Ichthus77

Genesis 48, Job 40:3-41:34

Bible Narrative Project

Because Reuben slept with his father’s concubine, he lost the birthright to Joseph, which would go to his two sons, which Jacob/Israel now adopts. Instead of there being a tribe of Joseph, there will instead be two half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (for now Joseph will receive a double portion…possibly referring to the Hebrew for Shechem, after what happened in chapter 34). For what Levi and Simeon did in chapter 34, they would not receive land allotments…Simeon would eventually be absorbed into Judah, and Levi would be set apart for priestly duty and given 48 towns scattered throughout Israel. As Jacob, the younger brother, received the blessing and preferred Rachel, the younger daughter, he now shows preference to the younger son, Ephraim.

Job: So, Job says “Behold, I am insignificant ; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. Once I have spoken, and I will not answer ; Even twice, and I will add nothing more” But God doesn’t let up. It’s as if he only asked Job a question and let him stutter out the answer as ‘part’ of His long reply.

Genesis 46-47, Job 38-40:2

Bible Narrative Project

Genesis: Something I forgot to mention previously is that when someone from back then says “Here I am” in response to God, it is the way a servant would respond.

I like the way the story is switching emphasis from Jacob’s great son Joseph, back to Jacob–God is addressing Jacob the way he did when Jacob was fleeing Esau and Laban…every time Jacob is scared and has to move, God reassures him. As my friend Jonathan said in home group on Sunday…”This is no tribal God”…he is not confined to one locality, but is with us everywhere. Regarding the genealogy–I’m wondering why Tamar’s children are considered Judah’s, rather than Er’s? Because that custom was not Judah’s intention?

It’s crazy how this is all the set-up for the Israelites enslavement in Egypt, and God’s rescuing them away back to the Promised Land through Moses and the plagues, and the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. All the talk about Jacob’s/Israel’s bones eventually returning to Canaan feels like foreshadowing…the tool of a good writer.

Job: After Job’s great, wise speech, God actually replies to him (out of the whirlwind, which is something that hits home for me). I would summarize it thus: You have completely misjudged my motives, because your view of me is too limited. Perhaps there are greater motives for my allowing your suffering that do not have to do with your being my enemy–motives of which you cannot even conceive.

Genesis 39-45, Job 31-37

Bible Narrative Project

Genesis: Weird–Joseph’s boss: Potifar. Joseph’s father-in-law: Potiphera.

Are there any other Biblical dreams repeated twice? Seven, seven years…seen again in Daniel and Revelation. It is so awesome that Joseph had and interpreted dreams and saw their fulfillment throughout his lifetime. Like Job, he lost everything to gain more. I wonder if Joseph messed w/ his brothers to test them, to see if they had learned their lesson about selling the favorite son into slavery (in this case, Benjamin)? Chapter 45: 5 “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 “For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 “Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God ; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” Now, that is some positive thinking.

Job: More from Job, then from a new guy…Elihu.

Genesis 38, Job 26-31

Bible Narrative Project

Genesis: This story reminds me of David and Bathsheba, when the prophet made up a story and had a woman tell it to King David so he could judge it, when really it applied methaphorically to David’s sin with Bathsheba. Judah was going to have Tamar killed for the very thing he did to her. It is interesting that with-holding children from a woman was seen as a worse offense than a woman having an illegitimate child. A subtle detail is that they ‘said’ they were looking for a ‘temple’ prostitute (was more socially acceptable) when really they were looking for a regular one (so Judah thought)–hence their fear of becoming a laughing stock. Serious case of plank-eye.

Job: Chapter 26. LOST trivia: Abaddon was the name of a LOST character (who is now a Fringe character…and the word “fringes” appears also in chapter 26, NASB). It’s pretty cool that the turban is mentioned in ch. 29. 30:19–“He has cast me into the mire, And I have become like dust and ashes.”

Genesis 37, Job 25

Bible Narrative Project

Things are really heating up in Job. From my study Bible notes: “Bildad adds nothing new here, and Zophar, who has already admitted how emotionally disturbed he was (see 20:2), doesn’t even comment.” In chapter 26 (jumping ahead a tad) they say “With biting sarcasm, Job responds to Bildad alone (the Hebrew for the word ‘you’ in these verse is singular rather than plural), indicating that Eliphaz and Zophar have already been silenced.” Job is winning this ancient debate, this ancient apologetic. “Why does God allow innocent people to suffer?” is a very old question. Having no definite answer (because it is more about God showing to the Naysayer, through Job, that there is a motivation for loving God that is higher than brute selfishness), it reminds me of one of Plato’s dialogues.

