upon what might be true or appear to be true.

Everyone’s counsels of the heart will be exposed at the time of judgment (see 1 Corinthians 4:3 below).

Trying to figure the motives of others is not harmful. This is not the same as determining the person’s motives. Concluding what those motives are is wrong, and exposes the faulty character of the person who assumed motives for another’s actions.

Some have the audacity and arrogance to declare why others did what they did: “She did that because she’s just jealous!” “He said that because he’s a liar!” “He gave that to you because he feels guilty.” Anyone who makes such declarations without hearing the motives from the person who did the actions is behaving as if he or she is a prophet/prophetess, speaking the words of God! Some even have the increased audacity to tell folks to their faces why they did what they did: “You wanted to read the will first because you knew that you would get very little!”

Do You Know?

Some think they know others very well. They have an idea of why others do what they do based upon watching them and others, and why they themselves might do such actions. If someone’s behaviour ‘bugs’ me, I will probably think that that person ‘bugs’ everyone. Most folks see others according to their own frames of reference (their own ways of viewing things in life). If they respond to others’ actions as if their views are right, they will often improperly respond.

Facts are true, but they don’t always give full information. Getting to the facts is an art for which every Saint is responsible. Judging is rendering a right decision based upon all the facts, not upon the feelings!

You Are Lying to Me!

Anyone giving a particular side of an issue is giving observations from his point of view. Someone else who saw the very same thing will often disagree with parts of the description, and sometimes will disagree with the entire description. Everyone hearing what happened will hear something different. If two describe the same scene, yet disagree with each other, one might be inclined to say, “You are lying!”

Lying is not merely giving false information; it is giving false information with intent to give false information. One who accuses the other of lying is also claiming that the other is intentionally twisting the facts into a lie. This can result in great and needless offense. If the person is truly lying, this can be a great wrong, but if the person is not, but is mistaken concerning what he or she observed or heard, accusing the other person of lying is a great wrong. Assuming that someone is lying is a great violation of justice, but it is common practice.

Saints in the Scriptures did not assume that others were lying even when it appeared that way. They kept the facts they observed to themselves until all the facts were known, or they dealt with others as if there were no questions about their honesty.

Careful deliberation with patience is very wise. It avoids years of hurt and bitterness, and can avoid bloodshed.

Innocent until Proven Guilty?

The Scriptures do not teach that all are innocent until proven guilty.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart [mind] is deceitful above all, and terminal. Who can know it?

They teach that violent sinners have a deceitful and terminal mind from the fall of Adam. Yet, the Scriptures also declare that it is wrong to judge anyone before the time of the person’s judgment (whether that judgment is the final one, or is personal or legal):

1 Corinthians 4:3 “It is a very small thing with me that I should be judged under you or under man’s judgment. Indeed, I don’t judge myself! ⁴For I know nothing by myself; yet, I am not justified by this. But he who judges me is the Lord! ⁵Therefore, judge nothing before the time—until the Lord comes—Who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And then every man shall have praise from God.”

A Biblical counselor is not the same as an advisor. A counselor not only proposes what should be done, but also carries the idea out. If a person only gives the idea of what should be done, that is an advisor. If this is true, counsels of the heart are both the plans/plots and the actions done. Since the heart is the mind, all plans/plots of each person’s mind, including what the person did, will be publicly exposed in the judgment. Those who did well will have praise from God.

Anyone who judges before the time prejudges. This is how we get the word prejudice. Assuming that anyone is guilty or innocent is equally wrong. The best way to view each person is with kindness and skepticism (which means that all the facts are not present, and yet automatically trusting folks isn’t wise). If one is kind, he/she will treat others in a way that will carry no regrets in the future. If one is skeptical, he/she will not assume that everyone is harmless or innocent.

Benefit of a Doubt

When parents treat their children with kindness and skepticism (some call this giving them the benefit of the doubt), those children are given the opportunity to show what they can do, and why. Parents who quickly accuse their children of wrongdoing (without finding what they are doing and why) violate the command to not drive their children to wrath:

Ephesians 6:4 And, ye parents, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

If the parents continue provoking their children, a broken and untrusting relationship with their children will later develop. Parents who believe their children much more than they should will end up with insecure children who will take wrong paths (and will be ‘brats’). Parents who listen carefully to each case and ask their children questions regarding their thoughts (including their motives) will increase the likelihood that their children will talk with them.

Ascertaining Motives

It is not wrong to discover motives. There are wise procedures for rightly ascertaining motives, including the following:

Directly asking
Discussing an issue, and deftly considering reasons the doer of the actions offers for his or her actions
Considering other similar actions of the person, and asking why the person did those actions (this can lead to a wrong conclusion)
Overhearing someone brag about the actions and why he did them
Asking a person in a similar culture why such an action would be done (this can lead to a wrong conclusion)
Describing a totally unrelated, but similar action of someone else (whether fictional or not) to the doer of the action in question, and asking why someone would do that

Be cautious when attempting to find why someone did something when you are very angry. Anger blinds against justice; lynch mobs prove this. Time can allow anger to diminish so that justice can be pursued. If your anger builds with time, you are probably trying to prove in your mind that the other person is guilty of having evil motives. Some just ‘write someone off’ (“You’re no longer my friend!”) or will try to put what happened out of their minds (a very bad idea). Take the time to find out what you can before giving up or drawing a conclusion why something occurred.

Asking the Right Questions

Once anger has cooled enough for justice to be pursued, ask the person (with whom you are angry) questions. Make certain that your questions are not accusatory. “Why did you do such and such?” is quite blunt, and may produce the wrong result. Start by describing the scene slowly: “You and I were outside, yesterday. You were roasting those delicious steaks on the grill—they were very good! When Bobby said, ‘Johnny doesn’t say much,’ you said, ‘Johnny doesn’t have much to say. I laughed, because I normally don’t have much to say. I was wondering, though, do I really give the impression of greater than normal ignorance?”

If you cannot ask right away, wait. If you will never be able to ask, don’t become bitter. You may also say, “What happened confused me; I don’t understand why it took place,” or some other statement like that. This gives the other person a chance to tell what happened before you accuse him of anything.

There is rarely a reason for assuming that someone is guilty of doing a harmful act with evil motives (unless the person is known for violence). There sometimes are reasons for assuming that someone is innocent, but if you want justice, wait and ask. If the other person is also angry, use diplomacy!

After asking and receiving an answer, you will sometimes wonder if the story is true. Ask more questions if you can. There is an art to getting to the bottom of an issue. Columbo, in the famous television series, was an expert. He asked and asked until he obtained answers. He was never offended.

Being ‘Unoffendable’ while Pursuing Justice

Anyone who truly pursues justice cannot be easily offended. Those who are easily offended make rash decisions and choices, get easily distracted, do violence, become guilty themselves, and teach others to do the same. When folks feel ‘cornered,’ some will sling accusations. Ignore those accusations in order to find justice; they distract and will start a new argument or issue where there was none before.

A defensive person tends to react to what he thinks are accusations against him either by feeling guilty and defending, by backing away from the real issue, by throwing back hard accusations, by sarcasm, or by some other means of shielding himself from bad feelings in the situation. If both become involved in a war of words, the volley will lead to injustice and a stalemate. If justice is not the result of a discussion, anger usually grows. Being ‘unoffendable’ is a key to justice. Agree with the other person whenever possible even if he is slinging accusations at you. This will sometimes disarm him and lead to a resolution. Sometimes it won’t. At least the one seeking justice by proper means has done right.

Unlatching Motives

Parents often struggle with ascertaining the motives of their children. When a youth does something wrong and a parent asks why, a common answer is, “I don’t know.” This response can be aggravating. If the parent starts to lecture, the youth will shut the parent out, hearing only what he wants to hear and becoming very angry. There are now two angry individuals, but the parent has the power. If he responds to the child’s attitude in anger and punishes (I did not say chastises), what good has been accomplished? This is harmful and destructive to the relationship.

Punishment is inflicting bodily damage or loss for an offense that cannot be rectified (made right). Chastisement is properly rearing, teaching, and training another in order to reach the goal of independence.

If a parent responds in anger and the child does not understand the justice of the parent’s anger, a wedge will form in the relationship, giving the youth a desire to escape. The parent will have much greater success if he takes the time to respond to the new issue. The first issue was the offense. The new issue is the child’s not knowing why he did what he did. “It disturbs me more that you don’t know why you did what you did than the act itself. I want you to think about this and let me know. I cannot do justice in this case until I understand why this action took place. Until you know and are able to tell me why you did this, you are grounded…” A very young child will not be able to give a good answer—he did it because he felt the urge. This must be modified for him. Teenagers and pre-teens, however, will be able to respond. This gives the parent a chance to cool off, and it gives the child a chance to construct his case. The teen or pre-teen child will usually desire to get out of the grounding and to minimize damage. If the youth is very bitter, however, grounding will be received with more anger and bitterness; it isn’t a wise route in that case.

How a parent responds at this point is crucial. Discovering the motives and caring about them (the motives), combined with quietness and patience, will do more good than being heavy-handed. If the admitted motives are evil, one course of action is necessary. If the admitted motives are not evil, the parent can either suggest other ways to accomplish something beneficial or can ask the child to come up with other ways to accomplish the goal without causing harm to relationships. If a youth is just a willful ‘hard-head’ (be careful, parent, that you don’t assume this when it is not the case!), take stronger action. Be right, though. You can do damage if you are wrong, and you can do damage if you do nothing.

Do not be quick to assume that rebellion is what is occurring. Teenagers need to learn independence. What appears to be rebellion is often an attempt to gain (or steal) some freedom to make one’s own decisions. Parents who refuse to grant independence will usually finally push a child into rebellion. Parents who grant a measure of trust and equal responsibilities will be much more likely to have a successful relationship.

Seek wise counsel. The Bible mentions the extremes:

Deuteronomy 21:18 If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them, ¹⁹then his father and his mother shall lay hold on him and bring him out unto the elders of his city and unto the gate of his place. ²⁰And they shall say unto the elders of his city, “This our son is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey our voice–a profligate and a drunkard.” ²¹And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones. And he shall die. So shalt thou put evil away from among you. And all Israel shall hear and fear.

Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Don’t try the Deuteronomy text in our society. You will get what you deserve if you do! Yehovah commanded this to Israel with the proper justice mechanisms in place. A hardened child, however, can be placed in a correctional facility. This is rarely needed, but there are bitter children who are not correctable by ordinary and good means.

