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?

May 29, 2009July 5, 2017

Bitterness

Introduction

There are two types of bitterness. One type breeds a response that is damaging, and may be sin. The other type is a reaction to the pain in life, and breeds no damaging response; it can breed life. This paper will examine some aspects of both.

Definition of Bitterness

Bitterness is the state of unrelenting hurt, anger, and/or outrage over a perceived or real loss, a lack of gain, an outrage caused by another or others, and/or an injustice. This will be considered in detail.

Unrelenting means continuing without stopping, with the same irritation. If a child asks for a glass of milk over and over and over again, because the milk has not been given, and no answer has been given, both the child and the mother or father can become angry. The child’s request is unrelenting. It just won’t stop until there is a reply.

If one has a headache, and the aspirin won’t take it away, the throbbing is unrelenting. In the same way, bitterness has to do with unrelenting hurt, anger, and/or outrage. Outrage means very strong anger over something which seems just so very unfair or contrary to justice. Perceived means what something seems to be.

Suppose that Johnny is hitting Sue. Their mother comes in and sees this. She perceives that Johnny is doing wrong, and she becomes angry at Johnny. She later finds that Sue had been tickling Johnny to the point of really bothering him, and he responded in the only way he knew how to respond. When one perceives something as true, it may or may not be true. Bitterness in life often forms from such responses.

Bitterness may be from what seems as an unfair or unjust loss. It may be unfair, or it may be fair─but the bitter person definitely thinks it is unfair.

A person may become bitter because he didn’t get what he thought he should get. This is the perceived lack of gain.

A person may become bitter because of the cruelty of others, the death of loved ones, racism, jealousy, envy, and many other events.

What is Bad Bitterness?

Bad bitterness is used as an excuse to do violence. Say that Johnny hits Sue. Sue then picks up Johnny’s favorite truck and smashes it on the ground, ruining it. Sue has taken vengeance on Johnny. The word vengeance means personal or group punishment for a supposed offense, harm or crime for which restitution cannot or will not be made.

One may take vengeance on the other who did the supposed offense, or he may take vengeance on someone else who seems related. Vengeance is very dangerous. There are times when it is right, and there are many times when it is wrong. Sue was wrong when she smashed Johnny’s favorite truck. She would have been right if she had gone to their mother, and had asked her mother to take care of the hitting problem.

When a person who commits murder is found guilty, putting that person to death is right (according to the God of the Bible). This is a right form of vengeance.

Folks with bad and wrongful bitterness often desire to take vengeance or see vengeance on someone. They want to ‘get back at’ someone or a group. Some folks don’t care who gets hurt as long as someone who seems related to the cause of their bitterness will be targeted. They sometimes don’t even care if they, themselves, get hurt or killed in the process as long as they are successful in hurting or killing the ones they hate. This is the mindset behind Middle Eastern and Islamic terrorism. Since the gods won’t or can’t take vengeance, followers of the weak god feel the need to do vengeance for the god. (Folks with a strong god or God never need to help their god/God.)

Thus, bad bitterness includes hatred.

Not all hatred is bad; some forms are right. It is right to hate those who love to hurt others, who love to lie, who love to make others become guilty of wrong-doing, etc. The Bible teaches this in Psalm 5 and in Psalm 11, as well as in Proverbs 6, where we see that God hates such people:

Psalm 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity! ⁶Thou shalt destroy them that speak lying! Yehovah will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Psalm 11:5 Yehovah tries the righteous. And His soul hates the wicked and him who loves violence.

Proverbs 6:16 Yehovah hates these six things. Indeed, seven are an abomination unto Him: ¹⁷a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸a heart that devises thoughts of lust, feet that are swift in running to mischief, ¹⁹a false witness speaking lies, and he who sows discord among brethren.

Hating someone, therefore, isn’t necessarily wrong, but being gracious to that person is most often the right thing to do. How can this be done? If one treats a mean person graciously (except when defending innocent victims from the mean person), this can sometimes turn a mean person from the meanness. If the person is doing violence against a victim, it is also gracious to stop the mean person from hurting others if that is possible.