In Genesis, we are again dealing with favoritism. Jacob was his mother’s favorite, and Joseph is Jacob’s favorite. But that isn’t Joseph’s fault, just like Jacob being his mother’s favorite wasn’t Jacob’s fault. So we shouldn’t react to these favorites the way their brothers did. But one wonders if Joseph wasn’t a bratty little brother, bragging about his “I’m going to rule over you, na-na-na-na-na” dreams. If older brothers back then were of the sort who sold young bratty brothers to the Ishmaelites, one would hope younger brothers would learn to keep their mouths shut. But Joseph can’t be that dumb…he goes on to be the governor of Egypt. Must be a God thing :-D Reuben sticks up for Joseph in this instance, maybe because in a different scene he had taken premature liberties w/ Jacob’s concubine and lost his legal status as firstborn…no more screw-ups for him. It’s Judah’s turn for screwin’ up…in the next chapter.

Genesis 36, Job 23-24

Bible Narrative Project

Very interesting: In 36:11 we see Eliphaz with a son named Teman…and one of Job’s friends is named “Eliphaz the Temanite” (Teman is a village in Edom). My study Bible notes say Job probably lived in Edom (the land of Uz included Edom).

“For He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” – Job

Note: Job and Jobab are related words. There is another Jobab in Genesis 6.

Genesis 34:1-35:29, Job 22

Bible Narrative Project

Genesis: Men were far too willing to part with their foreskins in the old days. Very strange. Ben-oni: son of my sorrow. Apparently firstborns inherit their father’s concubine (unless they do so prematurely)? Jacob is back in Bethel where he is supposed to be, so the blessings are reaffirmed, as is his new name Israel.

Job: Now Eliphaz goes beyond Bildad and Zophar and accuses Job of specific sins when his only proof is Job’s suffering. The “counsel” of his friends is its own kind of suffering, adding to all the suffering Job has already gone through.

Genesis 32:1-33:20, Job 21

Bible Narrative Project

Genesis: A lot of interesting tidbits in my study Bible notes. Jacob addresses Esau with “lord” but Esau addressed Jacob with “brother”. Jacob’s name contends with man, Israel’s name struggles with God. God allowed the struggle, though he could have disabled him at any point (in this case, in his hip). That’s the way I look at free will. The struggle is allowed, because without that choice, the choice of love is impossible. But it is “allowed”–without God’s sustaining, no choice would be possible.

Job: This Job character sure reminds me of King Solomon’s voice in Ecclesiastes. Vanity, vanity, all is vanity–whether good or evil, we all return to the dust. “How then will you vainly comfort me?”

Also, Jacob contends with Esau, then Labban, but ultimately it is God with whom he must wrestle. And, the gift/blessing he attempts to give to Esau (now recognizing the blessing comes from God, 32:26) is in place of the one he stole….but God has blessed Esau so much that Esau no longer cares about that stolen blessing.

Genesis 30:25-31:55, Job 20

Bible Narrative Project

Genesis: It is kind of interesting that Jacob has to put up with Laban. They seem to have so much in common, where trickery is concerned. What does Rachel want with those idols, anyway? Good thing she played the “I’m on my period” card (a more serious card back then).

Job: Zophar is at it again. These friends of Job confuse me. They sat by their friend for a week saying nothing…you would think they were good friends and that Job was deserving of their friendship. But with friends like these…

Genesis 29-30:24, Job 19

Bible Narrative Project

Genesis:

Well, this competition between Rachel and Leah is just more of the same sad junk Sarah and Hagar went through. I’m really glad that is not the norm in our culture. I can’t imagine being someone’s maid and them giving me to their husband and claiming my baby as their own…as if that’s okay. And I can’t imagine wanting the affection of a man who wants someone else. Abraham and Jacob and many other OT men would have been kicked to the curb in (most of) our culture. Laban is about like our stereo-typical car salesman.

What’s weird is that Leah accuses Rachel of taking her husband, merely because Leah married him first, when actually it was Rachel Jacob wanted first…and instead of calling Leah on that, she just…lets her sleep with him…in exchange for mandrakes. Yikes. I’m sure there is some deep cultural point I’m missing, because my own cultural standards are clouding my vision.

Job:

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God” // “If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’ And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find ?’ Then be afraid of the sword for yourselves, For wrath brings the punishment of the sword, So that you may know there is judgment.”

Also, I was thinking about how often “wells” are coming up. They fight over wells twice, and future wives are met at wells twice. Are wells the ancient equivalent of water coolers or clubs/bars? Was it so taboo for Jesus to talk to the Samaritan woman at the well because of its association with igniting relationships…or was it just generally speaking in public that was taboo? Maybe it was a double-wammy. Not yet, lucky for Isaac and Jacob.