Lying about the Motives

Suppose a youth lies about his motive. What should the parent do? Parents often suspect their children of lying, and sometimes they are right. Suspicion is not enough according to the Teaching (Torah, wrongly rendered Law) of Moses. It is better to patiently wait for the youth to get caught, and then take strong action. He needs to be warned, however. “If I find that you lie to me or to anyone, and you are not in the process of saving the life of an innocent person from the hands of guilty criminals, you will find how great my wrath can be.” If the child does lie, inform him that he has destroyed the trust relationship, and it will be very difficult to rebuild it. Ask the youth what he is going to do about this. After this, strong actions of other types will sometimes be necessary: forms of grounding, etc. Violence is never wise. Take your time. Good counsel is vital in these types of decisions. If you find that lying has been part of the child’s behaviour, ask him why. Find out his motives, if you can. If you cannot, take action. A parent does not have to know the motive to respond to the action. Knowing the motive can help.

The same is true in friendship relationships. Carefully confront; do not be quick to accuse. Accusations are rarely ways to make peace.

Hidden Motives

It is often impossible in life to discover motives for behaviour. Some folks do things without knowing why they did them. Other folks know exactly why they did what they did, but have no intention of telling why; it is none of the business of others, in some cases.

Sometimes a person knows his motives, but is too ashamed to state them. He may give clues, however. If a woman practices bulimia, she may be terrified to give her motives. She may have fears that directly block her from facing these issues. Her discussions, however, will include clues. Wisely trained psychologists know how to gather clues, but wise men and women in general can do the same thing. The discovery of a motive can lead to a correction of a problem.

There is always a motive behind sin. The motive is never good, but it is important. Joshua desired to know Achan’s actions (and motives, if possible) before he killed him:

Joshua 7:19 And Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give, I pray thee, glory to Yehovah the God of Israel, and make confession to Him. Tell me now what thou hast done. Keep it not back from me.” ²⁰And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed I have sinned against Jehovah the God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done. ²¹I saw a beautiful mantle of Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a golden bar of fifty shekels weight among the spoils, and I coveted them and took them. And behold, they are hid in the soil in the midst of my tent. And the silver is under it.” ²²And Joshua sent messengers. And they ran to the tent. And behold, it was hidden in his tent, and the silver under it. ²³And they took them out of the midst of the tent. And they brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before Jehovah. ²⁴And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the bar of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had. And they brought them up into the valley of Achor. ²⁵And Joshua said, “How hast thou troubled us! Yehovah will trouble thee this day!” And all Israel stoned him with stones. And they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones.

Conclusion

Anyone who assumes another’s motives is interfering in Yehovah’s territory, for Yehovah only knows the hearts of all the children of men. Wrong assumptions regarding motives will lead to great injustice. Some parents always assume that their adult children do things with good motives. They are blind to the truth regarding their ‘little innocents.’ Other parents assume that their children have evil motives when this is not always the case, and they become bitter against their children. Children learn, and assume motives in their friends. The court systems in the United States sentence individuals based upon motives. This nearly always leads to injustice. A wise person will seek the motive behind actions while realizing that anyone can lie about his motives and give a strong case built on a lie.

Be cautious. Be careful. And quit reading this document just to find out how many texts I used to prove my points!

June 14, 2009August 22, 2016

Forgiveness of Sins

Table of Contents

“Do I have the obligation to forgive someone who did something evil against me in order for God to forgive and bless me?”

“Again, do I have the obligation to forgive someone who did something evil against me in order for God to forgive and bless me?”

Definition of Forgive

“Does a Christian have the right to forgive the sins of someone else?”

Does God ever give the responsibility of forgiving sins to a group?

Do Roman Catholic Priests have the power to forgive sins?

“Except for the unforgivable sins, does God always forgive the sin of anyone who asks Him?”

“Why does God forgive sins at all?”

“Can Christians refuse to forgive other Christians?”

“When God forgives sins, doesn’t He just do it because He has the power and the right to do it?”

“Can a Christian forgive an unbeliever’s sin?”

“Can a group sin?”

“Is there anything else that must be forgiven besides sin?”

“Are there times when Yehovah will not forgive?”

“Is anyone guaranteed forgiveness of sin?”

“Does God ever forgive the sin of one person because of the faith of a group?”

Conclusion

“Do I have the obligation to forgive someone who did something evil against me in order for God to forgive and bless me?”

Popular theology teaches that a person who was sexually or physically abused will only find peace with God if she forgives the man who abused her. Women who finally forgave their abusers and who finally found peace with God frequently give testimonies. Texts used include the following:

Mark 11:25 “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any, that your Father also Who is in the heavens may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father Who is in the heavens forgive your trespasses.”

Matthew 6:9 “Therefore pray ye after this manner, ‘Our Father Who art in the heavens, Thy Name is Holy. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as in the heavens. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.’ For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.”

These texts assume one thing found in the following texts:

Luke 17:3 “Take heed to yourselves! If thy brother trespasses against thee, rebuke him! And if he repents, forgive him. And if he trespasses against thee seven times in a day, and turns again to thee seven times in a day, saying, ‘I repent,’ thou shalt forgive.”

Acts 8:22 “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee!”

The above texts are commands given by Messiah to Israel. Similar commands are given to the Saints in general:

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for the Messiah’s sake has forgiven.

Repentance is essential. God will not forgive anyone who does not repent of the sin (with one exception that I have found), and no man has the right to forgive anyone of a sin whom God does not forgive. The one exception is found in the following text:

Luke 23:34 Then Yeshua said, “Father, forgive them. For they don’t know what they are doing.” And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

The Roman soldiers had no idea that they had done a crime against God. They thought that they were executing a criminal. Some of the soldiers later realized that some injustice had been done. Apart from such exceptions, repentance is a necessary prerequisite for forgiveness. If a person chooses to forgive someone else who has not repented, the person is putting himself in the place of God, and is being ‘kinder’ than God. This shows great arrogance. John taught,

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Israel’s forgiveness is not automatic:

1 Kings 8:33 “When Thy people Israel are smitten down before the enemy because they have sinned against Thee, and shall turn again to Thee and confess Thy name, and pray and make supplication unto Thee in this house, then hear Thou in the heavens, and forgive the sin of Thy people Israel. And bring them again unto the land that Thou gave unto their fathers. When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against Thee, if they pray toward this place and confess Thy name and turn from their sin, when Thou wilt afflict them, then hear Thou in the heavens, and forgive the sin of Thy servants and of Thy people Israel. And Thou shalt teach them the good way in which they shall walk. And give rain upon Thy land that Thou hast given to Thy people for an inheritance. If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, If there is the caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness, whatsoever prayer and supplication is by any man, by all thy people Israel who shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and he spreads forth his hands toward this House, then hear Thou in the heavens—Thy dwelling place, and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart Thou knowest (for Thou, Thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men) that they may fear Thee all the days that they live in the land that Thou gave unto our fathers.”

2 Chronicles 6:27 “Then hear Thou from the heavens and forgive the sin of Thy servants and of Thy people Israel, when Thou hast taught them the good way in which they shall walk. And send rain upon Thy land that Thou hast given unto Thy people for an inheritance.”

Forgiveness is granted for the purpose of doing right after the forgiveness. Anyone who forgives another who has never turned is not doing right. Why would a person forgive another who is not repentant?

A person who has held bitterness and whose bitterness has eaten away at him for years may find consolation in forgiving another. It takes less humility and even some arrogance to forgive another wrongdoer, ignoring the evil works from his own bitterness and putting the focus on the other person.

The following is an example scenario: Janie’s stepfather Sam sexually abused her when she was a child. Janie left home when she was seventeen, running away with her boyfriend. They lived together for a while, and then got married, and then got divorced. Janie went to church. She “found Jesus” there, and “turned her life over to Christ.” She became very active in church, met and married the choir director, and began to teach Sunday School. She realized that she had a problem, however. She could not get over the recurring haunting from her abuse. She hated that man. She wanted to see him dead. When she would meet other men in the church that reminded her of him, she would feel hatred toward them, even though she did not have a clue that they had ever done anything like that. She went to a woman’s seminar. She heard how it was important to forgive the abusers of her past so that she be healed and could grow. She learned that the strongholds of her life had to be broken, and that she was suffering from ‘soul bonds’ that had to be broken, based on these two texts:

Numbers 30:5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he hears, not any of her vows or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. And the Lord shall forgive her because her father disallowed.

Numbers 30:8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard, then he shall make her vow of none effect that she vowed, and what she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul. And the Lord shall forgive.

Janie was told to write her stepfather a letter telling him that she forgave him. She did not have to mail the letter, but it would ‘bring release’ to her. A number of ladies then prayed that her ‘soul bonds’ would be broken. She felt release as she forgave Sam. From that time on, Janie was able to “see Jesus” in the men whom she had formerly held in contempt for no reason. The story sounds good—at least to some who are ignorant of the Bible.

Janie’s problem was not that she had ‘soul bonds’ to Sam. Her problem was not Sam. Sam was an evil man who will pay dearly for his sin, as all sinners will pay, unless he turns and repents and seeks the Grace of God for Salvation. Janie’s problem was her bitterness toward God.

Janie’s problem was her pride. A few who have been abused in the same way or worse have come away with great humility and with an excellent fear of God. Janie came away with no humility or fear of God. She was outraged that Sam could do this to her—that God could abandon her like this—rather than being outraged at sin. She was outraged that God had not kept her from being harmed by this man. She was not outraged at her foolish mother who chose this man as a husband. She saw her mother as a victim, not a participant.

Janie became religious—a very common symptom of bitterness, but her religion did not give her humility. Religion builds pride, and teaches man to finger others (including demons) for one’s own destructive bitterness.

Godliness requires a right view of the deceitfulness of man.

Janie feels so much better, now. She is teaching women’s seminars, telling other women how to break their ‘soul bonds’ (even though the texts Janie uses have nothing to do with Janie’s applications) and how to bring release from captivity through forgiveness. Janie will never know that she has become arrogant. She thinks that she is giving her testimony.

I will continue answering the question, “Do I have the obligation to forgive someone who did something evil against me in order for God to forgive and bless me?” The obligation to forgive does not extend to all persons or all circumstances. No one has the right to forgive another who did not offend the one trying to forgive.