Personal vengeance (vengeance for one’s self) is not right. One can defend one’s self against an attacker; this is right. Vengeance for oneself is from bad bitterness, however.

What Causes Bad Bitterness?

Bad bitterness comes from pride. Pride is either having a higher or lower view of one’s own rank than what is true, without properly viewing one’s own responsibilities, or having a proper view of one’s own rank and responsibilities, but not living that way. A person who thinks that he is more than he really is shows pride and arrogance. A person who boasts, and says that he can do more than what he can actually do is prideful. A person who thinks he is more important than he really is arrogant. But also, a person who thinks that he is no good, low-down or stupid is also prideful! If a person thinks that he is special in any way, either over others, or below others, is prideful! The reason is this: such a person is self-centered. This means that such a person thinks about himself, not about others. He concentrates on how good or how lousy he is, rather than on benefiting others. Anyone who is self-centered tends to not care about others, and such a person is prideful.

A person with bad bitterness thinks that he is special and that his anger is special. He thinks about his cause and his fight as being more important than anything, including justice. Justice is rendering a right decision based on all the facts. A person who is bitter in a bad way does not care about facts; his view is right and cannot be wrong (even though it is wrong). It often does not matter who gets hurt as long as others feel the bitter person’s pain! Those with bad bitterness are very mean, and they don’t even know it. They are very angry. They get angry very quickly for no justifiable reason. They are certain that they are right.

Anyone with bad bitterness wants others to feel the same pain, or more pain, that he feels! It would not be good enough to just make peace. Peace alone is not the objective. The objective is to hurt others. If the others are the ones at whom the anger is aimed, fine! But if the others are not involved, that is often fine too, because this draws more attention to the bitterness.

Suppose Johnny is at school. And say that Mary took Johnny’s pencil, and broke it, then laughed. The teacher came in, so that Johnny couldn’t do anything. Johnny is really angry. Mary later goes to another class, and Johnny can’t go after her. He is really angry. He is bitter. Sherry walks up. Johnny is angry with Mary, but Mary is gone. Sherry accidentally bumps Johnny, not meaning to do it. Johnny gets intensely angry very quickly, turns, and pushes Sherry down, hurting her. He then walks off still angry. He has taken vengeance on Sherry for his anger against Mary! Yet, he is still angry with Mary! Then, when the teacher comes, gets Johnny, takes him out of class, and makes him sit alone, Johnny becomes very angry with the teacher, too! He has bad bitterness. He is proud. He sees himself as being more important than Sherry, whom he hurt. He sees himself as being more important than doing right. Yet, he feels like he is being picked-on by everyone. He has a low view of himself. This is still from the same pride!

Now, suppose Tim is in the same difficulty, and suppose that Mary broke Tim’s ruler. Tim is angry, but he thinks about it. He will get a new ruler. And he knows that Mary, for some reason, is mean, but he won’t permit Mary’s meanness to make him mean. Sam later comes and also picks on Tim, making fun of his hair. Tim just looks at him and says nothing, thinking that he is just trying to make him angry, but it won’t work. Later, when Jane drops her book, Tim picks it up for her, and hands it to her. She thanks him for that. Tim has responded in a good way. He has a right view of himself in terms of others. He is not proud.

There is no way to be bitter in a bad way without being proud. Prideful individuals can easily become bitter. Humble individuals, those who know their true rank and responsibilities before others, and insist on living that way, won’t ever become bitter in a bad way. They may suffer many wrongs against them, but they won’t become bitter. They will do well in life.

Is There Bitterness that is Not Bad?

There is a bitterness that is not bad. In the book of Ruth in the Bible, there is a woman named Naomi. Her husband and her two sons died soon after getting married, and they had no children. Naomi had lost practically everything during a famine. She was about to go home with nothing except two widowed daughters-in-law. She was bitter, but not in a bad way. She stated,

Ruth 1:20 Call me not Naomi {My Pleasant-One}; call me Mara {Bitter}. For the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹I went out full, and Yehovah hath brought me home again empty. Why will ye call me Naomi, seeing Yehovah has humiliated me, and the Almighty has bad-done to me?