As an example, consider this scenario: John is a preacher. Sam is another preacher. Sam sinned. His sin became public. His sin had nothing to do with John; John was not involved in his sin. John feels that Sam is part of the Body of Christ (though the proof is contrary to this conclusion). Sam’s sin was adultery and participating with a prostitute, cheating his church members by using their funds to buy the services of whores, and so on. John feels that there must be “healing.” John therefore writes a letter, and publicly reads this letter on the air: “Sam, my brother, on behalf of the Body of Christ, I forgive you. I want to see you restored, and our fellowship to be renewed. I love you, my brother. Accept this forgiveness as from the Lord. In the love of Christ, John.” What John has done includes the following:

he has acted as the vicar of Christ (the stand-in for Christ in Christ’s absence), the same position that the Pope claims for himself.
No one except a prophet has the right to speak for God, and even prophets can only speak exactly what Yehovah says to speak. Anyone who places himself in this position is worthy of death (and it will come).
John has falsified the teachings of the Bible. Sam did not offend John; he offended God. John has no more right to forgive than I have the right to forgive my neighbour’s child if he back-talked his mother. Forgiveness must come from the offended party only.
John has claimed to speak for the entire Body of Christ. This shows great arrogance. Does he think he is Christ? The Head alone does the speaking, not a hand or a foot or a toe.
John has shown that he has not understood the Gospel, because he managed to overlook the required humility necessary for Salvation. Even if Sam had repented before John, John would not have the right to reassure Sam unless Yehovah directly spoke (as to a prophet) to John. John does not know the heart of Sam. Yehovah only knows the heart of all flesh. He alone can read minds.
John has proven himself of the same ilk as Sam, looking so lightly on the sin and evil of Sam, but calling him a brother. They are indeed brothers, but not brothers in the Body of Christ. True Saints will have a much higher view of the demonstration of Salvation. John has made it look cheap.
John has blasphemed God (doing worse than King David) by declaring such a low standard of forgiveness in the face of such obvious evil.

The above answers another question: “Do I have the obligation to forgive someone who did something evil against the Body of Christ in order for God to forgive and bless me?” No one has the right to do that except the Head of the Body.

“Again, do I have the obligation to forgive someone who did something evil against me in order for God to forgive and bless me?”

Messiah said,

He was speaking to Israelis, warning them how they must behave with other Israelis.

But what if the person who seeks forgiveness will repeat the same offense again? Anyone who repeats the same offense has never repented. The Hebrew word for repent means to turn, to return from doing something. Anyone can mouth words. No person has repented who continues with the same evil.

Repentance and forgiveness are reversible:

Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Him. And he said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?” Yeshua says unto him, “I don’t say unto thee, until seven times, but until seventy times seven! Therefore the kingdom of the heavens is likened unto a certain king who would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him who owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had nothing to pay, his lord commanded him and his wife and children and all that he had to be sold, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, ‘Lord! Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all!’ Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion. And he loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellowservants who owed him an hundred pence. And he laid hands on him and took [him] by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what thou owest!’ And his fellowservant fell down at his feet and besought him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all!’ And he would not, but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt. So, when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very upset. And they came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then, after he had called him, his lord said unto him, ‘Thou wicked servant! I forgave thee all that debt because thou desired me! Shouldn’t thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant even as I had pity on thee?’ And his lord was furious. And he delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him! So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you if ye don’t forgive from your hearts every one his brother their trespasses!”

When Messiah said, “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you,” He was referring to the reversal of forgiveness! Any person who repents, then turns from his repentance by doing the same thing again, has repealed his own forgiveness!

When Messiah told Peter, “I say not unto thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven,” I propose that the sins of the brother were not seventy times seven of the same sin, else the brother’s repentance would have been a farce, a way to keep justice from occurring.

In Messiah’s example of the servant and the king, if the servant had again repented, this time for mistreating his own servant, would the king have forgiven him? The text does not indicate this. He repented from his own repentance by not forgiving according to his own forgiveness! The example shows two distinct truths: the Israeli has an obligation to forgive a repentant fellow Israeli, and repentance and forgiveness may be reversed by hardheartedness against another Israeli!

Definition of Forgive

What does the word forgive mean? The Hebrew word literally means to carry. Anyone who forgives another is agreeing to carry the damage from an offense in order for the two to have a peaceful relationship

This presents a problem. Suppose that a Tim is violent, and he frequently punches other men when he becomes angry because he does not demonstrate self-control. Tim works with Bob. Bob tells Tim to move a particular barrel because it is in the way. Bob is a true Christian. Tim is the member of a Baptist church. Tim becomes very angry, though he doesn’t know why. (He does not know that he is loaded with pride, and his pride has been hurt.) Tim gets up into Bob’s face and tells him,

”Who do you think you are? my mother? If you want the barrel moved, move it yourself.”

Bob replies, “I don’t know where the barrel goes, but I do know that each of us is supposed to put away what we get out for the sake of safety. I am not trying to be offensive, Tim, but I know that the boss will be angry if the barrel is still out.”

Tim replies, “So you are acting as the boss now!”

Bob replies, “Never mind. I should not have said anything…”

With that, Tim slugs Bob and knocks him across the room, drawing blood from his cheek. Bob is dazed, but he angrily returns back to his project, not saying a word to Tim. Others saw what happened. After lunch, Tim comes over to Bob in private. He says to him, “I, uh, well, uh, I’ve been thinking. And it was not right for you to tell me what to do, but, uh, it wasn’t right for me to slug you. I, uh, well, I apologize.”

Bob says, “Forget it.”

Tim says, “No, I don’t want to forget it, I want your forgiveness. Forgive me, Bob. I was wrong.”

Bob begins thinking, “This has happened before. It has happened about six times with different ones. Tim has never been fired because his brother in law is the foreman. But Tim will do this again.”

Must Bob forgive Tim? Tim is a repeat offender. Can Tim and Bob form a restored relationship?

Bob answers Tim, “Once I know that you will never do this again to me or to anyone because you have gotten this thing in control, once I know that you have stopped this practice, you will have my forgiveness, and I will be glad to have a peaceful relationship with you. Until then, I don’t trust you, and I don’t want to give you a false impression, Tim. I don’t want to be around you. You are too dangerous.”

Anyone who agrees to forgive is making a very important agreement. It is wrong to lightly or falsely forgive to avoid another problem.

Apart from the exceptions that I have given and some others that I have not, “Do I have the obligation to forgive someone who did something evil against me in order for God to forgive and bless me?” Keep in mind that the texts used above are specifically for unbelieving Israelis. The standards for Saints will be higher. Therefore, the answer is, Yes, with the exceptions given. Those exceptions are important and are frequent. Also, be aware that forgiving does guarantee forgiveness from God or blessing from God. Yehovah’s acceptance of one’s repentance and His willingness to bless must meet Yehovah’s conditions and desire to bless.

“Does a Christian have the right to forgive the sins of someone else?”

Matthew 9:2 And behold, they brought a man sick of the palsy to Him, lying on a bed. And Yeshua seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, “Son, be courageous. Thy sins are forgiven thee.” And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, “This blasphemes!” And Yeshua knowing their thoughts said, “Why think ye evil in your hearts? For which is easier—to say, ‘sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But so that ye will know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins,” then He says to the sick of the palsy, “Arise! Take up thy bed, and go unto thine house!”

Forgiving sins is the territory of God alone—unless He gives part of that territory to a group. Messiah and Peter discussed this:

Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Him. And he said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?” Yeshua says unto him, “I don’t say unto thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven!”

Is Peter forgiving the sins of his brother?

A sin may be against an individual or a group, a sin may be against God, or a sin may be against both, as the following texts show:

Genesis 39:9 “None is greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”

Genesis 42:22 And Reuben answered them saying, “Didn’t I speak to you, saying, ‘Don’t sin against the child,’ and ye would not hearken? Therefore, behold, also his blood is required!”

Exodus 23:33 “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me. For if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.”

Deuteronomy 20:18 And they won’t teach you to do after all their abominations that they have done unto their gods, and ye would sin against Yehovah your God.

1 Samuel 2:25 “If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him. And if a man sin against Yehovah, who shall entreat for him?” And they didn’t hearken unto the voice of their father, for Yehovah would slay them.

1 Samuel 12:23 “And as for me, God forbid that I should sin against Yehovah by ceasing to pray for you. And I will teach you the good and the right way.”

1 Samuel 19:4 And Jonathan spoke good of David unto Saul his father. And he said unto him, “Let not the king sin against his servant—against David, because he has not sinned against thee, and because his works toward thee are very good. For he did put his life in his hand and slew the Palestinian. And Yehovah wrought a great salvation for all Israel. Thou saw and didst rejoice. Why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood to slay David without a cause?”

1 Kings 8:46 “If they sin against thee (for no man is who doesn’t sin), and thou be angry with them and deliver them to the enemy so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near…”

2 Chronicles 6:22 If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before Thine altar in this house…

Psalm 119:11 I hidden thy word in mine heart so that I won’t sin against thee.

Jeremiah 51:5 For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, by his God, by Yehovah of hosts, though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.

1 Corinthians 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against the Messiah.

If the sin is against a brother, the brother has the right to forgive the sin. If the sin is against God, only God has the right to forgive the sin—unless God gives that right to a group (as I said above).

Does God ever give the responsibility of forgiving sins to a group?

John 20:21 And Yeshua again said to them, “Peace unto you! As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” ²²And when He had said this, He breathed on them. And He said unto them, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit. ²³Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them! Whosesoever ye retain, they are retained!”

This End-Times text will be fulfilled during the Tribulation. Such forgiveness of sin or its retention will be absolutely vital at that time. Forgiving or refusing to forgive sins will be for the purpose of saving lives.

If the group forgives an individual of his or her sins, the person will meet the Biblical requirements for sin forgiveness, and the Spirit of Yehovah will apprise the group that this person has truly turned to righteousness. The forgiveness will be extended on the spot in order to save the individual’s life. (The individual will be in great physical danger.)

If the group refuses to forgive an individual of his or her sins, it will be because the person will not meet the Biblical requirements, and will pose the greatest danger to the group. The forgiveness will be refused because the Spirit of God will apprise the group of the deceit of the person; it will be refused to save the lives of the members of the group!

The group that is given the responsibility to forgive sins or cause them to be retained will consist of Israeli Saints.

Do Roman Catholic Priests have the power to forgive sins?

If Roman Catholicism is truth, they do. If Roman Catholicism isn’t truth, they don’t. Roman Catholicism is one of man Replacement Theologies, teachings that declare replacements for literal, physical Israel. It declares its priests as replacements for the Aaronic priests of Israel, and its members as replacements of the Israelis. It claims the promises of Israel for itself. Its altar upon which the Eucharist is performed is supposedly a replacement of the altar of Israel. Its Pope (meaning Papa, or Father) takes the place of the Israeli High Priest, and even stands as a temporary replacement for the Messiah of Israel (called the Vicar of Christ). If Yehovah’s vow in His Covenant to Avraham has been rescinded, and Yehovah has replaced Israel with the Roman Catholic Church, in which case, Yehovah did not keep His word, then Roman Catholicism is truth. If Yehovah has kept His vow that He made with Avraham, knowing fully well the nature and character of the future people of Israel, Roman Catholicism isn’t truth. Decide for yourself whether Yehovah’s character is such that He keeps Covenants and vows, or whether He makes them, then takes them back, instead giving them to others.

“Except for the unforgivable sins, does God always forgive the sin of anyone who asks Him?”

This question is based on the following text:

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Peter responded in a very different way:

Acts 8:22 “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee!”

The only types of thoughts that are sins are plots.

Simon plotted evil. He had confessed his sins, and he had believed. He now desired to buy the ability to grant the Holy Spirit to whomever he wished. His greed for power and prestige became obvious. His pride and lack of humility showed. Peter cursed him, declaring him outside of the faith at the same time.

Yehovah is not under obligation to forgive anyone’s sins just because he confesses. All the conditions must be met, including the condition of turning from the sin.

Some forms of confession are bragging. Some common ‘testimony services’ are brag sessions, telling of the great former evil as a form of entertainment. A true confession must be accompanied by true repentance. Yehovah will be both faithful and righteous to forgive when the one who is asking for mercy will be one who lives according to that mercy. Yehovah’s foreknowledge will always participate in His decisions.

Many will ask for forgiveness of sins. Few will be granted forgiveness. The rest will prove themselves unbelieving and faithless, enslaved sinners who had no true desire to be freed to walk righteously.

Yehovah’s condition for Israel’s forgiveness is given in the following text:

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people that my name is called upon them shall humble themselves and pray and seek my faces and turn from their bad ways, and I, will I hearken from the heavens, and I will pardon to their sin, and I will heal their land.”

Four things are required:

Humbling
Praying
Seeking His faces
Turning

A small part of Israel does one out of four at the present time: praying. Even fewer do some seeking. The Israelis (as a group) do not humble themselves, most having absolutely no interest in the Hebrew Scriptures. There has been no turning that Yehovah has acknowledged as legitimate. The gentiles (as a group) have not done better.

“Why does God forgive sins at all?”

1 John 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His Name’s sake.

Sins that are forgiven by God are forgiven for the sake of the Name of Yeshua (i.e., for the sake of Salvation) Who gave His life to pay the penalty for the sins of the world.

“Can Christians refuse to forgive other Christians?”

Paul wrote regarding this:

2 Corinthians 2:6 “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment that [was inflicted] under many so that contrariwise ye [owe] rather to forgive and console [him], lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with too much sorrow. I therefore beseech you that ye will confirm love toward him. For I also wrote to this end so that I will know the proof of you—whether ye are obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive anything, I also [forgive]. For if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave [it], for your sakes [forgave I it] in the person of the Messiah lest Satan should get an advantage of us. For we are not ignorant of his devices.”

This man did an immoral act (probably not realizing it), and Paul found out about it. He wrote to deal strongly with the man, including setting up his death by turning him over to Satan. The man turned, but the Saints at Corinth did not know whether they should forgive him or not. Paul told them to do so, and to confirm love toward the man. The Saints could have refused forgiveness, but this could have caused great damage to the man and to others if Satan used this event.

“When God forgives sins, doesn’t He just do it because He has the power and the right to do it?”

Forgiveness of sins against God requires the shedding of blood:

Colossians 1:14 …in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 1:7 …in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.

Sins require blood. If God forgave sins by merely speaking words, there would be no need for Yeshua to be the sacrifice. Every sin that a man does demands the shedding of blood. This is why anyone who thinks that he can sin, and then confess to God (Who, in their theology, basically must forgive him) does not fear God and has never obtained forgiveness! Sin and forgiveness both demand a high price!

A human may forgive the sin of another human if the sin was against him, but the sin itself is still against God. If anyone sins against another person, two evils have been done: the sin against the other person and the sin against God. The Torah teaches this by commanding an Israeli who sinned against another to make restitution, and also to bring a sacrifice!

Another reason why God forgives sin is given in the following text:

Psalm 130:4 forgiveness is with Thee in order that Thou shalt be feared!

A very good reason to fear Yehovah is because forgiveness is with Him! Anyone who thinks that he can obtain Yehovah’s forgiveness for any other reason than because of Yehovah’s Grace will never obtain forgiveness.

“Can a Christian forgive an unbeliever’s sin?”

Pharaoh thought so:

Exodus 10:17 “Now, therefore, forgive, na, my sin only this once, and entreat Yehovah your God. And He will turn-away this death from me.”

There is no indication that Moses forgave (carried) Pharaoh’s sin. Moses knew that Pharaoh would not follow through on his repentance.

Saints must be accurate regarding what they claim they can do. Pharaoh’s sin was against Yehovah, not Moses, and Moses knew this. He did not promise Pharaoh anything, and he certainly did not tell Pharaoh what God would do. I have heard some promise others, “God will forgive you.” How do they know? Did God give this blanket promise?

“Can a group sin?”

Yes. Israel is accused of sin, though not everyone in Israel took part in the sin. Moses interceded for the Israelis as a group:

Exodus 32:32 “And now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin— And if not, blot me, na, from thy book that Thou hast written.”

“Is there anything else that must be forgiven besides sin?”

Exodus 34:7 …keeping Grace for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and Who will by no means clear, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children’s children upon thirds and upon fourths.

Biblical definitions of sin are covered in another document. Iniquity is the remaining guilt that anyone has who has sinned and whose sin has never been removed. It is true and genuine guilt before God for past, unforgiven sins, not the feelings of guilt with which many suffer.

Transgression is the violation of any command by doing less than or more than what has been commanded. If Yehovah says to bring a lamb as a sacrifice, and someone wants to bring a bullock, this is a transgression through pride. Obedience demands that the person or group obeying does not go “to the left or to the right” of the command.

King Saul transgressed by sacrificing when Yehovah had commanded that only priests do this. King Saul was not from the priestly line.

“Are there times when Yehovah will not forgive?”

Isaiah 2:8 Their land also is full of idols! They worship the work of their own hands—that which their own fingers have made. ⁹And adam bows down, and a man humbles himself. Therefore don’t forgive them!

Isaiah was not praying this to Yehovah. He was prophesying this to the Israelis! The Spirit of Yehovah was telling the Israelis that they had violated to a point where forgiveness was no longer possible.

Jeremiah 18:23 Yet, Yehovah, Thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay. Don’t forgive their iniquity, and don’t blot out their sin from Thy sight! And they shall be overthrown before Thee. Deal with them in the time of Thine anger.

Jeremiah appears to be the one praying this prayer. Yehovah did not respond at that time. He later responded, and many Israelis died because of Yehovah’s wrath. Jeremiah cursed them. Yehovah hearkened. Jeremiah was not unrighteous.

Joshua 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, “Ye cannot serve Yehovah! For He is a holy God! He is a jealous God! He will not forgive your transgressions or your sins!”

The Israelis had to obey the Torah just to stay alive on the Land of Israel! They had a guarantee that Yehovah would not forgive transgressions or sins! They found that Yehovah was serious. The Israelis made peace with Yehovah for a time in the days of Joshua, and closely followed the Torah.

Mark 3:28 “Faith I say unto you, all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme. But he who shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness; he is in danger of everlasting damnation!”

Matthew 12:31 “Therefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men. But the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man—it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come.”

“Is anyone guaranteed forgiveness of sin?”

Jeremiah 31:34 “And they shall no more teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know Yehovah!’ For they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them,” says Yehovah. “For I will forgive their iniquity and I will no more remember their sin.”

Yehovah has guaranteed that the Israelis living toward the end of the Tribulation who have not become hardened against the truth will be forgiven. No other entire group of which I am aware has such a guarantee.

“Does God ever forgive the sin of one person because of the faith of a group?”

Though no one has ever asked me this question, the following text answers this:

Mark 2:3 And they come unto Him bringing one sick of the palsy who was carried by four. And when they could not come near unto Him for the press, they uncovered the roof where He was. And when they had broken up, they let down the bed in which the sick of the palsy lay. When Yeshua saw their faith, He said unto the sick of the palsy, “Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this thus speak blasphemies? Who forgives sins but God only?” And immediately when Yeshua perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said unto them, “Why do ye reason these things in your hearts whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, ‘Sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ‘Arise! And take up thy bed and walk’? But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins,” He says to the sick of the palsy, “I say unto thee, Arise! And take up thy bed! And go thy way into thine house!” And he immediately arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all insomuch that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw it on this fashion!”

Conclusion

Forgiving sins requires very specific prerequisites. Yehovah does not guarantee that He will forgive sins of all, and most will not have their sins forgiven. Humans cannot forgive sins of others (with rare exceptions). Yehovah is ready to forgive if the person or group meets the requirements for forgiveness.

Psalm 86:5 For Thou, Yehovah, art good and ready to forgive, and of great grace unto all them that call upon Thee.

June 3, 2009October 7, 2016

Genesis 29-30 Jacob’s Wives and Children Answers Supplied

Jacob’s Wives and Children

Questions and Proposed Answers Supplied

Background and Printed Text: Genesis 29:15-30:24

Genesis 29:15 And White (Laban) said unto He-Will-Heel (Jacob), “Because thou art my brother, and wilt thou serve me for nothing? Tell to me, what is thy wage?”

¹⁶And to White (Laban) are two daughters. The name of the big is Weary (Leah) and the name of the little is Ewe (Rachel). ¹⁷And the eyes of Weary (Leah) are soft. And Ewe (Rachel) was beautiful of figure and beautiful of appearance. ¹⁸And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) loved Ewe (Rachel).

And he said, “I will serve thee seven years for Ewe (Rachel) thy little daughter.” ¹⁹And White (Laban) said, “Good is my giving her to thee from my giving her to another man. Dwell with me.”

²⁰And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) served seven years via Ewe (Rachel). And they were in his eyes as single days via his love of her.