She was right. She would soon see Yehovah turning things around for her in a most excellent way! In the meantime, she refused to take vengeance on anyone or harm or mistreat anyone, including Yehovah. She was only gracious. She feared Yehovah! She did what was right. Her bitterness was caused from the pain of loss and grief that she felt for herself and for her two daughters-in-law all the time. Naomi had no pride. She did not see herself as lower than others or as higher than others. She saw her responsibilities, and she did them on behalf of others. Anyone who takes her attitude and fears Yehovah will do well in life!

How Can One Get Rid of Bad Bitterness?

In order to get rid of bad bitterness, one must first get rid of pride! (That is extremely hard for a prideful person to do, because a person with pride usually is too proud to admit that there is pride!) He must admit that he does not properly see his own rank and real responsibilities, and he is not living according to his real rank and real responsibilities.

The next step is to carefully consider what has really been happening. In the case of Johnny above, if he had considered that Mary is probably mean because she does not know better, and because she is very bitter and angry too, Johnny might be able to respond kindly toward her. It could be that if he did, she might begin to treat him better. Even if she didn’t, she might soon get caught in her meanness, and face the teacher! Johnny also didn’t see that Mary wanted him to become mean so that Mary could feel better about herself! Mean people sometimes feel bad that they are so mean. They press others to do things to look bad so that they can feel better about themselves. If Johnny truly wants to ‘bug’ her, he could treat her very well, and watch her really struggle!

After considering what is happening and how it is affecting oneself and others, the next step is to make something good (constructive) out of what is bad. The best and most allowed form of vengeance is kindness to one’s enemy. This takes a lot of work and energy, but it can truly make all the difference in the world.

Being kind to a bitter enemy sometimes isn’t possible. If the Bible is Truth, Yehovah will deal with the enemy at a later time. When He does, vengeance will be much stronger and more appropriate than anything that any person can do.

Refuse personal vengeance. That belongs to Yehovah.

Don’t let an enemy possess your mind! One who is bitter in a bad way is almost always thinking about the object of the bitterness: the mean person or persons who did the supposed wrong in the first place. A person whose mind is possessed is a slave! There is no freedom of thought when one’s thoughts always go toward one’s enemies!

Talk with someone who is wise about the way you feel. Make sure that that person is not one who says, “Yeah, you are right! You have a right to feel that way!” That is not a wise person. Rather, talk with someone who will help you come up with good ideas how you can overcome your bitterness.

Warning: Do not try to fight the feelings. Your emotions are given as a gift from God. Don’t fight them. Rather, Do Good. Proper feelings will follow much later.

National Vengeance

Countries take vengeance on criminals; this is right. This is not from bitterness. The Almighty (Yehovah) has given countries the right to do this. Countries have the right to fight against enemy countries and enemy individuals.

Some wars are right, and some wars are not. Countries have a right to go to war. Individuals may disagree with their own countries regarding a war. Some may even fight against the actions of their own countries, as some Germans fought against the mean and cruel Nazi government in Germany during World War II. It is right to fight against wrong violence of your own country’s leaders if your country’s leaders are fighting against the God of Israel and against the Israel of God. If your country’s leaders are not commanding you to do wrong, however, it is not right to fight against your own country’s leaders.

A person who claims to believe the Bible needs to very carefully think about all these things before doing something that might be wrong. Daniel, in the Bible, was a leader in a country that had taken the Israelis captive. He served that country’s leaders very well, and was loved and respected by the leaders. Daniel feared God. He never tried to take vengeance on his enemies. He saved some of their lives!

In the book of Esther, Esther asked for the right of the Israelis to defend themselves, against enemies who were going to kill all Jews. The King gave the Jewish People not only the right to defend, but to get rid of their enemies! This was vengeance, and this was right!

There are times when vengeance is right. As you think about it, you will begin to see the difference.

Conclusion

If you suffer from bad bitterness, or what seems to be unrelenting anger, bad bitterness is always against a god/God, and it is from pride. Do something about it—something good, beneficial and kind. Do right!