²¹And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) said unto White (Laban), “Render my woman. For my days were filled. And I came unto her.” ²²And White (Laban) gathered all the men of the place. And he made a drinking-party. ²³And he was in the evening. And he took Weary (Leah) his daughter. And he brought her unto him. And he came unto her. ²⁴And White (Laban) gave to her Her-Trickling (Zilpah) his slavewoman—to Weary (Leah) his daughter, a slave-woman.

²⁵And he was in the morning. And behold, he is Weary (Leah)! And he said unto White (Laban), “What is this thou did unto me? Did I not serve with thee via Ewe (Rachel)? And why did thou beguile me?” ²⁶And White (Laban) said, It is not so done in our place—to give the young to the faces of the firstborn. ²⁷ Fill this seven, and we have given her to thee—also this—via the slavery that thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years!” ²⁸And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) did so. And he fulfilled this seven. And he gave Ewe (Rachel) his daughter to him for a woman. ²⁹And White (Laban) gave Via-Languishing (Bilhah) his slavewoman to Ewe (Rachel) his daughter for a slavewoman to her. ³⁰ And he also came unto Ewe (Rachel).

And he also loved Ewe (Rachel) more than Weary (Leah). And he served with him yet seven years after. ³¹And Yehovah saw that Weary (Leah) is hated. And He opened her womb. And Ewe (Rachel) is barren.

³²And Weary (Leah) conceived. And she childed a son. And she called his name See-ye-a-son! (Reuben). For she said, “For Yehovah saw via my humiliation! For now my man will love me!” ³³And she conceived again. And she childed a son. And she said, “For Yehovah hearkened! For I am hated! And He has given also this to me!” And she called his name Hearkening (Shimon). ³⁴And she conceived again. And she childed a son. And she said, “Now is the stroke! My man will join unto me! For I have childed three sons to him!” Therefore he called his name My-Joining (Levi). ³⁵And she conceived again. And she childed a son. And she said, “The stroke! I will confess Yehovah!” Therefore she called his name He-Confessed-Yehovah. And she stood childing.

(Chapter 30) ¹And Ewe (Rachel) saw that she did not child to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). And Ewe (Rachel) envied against her sister. And she said unto He-Will-Heel (Jacob), “Render children to me! And if not, I am dead!” ²And He-Will-Heel’s (Jacob’s) anger was kindled against Ewe (Rachel). And he said, “Am I the under Gods Who withheld fruit of the womb from thee?” ³And she said, “Behold my maid Via-Languishing (Bilhah)! Come unto her! And she shall bear upon my knees. And I, even I have built from her!” ⁴And she gave him Via-Languishing (Bilhah) her slavewoman for a woman. And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) came unto her.

⁵And Via-Languishing (Bilhah) conceived. And she childed a son to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). ⁶And Ewe (Rachel) said, Elohim adjudicated me! And He hath also hearkened into my voice. And He gave a son to me!” Therefore she called his name Adjudicator (Dan). ⁷And she conceived again. And Via-Languishing (Bilhah) Ewe’s (Rachel’s) slavewoman childed to He-Will-Heel (Jacob) a second son. ⁸And Ewe (Rachel) said, “I have wrestled the wrestlings of Elohim with my sister. Also I was able!” And she called his name My-Wrestling.

⁹And Weary (Leah) saw that she stood (from) bearing. And she took Her-Trickling (Zilpah) her slavewoman. And she gave her to He-Will-Heel (Jacob) for a woman. ¹⁰And Her-Trickling (Zilpah), Weary’s (Leah’s) slavewoman childed a son to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). ¹¹And Weary (Leah) said, “Via a troop!” And she called his name Troop (Gad). ¹²And Her-Trickling (Zilpah) Weary’s (Leah’s) slavewoman childed a second son to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). ¹³And Weary (Leah) said, “Via my happiness! For daughters ‘happied’ me!” And she called his name Happy (Asher).

¹⁴And They-Saw-A-Son (Reuben) walked in the days of wheat harvest. And he found mandrakes in the field. And he brought them unto Weary (Leah) his mother. And Ewe (Rachel) said to Weary (Leah), “Give, na, to me from thy son’s mandrakes.” ¹⁵And she said unto her, “Is (it) small that thou hast taken my man? And wilt thou take away my son’s mandrakes also?” And Ewe (Rachel) said, “Therefore he shall lie with thee tonight in the place of thy son’s mandrakes.”

¹⁶And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) came out of the field in the evening. And Weary (Leah) went out to meet him. And she said, “Thou shalt come unto me. For hiring, I hired thee via my son’s mandrakes!” And he lay with her in that night. ¹⁷ And Elohim hearkened unto Weary. And she conceived. And she childed the fifth son to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). ¹⁸ And Weary (Leah) said, “Elohim gave my hire that I gave my slavewoman to my man!” And she called his name There-is-a-Hire (Issachar). ¹⁹And Weary (Leah) conceived again. And she childed the sixth son to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). ²⁰And Weary (Leah) said, “Elohim endowed me a good endowment! The stroke my man will cohabit with me, for I childed six sons to him!” And she called his name They-Shall-Cohabit (Zebulun).

²¹And afterward she childed a daughter. And she called her name Her-Adjudication (Dinah).

²² And Elohim remembered Ewe. And Elohim hearkened unto her. And He opened her womb. ²³ And she conceived. And she childed a son. And she said, “Elohim collected my reproach!” ²⁴ And she called his name He-Adds (Joseph), saying, “Yehovah added another son to me!”

I. Laban’s Business Dealings (verse 15)

Laban found that Jacob was a good worker; Jacob had worked without wages except for food and necessary supplies for the work. He wanted to know what wage Jacob desired.

Questions

1. Why did Jacob serve Laban for nothing? The text doesn’t say, but Jacob was earning room and board (that is, a place to stay, and food to eat). He was also establishing his reputation as a good worker, and was demonstrating his good character.

2. Why did Laban offer to pay Jacob? Again, the text doesn’t say why, but if Laban never offerred to pay Jacob, Jacob might go to another place to live and work. Good and faithful workers are hard to find now, and they were hard to find then.

3. Was Jacob Laban’s brother? He wasn’t his direct brother, but he was related. Jacob’s mother was Laban’s brother.

II. Laban’s Daughters (verses 16-18)

Laban had two daughters: Leah and Rachel (or Raquel). Leah’s eyes are soft. Raquel had a beautiful figure and a beautiful appearance. Jacob fell in love with Raquel.

Questions

1. What do soft eyes sometimes indicate? They sometimes indicate that a person is soft-hearted, very kind and observant.

2. Who had the greater advantages, Leah or Raquel? It seems that beautiful folks have much greater advantages. They don’t have to be kind to get what they desire, and they please others just by being around because of their looks. In reality, those who are not pretty or handsome will have to work much harder on their own characters to obtain approval, because humans like good-looking folks more than folks who are not so good-looking. Yehovah looks at actions and words when He judges; those show character. Folks who have good characters have approval from Yehovah. Most beautiful women and handsome men don’t have good character; they are physically as beautiful as they are character-ugly. There are rare exceptions. Most folks who are not beautiful also don’t have very good characters, but more do have good characters than those who are truly beautiful. Sometimes, folks who are not beautiful are bitter because God didn’t make them beautiful, and folks who are beautiful are proud because of their beauty. (Pride is never good in the Bible.)

While Raquel had the greater advantages, Yehovah favored Leah.

3. Why would parents name a daughter Weary? The child’s mother may have had a very hard pregnancy! The text doesn’t say why.

4. Did Jacob dislike Leah? The text doesn’t say that here.

5. What is love? Love is seeking the highest, best interest for another without regard to oneself. The opposite of love can be defined as seeking the highest, best interest for self without regard to others. This is selfishness.

Another part of love is panting after another. The Hebrew word for love is ahava, which sounds like panting after someone or something. This is not wrong as long as such a relationship is right. (If a man pants after a woman married to another, that is wrong.)

III. The Answer (verses 18-19)

Jacob agreed to serve Laban for seven years in order to obtain Rachel for a wife. Laban said that it was better to give Rachel to Jacob than to another man. Laban desired Jacob to dwell with him.

Questions

1. Why was Jacob willing to serve Laban for seven years for Raquel? He truly loved her, and she was worth that much to him! He would get to see her, and this was a goal that was worthwhile to him. This was quite an expression of his love.

2. Why did Laban believe that it was better to give her to Jacob than to another man? Another man who wasn’t a relative might take her and leave. This way, Laban could keep his relationship with his daughter and use the work that Jacob provided. Laban saw this as a very good business deal.

Another man might pay for her in cash, but seven years of labor and risk is much more valuable.

3. What did Laban mean by, “Dwell with me”? Shepherds and cowboys had to follow the flock and the herd. They could try to maintain a house made of wood and stone, but many had to live in tents, moving to fresh pastures. Laban already had other shepherds who dwelt with him; they would have their own tents, but they would work together with Laban. The offer to dwell with him didn’t mean that he slept in the same structure that Laban slept (as you will see); it means that Jacob and Laban stayed or moved together on the land.

IV. Serving and Waiting (verse 20)

Jacob did not mind waiting for this beautiful girl. Seven years went by as if they were a few days. His love for this girl lasted.

Questions

1. Did Jacob forget about going home? Wasn’t he homesick? He did forget about going home! He wasn’t homesick. Seven years flew by.

2. Was Jacob good at what he did? He was very good. (This will become apparent.) He was a shepherd of sheep. That is much work.

3. Was being a shepherd of sheep very profitable? That is very low-class work! It is usually work that one in poverty would do. The owner of the flock might do better, but being a shepherd puts that person at the very bottom of society.

V. The Trick (verses 21-24)

When Jacob said, “Render my woman,” he wasn’t being rude. He was telling Laban that it was time to give Raquel to him as they had agreed. Jacob’s seven years (“my days”) were completed (“filled”). Jacob desired to come unto her (to have sexual intercourse with her). He had purchased her for his woman (for his wife); they were already legally married.

Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a drinking party to celebrate this union of Jacob to his daughter. The party lasted into the evening. Then Laban took Leah, and brought her to Jacob. Jacob came unto Leah (in sexual intercourse).

In the meantime, Laban gave to Leah a slavewoman named Zilpah to help with the chores.

Questions

1. Jacob said, “Render my woman. For my days were filled. And I came unto her.” There seems to be no consideration of the women by the men. Jacob wants Rachel now, because he wants to go unto her (have sexual intercourse with her). Does this show that men saw women as property, and as pretty toys to be used? No, this doesn’t show this. Some men (like Jacob) had great respect for their women, and did not treat them as ‘pretty toys to be used.’ Other men did misuse women, but that has been part of life from the before Noah’s flood.

Jacob did consider Raquel his property, but he also considered himself her property. That is what is meant by holy matrimony, since holy means owned! Being owned is very good as long as the ownership is beneficial to both (and to others). Being unowned can be a great problem!

Are you owned?

2. Did Laban do wrong to gather the men of the place and to throw a drinking party? No, Laban did not do wrong by doing this. He did right. As long as participants are not alcoholics, and as long as there is no danger of getting others killed, throwing a drinking party is fine!

Modern drinking parties can include the following that make them very bad:

Driving automobiles; anyone drunk who drives an automobile is attempting to murder others.
Violence; some folks who become drunk also become loud, rude, violent, and mean.

Drinking parties in the Bible did not tend to have violence and rude behavior, because folks depended on each other in so many ways. Anyone who was violent would be put out from camps. Cooperation was so necessary for life.

3. Did Laban do wrong to bring Leah instead of Rachel to Jacob on this honeymoon night? Laban will give a reason in the verses coming up. What Laban did wasn’t right, but there was no stated rule by which Jacob could have known what to expect.

4. Why didn’t Jacob notice that he was having sexual intercourse with Leah instead of Raquel? The place was dark. Lighting a party outside before electricity required too many candles and oil lamps. When Jacob took Leah into the tent, he couldn’t see her. Besides this, Jacob had drunk much alcohol as part of the celebration; he was not able to see and think as well as he would had he not drunk any alcohol.

5. Were slaves often given with daughters when the daughters were given in marriage? Yes, they were! Household chores that seem easy today were very difficult in history. Fixing breakfast could require much work, and doing laundary required hours of work. Animals had to be tended, and there was no refrigeration; food that went uneaten would soon spoil. Much food had to be fixed fresh. A day’s work was very difficult. Having another with whom to work made it tolerable, and sometimes even made it enjoyable, but it was still very hard!

VI. The Confrontation and Bargain (verses 25-30)

The morning came. Jacob saw—”and behold, he is Leah!” He awoke with another woman in bed with him! He confronted Laban. “What is this thou did unto me?” Jacob reminded Laban of the bargain. He then asked, “Why did thou beguile me?” Laban’s reply was that it was against tradition to marry off the younger daughter before the firstborn daughter!

Laban told Jacob to fulfill this seven (one week). At the end of the week, Rachel will be given to Jacob, on the condition that he will serve for another seven years! Jacob agreed to this. So Jacob had to wait only another seven days to get the one whom he loved.

Rachel was given Bilhah to serve her. Jacob then had sexual intercourse with Rachel.

Questions

1. Why did Jacob confront Laban, but he didn’t confront Leah? Leah was only doing what her father told her to do. Jacob had no reason to be angry or bitter against Leah. Jacob went to the one with whom he had made the agreement. (Jacob is a wise man.)

2. Did Laban beguile Jacob? Yes, he did! He could have told him about this tradition in the first place, but Laban desired to keep Jacob working for him for another seven years!

3. Did Laban speak the truth when he said, “It is not so done in our place—to give the young to the faces of the firstborn”? The readers are left to decide this for themselves. I cannot tell if this is the truth or not. Jacob took it as the truth; Jacob is a wise man.

4. How did Leah feel on the next morning after the honeymoon night? The text does not say. She also desired to be married. I propose that she had conflicting feelings, including fear. If Jacob did not love her, that would be years of misery for her.

5. What was part of fulfilling the seven (week) of a woman (verse 27)? The seven days included her being in a new environment with a man of a different culture. That week would show her how the years might go. Therefore, a wise man would treat the woman very well, and would speak well to her, give her pleasure, and speak plans with her, finding her desires.

6. In Jacob’s mind, he was truly serving Laban for Rachel for fourteen years. Was this worthwhile to him? It was very worthwhile to him!

7. How would Leah feel to now have her sister become a wife to her man? Because of the labor involved in life, she might be a little jealous, but that was her sister. They knew each other well, and they were of the same culture. They had already worked together, and they could coordinate the family very well. The real issue to Leah was whether Jacob would love her (Leah); she already knew that Jacob loved her sister.

8. Is being married to more than one woman at a time wrong, according to the Bible? It is not wrong as long as the culture and the society do not see it as wrong. Pastors cannot have more than one wife in any culture, according to the Bible. Yehovah did not originally design marriage to include multiple wives, but He never disallowed it, knowing that wars would slaughter many men, leaving women without enough men to go around. Women often desire to have children; that would put the women into too much competition, and would leave some totally unfulfilled. Therefore, Yehovah did not stop multiple wives. He never permits a woman to have more than one husband.

VII. Hard Feelings (verses 30-31)

Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Jacob served seven more years.

Yehovah saw Leah’s situation: she was hated. Yehovah opened her womb so that she could conceive. Yehovah did not open Rachel’s womb (at this time); she was barren.

Questions

1. Was Jacob wrong to love Rachel more than Leah? Jacob’s love had been toward Raquel in the first place. Leah was placed as his woman by a form of deceit. He wasn’t wrong; it was up to Leah to change it. She had participated in the deceit even if she had obeyed her father in the process.

2. Who hated Leah? This text doesn’t state that Jacob hated her. Yehovah left her hater as unidentified. It could have been Raquel who hated her, or even the slavewoman who came with Raquel. I do not assume that Jacob hated her. The text doesn’t need to say both: “he also loved Rachel more than Leah,” and “Leah is hated,” if both refer to Jacob.

3. Why did Yehovah open Leah’s womb? He did this, according to this text, because she was hated. Yehovah had compassion on her (He treated her well and with mercy).

4. Why was Raquel barren? Did Yehovah do this to her? The text does not state that Yehovah did it to her. A woman isn’t necessarily barren because Yehovah made her barren; she can be barren for a number of natural reasons.

VIII. The Race is On! (verses 32-35)

Leah conceived and childed (bore) a son.

Son #1 is Reuben (See ye, a son!). Leah said that Yehovah saw via her humiliation. She also thought that her man would now love her.

Leah conceived again, and bore a second son.

Son #2 is Shimon (Hearkening). Leah said that Yehovah hearkened. She stated that she was hated, and that Yehovah gave also this son to her.

Leah conceived a third time.

Son #3 is Levi (Joining). Leah said, “Now is the stroke!” meaning, “This time!” She continued, “My man will join unto me, for I have childed three sons to him!”

Leah conceived a fourth time.

Son #4 is Judah (He confessed Yah). Leah this time confessed Yehovah herself. That was the last child she had.

Questions

1. Was Leah right when she said, “Yehovah hath seen via my humiliation”? Was this why she became pregnant? She was right! This was why she became pregnant! Yehovah did not view her as having done wrong in the deception of Jacob.

2. Was she right thinking that her man will love her? She wasn’t right yet; but Jacob did have sexual intercourse with her so that she became pregnant. If his character had been like many men, he would not have done that. Those children were his children, and Leah was their mother.

3. To what did Yehovah hearken? What does this mean? The word hearken means to listen and to do. Yehovah hearkened to Leah’s calling to Him, because she was hated, and Yehovah gave her further pregnancy.

4. Did Yehovah give her this second child? Yes, He did. He is the one who gives all children. He chooses the parents to whom He will give children.

5. If Yehovah gives children to parents, why do some parents abuse their children and even some kill them? Some parents do not see or value the image of God in their children; they see their children as a burden, a responsibility that stops them from doing what they want to do without anything stopping them. They hate what their children require from them, and they are bitter against God. Yehovah will hold them responsible for what they do to their children. Children are gift from God.

6. What does stroke mean in, “Now is the stroke”? This is the Hebrew way of expressing rhythmic time—time like what one would hear in an old-fashioned watch that ticks, or in a clock that ticks. Each stroke or beat is the movement of time.

Thus, she is saying, “Now is the time!” She is hopeful that Jacob will truly love her.

7. What does “my man will join unto me” mean? Leah is hoping that Jacob will finally become connect with her as a wife. She feels very disconnected from him, and it bothers her very much.

8. Did Jacob join to her at this time? Nothing changed.

9. Was Jacob cruel to Leah? He wasn’t at all cruel. He served her well. His love was emotionally directed toward Raquel.

10. When she said, “The stroke! I will confess Yehovah,” did something change? Yes. Something did change. She no longer even expected Jacob to love her in the way that he loved Raquel; she is now confessing Yehovah. It is her turning to faith.

11. What does Yah mean? This is a contraction (an abbreviation) for Yehovah, and Yehovah is a contraction for Yehiyeh-Hoveh-Hayah, meaning, He will be, He is, He was.

12. What does “she stood childing” mean? This means that she stopped having children. The word stood is like the word stop in English in this type of a statement.

IX. The Surrogate Mother (Chapter 30, verses 1-4)

Rachel was beautiful in every way, and had the affections of her husband. And she was an unhappy woman, for she was not getting pregnant. She told Jacob to render children to her, and that she was dead if he didn’t. Jacob became angry. He asked her, “Am I under (in the place of) Elohim Who withheld fruit of the womb from thee?”

Raquel’s solution was to have Jacob impregnate Raquel’s slave; this way, Raquel could build from her slave. Jacob did what she said.

Questions

1. What type of character did Rachel have? She envied her sister. She also lost patience with her husband as if her lack of pregnancy was his fault.

2. What did she mean by, “Render children to me”? She was telling him to get her pregnant. It wasn’t that he wasn’t trying; she was barren.

3. Would she really die if she didn’t become pregnant? She was slightly exaggerating. She was humiliated by this state she was in. Many women in many cultures feel totally unfulfilled if they do not bear a child.

4. Who is Elohim? Elohim is a title, not a name. It literally means gods/Gods. When the ‘g’ of gods is small, it refers to false gods; when it is capitalized (‘G’ in Gods), it refers to One God Who is all the Gods—the Creator. So far, I have found that this refers to Yeshua (Jesus).

5. What did he mean by, “Am I under Elohim?” This means, “Am I in the place of Elohim?” To be under means to take the place of. If a king dies and his reigns, in the Bible, his son reigns in the place of his father.