May 25, 2009March 27, 2016

One Aim of The Law

Introduction

Some erroneously believe that the Torah (‘Law’) provided salvation for those who kept it. This will be examined.

The Directive: Thou Shalt Keep the Commandments

Deuteronomy 8:6,19 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of Yehovah thy God to walk in His ways, and to fear Him. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget Yehovah thy God and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish as the nations which Yehovah detroyeth before your face. So shall ye perish because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of Yehovah your God.

Two purposes are given to Israel for keeping Yehovah’s commandments:

To walk in His ways
To fear Him

The Israelis were temporarily permitted to dwell in, use and prosper in Yehovah’s Land as long as they walked in Yehovah’s ways. Everlasting life was not the issue, and no permanence was guaranteed.

The Everlasting Gospel

The everlasting Gospel consists of three elements that will have everlasting consequences:

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people, saying with a loud voice, (1) Fear God, and (2) Give glory to Him! For the hour of His judgment is come! And (3) Worship Him Who made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters!

The fear of Yehovah is essential for Salvation and is the beginning of Wisdom.

One purpose of Torah was to direct a person to the Fear of Yehovah. The Torah deals with the issues of this life (the physical land of Israel; one’s neighbour; one’s view of Yehovah). Any Israeli sensitive to the Torah who desired truth with all his being will obtain the fear of Yehovah. The same is true for anyone who approaches the Torah today with such an attitude.

The Righteous by His Faith Shall Live

The Scriptures teach, the righteous-one by his faith shall live (Habakkuk 2:4b). Contrast this with Hebrews 4:2b: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard. Hearing the Word of God is not profitable if it is not mixed with faith. Faith is the gift of God. The Torah is the word of God. One who observes the Torah without the faith of Yehovah will accomplish nothing permanent. He will not ultimately glorify or please God. All who live by the faith of Yehovah will be righteousness and will show proof of their salvation.

Can Keeping the Law save Anyone?

If anyone could, the following would also be true:

Those saved by keeping the Torah would not need the sacrifice of Messiah. His shed blood would be useless for them.
They would obtain salvation by their own works and power. Man would not be helpless and lost in sin, just temporarily in trouble.
Many passages such as Romans 8:3 would be rendered false: For what the Law could not do (in that it was weak through the flesh), God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The means of salvation for non-Israelis during the time of Moses, Joshua, etc. would be in question. Many would not be able to come to Israel to obtain salvation by keeping the Torah. Slaves and residents in other lands where the Torah could not be performed could not obtain salvation due to a geographic problem beyond their control, unless there were two or more ways to obtain Salvation.
The Grace of Yehovah would not be essential.
The importance of one’s name being written in the Lamb’s Book of Life would be meaningless. Salvation would be obtainable then loseable, obtainable, loseable, etc. (There is no record of blottings or additions to the Lamb’s Book of Life.)
One would still be able to obtain salvation through keeping the Torah today, making the Grace of God of non-effect.

The curses of the Torah are still active against Israel, and thus the Torah is still active. Yehovah still brings Israel’s enemies against Israel and Israelis for refusing to turn to Yehovah and obey His Torah (His Word).

Since He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His plan never changes, His means of salvation has never changed.

Conclusion

One aim of the Law is to direct the Israelis to the fear of Yehovah. Non-Jewish folks can also learn the fear of Yehovah from His Word.

May 17, 2009August 22, 2016

God is Crazy about You!

God Is Crazy about You!

The Biblical God is just a little different. He isn’t crazy about anyone, because He isn’t crazy. He is very sober, and sees the truth. Most folks don’t care to find out too much about this God, because He is somewhat frightening.

Some folks just think that they are the apple of God’s eye! They love the idea of God thinking beautiful thoughts about them, smiling on them, and making His day revolve around His touching love and delight in them. They want to think that their God is totally in love with them, and is so pleased that He will make His universe revolve around them with pleasures evermore.