6. Did Elohim truly withhold fruit of Raquel’s womb from her? Jacob was not a man to accuse Elohim. If Jacob said that this is the case, it is. Thus, Raquel was not naturally barren, but barren because Elohim had withheld fruit from her.

7. Why did Yehovah withhold fruit from Raquel? The text doesn’t say why, but it does state that Yehovah gave Leah conception because she was hated. The only way that this would be an advantage is if Raquel must wait for conception.

8. Was Raquel’s giving her slave, Bilhah, to Jacob to have a baby wrong, and was Jacob wrong for doing this pregnancy that is outside of marriage? If Yehovah had determined that this was wrong, He would have indicated that. He didn’t. I know of no place in the Bible that commands against this type of pregnancy. It isn’t the same as fornication. Esau was a fornicator, and Yehovah hated him. Raquel desired a child, and she used a surrogate. (A surrogate is one who stands in for another, and in this case, to have a baby.)

X. Bilhah’s Produce (verses 5-8)

Son #5 is Dan. Rachel named Bilhah’s children, because they belonged to Rachel.

Rachel stated that Elohim adjudicated her, and that He hearkened into her voice. She claimed this child as her son.

Bilhah again became pregnant.

Son #6 is Naphtali. Rachel continued obtaining the fruit of the womb from Bilhah. Raquel saw this as a competition, a wrestling match with her sister.

Questions

1. What does adjudicate mean? It means to formally judge (the action of a court of law). When the Bible says to judge, it usually doesn’t mean to go before judges, but it has to do with each person rendering a right decision based on all facts. Every person who can think must judge. Adjudicating, on the other hand, is much more formal, with judges who are either trained or are that thoughtful, or with Yehovah Who is quite a Judge!

2. Did Elohim really adjudicate Raquel? When I first looked at all these statements that these women made as they bore sons, I wondered if these things were true about them. Then I thought again: “Why would Yehovah put these things into the Bible? Aren’t they the opinions of these women?” I immediately knew that they were not the opinions of these women; they were prophetic. They were not about the women at all, though the women thought they were.

I don’t know if Elohim adjudicated Raquel at this point; if He did, the text doesn’t state what happened, except that she gained a child from Bilhah. I will later put these statements of these women together to show another picture.

3. Had Elohim hearkened into Raquel’s voice, and had He given a son to her? Raquel was in competition with her sister, and she was losing that competition. Later, Raquel will have idols that she will take from her father. I do not have evidence that Raquel believed in Elohim—at least the Elohim that the Bible describes. Raquel’s slave certainly bore a son, and the son did technically belong to Raquel, but this isn’t the end of this story!

4. When Bilhah again had a baby, Raquel said, “I have wrestled the wrestlings of Elohim with my sister.” What did she mean? Had she said, “I have wrestled with my sister,” I would have understood that this meant the obvious: the two sisters were wrestling with each other. This wording is different, since it involves “the wrestlings of Elohim,” as if Elohim is also wrestling. It is as if Raquel is saying, “I wrestled instead of Elohim, wrestling for Him, and struggling against my sister.” This doesn’t make sense, since the two sisters didn’t wrestle. What makes sense (to me) is that this is prophetic, referring to events to come during the Tribulation. When I combine these statements, this will make more sense. (You can combine them in advance to see what you see.)

5. What does “I was able” mean? This means that she succeeded in her struggle.

6. Did she succeed? I cannot tell that she did.

XI. Zilpah’s Produce (verses 9-13)

When Leah saw that she wasn’t any longer becoming pregnant, she gave her slavewoman to her husband so that he could get her pregnant.

Zilpah conceived and bore a son.

Son #7 is Gad. Leah declared, “Via a troop!”

Zilpah again conceived.

Son #8 is Asher. Leah declared, “Via my happiness! For daughters ‘happied’ me!”

Questions

1. Why did Leah still desire to produce more children, even if she obtained them through her slave? The text doesn’t tell us why. She may have been in competition with her sister—at least, that is what her sister thought, but no person is able to tell the motives of another person except Yehovah! (When folks start to claim to know the motives of others, they are gossiping; they are doing one of seven things that Yehovah says is an abomination to Him!) Leah did desire to give her husband more children. That isn’t gossip.

2. The phrase, “Via a troop!” is not a sentence. (A phrase is a piece of a sentence, not a sentence.) What does this phrase mean? Since via means by means of, this is declaring, “by means of a troop!” Yet, it doesn’t tell what is occurring by means of a troop. When we put the various statements together, it may make more sense.

3. When Zilpah again became pregnant, Leah said, “Via my happiness! For daughters ‘happied’ me!” What did she mean? Since via means by means of, she was saying, “by means of my happiness! For daughters ‘happied’ me!” To happy someone is to make the person happy; to give joy. I put the word ‘happied’ in quotes because that is not proper English! No one can ‘happy’ another person, in English, but a person can do something that will make another feel happy.

Who are these daughters? She had sons! Again, I will wait to string these together to see if something arises.

XII. The Mandrakes (verses 14-15)

Reuben found mandrakes while walking in the days of wheat harvest. He brought the plants home to his mama (Leah).

Rachel found out about the plants, and asked for them. Leah responded that Rachel had taken her man. Was she going to take her son’s mandrakes too? Rachel struck up a bargain: give me the mandrakes, and you can have sex with him tonight. She agreed.

Questions

1. When is wheat harvest? It can happen several times in a season in the land where they were living, depending on where they were. Wheat grows quickly in the spring, and is ready in the early summer. Wheat is a grass-like plant. (See if you can obtain some ripe wheat with the wheat berries still on it, and eat the berries. Be certain you have wheat; farmers in the area may grow some. If you can’t find any, obtain some wheat berries (seeds) and grow your own so that you can try it!)

2. What are mandrakes? This plant was identified several centuries ago as Atropa mandragora, a plant similar to the belladonna. The plant’s root is like that of a beet with white and red fragrant blossoms. It is considered a potent sexual stimulant. It looks like the following:

Mandrake Root

(from Wikipedia.org)

3. Had Raquel really taken Leah’s man? No, she hadn’t. Leah should have known better than this.

4. Why was Leah willing to bargain with Raquel for the mandrakes? My impression is that Jacob normally slept in Raquel’s tent, not in Leah’s tent. Thus, Leah normally had to sleep alone, which also meant that she rarely (if ever) had sexual intercourse with Jacob. This was an opportunity for her to accomplish both.

5. Did Leah accept this bargain? Yes, she did.

XIII. Jacob is Hired (verses 16-20)

Jacob had no idea of these plans. Leah met him when he came out of the field in the evening. She told him that she had hired him via (by way of) her son’s mandrakes. Jacob did what he was told.

Elohim also hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived. This was her fifth son, and Jacob’s ninth son.

Son #9 is Issachar. Leah stated, “Elohim gave my hire that I gave my slavewoman to my man!” She understood this as payment for giving her slavewoman to her man!

Leah wasn’t done, yet. She conceived again, bearing the sixth child and Jacob’s tenth son.

Son #10 is Zebulun. She said, “Elohim endowed me a good endowment! The stroke my man will cohabit with me, for I childed six sons to him!”

Questions

1. Was Leah right when she said that Elohim gave her hire because she had given her slavewoman to her man? I don’t know if she was right. I again will wait to see what all the statements say together!

2. What is an endowment? It is like a gift, but it also normally has a specific purpose for being given. Leah thought that Yehovah gave this to her so that it would convince Jacob to cohabit with her (live with her during the nights).

XV. It’s a Girl! (verse 21)

Leah again became pregnant, but this time with a girl. She named her Dinah (pronounced Dee-Nuh with the accent on the last syllable).

Questions

1. Why did these women bear only boys, except for this one girl? Sometimes this happens! Yehovah will intentionally build the twelve tribes from the twelve sons, but He also provided one daughter.

2. Why did Leah name her daughter with this name? It is as if Leah thought that Elohim formally judged for her (Leah).

XV. Finally, Rachel (verses 22-24)

Yehovah finally remembered Rachel. He hearkened to her; He opened her womb. She greatly desired to have a child.

Son #11 is Joseph.

She saw this as Elohim collecting her reproach (like the trash would be collected and removed). She did not use this as his name, however. She saw this as an additional son (to the ones she obtained through her slave), so she named him He-Adds (Joseph).

Questions

1. Why did Elohim wait so long to give Raquel pregnancy? Jacob loved Raquel; she had great advantages. He thus gave her pregnancy at the very end.

2. Did the mandrakes have anything to do with her becoming pregnant? Elohim opened her womb. All the mandrakes in the world would have done nothing without Elohim opening her womb.

3. Did Elohim collect her reproach? Her reproach (her being viewed with contempt and with insults) left as soon as she bore a son. Elohim did collect it. Women in some cultures feel as if they are cursed if they don’t bear at least one child. Women in some other cultures must bear a son, or they will feel cursed. These feelings are not Biblical, but they are part of some cultures.

4. Did Raquel really see the sons of her slave as her own sons? She did!

5. Are these all the children that Jacob will have? No! There is one more son coming later: Benjamin!

June 3, 2009October 7, 2016

Genesis 29-30 Jacob’s Wives and Children

Jacob’s Wives and Children

Background and Printed Text: Genesis 29:15-30:24

Genesis 29:15 And White (Laban) said unto He-Will-Heel (Jacob), “Because thou art my brother, and wilt thou serve me for nothing? Tell to me, what is thy wage?”

²⁰And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) served seven years via Ewe (Rachel). And they were in his eyes as single days via his love of her.

³²And Weary (Leah) conceived. And she childed a son. And she called his name See-Ye-A-Son! (Reuben). For she said, “For Yehovah saw via my humiliation! For now my man will love me!” ³³And she conceived again. And she childed a son. And she said, “For Yehovah hearkened! For I am hated! And He has given also this to me!” And she called his name Hearkening (Shimon). ³⁴And she conceived again. And she childed a son. And she said, “Now is the stroke! My man will join unto me! For I have childed three sons to him!” Therefore he called his name My-Joining (Levi). ³⁵And she conceived again. And she childed a son. And she said, “The stroke! I will confess Yehovah!” Therefore she called his name He-Confessed-Yah (Judah). And she stood childing.