First, He never has been a touchy-feely being. Even the speaker in Jeremiah 20 temporarily quit because he was so upset at his mistreatment. Yehovah did not give him one word of comfort, but waited for him to get back to work.

Jeremiah 20:7 Yehovah, Thou deceived me, and I was deceived! Thou art stronger than I, and prevailed! I am in derision daily. Every one mocks me. ⁸For since I spoke, I shouted—I shouted, “Violence!” and “Spoil!” For the word of Yehovah was made a reproach unto me, and a daily derision. ⁹Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him or speak any more in His Name!” But He was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones. And I was weary with forbearing; and I could not.

Some folks think that ‘Jesus’ is different from God the Father, and their ‘Jesuses’ are different. Many folks have different ‘Jesuses’ that don’t match the Bible, and are considered rollers (little excrements, referring to idols) in Ezekiel. The Biblical ‘Jesus’ (Yeshua) was not so mild as folks like to see him (especially when they represent Him at Christmas):

Matthew 12:34 “Generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks!”

Yeshua wasn’t inviting folks to a modern revival when He said,

Luke 9:23 And He said to them all, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me!”

The cross was a terribly painful execution tool. A person who took it up would be carrying a potential means of his own terrible death.

Yeshua defined what loving Him meant:

John 14:21 “He that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me!”

This love is in the form of having and keeping commandments, not sentimentalism.

Few folks can rightly identify the first of the Ten Commandments. They certainly don’t have or keep them. (The first is, “I am Yehovah thy Gods Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”)

The Bible has much to say about fury:

Isaiah 34:2 For the indignation of Yehovah is upon all races, and His fury is upon all their armies! He has utterly destroyed them! He has delivered them to the slaughter!

That doesn’t sound like a sweet, touchy-feely god. If you think that the Biblical Yeshua holds a different response than Yehovah, He stated,

John 10:30 The Father and I are one.

Arrogant folks like to make gods that are so pleased with them! (Only an arrogant person would make a god in the first place.) Yehovah does delight in some things and some persons:

Deuteronomy 10:15 Only Yehovah had a delight in thy fathers to love them. And He chose their seed after them—you above all peoples, as this day.

This refers to the fathers of the Israelis, Avraham, Isaac and Jacob.

1 Kings 10:9 Yehovah thy God is blessed Who delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel. Because Yehovah loved Israel forever, therefore He made thee king to do justice and righteousness.

This refers to King Solomon.

Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to Yehovah, but a righteous weight is His delight.

Yehovah delights in right weights and measures!

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to Yehovah, but doers of faith are His delight.

Folks who do faith (not just claim it) are His delight. The faith must not be in falsehood (like idols).

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Yehovah, but the prayer of straight-ones is His delight.

The prayer of folks who are straight (not crooked) who pray (in a group, since prayer is singular and straight-ones is plural) is Yehovah’s delight.

Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant whom I uphold—mine elect, my soul delights! I have put my spirit upon him! He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Is this referring to Messiah Yeshua, or to Israel?

Isaiah 62:4 Thou [Jerusalem/Mount Zion] shalt no more be termed Forsaken, and thy land shall not any more be termed Desolate. But thou shalt be called My-Delight-In-Her [Hephzibah], and thy land Married [Beulah]. For Yehovah delights in thee, and thy land shall be married!

Jeremiah 9:24 “But him who glories shall glory in this: that he understands and knows me, that I am Yehovah Who exercises Grace, justice and righteousness in the land! For I delight in these things!” saith Yehovah.

Anyone who therefore does Biblically defined and described Grace, justice and righteousness will be a delight to Yehovah. Most folks have no idea what all these things are, nor even how to define or describe them!

Is God crazy about you? Does He even know you?

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, “Lord! Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and have cast out devils in Thy name, and done many wonderful works in Thy name?” ²³And then I will profess unto them, “I never knew you! Depart from me, ye that work iniquity!”

These folks did many miraculous things in Yeshua’s name! That doesn’t mean that Yeshua knew them, but rather that His name is very powerful!

What great miracles have you done? Even a dozen great miracles doesn’t mean that the Biblical God knows you!

One text describes how folks are sent to the Lake of Fire and Sulfur just for failing to help Messiah’s Brethren:

Matthew 25:41 Then He shall say also unto them on the left hand, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! ⁴²For I was hungry, and ye gave me no food! I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink! ⁴³I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not!” ⁴⁴Then shall they also answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?” ⁴⁵Then He shall answer them, saying, “Faith, I say unto you: inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me!” ⁴⁶And these shall go away into everlasting punishment!

You probably don’t even know who these Brethren are, and you probably think this text refers to being kind to the poor. (The Brethren are the Israelis.)

Do you still think that God is crazy about you? If so, you’re crazy, and you will experience His ‘crazy’ fury (unless you believe Him literally).

May 15, 2009July 5, 2017

Who in Hell Does God Love?

A common teaching is that God loves everybody. I find it amazing how few folks stop and think about how unreasonable this is.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach about everlasting torturous judgment?

Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach that God commanded the Israelis to annihilate all Canaanite folks?

Deuteronomy 20:16 But thou shalt save alive nothing that breathes from the cities of these peoples that Yehovah thy God gives thee for an inheritance, ¹⁷but thou shalt utterly destroy them—namely, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites—as Yehovah thy God commanded thee.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach that God kills and destroys Israel’s enemies?

Psalms 143:12 Cut off my enemies from Thy Grace, and destroy all them who afflict my being! For I am thy servant.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach that God slew Judah’s firstborn son?

Genesis 38:7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yehovah. And Yehovah slew him.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach that God hated Esau?

Romans 9:13 As it is written, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.”

Some senseless folks will say, “God loves everyone, even folks who go to Hell, because it was their own choice to go there!” They have no understanding that the Lake of Fire and Sulfur is a judgment that God will institute! What kind of love will consign a person to such a place everlastingly? If this is ‘love’, do you want God to love you?

Some groups try denying that Hell is a real place. They claim that it is a state of mind, or it is right here on earth. Denial is the core of unbelief.

“Then whom does God love?”

The Queen of Sheba stated about King Solomon,

2 Chronicles 9:8 Blessed is Yehovah thy God Who delighted in thee to set thee on His throne to be king for Yehovah thy God. Because thy God loved Israel to establish them forever, therefore He made thee king over them to do justice and righteousness.

The Bible stated about the Israelis,

Deuteronomy 7:7 Yehovah did not set His love upon you or choose you, because ye were more in number than any people—for ye were the fewest of all people—⁸but Yehovah brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt because Yehovah loved you and because He would keep the oath that He swore unto your fathers.

“But what about Gentiles?”

Psalm 146:8 Yehovah loves the righteous.

Any Gentiles that the Bible considers righteous will have His love.

Does God hate or abhor anyone?

Psalms 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight! Thou hatest all workers of iniquity [folks who make themselves guilty before God by sinning]. ⁶Thou shalt destroy them who speak lying! Yehovah will abhor the bloody [folks who intentionally shed innocent blood] and deceitful man!

John 3:36 He who doesn’t believe the Son [the Biblical Jesus, distinct from the popular ‘Jesuses’ of many different religious forms] shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.

“Well, I just can’t believe there is anyone that God doesn’t love.”

Anytime someone states, “I can’t believe…” and then follows it with something the Bible teaches, the person is directly declaring his own unbelief. I always believe that person’s testimony, and know that that person truly cannot believe.

Jesus taught the Jews and their friends who will be going to Mount Zion during the Tribulation,

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait [constricted and very tight] gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and there are many who go in there. ¹⁴Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads unto life, and there are few who find it.

If only a few will find it of all who seek it, and if the majority never seek it, the number who will find it must be very small contrasted with the very large majority who go to destruction (the Lake of Fire and Sulfur).

Do you think the Biblical God loves you? You probably do. If you are normal, the Biblical record doesn’t really matter. You figure that you have not been as bad as some folks, and that God ‘grades on a curve.’

2 Thessalonians 2:11 God shall send them strong delusion for this cause so that they will believe a lie, ¹²so that they all will be damned who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.