(Chapter 30) ¹And Ewe (Rachel) saw that she did not child to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). And Ewe (Rachel) envied against her sister. And she said unto He-Will-Heel (Jacob), “Render children to me! And if not, I am dead!” ²And He-Will-Heel’s (Jacob’s) anger was kindled against Ewe (Rachel). And he said, “Am I under Elohim Who withheld fruit of the womb from thee?” ³And she said, “Behold my maid Via-Languishing (Bilhah)! Come unto her! And she shall bear upon my knees. And I, even I have built from her!” ⁴And she gave him Via-Languishing (Bilhah) her slavewoman for a woman. And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) came unto her.

⁵And Via-Languishing (Bilhah) conceived. And she childed a son to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). ⁶And Ewe (Rachel) said, “Elohim adjudicated me! And He hath also hearkened into my voice. And He gave a son to me!” Therefore she called his name Adjudicator (Dan). ⁷And she conceived again. And Via-Languishing (Bilhah) Ewe’s (Rachel’s) slavewoman childed to He-Will-Heel (Jacob) a second son. ⁸And Ewe (Rachel) said, “I have wrestled the wrestlings of Elohim with my sister. Also I was able!” And she called his name My-Wrestling (Naphtali).

¹⁶And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) came out of the field in the evening. And Weary (Leah) went out to meet him. And she said, “Thou shalt come unto me. For hiring, I hired thee via my son’s mandrakes!” And he lay with her in that night. ¹⁷ And Elohim hearkened unto Weary (Leah). And she conceived. And she childed the fifth son to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). ¹⁸ And Weary (Leah) said, “Elohim gave my hire that I gave my slavewoman to my man!” And she called his name There-is-a-Hire (Issachar). ¹⁹And Weary (Leah) conceived again. And she childed the sixth son to He-Will-Heel (Jacob). ²⁰And Weary (Leah) said, “Elohim endowed me a good endowment! The stroke my man will cohabit with me, for I childed six sons to him!” And she called his name They-Shall-Cohabit (Zebulun).

²¹And afterward she childed a daughter. And she called her name Her-Adjudication (Dinah).

I. Laban’s Business Dealings (verse 15)

Laban found that Jacob was a good worker; Jacob had worked without wages except for food and necessary supplies for the work. He wanted to know what wage Jacob desired.

Questions

1. Why did Jacob serve Laban for nothing?

2. Why did Laban offer to pay Jacob?

3. Was Jacob Laban’s brother?

II. Laban’s Daughters (verses 16-18)

Laban had two daughters: Leah and Rachel (or Raquel). Leah’s eyes are soft. Raquel had a beautiful figure and a beautiful appearance. Jacob fell in love with Raquel.

Questions

1. What do soft eyes sometimes indicate?

2. Who had the greater advantages, Leah or Raquel?

3. Why would parents name a daughter Weary?

4. Did Jacob dislike Leah?

5. What is love?

III. The Answer (verses 18-19)

Jacob agreed to serve Laban for seven years in order to obtain Rachel for a wife. Laban said that it was better to give Rachel to Jacob than to another man. Laban desired Jacob to dwell with him.

Questions

1. Why was Jacob willing to serve Laban for seven years for Raquel?

2. Why did Laban believe that it was better to give her to Jacob than to another man?

3. What did Laban mean by, “Dwell with me”?

IV. Serving and Waiting (verse 20)

Jacob did not mind waiting for this beautiful girl. Seven years went by as if they were a few days. His love for this girl lasted.

Questions

1. Did Jacob forget about going home? Wasn’t he homesick?

2. Was Jacob good at what he did?

3. Was being a shepherd of sheep very profitable?

V. The Trick (verses 21-24)

In the meantime, Laban gave to Leah a slavewoman named Zilpah to help with the chores.

Questions

2. Did Laban do wrong to gather the men of the place and to throw a drinking party?

3. Did Laban do wrong to bring Leah instead of Rachel to Jacob on this honeymoon night?

4. Why didn’t Jacob notice that he was having sexual intercourse with Leah instead of Raquel?

5. Were slaves often given with daughters when the daughters were given in marriage?

VI. The Confrontation and Bargain (verses 25-30)

Rachel was given Bilhah to serve her. Jacob then had sexual intercourse with Rachel.

Questions

1. Why did Jacob confront Laban, but he didn’t confront Leah?

2. Did Laban beguile Jacob?

3. Did Laban speak the truth when he said, “It is not so done in our place—to give the young to the faces of the firstborn”?

4. How did Leah feel on the next morning after the honeymoon night?

5. What was part of fulfilling the seven (week) of a woman (verse 27)?

6. In Jacob’s mind, he was truly serving Laban for Rachel for fourteen years. Was this worthwhile to him?

7. How would Leah feel to now have her sister become a wife to her man?

8. Is being married to more than one woman at a time wrong, according to the Bible?

VII. Hard Feelings (verses 30-31)

Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Jacob served seven more years.

Yehovah saw Leah’s situation: she was hated. Yehovah opened her womb so that she could conceive. Yehovah did not open Rachel’s womb (at this time); she was barren.

Questions

1. Was Jacob wrong to love Rachel more than Leah?

2. Who hated Leah?

3. Why did Yehovah open Leah’s womb?

4. Why was Raquel barren? Did Yehovah do this to her?

VIII. The Race is On! (verses 32-35)

Leah conceived and childed (bore) a son.

Son #1 is Reuben (See ye, a son!). Leah said that Yehovah saw via her humiliation. She also thought that her man would now love her.

Leah conceived again, and bore a second son.

Son #2 is Shimon (Hearkening). Leah said that Yehovah hearkened. She stated that she was hated, and that Yehovah gave also this son to her.

Leah conceived a third time.

Son #3 is Levi (Joining). Leah said, “Now is the stroke!” meaning, “This time!” She continued, “My man will join unto me, for I have childed three sons to him!”

Leah conceived a fourth time.

Son #4 is Judah (He confessed Yah). Leah this time confessed Yehovah herself. That was the last child she had.

Questions

1. Was Leah right when she said, “Yehovah hath seen via my humiliation”? Was this why she became pregnant?

2. Was she right thinking that her man will love her?

3. To what did Yehovah hearken? What does this mean?

4. Did Yehovah give her this second child?

5. If Yehovah gives children to parents, why do some parents abuse their children and even some kill them?

6. What does stroke mean in, “Now is the stroke”?

7. What does “my man will join unto me” mean?

8. Did Jacob join to her at this time?

9. Was Jacob cruel to Leah?

10. When she said, “The stroke! I will confess Yehovah,” did something change?

11. What does Yah mean?

12. What does “she stood childing” mean?

IX. The Surrogate Mother (Chapter 30, verses 1-4)

Raquel’s solution was to have Jacob impregnate Raquel’s slave; this way, Raquel could build from her slave. Jacob did what she said.

Questions

1. What type of character did Rachel have?

2. What did she mean by, “Render children to me”?

3. Would she really die if she didn’t become pregnant?

4. Who is Elohim?

5. What did he mean by, “Am I under Elohim?”

6. Did Elohim truly withhold fruit of Raquel’s womb from her?

7. Why did Yehovah withhold fruit from Raquel?

8. Was Raquel’s giving her slave, Bilhah, to Jacob to have a baby wrong, and was Jacob wrong for doing this pregnancy that is outside of marriage?

X. Bilhah’s Produce (verses 5-8)

Son #5 is Dan. Rachel named Bilhah’s children, because they belonged to Rachel.

Rachel stated that Elohim adjudicated her, and that He hearkened into her voice. She claimed this child as her son.

Bilhah again became pregnant.

Son #6 is Naphtali. Rachel continued obtaining the fruit of the womb from Bilhah. Raquel saw this as a competition, a wrestling match with her sister.

Questions

1. What does adjudicate mean?

2. Did Elohim really adjudicate Raquel?

3. Had Elohim hearkened into Raquel’s voice, and had He given a son to her?

4. When Bilhah again had a baby, Raquel said, “I have wrestled the wrestlings of Elohim with my sister.” What did she mean?

5. What does “I was able” mean?

6. Did she succeed?

XI. Zilpah’s Produce (verses 9-13)

When Leah saw that she wasn’t any longer becoming pregnant, she gave her slavewoman to her husband so that he could get her pregnant.

Zilpah conceived and bore a son.

Son #7 is Gad. Leah declared, “Via a troop!”

Zilpah again conceived.

Son #8 is Asher. Leah declared, “Via my happiness! For daughters ‘happied’ me!”

Questions

1. Why did Leah still desire to produce more children, even if she obtained them through her slave?

2. The phrase, “Via a troop!” is not a sentence. (A phrase is a piece of a sentence, not a sentence.) What does this phrase mean?

3. When Zilpah again became pregnant, Leah said, “Via my happiness! For daughters ‘happied’ me!” What did she mean?

XII. The Mandrakes (verses 14-15)

Reuben found mandrakes while walking in the days of wheat harvest. He brought the plants home to his mama (Leah).

Questions

1. When is wheat harvest?

2. What are mandrakes?

3. Had Raquel really taken Leah’s man?

4. Why was Leah willing to bargain with Raquel for the mandrakes?

5. Did Leah accept this bargain?

XIII. Jacob is Hired (verses 16-20)

Jacob had no idea of these plans. Leah met him when he came out of the field in the evening. She told him that she had hired him via (by way of) her son’s mandrakes. Jacob did what he was told.

Elohim also hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived. This was her fifth son, and Jacob’s ninth son.

Son #9 is Issachar. Leah stated, “Elohim gave my hire that I gave my slavewoman to my man!” She understood this as payment for giving her slavewoman to her man!

Leah wasn’t done, yet. She conceived again, bearing the sixth child and Jacob’s tenth son.

Son #10 is Zebulun. She said, “Elohim endowed me a good endowment! The stroke my man will cohabit with me, for I childed six sons to him!”

Questions

1. Was Leah right when she said that Elohim gave her hire because she had given her slavewoman to her man?

2. What is an endowment?

XV. It’s a Girl! (verse 21)

Leah again became pregnant, but this time with a girl. She named her Dinah (pronounced Dee-Nuh with the accent on the last syllable).

Questions

1. Why did these women bear only boys, except for this one girl?

2. Why did Leah name her daughter with this name?

XV. Finally, Rachel (verses 22-24)

Yehovah finally remembered Rachel. He hearkened to her; He opened her womb. She greatly desired to have a child.

Son #11 is Joseph.

Questions

1. Why did Elohim wait so long to give Raquel pregnancy?

2. Did the mandrakes have anything to do with her becoming pregnant?

3. Did Elohim collect her reproach?

4. Did Raquel really see the sons of her slave as her own sons?

5. Are these all the children that Jacob will have?